With cleaning and hygiene, using products safely and properly is vital, and that means paying special attention to the cleaning chemicals you’re using. It’s a great reminder to focus on common sense practices like reading labels before each use, but there’s more to it than that.
Making sure your team is aware of the requirements of the products you use and following instructions carefully is a crucial part of commercial cleaning.
RELATED: Why reading chemical labels has never been more important
Choose the proper products
Making sure that you are using the correct chemicals for the job not only makes it safer, but could also save you time and money. If you are using a product that is designed for a less complicated job, it may require you to use more of the product or spend more time getting the job done. Choosing the correct chemicals allow for safe and efficient cleaning.
Often, more than one product is needed to complete the job. For example, a gentle product may do the job for some parts of the bathroom, but other sections will require something stronger. So, part of choosing the right cleaners means evaluating the job and dividing it into separate sections to address all issues correctly and safely.
Follow instructions
The instructions are designed to allow the product to be used as intended so following the exact instructions is required. Rather than just eyeballing it, measuring the correct amount of solution-to-water ratio is crucial for peak performance. Again, using it correctly will mean that you don’t need to spend money on more products than necessary, and it will do the job it’s designed to do.
Using more water than necessary means that the strength of the product isn’t there, and with not enough water, you could be attracting dirt or pathogens, rather than sanitizing the area effectively.
Avoid mixing
Be very careful about mixing chemicals that are incompatible; mixing things like ammonia and chlorine bleach can inadvertently create a toxic chemical cloud. It can be tempting to multitask by combining two products to tackle multiple jobs at the same time, but that can be dangerous. Chemicals can also be mixed by accident, so special care is necessary. For example, if someone pours acid cleaner into the toilet bowl after someone uses bleach to remove a stain, that can cause a serious issue.
Also, don’t forget to clean and empty your equipment after each use to avoid accidental mixing or spreading any germs sitting in the equipment, ready to be spread the next time you need them.
Be sure that your staff is aware, too, of the risks and take every precaution to avoid mixing incompatible chemicals.
Taking the time to choose the correct products, read labels, and follow instructions makes commercial cleaning safer and more effective for everyone in your building.
