The Importance Of Bin Cleanliness
Matt Gellie, Key Account Manager – Public Services at Kärcher UK, explains why keeping the bins clean is important for waste management.
Maintaining health and safety is one of the biggest tasks that facilities managers face. From keeping internal structures clean and safe for users to ensuring outside cleanliness as part of a well-rounded PDIR (Preventative, Daily, Interim and Restorative) cleaning strategy.
Preventing dirt from coming into the building is key to maintaining overall facility hygiene. Tackling dirt before it can get into the building helps to reduce potential build-up inside facilities. With increased focus on the effective disposal of waste, ensuring bins are cleaned to a high standard is a must to reduce the risk to the public and to the environment. Effective bin cleaning eliminates unwanted waste and removes viruses and bacteria which can infect anyone who encounters the contents, including staff who work at the facility and customers. As waste material is disposed of it carries residue particles that can spread infectious materials. For instance, medical waste contaminated with bodily fluids and pathogens can cause harmful outbreaks if bins are left untreated or rubbish bags were to break.
When it comes to cleaning bins, there is an easy two step method that facilities managers can deploy using cleaning products they likely already have in their cleaning arsenal: hot water pressure washers and spray misters.
Step 1: Hot Water Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is ideal for bin cleanliness as the high-pressure of the water hits the surface of the bin removing unwanted substances in an efficient and effective manner. Whilst cold water pressure washing can achieve this, hot water pressure washers increase the speed of the clean and reduces the need for additional chemicals to be used in the cleaning process.
The heat generated by a hot water pressure washer works to break down stubborn particles that gather on the side of the bin. The combined pressure and heat results in a quicker clean that uses less water in the process, ideal for businesses looking to conserve water usage.
When selecting the right hot water pressure washer, it is key to understand the needs of the business. For cleaning bins, compact or upright pressure washers are ideal due to their reduced size and manoeuvrability. If pressure washing is part of the wider facilities maintenance, then facilities managers should look towards larger middle class or superclass pressure washers. Including built-in ECO modes, these classes of pressure washers generate higher pressure output making them perfect for a range of uses from floorcare cleaning to vehicle cleaning.
Step 2: Sanitising The Bin
Once the surface has been cleaned, it is imperative that it is sanitised safely for other users. During the initial washing stage, hot water comes out of the pressure washer at around 80°C or higher, whilst this is effective for cleaning dirt, alone it will not result in a fully sanitised bin. Instead, disinfectants must be applied that kill up to 99.99% of bacteria and viruses. Spray misting machines, such as the Kärcher PS 4/7 Bp, are ideal for disinfecting bins as they can reach inaccessible nooks where wiping would struggle to achieve the desired result.
Bin Cleanliness
Once the bin has been cleaned using hot water and is subsequently sanitised, it is safe to be used again. Working to maintain overall bin cleanliness will help improve the health standards of the facility and reduce the risk of having unwanted pests and local council fines for poor cleanliness. Using this quick two step cleaning process, a clean bin can be achieved efficiently and effectively all year round.
