Dental offices are among the commercial spaces we clean. They are similar to primary care and family medicine spaces in some regards, but unique in others. Regardless, they need to be cleaned to the highest standards to ensure proper hygiene and patient safety. There is no compromise when it comes to dental office cleaning.
Every cleaning job has a starting place. When it comes to dental offices, the starting place is the exam room. If you are not sure why, think about how dirty exam rooms get compared to the rest of the office. Exam rooms are likely to be the cleanest spaces of all. So why start there?
They Must Remain the Cleanest
Exam rooms are the cleanest spaces in the dental office because that’s where care is provided. No one wants to see a dentist in a dirty exam room, especially knowing that the dentist’s hands will be in the patient’s mouth. Suffice it to say that the exam rooms must always remain the cleanest space in a dental office.
Starting with exam rooms guarantees you are not tracking dirt, germs, etc. into exam rooms from other spaces. You can concentrate on cleaning and disinfecting, knowing that when you close the door behind you the space is as clean as you can make it in anticipation of the next day’s treatments.
Here is a basic checklist for cleaning exam rooms:
- Wipe down sanitizing equipment.
- Disinfect exam chairs, including head and arm rests.
- Disinfect spit sinks.
- Sanitize hard surfaces including counters in cabinets.
- Sanitize fixtures including light switches and doorknobs.
- Sweep floors and mop (if applicable).
Moving from one exam room to the next is the most efficient way to go about it. If you are working with a cleaning crew rather than alone, multiple exam rooms can be cleaned simultaneously.
Where to Go Next
Where to go following the exam rooms depends on how dirty the rest of the facility is. You want to work from the cleanest spaces to the dirtiest spaces. Most of the time, this would dictate moving to either the office area or break room next.
Office areas typically require surface cleaning, fixture cleaning, and vacuuming or sweeping floors. If there are any concerns about sanitation and hygiene, fixtures and equipment can be cleaned in much the same way they were cleaned in the exam rooms.
In the break room, the biggest areas of concern are countertops, sinks, and tables. They are all candidates for disinfecting. The idea is to avoid spreading germs that employees could pick up and pass along to patients during their exams.
Finishing Up With the Dirtiest Spaces
Finishing up in a dental office involves addressing the dirtiest spaces. In almost every case, these spaces would include restrooms and the waiting area. Some cleaning services prefer to do restrooms first so that they can clean the waiting area on the way out the door. Others prefer to do it the other way around. At this point, it’s a matter of preference.
The underlying concern in all medical facilities is hygiene. That goes without saying. However, a secondary concern that may be equally important is the use of green cleaning solutions. Green cleaning products are easier on the environment but also safer for cleaning crew members and the employees and visitors who will use the facility the following day.
Does your dental practice handle daily cleaning in-house? If so, we would be happy to provide a no-obligation quote. Let us manage your daily cleaning so that you and your team can concentrate on more important things.
