This way to wellness. Rearview shot of a surgeon walking down a hospital corridor.


Visibly clean can look like a clean and safe environment has been achieved. Polished floors, decluttered surfaces, and organized equipment all lend to an impression of clean. However, as a recent CleanLink monthly poll affirms, 38 percent of commercial cleaning industry professionals say client demands have shifted from perception of clean to proof of clean.

Contamination can occur across any environment—whether it’s seemingly clean or obviously dirty. This is especially true for health care environments where environmental services (EVS) are tasked to address rigorous cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing needs in a high-traffic environment with vulnerable patient populations. Operational consistency, therefore, becomes the priority in any infection prevention and control (IPC) program.

However, workflow shortcuts can create operational gaps, increasing infection risks. According to Infection Control Today, one of these inconsistencies is found among shared equipment. Without oversight, these tools can be moved in and out of clean and contaminated areas, stored in inappropriate spaces, and handed off without proper procedures in place. Although the equipment may appear clean, it could be compromised.

Inconsistencies can arise from staffing turnover. Frontline staff require onboarding and recurring training regarding procedures to ensure compliance. Yet, when worker retention stresses operational needs, clarity of cleaning responsibilities is undermined. Moreover, as fewer employees are tasked with fulfilling facility cleaning demands, consistency becomes harder to achieve, and communication breaks down.

Facility cleaning managers can address these complications through cleaning audits. Reviewing current processes, soliciting staff feedback, and identifying infection risks can lead to enhanced operational systems that support the realities of healthcare cleaning needs. Once an improved IPC program is in place, visible oversight is recommended to ensure consistency and compliance.