Terminal Cleaning Services

The spread of disease and infections is a primary concern in hospitals, clinics, outpatient surgery centers, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings. Terminal cleaning reduces the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by removing potentially infectious materials from the environment. It involves detailed cleaning/disinfection of all surfaces, including floors and re-useable equipment, within the entire healthcare facility or with an individual room, ward, department, or unit. Outsourcing terminal cleaning to a professional cleaning service offers many benefits.

Cleanstart is a leading provider of healthcare terminal cleaning services. Our team has the expertise and resources to handle even the most challenging healthcare facility cleaning projects. We use specialized equipment and cleaning products to remove dirt, grime, and other contaminants from surfaces, including hard-to-reach areas often overlooked by other cleaning companies. 

In addition to our detailed cleaning, we adhere to strict safety protocols to ensure that our cleaning projects are completed safely and efficiently. Our team uses personal protective equipment (PPE) and follows all safety guidelines to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. 

According to the CDC, risk determines cleaning frequency, method, and process in routine and contingency cleaning schedules for all patient care areas.  

• Probability of contamination: Heavily contaminated surfaces and items require more frequent and thorough environmental cleaning than moderately contaminated surfaces, which in turn require more frequent and rigorous environmental cleaning than lightly or non-contaminated surfaces and items.
• Vulnerability of patients to infection: Surfaces and items in care areas containing vulnerable patients (e.g., immunosuppressed) require more frequent and rigorous environmental cleaning than surfaces and items in areas with less vulnerable patients.
• Potential for exposure to pathogens: High-touch surfaces (e.g., bed rails) require more frequent and rigorous environmental cleaning than low-touch surfaces (e.g., walls).

Terminal Cleaning Procedure

In a medical facility, standards of cleaning and disinfecting protocols are needed to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Certain areas of the facility require much more attention due to the sensitive procedures within them. 

Terminal cleaning includes the following steps:

• Gather all equipment required for terminal cleaning at the point of use (e.g., mop bucket, mop, disposable color-coded cloths, yellow clinical waste bags & tags, alginate & red bags, wet floor sign, and HEPA filter vacuum cleaner.
• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE), i.e., disposable apron and gloves, before entering the room; discard all disposables in the room/bed space/unit (e.g., hand towels, magazines, bottles, toilet rolls, etc.) All materials must be disposed of as clinical waste.
• Prepare cleaning and disinfecting solutions in a container (dilution as per manufacturer’s instruction). Chemicals should never be mixed. 
• Ensure adequate ventilation of the area or room; the door should be left open if there is no window when applying hypochlorite/chlorine dioxide solutions.
• Use disinfectant solutions, such as dwell time, per the manufacturer’s instructions. In particular, rinse chlorine-containing solutions from stainless steel surfaces to prevent corrosion.
• Use disposable cloths/paper rolls for cleaning during the terminal cleaning. Where available and appropriate, use disposable mop heads. After use, these should be disposed of into a clinical waste bag before leaving the area/room.
• Ensure that PPE is changed when moving from one room or area to another and disposed of into a clinical waste bag.
• Always decontaminate your hands after removing and disposing of PPE.
• Avoid leaving and re-entering the area or room until terminal cleaning is completed.

The local cleaning/disinfection policy or procedure will specify the specific disinfectant used in terminal cleaning. Hypochlorite or chlorine dioxide solution will kill bacteria, and viruses provided it is used per manufacturers’ instructions. Hypochlorite solutions are corrosive, and it’s recommended that the solution is rinsed off commodes, mattresses, and stainless steel surfaces with warm water at the end of the process. Some chlorine dioxide solutions don’t require rinsing.

 

 

Why Your Healthcare Facility Needs Cleanstart

Cleanstart is the premier choice for healthcare terminal cleaning services. Our attention to detail, state-of-the-art equipment, and commitment to training and safety makes us the perfect choice for your terminal cleaning needs. We offer customizable cleaning services to meet the specific needs of your facility, and our professional team follows all terminal cleaning best practices and protocols.

Please call (253) 921-2593 to learn more about our comprehensive terminal cleaning services and request a free quote, or fill out our online contact form, and we’ll get back to you immediately.

We serve the following areas in Greater Puget Sound:

 Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bonney Lake, Bremerton, Factoria, Fife, Gig Harbor, Graham, Kent, Lakewood, Olympia, Puyallup, Renton, Seattle, South Hill, Tacoma, Tukwila, University Place, King County, Kitsap County, Pierce County, Thurston County.