It goes without saying that medical offices need to be as clean and hygienic as possible. A clean and hygienic office limits the spread of germs. It also creates a safer environment for doctors, nurses, and support staff to work in. With that said, how do you handle cleaning in your medical office?
Medical office cleaning shares some similarities with general office cleaning. But medical environments are different. Therefore, cleaning a medical office requires thinking of things that do not have to be addressed in general office settings. The very nature of a medical office suggests that cleaning crews must pay remarkably close attention to the details.
If you operate a medical office and handle cleaning in-house, here are some helpful tips you might find useful:
1. Choose Your Cleaning Solutions Carefully
Medical office surfaces can be cleaned with a variety of solutions. Whether you prefer standard cleaning chemicals or green alternatives, it is important to choose the right cleaning solutions. You need products that do more than just remove surface dirt. Whatever solutions you choose should also sanitize and disinfect.
Those solutions should be utilized in all high contact areas. Wherever a high propensity for spreading germs exists, surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis. That is the best way to prevent the spread of germs.
2. Start in the Cleanest Room
A general rule of thumb for medical office cleaning is to start in the cleanest room and gradually work toward dirty rooms. Why? To reduce the chances of spreading germs. If you start with the dirtiest rooms first, you increase the chances of spreading contaminants by way of your hands and cleaning tools.
The cleaning of most medical offices will begin in either the reception area or the administrative office. Then you would move to the waiting area, exam rooms, and restrooms.
3. Establish a Deep Cleaning Schedule
Daily surface cleaning is a given in medical offices. However, deep cleaning should not be ignored. In fact, it is important to establish a schedule for deep cleaning so as to ensure that it gets done consistently.
As a side note, one of the things we normally do as a commercial cleaning company is work with clients to establish an appropriate schedule. We schedule both routine and deep cleaning to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
4. Use the Right Tools
Whether it is medical office or general office cleaning, the results are only as good as the tools and techniques cleaning crews use. In terms of tools, using the right ones can make an enormous difference. Take dusting.
A damp cloth doesn’t do the best job here. Forget a feather duster; it only spreads dust from one place to the next. Your best bet for dusting is a microfiber duster that traps dirt particles on contact.
The right tools also include protective gear. It is important that cleaning crews always wear gloves when cleaning a medical office. Rubber or latex gloves prevent the spread of germs in both directions.
5. Hire a Professional
The final tip, hiring a professional cleaning service, applies if you are having trouble keeping up with cleaning at your current staffing levels. Professional cleaning services can save money and free up staff to do other things. A professional service with a proven track record can keep your office clean and hygienic while requiring little effort from you.
If you would like to know more about All Pro cleaning services for medical offices, contact us for a free quote. Note that we do not service hospitals or nursing homes. Those environments are better served by institutional cleaners.
