In a medical or health care environment cleaning practices must follow stringent rules and regulations to ensure the safety of those using the space. The practices used in healthcare environments can be used in other non-healthcare areas as well. Things like performing hand hygiene, proper cleaning techniques, and cleaning and disinfecting of high touch surfaces not only reduce the spread of germs in medical environments but can also be used for residential and commercial situations as well.

In an office building, germs can travel from the front door to the coffee pot in under 60 seconds. This is because contact is one of the biggest transmitters of germs, so by using proper hand hygiene you can greatly reduce the spread of germs and viruses in residential and commercial settings. Using warm water and soap when hands are visibly dirty and an alcohol-based sanitizer when they aren’t regularly is good practice for all cleaning situations. Also, properly cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces will greatly reduce the spread of germs. Make sure to clean an area to ensure it is free of debris, this will take several wipes. Then wipe over with damp disinfectant cloth so that the surface remains wet for the specified amount of time of the disinfectant label. By using proper hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfecting techniques when cleaning residential and commercial areas you can greatly reduce the spread of germs.

Correct cleaning techniques are important for ensuring an area is properly cleaned and disinfected. After performing hand hygiene, putting on appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE, should be your next step. Then when cleaning an area start from the top of the room, with dusting and work your way down. You should then start with dry cleaning and finish with wet, such as damp mopping. When performing any type of wiping or mopping a figure ‘8’ to ensure the entire surface area is covered. Following a routine when cleaning areas will also reduce the chance of you missing an area or task.

When cleaning a medical facility there are more regulations than those in residential and commercial areas, however that does not mean you cannot implement those practices into non-medical area cleaning. Using practices such as good hand hygiene, thorough cleaning and disinfecting, and correct cleaning techniques in medical as well as residential and commercial areas will help reduce the spread of germs and protect of the individuals cleaning and using the space. The IJCSA directory has many qualified service providers who can implement the standards used in medical facilities to all cleaning situations.