As we slowly transition out of lockdown, the demand to carry out essential hygiene practices in workplaces has significantly increased. Commercial cleaners will now have to take extra care and additional measures to achieve the new standard of hygiene. This is all with the aim of minimising the risk of spreading the virus for a safer working environment.

Our blog below will guide you through some of the essential hygiene practices for commercial cleaners. Additional guidance, including cleaning in non-healthcare settings, is available online from the UK government.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms for coronavirus (COVID-19) are currently the following:

A continuous cough
A high temperature
A change or absence in your sense of taste and smell

Commercial cleaners should not attend jobs if they are experiencing any symptoms of coronavirus, regardless of how mild they are. Instead, you must stay at home to minimise spreading the virus. Government guidelines for symptoms and testing can be found online here.

Essential Hygiene Practices

While cleaning, you should wear disposable or washing-up gloves and aprons. Once you are finished with them they should be double bagged, securely stored away for 72 hours and then thrown away with regular rubbish.

When cleaning hard surfaces, use a disposable cloth with warm soapy water. Next, disinfect with your usual cleaning products. You should pay extra attention to high contact touch points, such as door handles, stairwells and communal areas.

If you are called to a job where an area has been contaminated by someone with a case of coronavirus (e.g. visible bodily fluids) ensure you are using protection for your eyes, nose and mouth. This should be worn in addition to your gloves and apron. You can find further guidance from the UK government on essential hygiene practices after a coronavirus case has left the building online here.

Do not forget to wash your hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds. You should do this immediately after removing your gloves, aprons and any other protection.

Social Distancing

While social distancing, continue to stay at least 2 metres away from new people. You may find it easier to schedule your commercial cleaning jobs out of hours, so that the premises are empty while you are working. This will reduce the risk of coming into contact with others and everything will be clean ready for the following work day.

Clear Communication

During this time, keeping in contact with anyone whose space you have entered is important. If your cleaners or anyone at your client’s place of work has a suspected or known case of coronavirus before or after cleaning, this should be communicated. Thereby allowing others to get tested and shield if needed.

At MCS Franchise the safety of our team and customers is our highest priority and we will be following essential hygiene practices. For more information on our services, please get in touch with the MCS team on 0800 612 0437.