Environmental surface contaminaion examined by atp assay before and after terminal room cleaning in patient rooms

Ten patient rooms were assessed for environmental surface contamination using an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) test kit before and after terminal room cleaning was performed following patient discharge. The degree of environmental surface contamination was evaluated and the effectiveness of cleaning was examined using ATP values. It was found that the overbed tables, cabinet handles, light switches and television remote controls were highly contaminated. The ATP values found on the overbed tables after cleaning were often higher than those of the same surfaces before cleaning due to a high contamination rate. Cross-contamination from surfaces having high degrees of contamination being cleaned just prior to the overbed tables could be also a reason for high ATP values. The risk of contagion, therefore, can be reduced by preventing cross-contamination via the cleaning cloth by modifying the following: cleaning procedures for highly contaminated surfaces, cleaning sequences, and timing for changing used cloths according to the level of environmental surface contamination.