As the pandemic progresses and businesses fight to stay open, keeping your workplace clean is vital. From January 5th non-essential shops, schools and leisure centres have been forced to close. This devastating news has meant many people are either working from home or furloughed – if they aren’t an essential worker.
A group of workers who are still out providing essential services are cleaners. Cleaners are working tirelessly across hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, supermarkets and NHS offices to ensure that these spaces remain safe for the employees and the public.
To help guide you we have put together some useful information on how to approach your cleaning in a pandemic.
Step one
Increase your cleaning schedule. This goes without saying, but cleaning of your workplace or practice will need to take place more often than before. To make this as easy as possible, reduce the amount of clutter and unnecessary touch points. For example, coffee tables and chairs. Only provide chairs on request.
Deep cleans will only be required if someone has symptoms of or tests positive for COVID-19.
Step two
Focus on high contact areas. Cleaning staff should use detergents and bleach to clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces.
These include:
- Door handles
- Light switches
- Banisters
- Bathroom facilities
- Telephones
- Keyboards, mice and other computer equipment
- Touchscreens or finger scanners
- Desks
- Communal areas such as kitchens
- Play equipment
- Hard Toys
Where cleaning of objects between use is not possible, store these for a minimum of 48 hours (72 for plastic).
Carrying out a deep clean
Check with your cleaning provider or staff if they carry out deep cleans following a positive case of COVID-19.
Cleaning staff should carry out deep cleans wearing disposable gloves and aprons, ensuring to wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds once removing these.
Where there is a higher risk of contamination cleaning staff should wear PPE to protect their eyes, nose and mouth.
Make sure to dispose of waste correctly. You can do this by storing the waste securely for 72 hours, contacting your local waste collection authority or a specialist clinical waste contractor.