Times are changing where we have moved away from conventional cleaning with string cotton mops and wringer bucket and a roll of chux that is used repeatedly between rooms.
If a staff member walks 30 meters to refill a bucket and mop head after every 3 rooms, the wasted time depending on walking speed and refill time and no other interruptions, the time wasted can be significant. Not all cleaners’ rooms are 30 metres, and the process is repeated for red and blue buckets.
Total distance per refill – 80 metres. Walking speed usually 60-80 meters per minute.
Refill and emptying buckets – 1 – 2 minutes depending on water flow.
Time walking and filling realistically 25-28 minutes a day lost for one mop bucket process. The pre-soaking process takes approximately 4-5 minutes per day for both coloured cloths and mops. Therefore, lost time 21 – 23 minutes per day. Three staff per day – red and blue mop buckets.
- 138 minutes per day (Mon-Fri) – can be affected if there are limited cleaning duties on the weekend.
- 138 minutes per day (Weekend) – can be affected if there are limited cleaning duties on the weekend.
- Weekly total 966 minutes – 16.10 hours at $30 per hour not including penalties, shift allowances or on-costs.
Specific duties and equipment selection will improve duties and costs while maintaining an efficient cleaning operation.