Keeping your clinic clean is one of the highest priorities when it comes to laser treatment. As with any business where there is a regular flow of customers, there should be an emphasis on achieving the highest level of hygiene possible – this is more important now than it has ever been. In today’s blog, we’re going to cover how to clean your clinic properly and ensure your customers are always safe when they visit your business.
When Should I Clean My Clinic?
It is important to implement a regular cleaning procedure in your laser clinic. The most successful of which will have multiple levels of cleaning, ranging from a light clean in between patients, to a deeper clean every few days.
You should always ensure you clean the treatment table between patients, this will help avoid cross-contamination. It is also vital that you clean the laser applicator head between each treatment as this will come into close contact with each of the patients you treat.
For the deeper cleans you complete every few days, you should thoroughly clean all of the surfaces your patients and employees come into contact with regularly. This will include keyboards, all surfaces, and all of the facilities (eg. Toilets) in your laser clinic.
To reduce the transmission of any disease and improve the overall hygiene of your clinic you should wipe down door handles and taps as regularly as possible to remove any germs or bacteria that may have been left on them.
Make Cleaning A Habit
Cleaning your laser clinic can sometimes feel like a never-ending task, but if you make it part of your day-to-day work it will become second nature. You should try to put a cleaning procedure checklist in place for both you and your employees to follow. This will make it far easier to regulate the amount of cleaning your clinic undergoes each day. It can also act as a guarantee that your clinic meets hygiene standards, and you might even find it acts as a selling point for your customers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left people feeling very hygiene conscious. So, by advertising your thorough cleaning procedures you can demonstrate the good practices your clinic follows. This will help give your customers confidence in your business.
Resources & Protocols
If you don’t already have one, you should introduce written protocols to act as a guide for your employees when it comes to cleaning your clinic. This should state when areas need to be cleaned, when they have been cleaned, and who cleaned them. Staff who undertake cleaning should be trained in good cleaning practices and briefed as to why they are so important in the laser treatment industry.
You should also make sure there are always enough resources for your staff and for your customers to keep your clinic clean. Introducing a handwashing policy as your customers enter your clinic will help reduce the chance of germs and diseases being brought into your clinic. Some examples of the resources you will need are:
- Staff PPE
- Disinfecting Hand Sanitiser
- Cleaning Cloths
- Disinfectant Spray
- Laser Cleaning Equipment
Routine & Enhanced Cleaning
Routine cleaning refers to the day-to-day and periodic cleaning you will complete in your laser clinic. this cleaning should be done no matter what and should be made one of the highest priorities. However, you may occasionally find one of your patients or staff members has been exposed to coronavirus or something similar in nature. If this does occur it is vital to complete an enhanced cleaning procedure immediately.
Enhance cleaning is one of the deepest forms of cleaning, and it should involve thoroughly cleaning everything in your clinic. The purpose of this type of cleaning is to ensure there are no germs or bacteria left behind by the infected person. This means you should clean all of the floors, walls, equipment, and chairs to remove any chance of further infection.
What Should I Use to Clean?
You should choose a detergent or cleaner that is strong enough to kill any bacteria or germs that might be in your laser clinic. Cleaning solution can be diluted to the manufacturer’s instructions into warm water, this will help remove any dirt or germs and it will also be the most cost-effective way of applying cleaner.
You should set up hand washing stations where both staff and patients will have access to hand sanitizer. These stations should be positioned near the entrance to your clinic, treatment rooms, and any toilet facilities.
To Summarise
You may find your patients are more hesitant than they have ever been, due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, implementing a safe and effective cleaning procedure that you can demonstrate to them will give them confidence that it is safe to visit your laser treatment clinic. Ensuring your staff members always wear masks and wash their hands regularly will help to reduce the transmission of any infection. You should also ensure that they are fully trained in good hygiene practices so they too can maintain a high level of cleanliness in your laser clinic.
