BRUSHES
- Brushes should be gently tapped on a hard surface to loosen dust and debris after the cleaning process.
- Frequent washing with water is avoidable since the brushes may lose some of their stiffness in this way. If they must be washed frequently, the final rinse should be in cold saline water to help the brushes regain their stiffness.
- Brushes should be cleaned of all fluff and threads before washing. They may be washed in Warm, mild soapy water. A disinfectant should be added to the rinsing water for toilet brushes
- If brushes with natural bristles (vegetable or animal origin) have been used for wax polishing. Washing soda (1 tbsp to 2 litres of water) should be added to remove grease thoroughly.
- Brushes should be washed by beating the head up and down, with the bristles facing downwards, so that water splashes up between the tufts. They should be rinsed be in the same way in cold water. After shaking off excess water, the brushes should be left to dry in Such a way that the remaining water may drip off the side of the brush or the top of the head stock.
- Brushes should never be left resting on their bristles, else they will splay out; if left resting on ‘ their stock, water will rot the stock in time. The best way would be to hang the brushes bristle downward. When possible, brushes should be dried in the sun or open air.
- To extend the life of a brush, lacquer should be applied to the stock and handle with an oil Can and allowed to harden.
BROOMS
- Brooms should be shaken free of dust and fluff. They should never be stored standing on their bristle, or the bristles will bend out of shape. resulting in inefficient cleaning.
- Brooms should be stored either lying horizontally or hanging bristles downward.
- Soft brooms should never be used on wet surfaces.
- Stiff brooms such as the coconut fibre brooms can be used on wet surfaces, but must afterwards be cleaned thoroughly in saline water and dried in the sun before storing.
BOX SWEEPERS
- The friction brush should be kept clean. else the efficiency of the equipment will be seriously impaired.
- After the cleaning process, the dustpans should be emptied of all the collected dust.
DRY MOPS
- Mops should be shaken well after use outdoors.
- The mop heads should be easily detachable so that they can be frequently washed in hot water with detergent.
- The use of soap-free detergent will prevent the formation of scum that clogs the fibres of the head. .
- The mop must be worked up and down in at least two changes of clean, hot water.
- The clean mop should then be tightly squeezed out, shaken well to get rid of excess moisture. and left to dry in open air.
- Once dry, the mops may need to be re-impregnated.
WET MOPS
- Mops should be taken outdoors after use and shaken well to remove excess moisture. Then these mops may be washed in the same way as dry mops.
- Detachable heads are easier to clean and maintain. However. drying is the most important part of mop care as bacteria require moisture to multiply.
- A disinfectant to discourage their growth is effective only for a short period of time, so leaving them damp means letting germs breed.
- Damp mops should be renewed as soon as there are signs of wear.
- They should be stored in such a way that air is allowed to circulate around the mop head all.
- Disinfectant or bleach should never be used with a cellulose sponge head. Sponge heads should be washed and rinsed after use, squeezed out excess water, and dried well.
- The Sponge head should be stored by hanging.
POLISH APPLICATORS
- Polish applicators should not be washed with water.
- Wiping away excess polish with newspaper or rags before it dries should suffice.
- It
is important to label the applicators with the type of polish for which
they are to be used so that each applicator is used with just one kind
of polish to avoid mixing different products.
VACUUM CLEANERS - Vacuum cleaners will give maximum efficiency when they are maintained well.
- Housekeeping staff need to be trained in the care and maintenance of the machines. The wheels of the machine need to be oiled periodically.
- After use, the dust bags should be checked and emptied.
- If the machine is operated with the dust bags full. the cleaning will not be efficient, the machine may heat up too much, and the bags may get damaged.
- The casing should be wiped daily and the hose and flex checked before use. The attachment heads should be cleaned after each use.
- The filter should be checked after use. If the machine is meant for dry suction only. it should never be used to clear even a little amount of water, else the dust bags will get damaged.
- In case of wet vacuums, the bucket should be washed, rinsed, and dried. The squeegee should be wiped clean and replaced when necessary.
- The hose needs to be rinsed out, the casing and the wheels wiped, and the filter checked after use.
- The wheels need oiling periodically. The hoses should be stored hanging on hooks.
- The tubes and attachment heads of a dry vacuum cleaner should be stored in boxes, drawers, or shelves.
- The hoses and attachment heads of wet vacuum cleaners should be stored off the ground on a rack, in a well-ventilated place.
GENERAL PURPOSE FLOOR MACHINES - The brushes and pads should never be left on the machine after cleaning.
- The brushes should be detached after cleaning.
- The fluff should be removed from them before washing.
- Wet ones should be washed, rinsed, and dried after use.
- The dry ones should be washed occasionally, but dust should be tapped away after use regularly.
- The pads should be washed, rinsed. and dried thoroughly. The tanks should be emptied, washed, and dried.
- The wheels and casing should be wiped after use. The wheels need oiling periodically. The flex should be checked for any fraying before each use.
- Brushes and pads should be stored in a well-ventilated area, preferably on airing racks or hooks.
- They should not be kept flat on the ground. The tops of the tanks may be loosely fitted during storage.
