se with useRE: Environmental Cleaning Methods

[Lyndon Forrest]

Hi all, just a response to the issues raised:

In a day surgery microfiber is appropriate, if used properly with neutral detergent. The microfiber system is basically used damp. If there are spills or wet areas traditional mops will need to be used. I would also recommend colour coding to stop the risk of cross infection. Of course there is then the problem of the mops and cloths being cleaned to infection control standards.

Micro fibre systems (mops and cloths) should be cleaned so they meet the requirements of AS NZS 4146-2 Laundry Practice. Must commercial washers can be programmed to chemically disinfected, not thermally as microfiber cannot be cleaned in a water temp of greater than 50 degrees, there should be a specific program that’s allows the microfiber mops and cloths to be cleaned correctly. Also there is an interesting article about using microfiber, which has as one of its conclusions that these pads lose their effectiveness after being laundered 150 times, (Assessing the efficacy of different microfibre cloths at removing surface micro-organisms associated with healthcare-associated infections, Smith, Gillenders, 2010).

Microfibre mops are very good for maintaining floors, walls etc. and are designed to be used damp. Only a neutral cleaner should be used. These systems do not work if they are too wet, or for cleaning up spills.

Regards Lyndon

Our Mission:
To stop infections in aged care and the community!!

Lyndon Forrest
Managing Director, Bug Control Australia & New Zealand
[High Res – Screen]

Hi all,
This is such an interesting topic and I am also interested to know how facilities are managing cleaning of the reusable microfibre cloths.

I am concerned about use of domestic washing machines as common place to avoid/ reduce the costs of sending to a commercial hospital laundry.

I would appreciate your views and thoughts.

Kind regards

Helen

Helen Truscott

Clinical Nurse Consultant Infection Prevention & Control Service | Nursing & Midwifery Directorate
NNSW LHD
PO Box 904 Tweed Heads NSW 2485
Tel:07 5506 7227 | Fax :07 5506 7282 | Mob:0418 993745 | Helen.Truscott@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au

[Description: Description: cid:image001.png@01CC899A.70FE88C0]

[Clean hands count]

Hi Terry,

Leaving aside the issue of detergents versus disinfectant for routine cleaning purposes (floors) in healthcare facilities my comments are as follows:

Mops with detergent or disinfectant dispensed from the internal channel of the mop handle

* I have seen these mops many years ago. The channel in the mop handles could not be adequately cleaned or disinfected. When we cultured the channels they were contaminated as fluid had remained stagnant in the channel over long periods of time and cleaning agents were simply being topped up. Think you will find the same if you sample the channels of such mops today.
* Such mops are not suitable for use in healthcare facility.

Disposable microfiber wipe system

* I’m assuming the wipes are attached to the base of a mop (? Velcro) and disposed of after so many uses?
* Microfiber will do a better job at cleaning over other types of mopping materials (cotton/foam mop heads).

It is probably a matter of what is practical, easy and the most cost effective option for an organisation i.e. disposable microfiber or standard non microfiber mop heads which can be reusable or disposable.

Regards

Glenys

Glenys Harrington
Infection Control Consultancy (ICC)
P.O. Box 6385
Melbourne
Australia, 3004
M: +61 404816434
E: infexion@ozemail.com.au

Hi Terry

I have seen similar systems for use in hospitals. I don’t think they are unsuitable, it’s just a matter of if they are cost-effective or not. If the microfibre wipes are truly charged microfibre material, they don’t need detergents to collect dirt and debris. The addition of a disinfectant is simply to reduce bioburden more that simple cleaning will do. In my view this is unnecessary, but not inappropriate, if you understand what I mean.

Cleaning with a normal cloth dipped only in disinfectant with no detergency properties would be inappropriate, but that is not what I have seen with microfibre cleaning with the addition of disinfectants. Microfibre charged cloths will attract soils and debris, so do not need a detergent.

I am not 100% sure I am actually addressing your question though, as I will admit I am not 100% sure what you are asking.

Cheers
Michael

Michael Wishart
Infection Control Coordinator

A 627 Rode Road, Chermside QLD 4032
P (07) 3326 3068 | F (07) 3607 2226 | E michael.wishart@svha.org.au | W http://www.hsnph.org.au
[cid:image001.png@01D01926.61F1C2B0]
P Please consider the environment before printing this email

Hi Everyone,

I’m coming across environmental cleaning service providers in the Day Surgery sector that are wanting to ‘mop’ floors with a disposable microfiber wipe system used in conjunction with a disinfectant that is either supplied by dipping the wipe in the disinfectant solution or alternatively having the disinfectant poured into the handle of the mop and discharged by the press of a button.

The disposable microfiber wipe is discarded between cleaning different areas, however I am not convinced that this method of cleaning is suitable.

I’d appreciate some feedback from the brains trust please.

Kind Regards
Terry McAuley
Sterilisation & Infection Prevention and Control Consultant
STEAM Consulting Pty Ltd ACN 604 439 698
E: terry@steamconsulting.com.au
W: http://www.steamconsulting.com.au
A: PO BOX 779
Endeavour Hills
VIC Australia 3802

CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION: The information contained in this message may contain confidential information intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or duplication of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us by telephone or email immediately and return the original message to us or destroy all printed and electronic copies. Nothing in this transmission constitutes an agreement of any kind unless otherwise expressly indicated.

______________________________________________________________________
This email and any attachments to it (the “Email”) is confidential and is for the use only of the intended recipient, and may not be duplicated or used by any other party without the express consent of the sender. If you are not the intended recipient of the Email, please notify the sender immediately by return email, delete the Email, and do not copy, print, retransmit, store or act in reliance on the Email. St Vincent’s Health Australia (“SVHA”) does not guarantee that the Email is free from errors, viruses or interference. Emails to and from SVHA or its related entities may be scanned and filtered in locations outside Australia.
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.

The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.

Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.

Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au

To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.

You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au

______________________________________________________________________
This email and any attachments to it (the “Email”) is confidential and is for the use only of the intended recipient, and may not be duplicated or used by any other party without the express consent of the sender. If you are not the intended recipient of the Email, please notify the sender immediately by return email, delete the Email, and do not copy, print, retransmit, store or act in reliance on the Email. St Vincent’s Health Australia (“SVHA”) does not guarantee that the Email is free from errors, viruses or interference. Emails to and from SVHA or its related entities may be scanned and filtered in locations outside Australia.
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.

The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.

Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.

Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au

To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.

You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.

The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.

Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.

Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au

To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.

You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au

________________________________

This message is intended for the addressee(s) named and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete the message and any attachments and notify the sender. Views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of NSW Health or any of its entities.
MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.

The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.

Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.

Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au

To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.

You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au

MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.

The use of trade/product/commercial brand names through the list is discouraged by ACIPC. If you wish to discuss specific reference to products or services by brand or commercial names, please do this outside the list.

Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.

Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au

To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.

You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au

[Author]

Posts