Tools are important too

Dusters, wipes, mops and brushes are the broad categories of cleaning tools used in housekeeping for optimum cleaning efficiency and effective day-to-day maintenance. Appropriate tools used in appropriate jobs yield desired results. “Mops, buckets and squeegees are being used extensively in majority of the facilities, including institutional and industrial, for maintenance cleaning,” said V Balathandayutham, Manager, Product Support, Roots Multiclean Ltd. No doubt, technological advancements have made users adopt mechanisation but in the daily routine cleaning, apart from using a floor cleaning machine, hand tools are both necessary and capable of completing any task successfully. Simple hand tools can reach critical places where machines cannot. That is why hand tools are important to do an effective cleaning job,he added.

A brush/wipe/duster used for cleaning ducts or AC filters is different from the one used in cleaning bottles or chimneys or windows. In addition, they come in varying sizes accordingly to the surface size.

“Dust control in an operation theatre, for example,” said Richard Dias, Masterpolishers, “cannot be done with an ordinary cloth duster. We need microfibre duster. Similarly, for floor cleaning or glass cleaning in the OT, one has to use micro mops or micro wipes respectively, as they retard bacterial growth.” Different dusters of different colours are used to dust different areas. A red colour duster used for dusting a patient area cannot be used in any other area. Mops are broadly divided into wet mops and dust/dry mops.

“Using colour coded products is not simple as we presume, it needs training. The employees must be made to understand this concept for effective implementation,” said Balathandayutham.

In floor cleaning, floor dust mop helps remove the smallest dust particles. It involves a simple operation of applying solution to the floor and wiping with the Floor Dust Mop. The absorbent surface of the mop is made of cotton, wool or micro fibre material that traps dust particles easily. Micro fibre mop is also an effective tool for removing even the smallest dust particle from the floor but does not require any cleaning solution. Water alone would suffice.

Steam mops too do not require cleaning solutions as they employ steam. In cleaning grout from between individual tiles, use of sponge mop would be incorrect. It does not have fabric strips like traditional mops and cannot reach the grout. Cotton mops are ideal for grout cleaning.

The technological advancement in the mopping system has created mop handles to reduce the need to bend or crouch when wringing the wet mop head. A wet mop head can hold as much as four times its weight of water. A wringer bucket with pedal eliminates the need to bend to a large extent.

Tools too need to be maintained. Most janitors are either unaware or are negligent in mop care which leads to early replacements of mops. The wet mop should be rinsed thoroughly and left to hang keeping the mop head off the floor or kept upside down. Mop heads otherwise can become disfigured or get damaged. Mop care also reduces the chances of bacteria and mildew accumulation.

A good mopping system cuts the need to frequently run the machine for vacuuming. Mopping system reduces by one-third the amount of lift needed to empty a mop bucket into a janitorial sink, floor drain or toilet.

Several varieties and sizes of brushes are deployed in surface cleaning. They again could become a source of contamination if not cleaned or coded properly. A good toilet bowl brush or toilet bowl mop to scrub around in the toilet and remove those ugly stains, is a must.

Toilet bowl mops should be discarded after repeated use as they are considered to be a disposable toilet cleaning product. Toilet bowl mops have a ball of polypropylene strands massed at one end to form a light duty scouring surface. Over time, the strands tend to break off and the mop should be discarded. But, many a time, even a dilapidated brush is stretched over its lifetime.

In fact, said Gigi Haug, Export Manager of Haug Bürsten, “The market has a wide assortment of brushes to choose from. But, even in markets like the US, though people talk big about hygiene, when it comes to spending on brushes, they opt for the smaller or simple ones.” Similarly, squeegees with special handles and synthetic cleaning blades target specific cleaning needs. For example, a squeegee with a swivel head is ideal for window cleaning. Advancements such as these make it easier for a cleaner to manoeuvre the squeegee in tight places. While it is necessary to know the cleaning tools, it is equally essential and important to have the proper knowledge of its application and maintenance.

Equipment and tools complement each other

Jörg Dunkel, Technical Services Manager, Vileda Professional speaks to CIJ

Why do you think tools are equally important in the cleaning process?

Equipment play an important role in the initial cleaning and during maintenance cleaning. They are ideal for cleaning of large areas as well as for specific tasks such as polishing or removal of floor coating. But maintenance of smaller areas or areas covered with a lot of furniture requires manual mopping systems and other tools. Equipment and the manual mopping or floor cleaning systems do not compete, but complement each other. A good housekeeper, (in house or outsourced) analyses the premise to be cleaned and then prepares a list of cleaning items required. Fundamental things are taken into consideration, like open space, kind of flooring and its tolerance for dirt/germs, cleaning time, personnel involved, storage and the costs involved. Accordingly, the appropriate machines, tools, chemicals and other accessories are arranged for the cleaning job.

What are the specific applications where tools are important?

A specific application, for instance, is in hospital cleaning. Manual mopping shows ease of adaptation according to the individual hygienic requirements. A major issue in hospitals is cross-contamination and manual cleaning tools are best suited to deal with it. Each area can be dealt with using separate tools which are colour coded to avoid cross contamination.

What are the important tools a housekeeping company cannot do away with?

Ergonomic floor cleaning tools which secure best cleaning results are most essential. Tools like dusters, damp & wet mopping systems, telescopic handle, mop frame and latest technology microfibre mops must also be made available by the housekeeping company. For surface cleaning, it is essential to have colour coded microfibre cloths, scourers for stubborn dirt removal (with different abrasion levels according to the sensitiveness of the cleaned surface) and gloves for hand protection. Optionally, you can have a carrier with buckets and press.

What are the various factors to be considered while manufacturing green tools?

• Avoiding dirt traps at the product development of plastics parts/tools
• Use of autoclavable plastic parts and recycled materials
• Use of latest technology microfibres to achieve highest bacterial removal with less chemical consumption.

The mistakes made by janitors…

• Not cleaning the tools properly
• Too less/seldom change of dirty water
• Not washing or improper washing and drying process of cloths and mops
• Over dosage of chemicals during washing process and/or cleaning process which may destroy the textile parts – fibres of mops/cloths
• Keeping brooms, sweepers, brushes in wrong positions which makes bristles lose shape.
• Wrong application of abrasive scourers, e.g. scratching of fittings in washrooms.

Brushes and hygiene

Kalpesh Sheth, Director, Kitten Enterprises Pvt Ltd: “The quality of a brush depends on the material it is made of. Common brushes usually come with air holes that shorten the life and performance of a brush. Brushes made of Polypropylene are solid, sturdy and the bristles are intact giving them a longer life and better performance cycle. A general brush if used in the food or related areas gets contaminated with microbes. Special brushes involve a cost which does not suit general applications or day-to-day domestic use. For example, the handle of an applicator alone could cost around Rs1100, which may not be cost effective.

These brushes or applicators as they are called find its applications especially in the food area or the pharma industry where the level of hygiene is high. Though cleaning is mechanised, brushes play a major role in daily cleaning or in initial cleaning before using cleaning equipment. Brushes today come with advanced technology that can perform mechanical action along with chemical dispenser. Toilet brushes again made of PP bristles are ideal for scrubbing stains or scales. But, the general toilet brushes available in the market for domestic purpose are of low quality where the bristles wear out in a couple of washes. When you are using fantastic chemicals, the applicator should be good enough to perform. Poor quality bristles not only wear out but also damage the surface.”

Different brushes, different sizes, different applications

Haug Bürsten, Germany, has been in the business of brushes and tools for the last 46 years and is exporting to over 52 countries across the world. It participated in the CIP show for the first time. Tools play a vital role, especially in the food industry, says Gigi Haug, Export Manager of the company. The hospitality industry is the major consumer of brushes and wipes, as it demands most hygienic surroundings. “The two ranges of brushes we deal in are hygienic assortment and domestic assortment. The hygienic range consists of highly professional tools that find their application in specific industries like food, hospitality and healthcare, where there is need for sophisticated, quality and healthy output.”

Major consumers of such brushes are companies in the food industry, especially those which have implemented HACCP. Brushes are made of different materials to suit the specific needs. “Stainless steel wires are used in brushes. The bristles are heat resistant up to 140oC. It can be autoclaved, sterilised or cleaned with acids and alkali.

“We also have polypropylene brushes with polyester PPT bristles. Polypropylene can stand up to heat and chemicals. Polypropylene strands are abrasive and can do a great job in removing stains.”

There are many brushes available in the market which is made of wood. “Wood is not hygienic. In Europe, wooden brushes are prohibited for use in applications where hygiene is involved.”

Various brushes in varying sizes are necessary in different applications. “Brooms, for example, come in varying sizes from 22.5 to 60cm. There are brushes for hand and for floors in different colours. Colour coding of different brooms for different applications is essential. Like, red brooms are restricted for use in areas where acids are used.

“The CIP show has been an excellent platform for the launch of these products in India,” said Gigi Haug.