EL CAJON, Calif. — Before Sycuan Casino reopens to the public Wednesday, workers from TruClean sprayed every surface with a patented product to help keep guests safe.
“Within the coating, there are microscopic molecules that resemble spikes and these spikes have the ability to pierce the cell membranes of a broad spectrum of microorganisms,” explained Ramont Smith, operations manager of TruClean.
The product is a non-toxic surface coating that the company said is proven in other countries as a disinfectant against coronaviruses. It is undergoing testing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but officials at Sycuan Casino believe it can be a useful tool.
“What really sold them was we do an onsite testing demonstration where we went to a machine and they said it was clean, but when we did the test. We actually came up with a high number, and then when we put our coating within 15 seconds, that number drops to below 50,” said Smith.
TruClean 365 is applied once a year, but since casinos have many surfaces that are frequently touched, Sycuan will reapply a lower strength version, TruClean 90, every three months.
The product is one of more than 700 compliance measures in use by the casino, including an increased frequency of cleaning, which remains necessary even with TruClean.
“When you use our surface coating, the coating itself is going to control the microorganisms and you constantly have to wipe it down with a microfiber towel and water to remove any of the dead cell remnants from the surface,” said Smith.
Local health officials and Gov. Gavin Newsom have expressed concerns about the reopening of casinos and urged them to wait. However, the casinos are on tribal land, which are considered sovereign nations that are generally subject to federal law -not state law - so they can legally reopen.
Sycuan Casino to reopen Wednesday, utilize new cleaning tool to up sanitation game
The product is a non-toxic surface coating that the cleaning company said is proven in other countries as a disinfectant against coronaviruses.