Two mistakes managers of nursing homes make when using a new commercial cleaning service

Here are some common mistakes made by nursing home managers when they need to use a new commercial cleaning service.

Not emphasising the importance of keeping strong cleaning chemicals locked away

In a lot of other commercial settings, it doesn't really matter if a cleaner leaves, for example, some bleach on a table whilst they're cleaning some other area. However, this is not the case in nursing homes. Some managers will neglect to tell their new commercial cleaners that they must keep a special eye on things like ammonia or bleach-based chemicals even when using them.

If the manager does not give the cleaners this instruction and the harmful products are then left in areas where the residents can access them, some of these residents who have age-related issues like cataracts, which affect their sight, or Alzheimer's, which affects their cognition, might mistake these liquids for drinks and try to consume them, which might make them extremely sick. At best, residents who have these health issues could knock over these bottles and make a big mess that the cleaners will have to clean up. If however, the manager explains why these products cannot be left lying around in this environment and, ideally, if they provide these cleaners with a secure cupboard to keep these items in, the cleaning work won't affect the residents negatively or lead to extra messes for the cleaners.

Not giving the cleaners guidance on how to clean the rooms of certain residents

Nursing home managers also sometimes fail to give their new commercial cleaners guidance regarding how to clean certain residents' rooms. For example, in a nursing home, a resident's room is their only private space and they may have preferences about the way in which it is cleaned even though they may be unable to do the cleaning work themselves, due to their advanced age. Where possible, these preferences should be respected. They might, for instance, strongly dislike or feel nauseated by the smell of lavender- or lemon-scented products. If the cleaners are not made aware of certain residents' preferences, they may use products that feature these fragrances and the residents of the affected rooms might get annoyed or even feel unwell because of this. If, however, the manager of the nursing home takes the time to show the cleaners which products should or should not be used in certain residents' rooms, they can prevent these types of upsets.

Reach out to a commercial cleaning professional to learn more.

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