Here's a tutorial on how to build a cleaning cart, including cleaning products, accessories, and contents. Of course, this is a general idea, and you'll need to adapt it to your work schedule.
First, a housekeeping cart must be OWN, CLEAR, EASILY WASHABLE. Since the cart must be cleaned at the end of each shift and prepared for the next day, it must be easily washable. So, it should not contain paper clips, pencils, food, cell phones, or any other accessories not related to the tasks you have to perform. Also, do not overload it with boxes. Take some sanitary supplies, but do not carry the entire box. This is part of the number ONE rule if you want to clean hygienically and it is generally the most frequent non-conformity !
Color-coded wash cloths
We suggest adopting a color system to reduce the risk of cross-contamination (to avoid, for example, cleaning the office with the same cloths used to clean the bathrooms). You could also have another color code, as long as it is logical and respected by employees.
We strongly suggest using quality microfiber cloths, this will be reflected in the ease of the job. You will find an article detailing the difference between Vileda Professional microfiber cloths, my favorite clothes!
Please note that depending on the quality of the cloths you use, the amount of liquid required may vary.
Preparing the hand wash buckets
We suggest you use the pre-impregnation or pre-soaking methodThis method has several advantages, including the health of the worker who will no longer have to wring out his washing clothes. Depending on the laundry you will be using, fold the clothes in the same way, first in 4 and then in 8 like this:
Place the 10 cloths in your bucket and add half of the liquid to one side of the cloths. Turn your cloths over and add the remaining liquid. Let your cloths soak.
Use the same method for wet floor mops.
Cleaning accessories
The work accessories you need will depend on the type of work you need to do. Here's what we suggest as a base:
- Microfiber cloths and wet floor mops
- Two buckets for the top of the cart.
- A bucket for wet mops.
- Microfiber duster – I highly suggest the white manufactured by Rubbermaid Commercial. This is the best I've found so far. It folds at will, is sturdy, and the microfiber comes off for washing. It can also be attached to the Hygen handle from the same company, so it won't fall off. Rubbermaid even sells a telescopic handle up to 20 feet. I even made a Youtube video about this feather duster ultra efficient!
- THE choice of toilet brush seems very important to me. We favor the one with a cone since the brushes promote splashing and are therefore dangerous for the employee's eyes.
- The Rubbermaid Commercial dry mop, the green one, is my favorite! It's very effective; dust sticks to the upholstery without falling off. And since it's made of microfiber, you won't need to add mop oil! The mops can be washed over 300 times and will still be useful! Microfiber, always the best microfiber!!
- A box of washing gloves.
Sanitary supplies
After a few days of doing your work routine, you will be able to establish the amount of supplies you will need in your evening.
Believe me, despite the beautiful cleaning, you should never run out of sanitary supplies in a building. This is an unacceptable situation. One way to prevent shortages is to have formats of jumbo or double dispenserCascades' Tandem brand is an excellent manufacturer of hygienic dispensers in Quebec, Canada. Also, Sam Jamar's dispensers are also renowned in the field. Most household cleaning product distributors have access to this type of equipment.
So, here are the basic sanitary supplies, a next article will be done soon on this subject.
- Toilet paper
- Hand paper
- Hand soap or foam
- Garbage bags.
Washing products
I encourage you to use eco-friendly or biotechnological cleaning products. In Quebec, we are very fortunate to have the quality of available household cleaning products. While the products must be effective, they must also not damage surfaces. To this end, gentle chemistry and biotechnology complement each other perfectly. Depending on the work on your route, the choice of household cleaning products can vary. Don't hesitate to request a study from us to develop a charter of appropriate household cleaning products, accessories, and equipment for you.
This tutorial does not replace a housekeeping and sanitation training basic, but is a good complement.
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