General housekeeping guidelines

Although certain areas of the clinic require special housekeeping procedures, the following list applies to all parts of the clinic:

• Develop and post cleaning schedules where all housekeeping staff can see them. Make sure that cleaning schedules are closely maintained.
• Always wear gloves (preferably thick utility gloves) when cleaning.
• Use a damp or wet mop or cloth for walls, floors, and surfaces instead of dry-dusting or sweeping to reduce the spread of dust and microorganisms.
• Scrubbing is the most effective way to remove dirt and microorganisms. Scrubbing should be a part of every cleaning procedure.
• Wash surfaces from top to bottom so that debris falls to the floor and is cleaned up last. Clean the highest fixtures first and work downward--for example, clean ceiling lamps, then shelves, then tables, and then the floor.
• Change cleaning solutions whenever they appear to be dirty. A solution is less likely to kill infectious microorganisms if it is heavily soiled.

Cleaning up spills

Clean up spills of potentially infectious fluids immediately. Besides preventing the spread of infection, prompt removal also prevents accidents.

When cleaning up spills:

• Always wear gloves.
• If the spill is small, wipe it with a cloth that has been saturated with a disinfectant (0.5% chlorine) solution.
• If the spill is large, cover (flood) the area with a disinfectant (0.5% chlorine) solution, mop up the solution, and then clean the area with a disinfectant cleaning solution.
• Do not simply place a cloth over the spill for cleaning up later; someone could easily slip and fall on it and be injured.

NOTE:
Contaminated equipment spreads, rather than reduces, microorganisms in the environment. Supplies and equipment used for cleaning also need to be cleaned. Equipment (such as mops, buckets, and cloths) should be decontaminated with a disinfectant (0.5% chlorine) solution, cleaned in detergent and water, rinsed in clean water, and dried before reuse.

©2004 EngenderHealth