OXID-8/B-RINSE methodology

What OXID-8/B-RINSE is

OXID-8/B-RINSE is the two-stage decontamination method we use during the Remediate stage of our four-stage protocol (Assess → Verify → Remediate → Clear and report) on jobs involving mould or biological contamination. It’s a method we’ve developed through our own remediation work, not a product sold on its own.

Containment and engineering controls

Before treatment begins, we contain the work area so contamination can’t spread into unaffected parts of the building. This typically includes:

• A sealed entry system using barrier plastic sheeting, with hazard and PPE signage specific to the works being carried out.
• Work area enclosures held under negative pressure, with air-scrubbers and air filtration devices (AFDs) running for the duration of the works to reduce cross-contamination from dust and airborne biological particulates.
• A separate, controlled clean zone within the containment for putting on and taking off PPE, and for equipment storage.
• External doors and openings into the affected area sealed with heavy-gauge plastic sheeting, marked with “no entry” signage on the corridor or exterior side.
• Air particulate monitoring for the duration of the works, so the biological loading being disturbed is tracked rather than assumed.

In occupied buildings (a working hotel, for example), containment is set up so guests, residents or staff retain safe, unobstructed access past the enclosure, with any exposure risk to them assessed and controlled.

PPE and equipment decontamination

Operatives wear PPE and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) appropriate to the hazards on each job. Depending on the works, this can include hand protection, protective overalls, protective footwear, eye protection, a face shield or mask, a respirator, hearing protection, a hard hat, and a harness where working at height is involved.

At the end of a job:

• Reusable PPE (including respirator units, filters, breathing tubes, face shields, helmets and boots) is HEPA vacuumed and wiped down with B-RINSE solution, left in contact for two minutes, then cleaned and dried with a microfibre cloth before being stored.
• Single-use PPE is removed within the designated clean zone, double-bagged and treated as contaminated waste.
• Containment sheeting is disposed of as contaminated waste once the works are complete.

Surfaces are also HEPA vacuumed using an H-Type vacuum with 3-stage filtration, constructed to BS5415, before OXID-8 is applied, to remove loose debris and settled particulates ahead of treatment.

Stage one: OXID-8

OXID-8 is applied to affected surfaces as an oxidising treatment, intended to break down mould and bacteria through a chemical reaction with organic matter.

Stage two: B-RINSE

B-RINSE is the second stage of the method, applied after the OXID-8 treatment.

Verification and clearance

Once OXID-8/B-RINSE treatment is complete, we typically carry out a final SteraMist disinfection treatment.

Clearance samples are then sent to our laboratory for independent analysis. If a clearance result doesn’t come back within acceptable limits, we repeat the treatment or investigate the underlying cause rather than proceeding; an area isn’t signed off until clearance testing shows an acceptable result. Once it does, we issue a decontamination and/or drying certificate as part of the handover.

Where it fits in our process

OXID-8/B-RINSE is used in the Remediate stage of our mould remediation service and in the work we do for loss adjustors and insurers. See our case studies for a worked example, and our laboratory tests for how we verify the result once remediation is complete.