How Often You Should Clean or Replace Each Cleaning Equipment
We all clean our homes or offices using certain cleaning equipment and cleaning supplies. But if we don’t take care of the cleaning equipment or store cleaning supplies improperly, our efforts will yield no or even negative results. To prevent this, it is recommended to clean or replace cleaning equipment and buy new cleaning supplies if the old one is expired or opened but hasn’t been used for a long time.
In this article, we will discuss when to clean and replace cleaning equipment and when to buy new cleaning and washroom supplies.
Equipment Cleaning & Replacement Frequency
| Item | When to Replace / Clean |
|---|---|
| Toilet Brush | Clean after each use. Replace every 3 months. |
| Floor Mop Head (General Areas) | Rinse and dry after each use. Machine wash every two weeks. |
| Floor Mop Head (Toilets) | Rinse and dry after each use. Machine wash every week. |
| Floor Mop Head (Kitchen) | Rinse and dry after each use. Machine wash every week. |
| Scrubber / Sponge | Replace dish scrubbers every month. Replace surface scrubbers and sponges every 3 months. |
| Squeegee | Clean and dry after each use. Replace when the rubber blade is dry or leaves streaks on floors or windows. |
| Water Bucket | Rinse and dry after each use. Replace when broken, cracked, damaged or leaking. |
| Vacuum Cleaner Bag | Replace as per manual instructions. Usually when full or when punchtured. |
| Broom | Remove dust and grim residues after each use. wash and dry every other month. Replace every six months to a year. |
| Dust Pan | Clean with paper towels after each use. Replace when damaged. |
| Bristle Brush | Clean after each use. Replace when bristles are bent and no longer effective. |
| Floor Steamer Cloth | Machine wash after each use. |
| If use disposable gloves, dispose after use. Hand wash heavy-duty gloves after each use. | Hand wash after each use. Machine wash every two weeks. Replace when torn, incapable of absorbing water or no longer soft. |
| Tea Towels / Dish Cloths / Wash Cloths | Hand wash after each use. Machine wash every two weeks. Replace when torn or incapable of absorbing water. |
| Dishwashing Gloves | Replace when punctured or started to smell bad. |
| Cleaning Gloves | Clean by violently shaking the duster outside in open areas. Replace every year or when the duster is no longer effective. |
| Feather or Microfibre Duster | Clean after each use. Replace every month to three months depending on the use. |
| Steel Wool | Replace every two months or when the wool has rusted or started to disintegrate. |
| Scrub Brush | Replace as per manual instructions. Usually when full or when punctured. |
| Any Electrical Cleaning Equipment | Clean after each use. Replace every month to three months depending on the use. |
| Descale Iron / Floor Steamer | As per the instruction manual. Usually once a month. |
| Hard Personal Protective Equipment | Clean PPEs like safety glasses, helmets, shoes, etc. after each use. Replace when damaged or cracked and no longer viable or safe to use. |
| Boiler Suit / Work Clothing | Wash after each use. Replace when torn and damaged. |
| Face Mask / Mask Filter | Dispose of surgical facemasks after use. Change mask air filters based on the rate of exposure to hazardous material. |
Read More: List of Essential Personal Protective Equipment for Cleaning
When to Replace Cleaning Solutions & Washroom Supplies
| Cleaning Supplies | When to Replace and Buy New |
|---|---|
| Tissue / Paper Towel / Toilet Roll | If stored correctly in a dry place, you can keep them indefinitely. Buy new if they are damp or are about to disintegrate. |
| Liquid Soap | Buy new every 1 to 2 years or if the colour or smell changes or no longer smells. |
| Soap Bar | Buy new after 2 to 3 years or if the soap is dry with cracks on the surface. |
| Sanitary Towel | Replace every 2 to 3 years or after the expiration date on the packaging. |
| Disinfectant | Buy new after 1 year or when the consistency and smell have changed. |
| Dish Soap / Washup Liquid | Laundry Powder |
| Laundry Pods | Replace after 6 months to 1 year or they are brittle and sticky. |
| Replace after 1 year or if its consistency, colour and smell change. | Replace after 6 months to 1 year or when they become clumpy and the smell has changed. |
| Detergent | Replace after 6 months to 1 year or when the colour, smell and consistency change. |
| Fabric Softener | Replace after 1 year or when it becomes thick or lumpy. |
| Bleach | Replace after 6 months to 1 year or if it becomes less effective. |
| Descaler | Replace after 1 to 2 years or if it becomes ineffective in descaling. |
| Stainless Steel Cleaner | Replace after 1 to 2 years or if its consistency and smell change. |
| Carpet Cleaner | Replace after 1 year or if its consistency, colour and smell changed. |
| Dryer Sheet | Replace after 6 months to 1 year or if sheets lose their scent and feel dry. |
Read More: List of Essential Cleaning Supplies for Office
Conclusion
To get the best out of your cleaning efforts, cleaning, maintaining and even replacing your cleaning equipment and cleaning supplies every now and then is recommended. In this article, we discussed when to clean and replace different cleaning equipment as well as when to replace and buy new cleaning solutions if they have been opened but not used for a long time.
The information provided by this article will help you maximise your cleaning efficiency and efficacy and replace or clean cleaning equipment when required.
