Deep Cleaning

What is deep cleaning?

Deep cleaning supplements regular, standard cleaning and requires specialist equipment and training. It concentrates on de-scaling and cleaning areas of the washroom and toilets not focused on by the daily clean, areas that cannot be seen and areas that are hard to reach. Deep cleaning should be carried out on all the toilets in your school, whether they are for pupils, staff, or visitors. Even new toilets and washrooms should not be exempt after the first year.

What are the benefits?

Deep cleaning helps:

• to keep toilets clean, hygienic, and descales surfaces and pipes that can cause blockages
• to prevent the build-up of dirt, bacteria and germs that cause the smells associated with inadequately cleaned and maintained toilets
• to protect pupils and staff from the transmission of infections and reduces sickness and absentee rates caused by  the spread of germs and viruses that cause fever, vomiting and diarrhoea;  skins infections; sore throats and respiratory diseases and parasite infections
• maximise value for money by increasing the lifespan of facilities and keep them looking nicer for longer which will encourage pupils to look after them

How often should it be carried out?

The frequency of deep cleaning depends on the design and layout of the toilets, how well the toilets are kept clean on a daily basis, whether the water is hard or soft and the number of users.

Deep cleaning should be carried out during school holidays a minimum of two to three times a year.

In the case of an infection outbreak within a school, thorough cleaning, descaling and disinfection of the toilets and washrooms is advisable to reduce the risk of cross-infection (infection passed from person to person).

How does it differ from day to day cleaning?

Deep cleaning removes the build-up of bacteria growth, hard water deposits and scale, eliminates smells, and helps maintain free flowing water conditions within the pipe work and helps prevent the development of urinal blockages that can cause unpleasant overflows, smells and costly maintenance.

Deep cleaning removes:

• accumulated dirt, scale and stains in hard to clean places around urinals, toilets, basins and floor/wall junctions
• the hidden build-up of uric scale and lime scale in the pipes and traps and floor junctions
• smells that emanate from bodily fluids and bacteria absorbed into places the daily clean can’t reach or eradicate

All toilets, urinals, washbasins, showers, mechanisms, floors & wall/floor junctions should be de-scaled, pressure washed at high temperatures and deep cleaned. Ceilings, walls, tiles, grouting, lights, vents, windows, mirrors, ventilation systems should all be scrubbed and left spotless.

How can we afford deep cleaning?

A more accurate question is how can we afford not to carry out deep cleaning? The long-term benefits will mitigate cost. These include increased lifespan and less remedial maintenance and repairs of the toilet and washroom facilities.

What do deep cleaning contractors typically do?

Individual toilets

• The tops and underside of the seats, the seat hinges, pans and flushing rims are deep cleaned with de-scaling and de-carbonising solutions
• All scale, mineral and organic matter (faecal, uric acid scale, body fats and lime scale) is removed
• Flushing levers, door handles and floor areas around the base of the pedestals are sanitised and disinfected
• All the organic matter and general dirt and dust that can accumulate and stick to the base of pedestals is scraped clear, disinfected and sanitised
• All uric acid scale, mineral and organic build-up from the inside of toilet bowls, urinals and flush rims is removed

Urinals

• Where accessible, all bottle traps are removed and de-scaled with a thickened de-scaling solution and thoroughly cleaned out
• The primary pipe work is thoroughly cleared of all uric salts and lime scale build up using a coring machine
• The back edges of the front side, internal and external surfaces, and areas below and around the urinals are treated with a de-scaling solution. Any build up of uric salt, lime scale and body fats is totally removed

Washbasins

• The build up of soap, scale, body fat and bacteria on surfaces and undersides, around taps, pedestals, waste outlets, overflows and under hand dryers is removed

Showers/Mechanisms

• Soap, scale and body fat accumulated on surfaces is treated with a mild solution to loosen and then remove. Where possible, shower heads are unscrewed to remove any build up of lime scale, calcium and body fat
• Plug holes and all surfaces are de-scaled and sanitised
• All waste outlets are removed and sanitised

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