How Hospital Cleaning Standards Have Evolved Since COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the way hospitals and healthcare facilities approach cleaning and hygiene. What was once routine has become mission-critical, with stricter protocols, more frequent sanitisation, and greater reliance on advanced cleaning technology.

Today, healthcare environments must meet higher cleanliness standards, ensuring patient and staff safety while preventing the spread of infections. As expectations rise, floor cleaning technology, including Ride-on Scrubbers, has become essential to maintaining these new hygiene benchmarks.

The New Era of Hospital Cleaning Standards

Before COVID-19, hospital cleaning focused on infection control primarily in high-risk areas such as operating rooms and intensive care units. Post-pandemic, the entire healthcare environment including hallways, waiting rooms, and even administrative offices must meet heightened cleaning requirements. Key changes include:

• More Frequent and Thorough Cleaning: Cleaning cycles have increased, with surfaces including floors being disinfected multiple times per day.
• Higher Standards for Surface Hygiene: Floors are now recognised as potential contamination hotspots due to heavy foot traffic and the movement of medical equipment.
• Stronger Infection Control Measures: Facilities must comply with updated regulations from health organisations like the NSQHS, requiring stricter cleaning protocols and documentation.
• Emphasis on Automation and Efficiency: Labor shortages in the healthcare industry have driven demand for automated and more efficient cleaning solutions.

Why Floor Scrubbers Are Essential in the New Cleaning Landscape

Hospitals can no longer rely on traditional mopping and manual cleaning methods, which often spread contaminants instead of eliminating them. Floor scrubbers offer a smarter, more effective solution for elevating hygiene standards and patient care.

1. Hospital-Grade Cleaning Power

Tennant floor scrubbers leverage advanced scrubbing technology to eliminate dirt, bacteria, and viruses from floors with precision. By combining down pressure, rotating brushes, powerful suction, and advanced water recovery systems, these machines deliver a deeper, more effective clean than traditional mopping.

Innovative features like ec-H2O NanoClean® technology take hospital-grade cleaning to the next level by electrically converting water into an effective cleaning solution, minimising the need for conventional chemicals. This not only enhances infection control but also supports sustainability initiatives. With water-saving technology and precise chemical dosing, Tennant machines help healthcare facilities maintain superior cleanliness while lowering operational costs through reduced water and chemical consumption.

2. Reducing Cross-Contamination Risks

Unlike mops that reuse dirty water, Tennant scrubbers use separate clean and recovery water tanks. This means contaminated water is never reapplied to surfaces, helping prevent the spread of germs throughout the facility.

3. Faster, More Efficient Cleaning

In hospitals, time is critical. Ride-on and autonomous floor scrubbers clean large areas quickly, allowing staff to focus on high-touch surface sanitation without compromising floor hygiene. With operation up to 4 hours on ride on scrubbers such as the T581, hospital staff can clean continuously. Plus, Tennant machines are equipped with powerful Latex squeegees leaving floors dry almost instantly, reducing slip hazards.

4. Quiet and Non-Disruptive Operation

Noise-sensitive areas like patient rooms and recovery wards require discreet cleaning solutions. Tennant scrubbers are designed for quiet operation, ensuring a clean environment without disturbing patients or staff. Eco-Mode is just one standout feature of Tennant’s scrubber-dryers, significantly reducing operating noise levels, making these machines the perfect fit for sensitive environments in healthcare facilities.

Meeting the Future of Healthcare Cleaning

Hospitals must stay ahead of evolving health and safety standards. Investing in Tennant floor scrubbers ensures compliance with modern infection control measures while improving efficiency and patient safety.

As the healthcare industry adapts to post-pandemic cleaning challenges, floor scrubbers are not just a convenience, they’re a necessity.

Want to upgrade your hospital’s cleaning routine?

Contact Tennant today to learn how our floor scrubbers can help your facility meet the highest hygiene standards.