Cleaning services are crucial in all aged care facilities because the standards of cleaning matter. Therefore, all aged care providers should take pride in the standards they provide in their facility at every level, including their cleaning.
At Madison Cleaning, we understand exactly what goes into cleaning an aged care facility. We offer quality and reliable aged care cleaning services to ensure your facility is sterilised, safe, and hygienic for your residents, staff, and visitors. If you want the highest cleaning standards for your aged care facility, then contact us today.Â
What is the Importance of Cleanliness in Aged Care Facilities?
Cleanliness is crucial for every home, and when caring for older people is double so. This is because they are more susceptible to severe infections due to compromised immune systems and other health issues. Therefore, disease control is a priority, and good cleaning standards can help eliminate the risk of contamination, mainly when applied to regular routines such as food handling, toilet cleaning, etc.
A professional commercial cleaning provider can help you meet and exceed these standards. We understand aged care cleaning standards and can provide you with quality products and services that will help you maintain a high level of hygiene in your facility.
The Evaluation of Cleaning Standards in Aged Care Facilities
Cleaning providers should provide a comfortable and safe environment for aged ones, including cleaning and disinfecting any equipment and furniture in the facility. The Aged Care and Safety Commission usually assesses these cleaning standards, and we are used to meeting them. For any service provider to be accredited, they must be randomly audited to ensure they have the necessary cleaning procedures in place for a conducive environment, so there’s no use in risking it.
Quality Cleaning Standards You Should Implement In Your Aged Care Facility
Formalising the necessary cleaning procedures is a great way to ensure everything is in place to guarantee the best outcomes. This involves detailing the responsibilities of your internal work staff and cleaning contractors. A standard cleaning procedure for an aged care facility should include:
#1. Regular Cleaning and Disinfecting of Surfaces
It is common for surfaces to harbour all types of germs and pathogens, especially since they are always in contact with one person or another. When the surfaces are not cleaned properly, these pathogens can quickly move around the facility. One of the best ways to ensure these surfaces are kept clean is to wipe them with warm water and a neutral detergent daily.
#2. Pay Attention to the Disinfection of High Touch Surfaces
Another type of surface to pay special attention to is high-touch surfaces. They include doorknobs, bed rails, windows, light switches, dressers, and tables. Take time to disinfect them even more regularly than other surfaces.
#3. Floor Cleaning
The floor can (unsurprisingly) harbour germs, so it’s best to dry mop the floors to get rid of dust before washing them with warm water and a good detergent. Likewise, any area with rugs or carpets should be steam cleaned regularly to kill pathogens and dust mites.
#4. Proper Bathroom Sanitisation
Bacteria love moisture, so it is essential to sanitise the bathrooms at the facility properly. Carefully scrub and sanitise the toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and showers. Ensure that the residents’ private bathrooms are well cleaned daily, and the communal bathrooms are washed several times daily.
#5. Waste Management
This should not come as a surprise as many people know that waste can harbour a lot of nasties. It would be best if you emptied every waste bin in an aged care facility to prevent bacteria growth, especially for waste bins in the clinical and pharmaceutical areas. In addition, it is vital to return leftover pharmaceutical waste to a pharmacy for proper disposal and ensure that objects are placed in suitable containers and disposed of safely.
#6. Fluid Spill Management
It’s always a great idea to set up a procedure to take care of spills, as they can create a high risk of infections. Carefully get rid of bodily fluid spills and dispose of them correctly to prevent the risk of exposure to any form of illness. Ensure you disinfect the affected surface and rinse with clean, warm water.
#7. Getting Personal Protective Equipment
The cleaning staff must always practice excellent and thorough personal hygiene such as hand washing, especially those always in contact with aged care residents. This also means wearing the proper personal protective equipment when cleaning with chemical agents, such as gloves and masks.Â
#8. Cleaning Laundry and Linen
The linen used in a facility should be changed weekly or more often, whether soiled or not. Hygiene procedures should be put in place for the transportation and storage of laundry. Linen with bodily fluid spills should be appropriately bagged and separated from other laundry.
#9. Sanitisation of Cleaning Equipments
Cleaning equipment should always be sanitised and disinfected after each use, so you should wash and dry the mop heads and clean mop buckets too.
#10. Proper Record Keeping
Part of the cleaning process should include accurate and proper record keeping to ensure that the cleaning team and staff carry out their duties on time and as directed. In addition, it ensures that all cleaning activities are completed as stated on each written cleaning schedule.
A written cleaning schedule with weekly and monthly site audits ensure that nothing is missing from the procedure and that any issue is identified and rectified without further delay.Â
Excellent Aged Care Cleaning
Good aged care cleaning is the least we can do for our ageing loved ones. Proper cleaning procedures and equipment should be in place, records should be kept, and the correct daily activities should be carried out. When this is done, it means you can be confident that the residents will be taken care of.
Our team of professional cleaners at Madison Cleaning is trained to know the best cleaning methods suited to your needs.Â
Do not hesitate to contact our team today to discuss how we can help your health care business meet and exceed cleaning standards.