Cross contamination is when bacteria or other germs are moved from area to area to area and so become exposed to humans. In the case of commercial cleaning, cross contamination can occur when cleaning around a toilet, followed by cleaning a sink or other surface area with the same cloth.
At JDK Cleaning, to avoid cross contamination, we have in place a number of measures to prevent cross-contamination including colour-coded cloths for different areas. Our MD, Jack Kelleher, explains how this works in this video:
Tips to avoid cross contamination
In addition to this practice of using colour coded cloths, there are a number of other measures we have in place to prevent cross-contamination during the cleaning process. These include:
Use of microfibre cloths and mops: microfibre is a material made from synthetic fibres that attract dirt and bacteria. Cloths made from microfibre materials attract and capture up to 99% of dirt, while cotton fibre cloths will only attract 33% of bacteria. So, essentially, using cotton cloths means you are moving bacteria from surface to surface. The use of microfibre cloths and mops means we can effectively remove bacteria, dirt and allergens, because the material is designed to attract and hold these elements.
Training and more training: the essential and most obvious tip for preventing cross contamination is staff training. At JDK Cleaning we make sure everyone on the team is aware of the system that is in place, such as colour coding. And we don’t stop there. We keep on training and supervising our staff and our supervisors keep a careful eye on our teams to make sure that our processes to avoid cross-contamination are followed on a daily basis.
Separate and clean tools, chemicals and equipment: keeping tools, chemicals and equipment separate is also important when it comes to preventing cross-contamination. For contracts where the cleaning materials are stocked on the premises, we make sure that the storage area is clean and well organised. For example, we make sure that a mop used to clean a toilet is not on top of a mop used to clean the kitchen area. It’s also important that chemicals used for specific applications should not be mixed or confused with chemicals designed for different applications.
JDK Cleaning
If you’re cleaning company is not using the most up-to-date methods and technology to avoid cross-contamination in the workplace, then this issue needs to be addressed as you are putting your workforce’s health at risk.
To find out more about JDK Cleaning’s services and processes to ensure the highest possible standards for all clients, call us today on the number below:
