Flooring is a surface that people touch the most in their day to day lives. It’s essential for the flooring of disabled individuals to be clean and hygienic to promote health, safety and inclusivity.
Frequent cleaning of flooring prevents the buildup of grease and grime especially in areas of homes that are frequently used like washrooms, kitchens and dining areas. Keeping these areas clean prevents the risks of infection and injury to yourself, visitors and clients.
Before we explore the different methods of floor cleaning, let’s understand how dirty floors are hazardous to carers and clients.
Floors are often dirtied by spilled foods and liquids and also from people moving throughout one dirty area of the home to a clean one. This means that dirty floors can be a slipping or tripping hazard for clients, visitors and carers when dirty. Floors can also be cross contaminated with bacteria that moves from areas in your home like bathrooms to kitchens, posing a risk of spreading bacteria.
Quick Best Practice Tips
Floors cleaners are only one step in the right direction when it comes to effectively cleaning your client's floors. There are a range of cleaning practices that need to be adopted when attempting to clean floors the right way. Your floor cleaner should clean and disinfect to reduce the buildup of dirt and eliminate any germs that may be on them. Kwikmaster Professional's H20 Disinfectant Lemon Cleaner is a highly concentrated floor cleaner that cleans and sanitises areas where a high level of hygiene is required, like the home. The lemon scent freshens the home and reodorises kitchens, bathroom and bed rooms.
Identifying Your Floor Type
Different types of flooring requires different methods and materials of cleaning. Before selecting what chemical or method of cleaning to use, make sure you know exactly what kind of floors you are cleaning to ensure the safest and cleanest results.
Dry Mopping Your Floors
If your floors are very dirty with dust, crumbs or dirt, a dry microfibre dust mop or vacuuming should be used prior to cleaning the floors with a wet mop. This will remove dirt and dust before chemically cleaning and disinfecting the floors, ensuring an effective clean.
Diluting Your Chemical Floor Cleaners
Undiluted chemicals can damage your floors and be a hazard to you and your staff. Over-dilution can make floors sticky, streaky and attract more dirt. Making sure your chemicals are diluted to the right level will not only save you on money, ensure a proper clean but also keep you and your staff safe.
Use the Right Technique
The best way to ensure every part of your floors are cleaned is by mopping around the edges first and then overlapping passes as you work your way around your floors. Another tip is to change your mop head regularly and soaking with detergent to keep clean. You may also need to change your water and chemical mix regularly.
Keep Safety in Mind
When mopping a floor that is still being used by others, make sure you put up warning signs that aren’t removed until the floors are fully dry. Another way you can ensure safety when cleaning your floors is by protecting the hands. This can be done using thick cleaning gloves which can cover you fingers, wrist and forearms.
Floor Cleaning is an essential part of maintaining safety that will not only keep your floors looks brand new but also protect yourself and clients from cross-contamination and injury.