P2: Health Care Maintenance

Implement Green Cleaning Practices

Disinfection and cleanliness are a critical part of the health care industry, but many of the traditional cleaning products have negative health and environmental impacts.  Using "greener cleaners" can reduce environmental health and safety concerns and still maintain high sanitation standards for health care facilities.

Learn more from the H2E 10-step Guide for Green Cleaning Implementation

For disinfection use alternatives to glutaraldehyde which is linked to skin and respiratory illnesses.

Purchase less hazardous cleaning agents for critical cleaning needs.

• Substitute non-halogenated compounds for halogenated
• Substitute simple alcohols and ketones for petroleum hydrocarbons (i.e., toluene or xylene)
• Use aqueous reagents wherever possible.

Use the most dilute form of liquid oxidizers, such as hydrogen peroxide, that will still be effective.

Use microfiber mops.

• Mops heads are soaked in cleaning solution and wrung out before attaching to mop – less cleaning fluid is used
• Dirty heads are dropped into laundry so cleaning solution is not contaminated – no cross contamination of rooms
• Lightweight mops reduce time, effort and injuries

 

continue to Health Care Purchase and Inventory

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