Some of the spaces in public sector buildings are by nature quite large and heavily used. This means the methods must be efficient, using less water where possible and so less time for cleaners in having to refill and replenish materials.
Ideally, you will use one set of water and materials for one area to also make sure cleaning is efficient without cleaners having to move around unnecessarily.
For example, using one product called the Variwet Quick Mop would cover the average six-bed hospital bay of about 25 square metres or more without having to refill for water or replenish materials.
With cutbacks in staffing, the training of cleaners on how to apply these methods and materials will clarify the best use of these opportunities and reap the benefits for the organisation.
This was highlighted recently by the world cleaning organisation ISSA in a new initiative on behalf of its members to highlight the benefits financially and environmentally of efficient cleaning and to educate facilities managers how to take advantage of the measurable gains it can bring.
Water usage is rising, and the need to save it in the healthcare industry is rising just as rapidly with the emphasis on efficient, clean methodologies against a background of shrinking resources and funding.
As modern cleaning techniques develop, it makes sense to use the opportunity to also reduce the vast amounts of water being used in hospitals, health centres and ancillary buildings.
Indeed, demand for water in the UK is predicted to rise by as much as 30 per cent by the year 2030 according to the Government and, coupled with the current public sector spending cutbacks, this means we should be thinking about efficiencies all round.
Water reduction is a key Government target, and an issue that we recognise in the healthcare cleaning industry when we are using large quantities of water in public buildings.
The sheer time that can be saved using new methods on a typical hospital ward encompassing five, six-bed bays, including communal areas, toilets and corridors, are staggering.
The amount of water needed for a ward of this size would currently be approximately 200 litres by one cleaner, which would involve the cleaner spending time emptying dirty water and replenishing with fresh water.
To help measure cleanliness, PAS 5748 was introduced last year after a joint research and development programme by the Department of Health, the British Standards Institute and Association of Health Cleaning Professionals. The new standard offers guidelines for planning, measuring and improving cleanliness services in the NHS in England.
Although it will not be mandatory for hospitals to use PAS 5748, they will be able to use it to provide good practice evidence to the Care Quality Commission that nationally agreed procedures are in place for their premises to prove they are clean and safe for patients.
It is believed that some 80 per cent of dirt in any building is dust, often creating a micro-mud when using traditional wet methods.
It is important to ensure the dust is removed, the floor dries quickly and the time taken to complete the task is minimal, particularly important in healthcare when people are under increased pressure to save time and money.Jigsaw Cleaning Systems is a national distributor of products from Wetrok Ltd and Filmop, serving the public and private sectors with a range of cleaning products throughout the UK.
Filmop’s latest product is the Alpha cleaning trolley, made from high-impact strength plastic, which offers lockable compartments and is designed as a modular structure to enhance storage efficiency. Compartments are colour coded to reflect UK health and safety chemical legislation.
The sheer time that can be saved using new methods and products such as the Wetrok Variwet Quick Mop system is staggering. A typical hospital ward encompassing five, six-bed bays, including communal areas, toilets and corridors presents challenges for cleaners.
The amount of water needed for a ward of this size would currently be approximately 200 litres by one cleaner, which would involve the cleaner spending valuable time emptying dirty water and replenishing with fresh water.
Using a new efficient Variwet Quick Mop system with one litre of cleaning fluid, only THREE litres of water is required.
In these times of demands for increased economic efficiencies all round, this speaks for itself.
