Basic
Cleaning
Procedures
Basic cleaning
methods
Basic cleaning methods are
Dusting
Sweeping
Mopping
Scrubbing
washing
Dusting
In health hazard as dust is a major cause for
infection. Dusting is the process of removing
this dust. Equipments and supplies: -
Duster 2 nos - Dry cloth, wet cloth - Cotton -
Spirit - Water
Methods of dusting:
Collect all items of required for dusting.
Fold the duster so as to be able to dust a
number of surfaces
Commence work from the entrance of the
room and proceed in the clockwise direction
Start with the highest point to be dusted and
work down towards the floor
Prevent overlapping and skipping edges.
Hold the cloth loosely so that it can absorb
Dusting a room
All rooms should be dusted daily.
When dusting a room, the following things
need to be dusted Doors and windows
Tables, chairs, cupboards Cots Switchboards,
lights, fans Other articles
Dusting a bedside
locker
Dusting a bed
Sweeping
Sweeping is the process to remove dust and
dirt by using a brush or a broom
Equipments and supplies: Soft broom Dust
pan Dust bin Selecting the equipment: The
brush of the broom should be long and
dense Do not use a broken dust bin and a
broken dust pan
Method of sweeping a
patient’s room
Keep all the required materials ready
Enter the room only after knocking and
getting the patient’s permission to clean
Switch off the fan If the room is dark, switch
on the light
Handpick the solid waste lying around on the
floor and put it in the dust bin before
sweeping
Take it to the corner of the room, bend and
Keep the windows wide open Latch the
doors and windows to avoid them from
banging
Do not shake the dust from the doormat in
front of the patient.
Bend and sweep the room
thoroughly, including all
the edges and corners
After sweeping the room, put the doormat in its
place Do not drag the tables and chairs. The sound
will disturb the patient, and moreover, to avoid the
scratches that will collect additional dust Every
nook of the room, including under the cupboard,
under the cot and area behind doors and dust
collected from the room should swept outside and
piled against the walls.
Immediately collect the dust in dust pan and
put into the dust bin.
All the areas of the hospital should be swept
in the same manne.
Store the broom, pan and dustbin in their
allotted place
Mopping
Mopping also remove any dust that remains after sweeping
and any stains on the floor
Equipments and supplies: 2 buckets Water Disinfectant Mop
Method of mopping the patient’s room: Mop only after the
room has been swept thoroughly
Before, mopping all the required materials should be at
hand Fill two-thirds of one bucket with water mixed with
detergent, and two-thirds of the other bucket with plain
and clean water Place both the buckets on a mat to prevent
staining of the floor
Set aside the furniture to clean
the floor well.
Rinse the mop in clean water, dip it in the bucket containing the
detergent, squeeze it well, and then mop Mop by drawing a figure “S”
from left to right
After mopping each small portion, rinse the mop in clean water, and
repeat the process If the water becomes dirty, replace it with clean
water
The dirty water should be poured directly into the bathroom outlet,
otherwise the dirty water may idle and cause floor stains
After completing the work, wash the mop thoroughly and dry it in the
sun. A wet mop breeds bacteria
Scrubbing
Scrubbing is done on surfaces that are extremely
dirty.
This is carried out whenever necessary Equipments
and supplies - 2 Buckets - 2 Mops - Brush with a
long handle - Cleaning agent Methods of scrubbing
a floor First, sweep the area to be scrubbed, and
then dampen it with water Sprinkle/spray the
cleaning agent on the damp area
If the whole room needs to be scrubbed scrub with
the long handled brush starting from the far corner
and move towards the door Remove the dirty
solution using a mop
Dip the second mop in clean water and mop the
floor
Repeat the scrubbing and mopping process until all
the dirt is removed Clean all the equipment and
store them back in place
Washing
Washing of floors is done to remove the soil and
dirt brought in from the outside with the use of
water. Walls are washed at least once a month
Wash as often as necessary to maintain cleanliness
and hygiene Equipments and supplies: - 2
Containers - Cleaning agent - Sponge - 2 Swabbing
cloth - A ladder to reach high places
Methods for washing
Fill one container with a cleaning agent and the second container with
water.
Place them on a mat to prevent staining
Wipe away loose earth from the area to be cleaned
Dip the sponge in the cleaning solution.
Squeeze out the excess solution to prevent dripping Apply the solution
on a small area using a circular motion
Dip a cloth in the clean water and wash the area using an up-down
motion
Dry the area with a dry cloth Repeat the process until the entire area
has been cleaned
Change the water and solution frequently
Inspect the work. A well-washed area will have no
scratches or patches
Clean the equipment and store them back in place
Cleaning the surroundings
Cleaning the surroundings means maintaining the
cleanliness and hygiene at the hospital entrance,
around the hospital building and the area
surrounding the hospital compound
The area outside the hospital compound should
be swept daily and the waste should be removed
immediately
Parking area
The parking area in front of the entrance should be
checked regularly for diesel and oil stain caused by
the vehicles
These should be removed by scrubbing using a
scouring powder, otherwise they form stubborn
stains Sunshades and outer walls of the hospitals
should be swept daily and washed once a week
Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the area
surrounding the hospital is as important as
maintaining the interior
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