Best Practices for Integrating Brooms, Brushes, and Mops

No doubt, making informed decisions that prioritize quality and cost-effectiveness is an ongoing challenge for BSCs, and hand tool purchases are no exception. Nevertheless, investing in high-quality brushes, brooms, and mops can offer substantial, long-term benefits, despite the higher upfront investment. 

“Certainly, a well-constructed hand tool that withstands heavy use and keeps performing well will provide a better return on investment,” says Foy. “The initial expense creates upfront cost, but the overall ROI makes good business sense.” 

One way BSCs can strike a balance between quality and cost is by purchasing multifunctional hand tools with adjustable handles and interchangeable heads. This allows janitors to perform myriad tasks with only one tool. Additionally, a team cleaning approach may require fewer tool purchases, thereby justifying the higher cost of quality tools that tackle cleaning tasks more effectively. 

Before committing to a purchase, however, BSCs are encouraged to consider the following questions: How well does it work? How easy is it to use? Does it solve a problem? And will it increase job productivity? 

If these questions can’t be answered in the affirmative, the tool may not be the best solution. 

Prior to making a sizable financial commitment, Bill Griffin, President of Cleaning Consulting Services in Seattle, advocates testing the merchandise when feasible. 

“One thing I always say about equipment and tools is test them,” he advises. “See if you can get a sample of one. Or buy one or two—don’t buy 500 of them—and try them out. Give them to employees and get them involved in the process, because they have more hands-on experience using these on a day-to-day basis than owners and managers.” 

He also recommends supplementing field experience with online research. 

“I wouldn’t buy anything without doing an online search using an AI program to ask the question ‘What are some elements I should take into consideration before I purchase brushes, brooms, and mops?’” he explains. “It may give you insight into things you hadn’t thought of before.” 

Even though AI can serve as a valuable research tool, distributors are still the best resource for navigating hand tool options that boost productivity and maximize savings. 

Cleaning for Health 

Where distributors play an especially important role is in education and training. Even top-quality hand tools are ineffective if not used and maintained correctly. Distributors will work with BSCs post-sale to prevent the spread of infection. 

“One of the problems we have in the industry is we’re often moving soil around,” says Griffin. “We’re not following the definition of cleaning, which is to remove contaminants and soil from the surface or area and dispose of it without injury to the individual or damage to the surface.” 

To address these deficits, he recommends BSCs partner with their distributors to educate employees using a combination of hands-on training, written procedures, and short how-to videos. 

Of course, no discussion about cross-contamination would be complete without mentioning the benefits of color coding — particularly as it relates to hand tool purchases. 

“We encourage our BSCs to adopt a color-coding system and standardize it throughout their program,” says Foy. “Keep it simple and consistent. Train and retrain teams. The number of manufacturers who now have color-coded systems has expanded, which makes it easier to purchase from multiple suppliers without jeopardizing the program.” 

In addition to implementing color coding, BSCs may want to consider anti-bacterial and/or disposable mop heads to support the prevention of cross-contamination. 

“Consider when and where disposable microfiber mops and cloths make sense,” says Foy. “Research supports the idea that even if your team adheres to a rigid color-coded system, it can ‘all fall apart in the wash.’”

When cleaning with reusable mop heads and cloths, distributors stress the need to launder them frequently and store them in a dry place to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. 

“Make sure you keep track of how often you wash mop heads, and when you use them, don’t leave them in the mop bucket,” advises Taylor. “Have a place where you can hang them up to dry.” 

Griffin concurs. He recalls an occasion when a high school reached out for help because students were getting infections from wrestling mats. He discovered the mops used to clean the mats were stored in a dirty mop sink. 

“Mops should be laundered after every use and hung up,” he says. “The proper measurement of chemicals and a clean bucket also come into play. If you have a clean mop but a dirty bucket, you’re not going to get a clean surface.” 

Green Savings 

As more facilities demand environmentally conscious products and practices, BSCs will need to factor in the sustainability and lifecycle of hand tools when making purchasing decisions. Buying quality items and taking care of them will extend the life of the product, thereby reducing the burden on landfills. Additionally, BSCs may want to consider products made with biodegradable materials and/or recycled content. 

Once hand tools reach the end of their useful life, consider alternatives to disposing of them in the trash. 

“Just because you can’t use it for its intended purpose doesn’t mean you can’t use it,” says Griffin. “It might not be presentable enough to use in a lobby, but maybe you can use it on the back dock or in the operations warehouse. Sometimes you can extend its useful life—not only by taking care of it and storing it properly but by finding a secondary use for it.” 

Kassandra Kania is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is a frequent contributor to Contracting Profits. 

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A Guide to Purchasing Hand Tools