For those who aren’t in the “know,” there’s a definite difference between cleaning an office and medical cleaning. To understand this difference, you must first understand what “clean” is. Herein “clean” will also be different in an office than it is in a medical practice.
It’s important to understand that there are 3 purposes for cleaning:
1. To make the area look nice and orderly.
2. To reduce a surface’s bio load, which is the dust, dirt and grime that accumulates. Some of these things can be seen while others can only be viewed under a microscope.
3. Disinfecting is using substances capable of destroying micro-organisms and other disease-causing bacteria. Used properly they can reduce surface contamination by bacteria and viruses to a safe level.
Offices tend to have a lot less traffic and most of it’s made up of healthy people. Therefore, it doesn’t require the same cleaning methods that are used within a medical facility. Commercial spaces simply need to look presentable means removing dirt and maintaining surfaces, especially those that are touched a lot and thus collect pathogens (i.e. doors, telephones).
lot and thus collect pathogens (i.e. doors, telephones).
On the other hand, medical facilities come in contact with a lot of different pathogens everyday. This is because their primary function is to serve people who are sick. Therefore, cleaning continually has to focus on eliminating pathogens. This means thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting patient care rooms everyday or every time a patient is discharged. The reusable equipment must also be sterilized. Throughout the day housekeeping staff must continually make rounds to remove trash and soiled linens, as well as to disinfect those surfaces that get touched a lot, such as:
1. Sink handles and drinking faucets
2. Light switches
3. Bed railings and foot boards
4. Nurse and elevator call buttons
5. Tables, both bedside and over the bed ones
6. Remote controls
7. Telephones
The areas that truly need the most attention are:
1. The Intensive Care units because these patients have severely compromised immune systems
2. The Emergency Room because it’s a major throughway for patients coming into the hospital with various conditions
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Regardless of where you’re doing your medical cleaning, it’s still important for the head of the hospital’s housekeeping department, which is more commonly referred to within the hospital as the Environmental Services unit, to always be in close contact with the hospital’s infectious control officer. Together they want to work to make sure that the products that are being used in medical cleaning actually are able to kill all of the different types of pathogens that may be found within the facility. One great way in which you’ll be better equipped to stay informed about all of these pathogens and what your state’s latest and most up to date regulations in this regard are is by using what is known as Westlaw. This is an environmental journal that will keep you abreast of what’s going on in the cleaning world.
Once you have been in the cleaning industry for any length of time you will come to see that the majority of the facilities that you will have to clean on a routine basis are going to actually fall somewhere in this office to hospital continuum. This is true especially when you are dealing with just how strict you have to be about cleaning these facilities.
Regardless of what type of a building you have, DBM janitorial is able to help you create a cleaning program that will be uniquely tailored to fit your specific needs. This program will also be sensitive to your budget at the very same time. Herein lies great news for anyone who needs to have a facility cleaned today. If this is you, then you can contact us today and receive a free consultation for your business or medical setting.
