Keeping hospitals clean is essential. Dirty environments are far more prone to bacterial and viral buildups, which increases the chances of patient infection.
But how do you carry out effective hospital cleaning? You’re about to find out. In this post, we list five tips to help you. Check them out below.
Wear the correct PPE
Before you start cleaning, it’s essential to wear the correct personal protective equipment. This way, you protect both staff and patients by avoiding contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. Make sure that you wear eye protection to protect the eyes from any sprays while using nitrile or disposable gloves for the hands.
Choose the correct disinfectant
There are several substances that kill both viruses and bacteria, but it is critical to choose the right one. Alcohols and bleaches are the most common forms of disinfectant used in hospitals, but there are others.
When choosing a disinfectant, you’ll want to consider both safety and dwell time – how long it exerts its anti-germ effect. Generally, you’ll use stronger disinfectants on floors and milder ones on equipment. Again, staff should wear gloves when applying potent disinfectants as they may cause skin irritation or damage.
Focus cleaning efforts on high-touch surfaces
In hospitals, people touch some surfaces more than others. For this reason, cleaning should follow a priority system, starting with the most-touched surfaces, and then working back from there.
Top cleaning targets include doorknobs, bathroom handrails, faucets and light switches. Lower priorities include flooring, behind machines and under beds.
Remove cleaning implements immediately
Once cleaning is complete, it is important to remove contaminated objects from the environment as rapidly as possible. Take things like mops, dirty water and cleaning pads to a secure waste disposal area to avoid cross-contamination. If vacuuming, remove the dust bag away from hospital facilities at a secure location. Avoid disposing of contaminated items in areas that come into close contact with patients.
Reduce chemical content
While chemicals are excellent at killing germs, they may also cause allergies and inflammation in patients. Reduce the chemical content of your cleaning solutions as much as possible. Use simple commercial preparations that focus on active ingredient delivery. Avoid scented products.
