NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — When it comes to fighting germs, Eddy Perez says a lot of companies are calling in the big guns. 

“'I’m having an event and I would like a quote for some heavy duty cleaning due to coronavirus fears,'" he said, reading out loud from a text he had just received. "This is typical of our day the last two weeks nonstop.”

Perez is the Regional Director of Stratus Building Solutions, a company that cleans and disinfects all kinds of workspaces. He says what’s in most demand these days is the strategically named "Protexus."

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“You know, it looks like a Star Wars gun," he said of the sprayer. "It will disinfect all surfaces using what’s called electrostatic technology.”

The solution he’s spraying isn’t designed specifically for Covid-19 but he says this new culprit is a strain of coronavirus, which the solution has been effective against.

Public places can be a germ free-for-all, Perez says, because so many of the surfaces are touched by everyone. Light switches. Handrails.

“They are a germ magnet," he said.

But there’s a lot of things workplaces can do to help their employees stay healthy. Perez recommends installing hand sanitizer stations like those found around hospitals.

He also says wiping down your workspace is key but only if you do it the right way – wiping in one direction. 

“If you come back again," he said, "you’re contaminating the surface again.”

Having been in the business for 20 years, this isn’t his first public health scare. But Perez says the reaction to this one has been different. The concern seems more widespread. He’s not personally worried though, even if he eventually has to send his staff into a building where the virus may have been present.  

“We use a coverall gown, of course," he said. "We use gloves as we should. We use coveralls for our shoe covers as well and protective eyewear.”

The same precautions they would take with any potential biohazard. 

We may not all have a fancy spray gun, but Perez says there is something we can all do to help slow the spread of this or any virus. 

“Washing your hands," he said, "I can’t stress that enough.”

Soap and water. The best weapon.