Advanced application technology, chemistry tailored to each environment, environmental monitoring and measurable verification. We don't just clean and disinfect; we prove it worked.
Fogging disperses an ultra-fine mist that reaches large open areas, overheads and hard-to-reach spaces, treating an entire warehouse, gym or arena in a fraction of the time manual application takes. For disinfection we use ULV systems with products whose EPA label allows fogging; thermal fogging is reserved for odor and flying-insect control where labels allow.
These three technologies are often grouped together, but they work very differently. Choosing the right one depends on the space, the surfaces, the product label and whether the area is occupied.
Electrostatic sprayers pass the solution over an electrode that gives each droplet a positive charge. Charged droplets repel each other, so they spread evenly, and are attracted to surfaces, wrapping around objects to coat sides, undersides and edges that conventional spraying misses.
ULV cold foggers use a high-velocity air stream, with no heat, to shear water-based disinfectant into fine droplets, commonly about 5–50 microns. The droplets stay suspended and drift through the space, reaching large air volumes, overheads and hard-to-reach surfaces.
Thermal foggers use heat to vaporize a fogging solution. When the vapor meets cooler air it condenses into a dense, visible fog of very fine droplets, commonly cited at about 8–20 microns, that penetrates deep into large volumes and dense spaces.
| Feature | Electrostatic Spraying | ULV (Cold) Fogging | Thermal Fogging |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Electrically charges droplets so they're attracted to surfaces | High-velocity air shears liquid into fine droplets, no heat | Heat vaporizes the solution, which condenses into dense fog |
| Droplet size | Larger droplets designed to land and wrap on surfaces | Fine, commonly about 5–50 microns | Very fine, commonly about 8–20 microns |
| Visibility | Light mist | Light, hard-to-see mist | Thick, highly visible fog |
| Typical carrier | Water-based disinfectants | Water-based disinfectants | Fogging solutions, often oil-based for insecticides |
| Primary target | High-touch surfaces | Indoor air volume and hard-to-reach surfaces | Odors, flying insects, voids and large unoccupied volumes |
| Best environments | Classrooms, offices, clinics, locker rooms, gyms | Warehouses, gyms, arenas, outbreak response | Perimeters, drains, cold storage, vector control |
| Typical chemistries | Quats, accelerated hydrogen peroxide, silver dihydrogen citrate, hypochlorous acid | Hydrogen peroxide (often with silver), hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid, hypochlorous acid | Quats (some with glutaraldehyde), deodorizers, labeled insecticides |
| Label availability (U.S.) | Wide: EPA created an expedited process to add electrostatic directions, and many disinfectants carry them | Moderate: often registered as a system (specific product + specific fogger) | Limited: few disinfectant labels allow it, mostly for animal premises |
| Key benefits | Even coverage, less waste, fast turnover | No heat, large indoor coverage, low residue | Deepest penetration, visible coverage, fast large-area treatment |
| Key considerations | Product must be labeled for electrostatic use; full contact time | Area vacated; product labeled for fogging; coverage hard to see | Heat and fire risk; possible residue; never occupied or food-exposed areas |
Our rule: fogging and spraying supplement cleaning; they never replace it. We clean first, choose the technology that fits the space, use only products whose label allows that application method, and observe every contact time and re-entry interval. Learn more in our guides: Disinfectants by Application Method and Fogging and COVID-19: What the Evidence Says.
Droplet sizes are typical ranges reported in equipment literature and vary by machine, nozzle and settings.
For process equipment, we use automated Clean-in-Place systems and waterless dry ice blasting to clean thoroughly with the least downtime. The table below summarizes when to use each of our application methods.
Clean-in-Place systems clean tanks, piping and process lines without disassembly. Inside vessels, 360° spray devices make sure every interior surface is reached on every cycle.
Dry ice blasting propels solid CO2 pellets at about −109 °F (−78.5 °C) against a surface. The impact and thermal shock loosen residue, and the pellets turn directly into gas, leaving no water and no blasting media behind.
| Method | What It Does Best | Occupancy | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| ULV Fogging | Treats large air volumes and hard-to-reach areas | Area vacated during treatment | Product labeled for fogging; re-entry interval observed |
| Thermal Fogging | Odor and flying-insect control in voids and large unoccupied volumes | Area vacated; never occupied or food-exposed areas | Product labeled for thermal fogging; fire safety controls |
| Electrostatic | Fast, even coverage of many surfaces and touch points | Per product label | Product labeled for electrostatic use; full contact time |
| 360° CIP | Repeatable cleaning of tanks, lines and closed systems | Equipment offline | Validated cycle with recorded parameters |
| Dry Ice Blasting | Waterless removal of hard residue on equipment | Equipment offline; ventilated area | CO2 monitoring and PPE; followed by sanitizing |
Rotary and static spray devices reach the full interior of tanks and vessels, with validated cycles that record time, temperature, concentration and flow every run.
A typical CIP sequence, adjusted to your product, soils and equipment. Every cycle is built on the four factors that control cleaning results.
Removes loose soil and product residue.
Caustic solution breaks down fats and proteins.
Flushes out loosened soil and detergent.
Removes mineral scale and milkstone, as needed.
Approved sanitizer, then final rinse if the label requires it.
Each step runs long enough to do its job.
Flow, pressure and spray impact provide the mechanical force.
Chemistry at the right strength, verified by titration.
Solutions held at the temperature the cycle was validated at.
Solid CO2 pellets lift baked-on residue and build-up without water, abrasion or secondary waste, often cleaning ovens, conveyors and electrical components in place.
A daycare, a hospital and a food plant need very different products. We match chemistry to the surfaces, soils, pathogens and regulations of each site, and every product is used according to its label.
We select products from established manufacturers trusted in schools, daycares, hospitals and food plants, including:
Brand names are trademarks of their respective owners. Brochures and technical literature are in our product literature library. Products are selected for each site based on surfaces, soils, label claims and regulations.
A swab and a handheld luminometer show how much organic residue is left on a surface. Every test point is logged, so you get proof that cleaning worked, not just a checklist.
Clean has to be proven. Our programs separate three things that are often confused, and document each one.
Before a protocol goes into routine use, we show it achieves the intended result under real, worst-case conditions, using ATP and, where required, microbial and allergen testing before and after cleaning. Validation is repeated when products, equipment or processes change.
Ongoing checks that each cleaning followed the validated protocol: ATP swabs at defined points, visual pre-operational inspections, chemical titrations and CIP cycle records.
Results are logged and trended so drift is caught early. Repeat failures trigger a root-cause review and a protocol adjustment.
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is found in all living cells and in most food residue. An ATP swab collects it from a surface; a handheld luminometer uses an enzyme reaction to produce light and reports the result in Relative Light Units (RLU).
Higher readings mean more organic residue left behind. Because results come back in seconds, a surface that fails can be re-cleaned and re-tested before production starts.
ATP measures overall cleanliness. It does not identify specific organisms, so we pair it with microbial swabs, allergen tests and environmental monitoring where your food safety plan calls for them. We work with industry-standard ATP systems from manufacturers such as Hygiena and Neogen.
Test points and pass, caution and fail limits are set for each surface type during validation.
After cleaning, the surface is swabbed and read in the luminometer.
Pass: released. Caution: re-clean recommended. Fail: re-clean and re-test before use.
Every result is logged by location and date for trending and audit records.
Indicator organisms and environmental monitoring, sent to an accredited lab where required.
Rapid protein or allergen-specific tests to verify changeover cleaning.
Test kits and strips confirm cleaner and sanitizer concentrations.
Time, temperature, concentration and flow captured for every cycle.
An Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) samples surfaces, air and water throughout your facility to confirm that sanitation is controlling microorganisms and allergens, and to find problem areas before they reach product. Sampling sites are organized by hygienic zone, based on how close each area is to product.
Surfaces that touch product: slicers, conveyors, fillers, utensils, tables.
Surfaces close to product: equipment frames, guards, control panels, drip shields.
Non-contact surfaces in the room: floors, drains, walls, carts, forklifts.
Areas outside the room: locker rooms, warehouses, hallways, maintenance.
Hygienic zones for environmental monitoring are separate from the buffer zones used in our pest management program.
| Analysis | What It Tells You | Method | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATP | Overall organic residue left after cleaning | Swab and handheld luminometer, results in seconds | Pre-operational verification of sanitation |
| Indicator Organisms | General hygiene level: aerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, yeast and mold | Sponge or swab samples, accredited lab | Trending sanitation effectiveness over time |
| Pathogens | Presence of Listeria spp. / L. monocytogenes, Salmonella and others relevant to your products | Environmental sponges, accredited lab | Verifying control in Zones 2–4, and Zone 1 per your food safety plan |
| Allergens | Allergen residue after changeovers | Rapid protein or allergen-specific swabs, lab confirmation | Validating and verifying allergen cleaning |
| Air Quality | Airborne bacteria, yeast and mold | Settle plates or active air samplers | Packaging rooms, ready-to-eat areas, cleanrooms, clinics |
| Water | Microbial quality of water and ice used in the process | Water samples, accredited lab | Potable water, ice and process water verification |
Sites, zones, test types and frequencies defined in writing, with sites rotated so the whole facility is covered over time. Samples are taken during production and after sanitation to see the full picture.
Each positive triggers a defined response: intensified cleaning, re-sampling, and vector swabbing around the site to trace the source. Findings close to product are escalated to your QA team immediately.
Results are mapped and trended by site and zone. Repeat positives point to harborage sites, equipment design issues or gaps in sanitation that we fix at the root.
Microbiological and pathogen analyses are performed by accredited third-party laboratories. Sampling plans are built around your food safety plan, customer requirements and applicable regulations.
See all environmental services, including indoor air quality and odor control →
We track the indicators that show whether protocols are working, and share them with you in regular reports.
Share of test points passing on the first swab.
How often surfaces need re-cleaning before release.
Pre-operational inspections passed before start-up.
Titrations within the specified range.
Master sanitation tasks completed on time.
CIP runs meeting all validated parameters.
Findings closed on time with verification.
Pest activity trended by zone and device.
KPIs and targets are agreed with your team at the start of the program and reviewed in regular reports, so you always know how well your protocols are performing.
We'll assess your facility, recommend the right technologies and chemistry, and show you how results will be measured.
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