Checkers Blog

Helping Cleaners Combat Flu Season

Cold and flu season requires extra diligence when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting. Janitorial staff members come into contact with most surfaces in a building, so it’s of utmost importance these teams are armed with the proper tools and know-how to stay healthy.

To help you proactively combat cold and flu season, we have 6 tips for staying healthy.

1. Educate Yourself. Ensure that you are clear about the cleaning needs of your facility. Some areas will require more attention than others and a variety of products may be required. This blog post from our archives highlights the differences between cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting and degreasing.
2. Protective Equipment. Reduce your exposure and risk for cross contamination by using personal protective equipment (PPE). Disposable masks such as these will help protect you from airborne viruses or lurking bacteria. Disposable gloves like these act as a barrier and aid in protecting yourself.
3. Clean Equipment. Stop the spread of germs by ensuring your janitorial tools and the supply closet/cart are clean. Dirty mops and rags can spread microorganisms throughout the building. Specific areas of the facility (washrooms, kitchens, etc.) should have a designated mop. Disposable wipers guarantee a clean cloth every time – no risk of cross contamination. This pop-up box of wipers makes it easy and convenient and can be used both wet and dry for any job.
4. Wash your hands. This seems like an obvious one, but it’s worth noting. Although it doesn’t eliminate everything, proper hand washing can drastically reduce the amount of lingering microbes lingering. When you properly wash your hands with soap, it chemically breaks down the vile offenders and the friction of rubbing your hands helps to remove them. Public health officials suggest spending at least 20 seconds scrubbing to adequately clean your hands. You may want to refer to our Hand Washing 101 article for further information.
5. Standardized Cleaning. By implementing a system and following it, proper procedures will be followed, reducing the opportunity for cross contamination. If you don’t already have a process, take the time to consider all areas of need and formulate an appropriate plan.
6. Stay Home. If you are sick, stay home. It’s the best place for you to recover and stop the spread of viruses and bacteria throughout the building.

We hope you are able to use this list to protect yourself from flu season this year. If you have any questions about how Checkers can help in this quest – from cleaning products to protective equipment – reach out to our team. We are your clean resource and here to assist you.