Housekeeping rooms are the most neglected rooms in buildings in my opinion. Not only are they often poorly arranged, but they are also poorly maintained by employees. So, here's a little guide to better design your housekeeping facilities. Send me a photo of your premises, I'd be really happy to see the before and after!
Where to start this beautiful cleaning of your cleaning premises?
These are the premises you will use all year round to store your equipment, your trolley, your products, etc. You deserve as much of attention than all the other rooms in the building you maintain. Am I exaggerating? Think about it, You can only clean with clean things! Your equipment and your premises must therefore facilitate your tasks.
So, first, I suggest you completely empty your premises. This will help you make a good assessment of the work to be done. Throw away anything that's no longer good or has expired. Laundry products start to lose their effectiveness after a year, so there's no point keeping an industrial quantity of gallons of product. Keep a few weeks' supply in reserve and it will be more than enough.
Equipment and accessories
Thoroughly clean your cleaning equipment. And set aside any that will need repair before classes begin. Request repair very quicklyLet's just say that at this time of year, repair shops are in high demand, so don't delay in booking yours.
If you work for a cleaning company, heavy cleaning equipment could be returned to your employer. This will free up your premises for regular maintenance.
As for accessories, such as window wipers and squeegees, brooms, and others, are they in good condition? Do they need to be replaced? Do the squeegee blades need replacing?
The products
Are there any products you no longer need? Perhaps you can return them to your employer. As mentioned above, products should be used within one year of purchase. Be sure to include oldest purchases first and newer ones at the end at the bottom of your tablet.
Please note that not all containers have asupplier label need to be replaced. Ask your supplier for additional labels. It's usually free or just a few cents per label. However, it's for your safety and that of your coworkers. Safety advice, emergency measures and PPE (personal protective equipment) are written there.
For reference, Here is a document on the WHMIS 2015 label very well done and in two languages (French and English): WHMIS 2015 Label, a very well illustrated visual document, produced by the Canadian Centre for HygieneThis could be displayed in the housekeeping premises as a reference.
The classification of washing products on the shelves
During my quality control visits, I notice that all the products are classified in a rather mixed and logical manner. Allow me to give you a very simple way to classify your products. Follow the logic of the pH scale. This will allow maintenance staff to easily identify a substitute for a product if necessary.
So what is pH? You have a full article on the subject ofpH scale. In principle, you should not need products at the extreme ends of the scale. If so, ask a consultant in this field for an evaluation of the products used (CF Salubrité also offers this service.).
Your type products ALKALINE (8 to 14): Degreaser, carpet cleaner, dish soap, stripper, etc.
Your products NEUTRAL together. (6.5 to 7.5)
And finally, the products ACID together. (1 to 6.5): Toilet cleaner, scouring cream (some are neutral, check the safety data sheet), calcium remover, cleaner to remove rust, limescale, etc.
In the second part of this article, we are setting aside this space to demonstrate how to organize efficient housekeeping premises.
The organization of your housekeeping premises
To better illustrate my point, I built a janitorial office, which you can see at the top of this blog. The exact locations aren't important. However, certain criteria are important, such as the following.
- So, we will favor putting the non-weighty and dry accessories at the very top: Floor pads, dry and wet mops.
- THE fsanitary supplies and garbage bags can go in the center (so you don't have to strain when lifting the boxes).
- And we will keep the bottom for the productsThe idea is that the products would not leak on dry land if a gallon had a crack, for example. Of course, the layout of your stock will depend on the space you have available. And unfortunately, as we know, janitorial premises are generally very small and poorly laid out.
- We strongly suggest you todisplay your color code applicable annexed to the washing product dispenser. Because, for us, the product dispenser is essential. It guarantees the correct dilution in addition to protecting your surfaces while being efficient.
- All the everyday accessories must be easily accessible, clean and well organized by item and function. For example, all accessories relating to windows could be together.
- All sleeves (broom, dry and wet mop) must be hung on the wall and do not drag on the groundWet mops should be put in the wash at the end of the shift.
- THE personal protective equipment (PPE) are clean and tidy to be accessible to every employee. It would be good to have a poster on WHMIS 2015 and the wearing of PPE applicable to this location.
- Finally, work equipment could all be together. However, it is important that the space between them is clear so that when handling one piece of equipment, the employee does not catch his foot in the other piece of equipment! In addition, a clear space to allow them to easily exit the maintenance room would be preferable.
- We favor that the wash tub either on the floor and not on foot to save your workers' backs when they have to empty their boilers.
Finally, I also want to bring to your attention that the premises are clean, including the walls, shelves, and floor. Are you lacking space, shelves, or anything else to keep your premises well maintained? Tell the right person! For you, this often seems very obvious. Instead, make your point eloquently to your boss. Take him to see your premises and explain the problems. I know few bosses who will resist your arguments when you point out that the maintenance rooms are there to maintain the hygiene and sanitation of the building!
Tell him if your laundry is Cro-Magnon-aged! Show him the state of your laundry! Recently, an employee had to get shocked and take the supposedly clean laundry he received, which reeked of oil, from his boss. He put the laundry on his desk, right under his nose! Because the boss said the employee was exaggerating.
Tell them you'd like to make sure your dilution is accurate and would appreciate either a product dispenser or bottles with built-in dispensers.
So, my final word?
The layout of housekeeping facilities is simply a matter of collaboration between management, the team leader, and employees. Everyone must work to ensure the hygiene and sanitation of the buildings and all their premises.
