Healthcare institutions have taken the lead in the adoption of the innovative disposable cleaning products, as both cleaning and disinfection procedures should meet very high standards. The disposable wipes and mops are used intensively in hospitals and nursing homes. Why is that?
1) Disposable cleaning products always have 100% cleaning performance.
Research indicates that laundered healthcare textiles such as microfiber mops and wipes are difficult to clean and disinfect through multiple laundry cycles, resulting in irreversible damage to the physical structure of the textiles that are essential for cleaning. Laundries attempt to clean microfiber textiles with mechanical, thermal and chemical (elevated temperatures, bleach-based chemicals and abrasion) processes during washing and drying. However, these processes can easily damage the microfibers, especially through repeated cycles. As a result, there is a significant loss of cleaning capacity after repeated laundering and the quality of the mop becomes unreliable. What is more, the lost fibers are disposed in the waste water as micro and nano plastics and this also leads to contamination of the waste water. In contrast, the use of properly designed and manufactured disposable microfiber products ensures that the textile fibers are optimized for cleaning and ensure 100% performance.
2) In disposable cleaning products there is no accumulation of old dirt and microbes in the material.
Through repeated use and inadequate laundering one can find an accumulation of organic particles and dirt in the laundered mops. The retention of organic particulates and residues in laundered mops can cause serious issues when the mops are returned to service. Chemicals used to disinfect surfaces are very reactive – the chemicals readily bind to organic materials whether they are living or not. If the cleaning tool is contaminated with residual detergents or organic dirt left over after laundering, the cleaning tool itself can bind and inactivate the disinfectant chemistry before it ever touches the floors and surfaces to be disinfected.
3) By using disposable products there is no risk of cross-contamination during laundering, transport or storage.
Cross contamination is the unintended transmission of bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms from one object to the other, with all its harmful effects. Research shows that more than 90% of textile mops and wipes still contain hazardous amounts of bacteria after laundering them. With this knowledge it is not so surprising that these traditional textile cloths spread more than 30% germs they absorb in one area and then leave behind onto the next surface or object. Unlike laundered floor mops, our disposable floor mops ensure that the bacteria are trapped in the mop and not released onto the next surface.
Overall, the relatively complicated process of using laundered mops and wipes in combination with the cross-contamination risks can result in products with unreliable quality. The combination of damaged microfiber and contaminated textiles may lead to poor cleaning results. Disposable microfiber cleaning products used with appropriate detergents and disinfectants provide superior and consistent results without the risk of cross-contamination in the healthcare environment.
With our 50+ years of experience in the professional cleaning sector we advise organizations to use cleaning solutions that ensure the permanent removal and disposal of bacteria rather than the transmission of it from one surface to the other with laundered cloths. When applied as instructed, our disposable mops and wipes have proven to be excellent for the infection prevention and control and are most hygienic for any application such as hospitals but also other vital areas.
