Clean It Up

UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: lisa123 on March 04, 2006, 10:50:36 am

Title: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 04, 2006, 10:50:36 am
Just been doing some really grotty spring cleaning.
would it be work washing the cloths and dusters in the machine with w.powder to get them all clean again to reuse?
Does it have to be hot wash, or will a quick was be ok?
I usually just soak in the sink with a bit of bleach and rinse after a few hours. But there is a lot to do.
Thanks
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: steve massey on March 04, 2006, 10:53:37 am
We wash our cloths on 40 wash and them put them in dryer to stop them going hard when they dry
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: dustdees on March 04, 2006, 10:55:21 am
Hi Lisa,

I washing my cloths on a prewash then 95 afer every
clean, no matter how dirty they are.You can but a bit of bleach in with the wash as well if you like.

Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: AJCleaningServices on March 04, 2006, 10:55:31 am
...would it be work washing the cloths and dusters in the machine with w.powder to get them all clean again to reuse...

That is what we do all the time, at 60 degrees.  We also wash new yellow duster in a washing machine before using them, as they absorb better after that.
Kind regards,
Arthur
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 04, 2006, 11:03:54 am
thanks everyone
you know what i'll be doing all day now :) washing, drying and sorting out kit bags  ;D

I'm doing a quick spring clean for mum first though, thats if i ever get dressed today. (sadly live at mums at the mo) :)
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: CMS on March 04, 2006, 11:32:29 am
We do the same but don't put anything in with the dusters. The colour will run like hell!..............lolol
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 04, 2006, 11:46:05 am
 ;D thanks for the tip Karl
I'll do the dusters in the sink i think lol
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lynngc on March 04, 2006, 11:55:29 am
i wash the cloths @ 60 degrees & tumble.

i do put dettol through the wash aswell.

lynn ;D ;D
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: *Chris Browne on March 04, 2006, 12:02:41 pm
i,m lazy ::), i just go to wilkinsons and buy 10 for a quid, then throw them away.


chris ;)
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 04, 2006, 01:22:08 pm
i would just keep buying them and throwing them, but i'm trying to save some dosh  ;D
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: Fox on March 04, 2006, 01:25:18 pm
I must be getting away with murder - I tell the cleaners it is their responsibility to make sure the cloths and dusters are washed!  They all do it without complaint!  :)
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: bevldavies on March 04, 2006, 02:44:07 pm
I wash all my cloths and dusters together at 60.   The colour does run from the new dusters, but hey, I don't care if I am cleaning with an odd coloured cloth!
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: blacksheep on March 04, 2006, 06:07:33 pm
I do the same as Fox and tell them if they lose them they replace them, they tend to look after their cloths and wont share them in case the other cleaner misplaces their dusters also if you have a equipement champion, who is responable for making sure all buckets and mops cleaned at end of shift, giving them responablety saves you money in equipement and chemicals
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 04, 2006, 06:30:39 pm
i cant wait til i have regular staff to ask to clean their own equipment :)

Me and the other Lisa, are doing all the cleaning at the mo, so sadly we have the prep to do at the begining and end of week ourselves :(
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: MrsMeredith on March 05, 2006, 09:31:19 am
I always wash all my cleaning dusters/cloths as it is practised at the hotel i work at part time on weekends. They are washed in a very hot wash to kill any bugs and tumble dried.

Tracey.
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: Lesley J on March 05, 2006, 07:18:37 pm
my cleaners wash all their own cloths, mops etc, although I do take their vac uum cleaners in on a regular basis to have them checked over, and I go balistic if I find a Henry being used without a bag, doesnt happen very often now.
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: Derek_Walker on March 05, 2006, 08:14:14 pm
I only use microfibre cloths now, so do not have any yellow dusting cloths.
I put these on a 95c wash and then tumble dry. I do use normal cloths for the brasso as it tends to stain the microfibre.

Derek
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 05, 2006, 09:23:24 pm
Should it be a very hot wash then? some of you do 60 and others 95, does a 95 damage the cloths? I did notice that some say up to 50 degree wash on the label.
I want to kill germs etc, but would a 50 degree was do that?
I remember in basic food hygiene class that washing up water should be 80 degrees or something to kill the bugs.
I'm a bit confused now lol  :)
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: Tim Downer on March 06, 2006, 02:50:11 pm
Hi Lisa,

We use mainly Microfibre cloths, which we (Me......er......the wife does  ::) ) wash at 60 degrees with just a touch of washing powder......however, if they are really grubby, we wash them at 90 as per the label.
Other cloths we get in bulk, and throw them away afterwards.
Scrims are washed in the machine too at either of the wash cycles above.

Regards

Tim
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: Prestige1 on March 06, 2006, 09:47:10 pm
We wash Kitchen cloths (red trim) at 90 degrees or above as you need to wash above 80 to kill all known germs, salmonella will survive up to 80. Bathroom cloths (blue) wash at 40 or above. Toilets are always cleaned with bleach spray and kitchen roll this is then flushed or binned. Mops (blue and red) washed at above 80. Regards Phil
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: CMS on March 06, 2006, 10:00:56 pm
Oh dear! Not following the industry recognised colour coding system then?

Red? For a kitchen?

Take a look at the BICS site and go to

Standards>Colour Coding.

www.bics.org.uk
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: Prestige1 on March 07, 2006, 10:25:15 pm
No CMS
just following the PCS system Phils common sense, B, Blue for bathrooms the other colour "green" for kitchens, helps me no end to maintan an 85% sucess rate when winning new jobs, the customers love it.
regards Phil
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: AJCleaningServices on March 07, 2006, 10:32:39 pm
We have been serving a place where live people with learning disabilities.  Here is their colour coding: blue for loo and pink for the sink.

As simple as that.

Kind regards,
Arthur
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: lisa123 on March 07, 2006, 10:37:09 pm
my color coding is red for toilets and the toilet floors, sanitary areas/pipes etc
blue for basins, showers, tiles etc washroom.

green for kitchen sink areas
yellow for kitchen work surfaces and floors

white for general skirtings, window sills, walls, doors/frames

i have seen some people use the same cloth all over the house, now that was just vile !!  :o
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: AJCleaningServices on March 07, 2006, 10:44:56 pm
...Toilets are always cleaned with bleach spray and kitchen roll this is then flushed ...

That is how we do it
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: CMS on March 08, 2006, 06:40:36 pm
No CMS
just following the PCS system Phils common sense, B, Blue for bathrooms the other colour "green" for kitchens, helps me no end to maintan an 85% sucess rate when winning new jobs, the customers love it.
regards Phil

I don't doubt that the customer loves a colour coding system. It may actually become law in the future.

The problem is that you are not using the system that is generally acknowledged to be the industry standard. It's what BICS, all the big companies, most NHS Trusts etc. use.

The problem will come when you employ a cleaner who has had their proper training elsewhere and uses the 'correct' colours, only to find that in your organisation they are wrong.
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: MrsMeredith on March 09, 2006, 01:45:45 pm
I thought kitchen roll when flushed down toilet does not break down like loo roll?? can this cause a blockage or sewer problems?

At the hotel i clean at weekends we have to be very strict with keeping all our cleaning cloths separate in our cleaning box so as not to spread toilet germs with polishing duster etc etc, any blue j-cloths we use during our shift is binned and the dusters/polishing cloths are washed @ 60 degrees.

We use procusts by a company called "ECOLAB" which are very high standard but i cannot see them supplied anywhere, any ideas where they can be obtained or is it strictly for the hotel/catering/hosptal business sector?

Tracey.
Title: Re: washing cloths
Post by: *Chris Browne on March 09, 2006, 02:07:22 pm
We use to use ecolab products years ago, at that time they were called Duranas(not sure about the spelling) i think they sell direct to the industry and there main distribution depot is here in brum on the gravely ind estate in erdington, im sure if you google it youl find out more info ;)

chris