No one can say who cleans which room
Responsibilities sit between practice staff, a contractor and sometimes the landlord, and nothing is written down.
Clinical cleaning for GP practices
Could you show who cleans what in your practice, and that it was done?
Cleaning planned around your rooms, clinical activities and opening hours, with an agreed specification, clear responsibilities and documented checks.
Serving Maidstone and the South East, including London.
Self-check
Where cleaning arrangements tend to break down
Seven gaps practice managers often find when they look closely. Tick any that sound familiar and we will carry them into your enquiry as points to discuss.
Clinical and non-clinical areas are treated alike
Rooms used for examinations and minor procedures need a different specification from offices and corridors.
Cleaning happens but is not recorded
If a visit or inspection asks for evidence of what was done and when, the answer is a verbal one.
Cover falls away during sickness and leave
The specification holds when the usual cleaner is in, and slips when they are not.
The specification is out of date
Rooms change use, services expand, and the cleaning schedule still reflects the building as it was.
Consumables run out or have no owner
Soap, towels and liners are ordered by whoever notices, and gaps appear at the worst moment.
Nobody reviews the standard
There is no routine check against what was agreed, so drift goes unnoticed until someone raises it.
Responsibilities
Who cleans what? Agree it in writing.
Before work starts, agree in writing who is responsible for general surfaces, clinical equipment and between-patient tasks. We do not take on clinical responsibilities unless they are set out in an agreed specification.
| Area or task | Practice team | Current contractor | Aridom Sanex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consulting and treatment rooms | Agreed with you | Agreed with you | Agreed with you |
| Waiting areas, toilets and corridors | Agreed with you | Agreed with you | Agreed with you |
| Clinical equipment and between-patient tasks | Agreed with you | Agreed with you | Agreed with you |
| Consumables and dispensers | Agreed with you | Agreed with you | Agreed with you |
| Checks and records | Agreed with you | Agreed with you | Agreed with you |
Example layout. Your version is built from your own rooms and arrangements.
How to judge a provider
What log reduction means, and how to calculate it
Disinfectant results are often quoted as a "log reduction". It is a simple measure of how much a laboratory count fell. It is worth understanding before you compare providers.
Log reduction = log10(count before ÷ count after)
Worked example
A test surface starts with 1,000,000 organisms. After treatment, 10 remain. 1,000,000 ÷ 10 = 100,000, which is 105. That is a 5-log reduction.
Each extra log is a tenfold fall
1-log removes 90%. 2-log removes 99%. 3-log removes 99.9%. The percentages look close, but the number of organisms left differs by ten times at every step.
Log figures illustrate the arithmetic only. Product performance depends on the organism, formulation, test conditions and correct use.
What it means for your practice
It is a comparison tool
Two figures are only comparable when the test standard, organism, contact time and conditions match. Ask for all four.
It is a laboratory result
It shows what a product did under test conditions. It does not show that a room is clean, or that infection is prevented.
Method and routine matter too
The right product used badly, or too briefly, will not perform as tested. Specification, training and checks carry as much weight as the number.
How we choose products
Effective cleaning goes beyond a fresh or fragrant smell
A fresh or fragrant smell and a polished surface create a good impression, and products are often chosen because they smell pleasant. Neither shows how effectively microorganisms have been removed or inactivated.
01
Part of the specification
At Aridom Sanex, product selection forms part of the cleaning specification. We consider the task, the surface and the relevant efficacy evidence.
02
Application and contact time
Correct application and the required contact time matter alongside the product. The product and the operative's method work together.
03
Evidence, not assumption
The log reduction diagram explains what microbial reduction means. It does not show how any product performs. That needs the product's supporting test report.
How the service is managed
A system, not just hours on a rota
The starting point is a clear specification: which tasks are needed, in which rooms, how often and who is responsible. Staffing and time must then match that scope.
01
Understand and specify
We look at your rooms, activities and high-touch points, then agree what is cleaned, how often, by whom and to what standard.
02
Deliver and check
Trained, supervised teams work to written schedules. Agreed checks confirm the work has been done as specified.
03
Act and improve
When something falls short, it is recorded, corrected and followed up. The specification is reviewed as your practice changes.
We offer a complimentary 30-minute visit. You request it through the form below, and we then agree a time with you.
Take a closer look
See how we plan and manage clinical cleaning
Three ways to see how we work before you speak to us: a short overview, a short film and our guide for practice managers.
Clinical cleaning overview
A short document setting out how we specify, deliver and check clinical cleaning in practice premises.
View the overviewShort film
A short film on how we plan, carry out and check cleaning in a clinical setting. Illustrative film.
Watch our approachPractice manager's guide
What to look for in the specification, responsibilities, cleaning records and quality checks when you review your cleaning arrangements.
Read the guideCompliant to BS EN 17272
Supplies, to discuss
Would you like us to supply your washroom and cleaning consumables?
If required, we can supply a defined range of washroom and cleaning consumables alongside your cleaning service. Tell us which items you would like quoted and we will confirm quantities, delivery arrangements and a separate quotation.
From our range: toilet paper, paper hand towels, liquid hand soap, hand sanitiser, general waste bin liners, cleaning cloths and wipes, mop heads, cleaning and disinfection products, and wipe dispensers or refills.
Hygiene wipe system. If you want one, we install the dispenser, refill it as you need and supply the wipes and disinfectant.
Items are supplied from our own range and quoted separately. They are not included in the cleaning price unless expressly listed in your quotation. Product suitability and availability will be confirmed.
Why choose Aridom Sanex
A scientific approach to a practical job
We are a Maidstone company with a background in microbiology and infection prevention thinking, applied to the everyday question of how a practice is cleaned.
01
Evidence-led
We separate what a product has been tested for from what is assumed, and we tell you which is which.
02
Specified per room
Your specification follows how each room is used, not a standard template.
03
Documented
Agreed standards, schedules and checks are written down, so responsibilities are clear.
04
Proportionate
Many surgeries gain more from clear schedules, responsibilities and records than from enhanced treatment. We say so when that is the case.
Recognised for sustainability
These are business awards. They are not an accreditation or certification of our cleaning service, and they do not imply NHS endorsement.
About the products
Questions about the products we use
Straight answers on what we use in a practice, why, and where the limits are.
Which products do you use, and can you supply them?
Our range includes InfectionGard multi-surface sanitising solution (330 ml, 1 L, 5 L and 20 L), DermaGard alcohol-free hand sanitiser (100 ml to 5 L), TriBioSan Zero, an odourless, taint-free HOCl biocide (1 L and 5 L), HygenaGel clinical spill absorbent granules, and BioSol cleaning solution for fogging equipment. We also work with PaquaLyte Anolyte, Neutra-S floor cleaner and TriBioSan Floor Wash for planned supply.
Which of these suits your practice depends on the surface, the task and your own infection control policy, so we agree the products with you before work starts. Availability and pricing are confirmed at the time.
What do you use for everyday clinical cleaning?
We choose products to suit the surface, the room and the task, and agree them with you before work starts. A pH neutral, non-corrosive detergent such as Neutra-S is typically the first step. It lifts dirt, blood and other organic matter so the surface is ready for any disinfection that is needed. Safety data sheets can be provided for the products used at your site.
Why do you clean before you disinfect?
A disinfectant cannot work properly on a surface that is still soiled. Organic matter such as blood or body fluids can shield microbes from it, so physical cleaning comes first. That is why we do not treat disinfection or fogging as a substitute for cleaning.
Do you use bleach?
We choose the product to suit the surface and the task, and we explain what we are using and why. Where disinfection is needed we may use a hypochlorous acid (HOCl) based product such as Paqualyte. Ask us about contact time, compatible surfaces and COSHH information for anything we propose.
What is HOCl?
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a disinfectant active that breaks down to salt and water after use. It is not the same thing as household bleach. Evidence for HOCl in general does not automatically apply to every product or setting, so we only describe what has been tested for the specific product and process.
What is automated dry fogging?
Our Cube S automated dry fogger disperses HOCl as a fine dry fog with sub-5 micron droplets, so it can reach surfaces that are hard to wipe, such as undersides and crevices, without wetting them. With Paqualyte 500 it has been independently tested and is compliant with BS EN 17272:2020, the standard for automated room disinfection. This standard tests the automated disinfection process. It does not set out the log reduction figures themselves, which come from separate European (EN) efficacy tests. Fogging works alongside cleaning, not instead of it.
Do we need fogging?
It depends on your rooms and how they are used. In clinical spaces many practices choose to include it, so we offer it as an option within the cleaning programme. It works alongside cleaning, not instead of it, and we assess the room first. How often is agreed with you: at the end of each day if you want that, after a specific event such as an infectious case or an outbreak, or on another schedule that suits your practice. Re-entry is quick, so the room is back in use after a short time. We confirm the re-entry time for your room before work starts.
What is the hand hygiene wipe dispenser?
The HyGe 2-in-1 smart dispenser gives touch-free dry or pre-moistened wipes, with the amount of disinfectant controlled for each wipe. It is not limited to clinical rooms: where it is used, and with which disinfectant, depends on the room and your own protocol. It works with several disinfectants, with HOCl as the recommended option. See the product page for details, and discuss your requirements with us.
Can you supply mop heads, wipes or safety posters?
Yes. We can supply disposable mop heads and chemical safety and compliance posters, and we can talk you through the wipe dispenser. If something you rely on is missing from our range, tell us.
Enquiry
Contact us about your practice
A short contact form. Five details and you are done. If you would like to help us prepare, there are six optional questions underneath.
Complimentary visitA 30-minute visit is available on request.
We agree a time with youOnce we receive your enquiry.
No patient informationPlease do not include it in the form.
Prefer to talk?01622 395534info@aridomsanex.co.uk