Cleaning of hospital floors with oiled mops

Abstract

A comparison was made of three methods for the removal of dust from a hospital ward floor.The viable bacterial counts of impression plates from the floor showed a mean reduction of 51 % after cleaning with fresh oiled mops, 40 % after cleaning with a tank model vacuum cleaner and 5 % after sweeping with a broom.The mean proportions of airborne bacteria, compared with viable counts before cleaning, were 192 % during and 194 % after cleaning with a broom; 128 % during and 103 % after cleaning with an oiled mop, and 82 % during and 48 % after cleaning with a vacuum cleaner. On repeated use the oiled mop dispersed almost as much dust as a broom, but this settled rapidly from the air.The effects of these cleaning methods on counts of presumptive Staph. aureus on the floor and in the air were similar to those found in counts of total organisms.We wish to thank Mr M. D. Wilkins for valuable assistance, the Domestic Superintendent and staff and the nursing staff for their co-operation, and Messrs Leeming Brothers Limited for supplies of ‘Kex’ mops and equipment.