Kick the mop and bucket

Liquid-free cleaning is one answer in the battle against hospital superbugs says Justin Binks, director of SEBO UK

The Government recently announced that half of all hospitals in England will have to significantly reduce MRSA rates in 2010.While the overall number of hospital cases has halved, the worst performing hospitals are now being told they must bring rates down to the national average, or reduce the number of cases by 20%, whichever has the biggest impact.

At the crux of the Government's directive is a report from the National Audit Office, which revealed that while rates of hospital-acquired infections are falling across the nation, MRSA cases are actually rising in one in ten hospital trusts.Hospitals seeking to ramp up cleaning procedures will undoubtedly be tackling the issue from all angles, but one of the first, and most important, areas to target should be the floor.

It is well known that damp encourages the growth of bacteria and other organisms. SEBO believes that following a traditional mop and bucket approach to cleaning floors risks promoting infection, and is costly in terms of time management.

Furthermore, says SEBO, scientific studies have proven that frequent use of disinfectants can result in resistant micro-organisms that are unaffected by disinfectant cleaners.Daily polishing with an ultra high speed (UHS) polisher using diamond pads to polish the floor in a process, that is entirely liquid free, can substantially reduce the need for wet mopping.

It extends periods between disinfecting cycles, which will help prevent micro-organism resistance.With a smooth, dry surface without moisture on which bacteria can breed, diamond pad polishing can help to stop the spread of the MRSA virus in its tracks.

Kicking the mop and bucket to touch also has health and safety benefits.Wet floors are a known hazard, especially in hospitals where fast-moving personnel can mean the difference between life and death.

Using an UHS polisher means there's no need to seal off areas for cleaning, increasing efficiency and reducing inconvenience.

SEBO's DART UHS polisher has been developed with healthcare environments in mind.Used in conjunction with SEBO's HTC Twister diamond pads, efficient and hygienic floor polishing is achieved without liquids or chemicals.

The micro-diamonds embedded in the pads polish out imperfections in the floor creating a hygienic smooth gloss finish, reducing the surface area which can harbour dirt or micro-organisms.

A smooth floor surface is also much easier to keep clean.Contact the company for details or visit Stand 01.603