When you go to the hospital, you expect that the environment is sterile. However, recent studies show that traditional cleaning implements like stringed mops used in hospitals may be one of the major causes of HAI (Hospital-Acquired Infections). New evidence shows that flat mop systems can help to make medical facilities cleaner thereby reducing incidents of HAI.
The Top 4 Benefits of Using Flat Mop Systems
Unlike traditional hospital mops which are stringed and made of cotton, flat mops are made of polyester nylon bound so tightly together that the fibers are thinner than a strand of hair. Because of that, they are able to pick up more debris and particles and it can hold them instead of spreading them around.
There are obvious pluses to a flat mop system. Here are the top 4 reasons to switch to flat mops in your medical facilities.
1. Cleaner Facilities
Wide stringed cotton mops tend to push dirt and debris around. Many hospitals have used these mops for decades without considering their true effectiveness. With a flat mop system, your cleaning staff is able to reach areas that traditional mops can’t.
Tiny fibers pick up microscopic infection-causing microbes and bacteria and trap them. When the area is cleaned, the microfiber cloth is removed along with the germ spreading contaminants in it.
2. Reduced Instances of Cross-Contamination and HAI
While flat mops cannot be used to clean up blood or other bio-hazardous materials, what they can do is remove hidden bacteria that cause infections. Fibrous cloth heads are made up of fine nylon that is about a 16th of the thickness of a strand of hair.
Those densely packed fibers positively attract dust particles. When the floor is cleaned, the cloth is removed reducing the chances of cross-contamination which often leads to HAIs. Flat mops are also able to absorb and hold six times the amount of water that a traditional mop can.
3. More Cost Effective
Switching to a flat mop system can save your medical facility money. Instead of having to empty and replace mop buckets full of water and chemicals after cleaning every other room, you simply remove the fiber cloth and begin again with a clean one.
You only need a small amount of chemical and water to clean with a flat mop thereby cutting your supply costs dramatically. Keep in mind however that flat mop cloth heads must be professional cleaned. There are temperature requirements for the material and they cannot be cleaned with other types of fabrics.
4. Better for the Environment
Many of the harsh chemicals used to sterilize medical facilities are bad for the environment. Every day, using traditional mops, gallons and gallons of toxic wastewater is being dumped out into the environment. Instead, flat mops can be used up to ten times before needing to be replaced. They require only 5% of the amount of chemicals that traditional mops need.
Get Your Flat Mops Professionally Cleaned
Wilkins Linen is your source for professional linen management services including flat mop systems. If your healthcare facility needs a reliable flat mop system, Contact us today, we can clean, deliver, and pick up your linen rentals.
