This blog discusses why regular deep cleaning is important even if you already have an excellent daily cleaning schedule in place – and the differences between the two.
Shared and high-traffic bathrooms are prone to a build-up of limescale, organic matter and faecal deposits in the toilets and urinals. This build-up becomes a source for bacterial growth, leading to odours and cross-contamination (read more about this in our recent post: What’s that build-up in your urinal?) And we know from our research that bathroom odour is deeply offputting to most people, and associated with the perception of poor hygiene.
Build-up and bacterial growth happen because daily cleaners are tasked with cleaning surfaces, fittings, and fixtures – and not with tacking limescale in inaccessible places like u-bends and bottle traps. This is where deep cleaning comes in.
Deep cleaning (also referred to by Initial colleagues as our Ablution Hygiene Treatment”) is a specialised hygiene service that removes this build-up from the hard-to-reach areas which are inaccessible to daily cleaners: flushing rims, recesses of fittings and the outlets of ablution facility units.
Deep cleaning eliminates the limescale, organic matter and faecal deposits which cause bacterial growth and thus malodour – and which daily cleaning can’t properly eliminate.
Is deep cleaning the same as regular cleaning?
Deep cleaning and daily cleaning are definitely two different – but complementary – hygiene solutions. We like to think of it like brushing your teeth and visiting the oral hygienist. Daily brushing is essential, but so is a regular dental hygienist appointment.
We firmly believe that regular, thorough deep cleaning is the bedrock upon which a truly hygienic bathroom is based. We also know that what many customers think is a deep clean is very often just daily cleaning. It’s our mission to create awareness in our subscribers and customers alike regarding the difference between the two. Check out our previous post for tips on how to tell the difference between daily cleaning and deep cleaning.
The methods, application, skillset, and product preparations differ greatly between daily cleaning and deep cleaning. Daily cleaners play an important role in providing visible, on-site cleaning solutions. They ensure surfaces and floors are cleaned, paying particular attention to areas that contain dust, litter and dirt.
Deep cleaning, however, is a specialised hygiene service that requires specific skills, and products to achieve hygienic results. A deep cleaning service focuses on eliminating scale and bacterial growth in hard-to-reach areas which are the main causes of malodour.
When should you deep clean your office bathroom?
The frequency of your deep cleaning service will depend on the premise size, daily cleaning routine, user profile and the number of staff, just to mention a few of the factors we consider.
On average, it is recommended that a deep cleaning service should take place every quarter, but it can vary between monthly services in extreme circumstances, to bi-annual services in smaller or less frequented spaces.
Due to the residual effects of our patented preparations – which continue to work even after the service is finished – one doesn’t need to deep clean as often as daily cleaning.
Bacterial cleaning preparations
The deep cleaning products used by Initial are biological preparations that contain live, beneficial bacteria that consume odour-causing bacteria. These bacterial cleaning agents have a residual efficacy, meaning that they keep working by spreading “beneficial” bacteria through the plumbing system for at least two weeks. Bacterial cleaners are better for the environment as they are biodegradable, and they are highly effective in removing scale and organic build-up without risk to the user, the facility and/or the environment as they have no damaging effect on surfaces, and do not have to be rinsed off – like many daily cleaning products.
Traditional cleaning products utilise harsh chemicals:
Traditional de-greasers are highly alkaline, which is harmful to skin, and traditional descalers are highly acidic, which is both damaging to skin and stainless steel.
Over time, chemical cleaning agents cause damage to chrome/porcelain and plastic fittings as well as shorten the lifespan of equipment and surfaces. Read our blog The dangers of harsh chemicals, and why we clean with bacteria for more on why Initial is so passionate about biological cleaning agents.
Deep cleaning and daily cleaning go hand in hand
Neither of these cleaning practices should be viewed in isolation. Your daily cleaners are responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and presentability of your bathroom facilities. Deep cleaning treatments focus on sanitising areas out of reach to your daily cleaners. This is to prevent the growth of bacteria that cause odours, as well as cross infection that can lead to diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, vaginal thrush and the common cold, to mention just a few.
Need a deep cleaning service for your business? Contact the experts today to schedule an appointment.
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