Cleaning

Dedicated Cleaning Staff Shown to Reduce C. difficile Contamination in Hospital Rooms

With rates and deaths associated with Clostridium difficile at historically high levels, many hospitals have taken extra steps to reduce these infections. New research finds that a dedicated daily cleaning crew who adequately clean and disinfect rooms contaminated by C. ...More
April 9, 2013
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
Hospital Cleaning Protocol Ineffective Against Acinetobacter baumannii

Current hospital cleaning protocol may be inadequate to rid patient rooms of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control. A team of researchers from the University of Maryland ...More
November 30, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
Researchers Say Evidence Lacking on Link Between Asthma and Exposure to Cleaning Products

Researchers exploring the relationship between asthma and exposure to consumer products and product ingredients say the database of current studies is not sufficiently robust to demonstrate a causal relationship between product exposures and new-onset asthma. But some ...More
October 11, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
Researchers Say Hospitals Use Unapproved Chemicals to Clean Hospital Beds

Research performed by students and faculty at Xavier University in Cincinnati reveals that current practices for cleaning of hospital beds involve the use of chemicals not approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use on mattresses and that most hospitals do ...More
June 7, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
Survey Reveals Spring Cleaning Could Be a Thing of the Past

The first-ever Stanley Steemer Spring Cleaning survey found that nearly half of all Americans predict they will spend less than four hours total on this year's spring cleaning, with nearly two in 10 (18 percent) Americans saying they will spend less than one hour or no time ...More
April 19, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
Low Levels of Resistant Bacteria Found in Chicago-Area Ambulances

Treatment areas of ambulances fared well when tested for dangerous bacteria, according to a new study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Infection Control. Approximately 6 percent of sites sampled in Chicago-area ambulances tested positive for ...More
March 29, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
AHE Offers Webinar on Environmental Cleaning Best Practices

The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) is offering a webinar, "Best Practices in Environmental Cleaning and Surface Disinfection," on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 at 2 p.m. ET. Best practices involve the use of well-developed checklists, standardized cleaning ...More
February 9, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
Asking the Right Questions Guides Solutions to Improving Cleanliness

If we look at the current state of environmental hygiene, what we need to ask ourselves is, “Why is cleanliness still such a problem?” In the past, hospitals have measured cleanliness using patient satisfaction survey responses. There are several pros and cons of this ...More
January 30, 2012
Posted in Articles, Environmental Hygiene
Hospitals Using UV Light to Check Efficacy of its Cleaning Efforts

The Vancouver Sun is reporting on efforts by hospitals under the auspices of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) to check on the efficacy of its hygiene efforts by using hand-held ultraviolet lights. VIHA staff will identify and mark 10 high-touch areas in a ...More
January 19, 2012
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
New Disinfection Technique Could Revolutionize Hospital Room Cleaning

A Queen’s University infectious disease expert has collaborated in the development of a disinfection system that may change the way hospital rooms all over the world are cleaned as well as stop bed bug outbreaks in hotels and apartments. “This is the future, because many ...More
December 9, 2011
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene