How to Maintain Sanitised Spaces in Aged Care Facilities

Maintaining cleanliness in aged care facilities is not simply about keeping things looking tidy. The health and safety of residents rely heavily on effective cleaning routines. With many residents having compromised immune systems, the consequences of poor hygiene can be severe, leading to outbreaks of infections and other health risks. This is why aged care cleaning must be carefully planned and executed to maintain sanitised spaces that protect residents and staff.

If you want detailed guidance on how to meet these requirements efficiently and correctly, you’re in the right place. You can also learn how professionals such as Perth Express Cleaning help aged care facilities maintain the highest standards.

Why Aged Care Cleaning Needs a Specific Approach

Cleaning aged care facilities requires more than general knowledge of cleaning tasks. The residents’ vulnerability means cleaning protocols must be stringent, consistent, and tailored to this environment.

Unlike general commercial cleaning, aged care cleaning involves:

Managing risks related to pathogens common in healthcare settings, including bacteria like MRSA and viruses such as influenza and norovirus.
Ensuring all cleaning products and techniques are safe for use around elderly residents who may have allergies, respiratory conditions, or skin sensitivities.
Handling medical equipment and mobility aids without damaging them or compromising their cleanliness.
Meeting government and health regulations that specifically apply to aged care.

This specialised approach is necessary to maintain sanitised spaces that do not just look clean but reduce infection risks significantly.

Understanding the Risks in Aged Care Environments

Aged care facilities bring together a variety of risk factors that can increase the spread of infections. Understanding these is key to setting up cleaning systems that work.

Weakened immune systems: Elderly residents often have reduced immunity, making infections more likely to develop and harder to treat.
Close living quarters: Shared rooms, communal dining, and recreational spaces mean germs can transfer easily between residents.
Frequent contact surfaces: Areas such as door handles, handrails, light switches, and call bells are touched repeatedly, making them potential hotspots for bacteria and viruses.
Medical devices and equipment: Items like walkers, wheelchairs, and oxygen equipment require careful cleaning to avoid contamination without damaging sensitive parts.
Waste and laundry: Proper disposal of medical and general waste, as well as handling laundry, needs strict controls to prevent cross-contamination.

Understanding these factors allows cleaning protocols to be designed with targeted strategies addressing each risk.

Regulations and Standards You Must Follow

Aged care cleaning in Australia is governed by a combination of national and state-level standards. Compliance is not optional; it is required for licensing and accreditation and, more importantly, for resident safety.

Some key regulations include:

Aged Care Quality Standards: These outline expectations for safe and clean environments in all Australian aged care services. They emphasise infection control as part of providing safe care.
Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection: Published by the Australian Government Department of Health, these guidelines detail effective cleaning, disinfection, and sanitisation processes.
State and Territory Public Health Acts: These often have additional requirements for environmental cleaning and outbreak management specific to aged care.

Facilities must regularly review these standards and adjust cleaning practices to remain compliant, especially when updates or new guidelines are released.

The Core Elements of Aged Care Cleaning

Effective aged care cleaning involves a combination of processes, equipment, and staff practices. The goal is consistent sanitisation that reduces infection risks while maintaining a safe environment for residents and staff.

Cleaning vs Disinfection vs Sanitisation

Many confuse these terms, but each plays a distinct role in facility cleaning:

Cleaning: Physically removes visible dirt, dust, organic material, and some microbes from surfaces. This is essential because organic material can shield microbes from disinfectants.
Disinfection: Uses chemical agents to kill or deactivate microorganisms on surfaces after cleaning. It targets bacteria, viruses, and fungi but usually requires surfaces to be clean first.
Sanitisation: Aims to reduce microbial counts on surfaces to levels considered safe according to public health standards. It often involves both cleaning and disinfection steps.

For aged care, the process must move from cleaning to disinfection to sanitisation systematically. Skipping any step can leave residents exposed to pathogens.

Selecting the Right Cleaning Products

Choosing cleaning products suitable for aged care is critical. Some key considerations:

Pathogen spectrum: Products should be proven effective against pathogens common in aged care, including MRSA, Clostridium difficile, and norovirus.
Material compatibility: Cleaning chemicals must not degrade or damage facility surfaces or medical equipment. For example, bleach is effective but can corrode some metals and plastics.
Safety profile: Products must be non-toxic or low in toxicity, with minimal respiratory irritants, to protect sensitive residents and staff.
Application ease: Products that allow quicker application with minimal residue help improve cleaning efficiency.

Many aged care facilities adopt hospital-grade disinfectants that balance efficacy and safety. They may also use environmentally friendly options that reduce chemical exposure.

Frequency of Cleaning Tasks

Aged care cleaning schedules are more frequent and targeted than standard cleaning to maintain sanitised spaces effectively.

Area	Cleaning Frequency	Explanation
Resident rooms	Daily cleaning + deep clean weekly	Daily removal of waste, dust, and spills. Weekly deep clean includes carpet shampooing, upholstery cleaning, and furniture wipe-downs.
Common areas	Multiple times daily	High traffic zones require frequent attention to prevent germ buildup. Cleaning should occur during and after peak use times.
Bathrooms & toilets	Several times daily	High-touch, high-moisture areas that can harbour pathogens need continuous cleaning and disinfection, especially around toilets and sinks.
Kitchen and dining	Before and after meal service	Food safety regulations demand clean food prep and eating areas to prevent foodborne illness.
Medical equipment	After each use	Equipment contacting residents must be disinfected between uses to avoid cross-contamination.

This frequency must be strictly adhered to, with clear documentation for compliance audits.

Advanced Techniques for Maintaining Sanitised Spaces

To stay ahead of infection risks, aged care facilities should adopt cleaning methods that improve efficacy beyond basic protocols.

Use of Microfibre Cloths and Mops

Microfibre materials have finer fibres than cotton and pick up more dirt and microbes mechanically rather than just moving them around.

Colour-coding system: Assigning specific colours to cloths and mops for different zones (e.g., red for bathrooms, blue for resident rooms) prevents cross-contamination.
Durability: Microfibre can be washed and reused many times, making it cost-effective.
Reduced chemical use: Because of its mechanical cleaning power, less chemical disinfectant may be needed, lowering chemical exposure risks.

Cleaning Validation and Auditing

Regular testing and auditing ensure cleaning achieves the desired level of sanitisation.

ATP Bioluminescence Testing: Measures organic residue on surfaces by detecting adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an indicator of contamination. This provides immediate results about cleaning effectiveness.
Visual Inspections: Supervisors perform daily walkthroughs with checklists covering high-risk areas.
Feedback Loops: Data from tests and inspections inform continuous training and process improvement.

Validation provides objective proof to regulators and helps facilities adjust practices promptly.

Focus on High-Touch Surfaces

Identifying and prioritising surfaces frequently touched by residents and staff can drastically reduce infection rates. Examples include:

Door handles and push plates
Handrails in corridors and bathrooms
Light switches and electrical controls
Call bells and remote controls
Shared medical equipment

Staff must clean and disinfect these areas multiple times per day with hospital-grade disinfectants.

Air Quality Management

Airborne pathogens pose a risk, especially in communal areas. Good air quality is essential for sanitised spaces:

HVAC Maintenance: Regular servicing and filter replacement prevent microbial growth and circulation.
HEPA Filtration: High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters trap airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria.
Portable Air Purifiers: Can be used in high-traffic or poorly ventilated rooms to improve air cleanliness.
Natural Ventilation: Where possible, opening windows improves airflow and reduces pathogen concentration.

Proper air quality management complements surface cleaning to reduce overall infection risks.

Training and Compliance for Cleaning Staff

The best cleaning plans will fail without properly trained staff. Cleaning personnel must understand not only what to do but why it matters.

Key Training Areas

Infection Control Principles: Understanding how pathogens spread and how cleaning interrupts this process.
Cleaning Procedures: Step-by-step instructions on product use, surface cleaning order, and PPE use.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): How to correctly put on, remove, and dispose of gloves, masks, gowns, and eye protection.
Outbreak Response: Procedures for enhanced cleaning when infections occur.
Record-Keeping: Documenting cleaning activities to provide accountability and traceability.

Regular refresher courses and competency assessments keep staff skills sharp and aligned with current standards.

How to Handle Cleaning During Infection Outbreaks

Outbreaks such as influenza or COVID-19 require urgent adjustments to cleaning routines to prevent rapid spread.

Immediate Steps

Resident Isolation: Physically separating infected individuals to contain the spread.
Increased Cleaning Frequency: Particularly in affected areas, cleaning may need to be increased from daily to multiple times per day.
Use of Hospital-Grade Disinfectants: Switching to disinfectants proven effective against outbreak pathogens.
Waste Management: Ensuring contaminated materials are safely bagged and removed promptly.
Communication: Keeping staff, residents, and families informed about measures in place.

Collaboration with Health Authorities

Facilities must work closely with local public health departments. Health officials provide guidance on outbreak management protocols and may conduct on-site inspections. Following their advice ensures legal compliance and optimal resident protection.

Conclusion: Taking Aged Care Cleaning to the Next Level

Maintaining sanitised spaces in aged care facilities requires more than routine cleaning. It demands a structured, evidence-based approach combining the right products, methods, staff training, and ongoing validation. Only then can a facility provide a safe environment that genuinely protects residents and complies with regulatory standards.

If your aged care facility is ready to ensure this level of cleanliness and safety, consider professional aged care cleaning services tailored specifically to your needs. Contact Perth Express Cleaning to learn how their expert team can deliver consistent, compliant, and thorough facility cleaning that keeps your residents safe and your facility running smoothly.

FAQs

What is the difference between sanitisation and disinfection?

Sanitisation lowers the number of microbes on surfaces to safe levels, while disinfection kills most bacteria and viruses. Both are necessary in aged care cleaning to reduce infection risks effectively.

How often should high-touch areas be cleaned in aged care?

High-touch surfaces like door handles and handrails should be cleaned several times daily, especially during flu seasons or outbreaks, to minimise the spread of germs.

Are harsh chemicals safe to use in aged care facilities?

Harsh chemicals can irritate residents with sensitivities. Facilities should choose cleaning products proven effective but safe for use around elderly populations.

How can cleaning effectiveness be validated in aged care?

Techniques such as ATP bioluminescence testing and routine audits help verify that cleaning has adequately removed organic material and pathogens from surfaces.

What training do cleaning staff need for aged care facilities?

Staff need comprehensive training in infection control, cleaning protocols, PPE use, outbreak response, and record-keeping to ensure cleaning standards are met consistently.