Avoid A Petri Dish Environment

Over and over again the importance of restroom cleanliness is highlighted not only in magazines, online and by manufacturers, but also by those who frequent these areas. Once again a press release from Ohio is emphasizing the importance of restroom cleaning. A short checklist is also provided to help keep these potential petri dish environments from becoming a health hazard. Read on.

PRESS RELEASE

HAMILTON, OH — While new cleaning methods have been developed to make general cleaning more efficient and thorough, much of this progress has not applied to restroom cleaning methodologies.
This is a significant oversight because cleaning restrooms is typically very involved and time-consuming. Further, it is invariably performed by one person, so any opportunity for collaborative cleaning to make the process easier and faster has been eliminated.

"Often what happens during the course of a work shift, the cleaning worker looks for ways to speed up cleaning," says Matt Morrison, communications manager for Kaivac, developers of the No-Touch and OmniFlex cleaning systems. "This can impact how well the restroom is cleaned. However, it often can be avoided with a restroom cleaning checklist, ensuring all areas of the restroom are cleaned as needed, when needed."

According to Morrison, the key elements of a restroom cleaning checklist include the following:

Develop a plan. Develop a plan that outlines cleaning tasks and frequencies.

Train your workers. All custodial workers must understand how the plan works, what areas are to be cleaned, when, what tools are to be used, and just as important, what tools should not be used.

Know when to spot and when to deep clean. Spot cleaning is typically performed during the workday and helps ensure messes are attended to promptly. Deep cleaning usually takes place after hours and includes all restroom surfaces and fixtures.

Select your tools. The best way to reduce cleaning times is by using automated cleaning systems. According to ISSA studies, some no-touch systems, for instance, can reduce restroom fixture cleaning by two-thirds.

Clean high to low. Clean high areas first and work down. Start with the tops of partitions, wall areas, mirrors, and so on, and then move on to fixtures, countertops, and floors.
Test and evaluate. Custodial workers should regularly evaluate cleaning effectiveness using ATP rapid monitoring systems.
"Put the restroom cleaning checklist in writing," adds Morrison. "While changes can be made as necessary, having it in writing helps ensure it is properly implemented."