Round the clock
Published: 22 July, 2010
Out-of-hours cleaning is no longer an option in some shopping centres, forcing cleaning contractors to change their working practices
In today’s 24/7 culture the retail sector presents some unique challenges to the cleaning industry. In many cases the opportunity to clean when the premises are shut will not be available. The requirement is to clean appropriately, efficiently and safely while the site remains in operation. On top of this owners expect cleaning to be economical and sustainable.
Cleaning companies now talk about daytime cleaning but a better description is worktime because this is more meaningful in extended-hour operations. One of the most obvious benefits of worktime cleaning is that dirt and grime can be dealt with sooner and higher overall standards of hygiene maintained.
Adopting a clean-as-you-go approach should mean building users will notice the difference more quickly. Regular checks and cleaning when necessary but skipping areas that have not been used can enhance the overall appearance while cutting out wasteful activity and costs. This is important, especially where the first impression people gain has a knock-on effect to customer satisfaction, retention and repeat business in the retail sector.
Building managers and operators are understandably wary of allowing chemical based cleaning when people are present because of the perceived health & safety risks. One simple and highly effective way of avoiding these is to use ultra microfibre cleaning tools such as Jonmaster for hard surface cleaning without chemicals. This modular system comprises colour coded trolleys, mops, cloths and tools that can be configured for ergonomic cleaning. Tools are used dry or with water alone and have been independently proven to remove dirt and 99.99 per cent of bacteria from hard surfaces.
Jonmaster is safer for staff and other site users because there is no risk of them coming into contact with chemicals. This simplifies health & safety procedures and can reduce some of the regulatory burden. It also means less water is required and cleaning staff have no need to carry heavy buckets in busy and crowded areas. Absence of water also reduces the risk of slips and trips, always a potential hazard in public spaces.
Using Jonmaster simplifies the cleaning process because surfaces are wiped once, allowing the cleaner to move immediately to another task. Cleaning teams can wear a belt that holds the tools they need making it much easier for them to work and on larger sites trolleys can be stocked with a wider range of tools and equipment to allow different surfaces to be cleaned without risk of cross-contamination.
Cleaning without chemicals can also help to reduce and control costs. Overall consumption and chemical miles are reduced and there is no need to buy multiple products. Former storage space can be put to other uses. There are also potential savings through reduced training or compliance procedures that come from having fewer tasks and products for staff to learn about.
Where chemicals are required, innovation can often provide an enhanced result. Products with odour neutralising technology that eliminate rather than mask strong smells may be more suitable for public spaces. Products such as Oxivir with hydrogen peroxide as the active ingredient may be less smelly than those containing chlorine and also offer additional hygiene and infection control benefits.
Floorcare is always important in the retail environment and a scrubber drier is often ideal. The TASKI swingo range, for example, delivers the highest possible cleaning and hygiene performance and promotes safety by removing up to 99 per cent of the water and cleaning solution from the floor so that busy areas can be used immediately with reduced risk of slip-fall accidents.
The latest models also support sustainability. The new TASKI swingo 1650, for example, saves up to 40 per cent of water compared to conventional scrubber driers by using an optimised cleaning solution dosing system that automatically adjusts the amount of liquid to match machine speed. It also has a reduced energy consumption of 20 per cent compared with conventional machines.
Battery power ensures the machine can be operated anywhere on the site, whenever required, and without any trailing power leads that would present a potential trip hazard. Further sustainability gains are made by equipping TASKI swingo machines with the XFC (eXtra Fast Charge) Flex battery technology. Energy consumption is reduced by around 20 per cent compared with ordinary batteries.
