If you are a small business that is reopening its doors to customers, you are probably thinking about how you will keep your employees and customers safe. In addition to social distancing and masking, physical barriers work well to protect both parties, with a lot of businesses opting for acrylic shield guards. Also called sneeze guards, acrylic safety shields provide a physical barrier between customers and employees while allowing communication and safe face-to-face interactions. Once they are installed, they need to be cleaned to ensure no germs are lingering on them and maintained to improve their longevity. We will look at how to do both of these below.
About Acrylic Shields
Acrylic is physically strong, clear and a lot less brittle than glass. However, because the material is plastic, it does scratch very easily, usually at a microscopic level, which makes cleaning it regularly very important. Being a plastic product, acrylic is vulnerable to different chemicals, such as those that contain ammonia or alcohol. Because of this, you have to be careful when choosing cleaning products to avoid damage to the acrylic safety shield.
Acrylic is a great material for safety shields because it does not provide a conducive environment for germs to thrive. It is non-absorbent and dries it quite easily. They are also easy to install with all you need being the acrylic safety shield and the right clamps.
Cleaning
The first step in cleaning an acrylic safety shield is inspecting it. This will tell you if there is any dust or grime that needs to be cleaned first. To remove this first layer of dust and grime, rinse the shield with lukewarm water. Avoid rubbing the shield with an abrasive cloth at any stage of the cleaning process. Next, add a few drops of soap in lukewarm water and clean the shield using a soft cloth. Always remember to rewet the washing cloth often to ensure it remains relatively clean and free of dust particles and grime throughout the cleaning process. Leave the soap on for 1-2 minutes and then rinse using clean water and a soft cloth.
Once dry, spray sanitizer onto the shield, and you are done.
Maintenance
Ensuring an acrylic safety shield lasts for a long time involves protecting it from the sun and UV rays, cleaning it regularly, and protecting it from being struck, as this can lead to cracking.
Precautions
Cleaning your acrylic safety shields might not be a complex process, but it should be done with care. Remember that although acrylic is a lot stronger than glass, it does scratch a lot easier. So, avoid any cleaning products that contain particles.
Also, avoid brushes, scrubs, and squeegees. All of these can scratch the shield and make it progressively harder to keep it 100% germ-free. If you decide to use a tissue to dry the shield, ensure it is very soft or opt for a cotton cloth to avoid microscopic scratches, which can harbor germs.
For businesses that have installed acrylic safety shields, it is not enough to have them up as they also need to make sure they are always clean and free from all germs, particularly in the middle of a pandemic.
