Cleaning and disinfection of the healthcare environment

The cleaning and disinfection of the healthcare environment is an important part of standard precautions. The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) standards require health service organisations to have adequate identification of, and procedures for cleaning the clinical and non-clinical areas of the healthcare environment.

The environment should undergo cleaning routinely. In an area where the patient stays for short periods of time (that is, not overnight, such as an outpatient’s clinic) cleaning of the environment should be done in accordance with the risk assessment. In addition, routine environmental cleaning should occur at regular intervals, even when they are occupied. Disinfection should occur when it is indicated by local risk assessment. This risk assessment should include local epidemiology of multi-resistant organisms (MROs), type of MROs frequently encountered, known infection or colonization by MROs and ward or clinical area profile (e.g. an infectious diseases ward).

Cleaning

As per the Australian guidelines for the prevention and control of infection in healthcare, local risk assessment should determine the appropriate product, method and frequency of cleaning of the healthcare environment.

Department of Health and HHS facilities can refer to the Strategic Operational Services Unit (SOSU) Guidelines – Environmental Cleaning for operational advice about cleaning frequency and risk assessment.

General environmental cleaning products that are not intended to be used on medical devices and do not make disinfectant claims are not regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Always follow manufacturer’s instructions for preparation and use of cleaning chemicals.

For information about cleaning medical devices please refer to advice on Cleaning and disinfecting shared patient care equipment.

Disinfection

Disinfection of the healthcare environment is not always required. Circumstances that require disinfection of the healthcare environment include:

Local risk assessments may identify additional situations where the use of hard surface disinfectants in the healthcare environment are required.

Mechanical cleaning of the environment is required prior to disinfection. If a 2-in-1 cleaner and disinfectant is being used, the mechanical action of cleaning is still required.

Hard surface disinfectants with specific claims that the product kills, or is active against viruses, spores, tuberculosis, mycobacteria or fungi are “specific claims”. Products that make these claims require listing on the ARTG prior to supply in Australia. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions for preparation and use of disinfectants.

For further information about cleaning and disinfection of the healthcare environment please refer to:

Last updated: 30 October 2023