The world is a different place than it was pre-pandemic, and there are new and additional rules regarding how businesses operate. A major change for organisations to keep in mind is the heightened need to deep clean every regularly-used space to ensure people feel safe and comfortable.
The healthcare, hospitality and education industries can benefit from having a deep cleaning checklist or weekly cleaning checklist — and to make things simple, you don’t have to create this checklist on your own. Read on to discover how your company’s cleaning service staff can check cleaning off the to-do list in no time.
First, it’s best to understand what deep cleaning actually is. There’s no easy definition, and every organisation will have a different version that targets specific needs. Think of deep cleaning as spring cleaning for your business.
It starts with general cleaning practices like scrubbing surfaces, vacuuming and dusting, then moves to more extensive and elaborate cleaning procedures. A deep cleaning checklist, will help refine these procedures and ensure they are done, and done well.
Essentially, a deep cleaning checklist is a list of cleaning tasks split up into different categories — including rooms or spaces needing to be cleaned. A daily cleaning checklist, weekly cleaning checklist and monthly cleaning checklist will be necessary to ensure your company’s cleaning services team is aware of what tasks need to be done and how often. The goal of a checklist is to make sure every step is finished and nothing important gets missed.
COVID-19 heavily increased the importance of deep cleaning. According to Safe Work Australia, cleaning with simple detergent and water works for regular cleaning, but stronger disinfectant and more rigorous cleaning is necessary to kill all germs and reduce the risk of disease transmission. Cleaning specifically to protect from COVID-19 is another reason that deep cleans are so important and should be done every few days.
The best commercial cleaning jobs are done with the best cleaning supplies.
For patient rooms, use the 8-sided fold methodology with a damp microfibre cloth to clean ledges and window sills. Work high to low and in the same direction until all ledges and sills have been cleaned. Your cleaning company should clean furniture and furnishings with a green microfibre cloth, ensuring that every item is wiped from the upper surfaces to the lower surfaces. Spot clean the walls and bedside rails and footboard using a damp, unused microfibre cloth. If the patient is not in the room, properly wipe down the mattress as well. Disinfect the bathroom toilet, sink and counter with a clean green microfibre cloth and wipe the mirror with a microfibre glass cleaning cloth and glass cleaner.
In classrooms, use a damp microfibre cloth to sanitise individual desks, chairs, electronics, light switches, drawer handles, door knobs and bookshelves. Wet mop the floor starting at the opposite end of the door and using a “figure 8” pattern. Clean windows, vacuum the carpet and apply spot cleaner directly to any stains. Disinfect entryways, lobbies, common spaces and lounge seating areas using a spray bottle of disinfectant and a microfibre cloth.
For hotels and lodging, use the 8-sided fold methodology with a damp microfibre cloth to disinfect the entryway, check-in desk, communal seating areas, elevator, stairwell and lobby. Wet mop the floors in the lobby, guest rooms and suites. Prepare guest rooms by dusting surfaces from top to bottom with a microfibre cloth, cleaning and disinfecting the closet and mirror, making the beds, vacuuming and disinfecting the carpets and ensuring all amenities are refilled as needed. Also, disinfect the toilet, sink, shower, shower curtain and counter with disinfectant and a microfibre cloth.
You can find all our Rubbermaid cleaning products and procedures on our website.
Like most tasks, it’s good to have a plan before jumping in head first. Get an idea of what products your cleaning staff requires, what spaces need to be cleaned and how long this deep clean will take.
Your deep cleaning checklist will include company-specific sanitising needs, but you can expect to start with a few basics: dusting, washing walls and windows, scrubbing or vacuuming the floors, wiping all surfaces and sanitising used equipment or tools. To make a checklist, take inventory of what spaces need to be cleaned and list out each specific cleaning task that needs to be done in each area. This will give you a better idea of your company’s specific requirements. Once the list is complete, the cleaning staff can assemble necessary cleaning products, move all furniture that might be in the way and start cleaning.
One other important thing to note is the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. According to Food Standards Australia & New Zealand, cleaning is the removal of general dirt, grease and waste while sanitising destroys microorganisms. In order to deep clean, every item or space must be cleaned before being disinfected. For example, dust or sweep the floor before mopping with strong sanitiser or soapy water.
Use professional techniques for the best commercial cleaning results.
Start by dusting the walls with a microfibre cloth in order to remove dust and grime. After dusting, take a different microfibre cloth and gently wipe the walls in a circular motion. Make sure to avoid outlets and other sensitive areas. Wipe baseboards with a damp cloth to remove any leftover water or dust and clean cabinets if your business has them.
After sweeping or dusting all dirt and dust with a push broom or dust mop, use a wet mop to wipe the floors with disinfectant. For carpeted floors, first vacuum and then scrub with carpet cleaning solution.
Any hard surface should be wiped down with a damp microfibre cloth from top to bottom. These surfaces include tables, the door knob, light switches, countertops, keyboards, faucets, sinks, window sills, ceiling fan and handles, according to the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care.
Once every space is clean, the cleaning staff should look back at the daily cleaning checklist and ensure each line item was completed well.
Commercial cleaning doesn’t have to be a headache with a cleaning checklist to use as a guide. Find more examples of deep cleaning checklists on our website.
