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Cleaning Protocol

HOW DO WE SANITIZE OUR CENTER AND FLOAT ROOMS?
 

The kind of obsessive focus on sanitization and cleaning has always been a daily focus for us since before we opened in 2016. Our owner-operator, Greg, has been up-to-date on being a Certified Pool & Spa Operator since 2015 (The national standard for spa operators since 1972. Check out https://www.phta.org/ for more information). To us, this is all pretty standard stuff, but we will always be very open to our guests about what we do to keep you safe. 

A few things about our processes:
 

  • We operate our float tanks following the Standard set by the Floatation Tank Association (FTA) who works with health regulators and experts such as local health departments, the CDC, NSF, and The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC).
     

  • Our owner-operator, Greg, served on the board of the FTA as treasurer and also led the Manufacturers, Suppliers, and Consultant Committee and worked on the Sanitation and Regulatory Affairs committee from 2019-2022. This organization has been in operation since the 1980s with it's mission to establish clear, effective float tank standards, and communicates to regulators and the public on behalf of the float industry. Dr. Roy Vore, microbiologist and expert on recreational water illness, has been a volunteer on the board since April 2020 and has been a big resource for helping float centers navigate best cleaning procedures in our centers. If you really want to dive deep into float tank cleanliness you can watch this video of him speaking at Float Conference 2018.
     

  • Our float tanks contain 1,000 lbs of Epsom salts. In terms of salinity level, it follows the same “Specific Gravity” level as The Dead Sea, around 1.3 SG. The Dead Sea got it’s name for good reason: very, very few things can survive in it. As it is with float tanks. They are a highly inhospitable environments for pathogens purely from having that much salt in them.
     

  • Besides the required pre-float shower, each tank has a 3 step filtering process that consists of a 1 micron filter to filter out particulate matter, an ultra-violet (UV) sanitation and ozone purification system, and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide (an oxidizer)– a safe alternative to chlorine and bromine. Skimmers are used to keep the surface clear. The saltwater in our float tanks is filtered 5 times between every guest. We go in after every guest to visually inspect our suites, and sanitize all commonly touched surfaces such as showers, benches, float tank walls, etc.
     

  • In addition to salt and filtration, the interior surfaces of our float tanks are cleaned every single day with a sanitizing solution to ensure no growth of anything pathogenic inside the float tanks.
     

  • In addition to salt, filtration and interior surface cleaning, we sanitize all high contact surfaces after each float (handles, light and music buttons, faucets/knobs).
     

  • Last up, our float tank solution is sent to the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene to ensure that our cleaning process is above and beyond what anyone would expect.
     

  • HVAC: During construction of Float Madison we installed a new very large roof top unit to handle all heating, cooling and dehumidification for just the side of our space where our float suites are: the 4 suites, the restroom, and the hallway (we have a separate system for the other side of our space). It has a high volume exhaust that is on 24/7. And, it doesn't recycle the air like many HVAC systems. It pulls it from the outside and exhausts it, so the air in our space is always moving which in turn helps dispel viruses. 
     

What we want to assure you of is that we are always in a state of obsessive awareness of sanitization and cleanliness. It always has been and always will be paramount to us that you feel safe about coming to our space to rest, relax and heal.  We do not want there to be any concerns when you come float with us, so please reach out if you have any other questions.

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