Cleaning & Hygiene
Maintain a clean and healthy place to work with our range of cleaning and hygiene products. We stock a wide selection of equipment and cleaning supplies to keep a safe and comfortable working environment for your staff.
We stock high-quality cleaning products, machines and washroom consumables from market-leading brands, like Northwood®, SC Johnson Professional®, Nilfisk Alto® and more.
What is cleaning & hygiene?
Cleaning & hygiene is an umbrella term for many necessary processes, including daily cleaning of premises, sweeping and hoovering floors and more. Maintaining a clean and hygienic workplace should always be the number one priority for any business. Cleanliness is one of the best ways to prevent accidents, and good housekeeping includes clear floors free of trip and slip hazards, as well as sanitised washrooms with an adequate provision of handwash and hand sanitisers to prevent the spread of germs and viruses.
Why buy cleaning & hygiene products?
The Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, enforces an employer's duty of care for the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees. Specifically, General Duties, part 2 of this legislation outlines the "provision and maintenance of a working environment" that includes adequate "facilities and arrangements" to support employee welfare in the workplace.
Cleaning & hygiene product types
Cleaning & hygiene is a huge market for both professional and domestic customers. Other than remaining compliant to British employment legislation, its a fact that working in a fresh, clean and tidy workplace boosts happiness and productivity.
• Air fresheners & dispensers - Typically placed in washrooms and areas for guests, including Receptions and meeting rooms, air fresheners can be wired in and programmed to release a spray of scent at determined intervals, or can be freestanding scented blocks, air freshener sprays and aerosols to give a space a lift after a morning of heavy work, or just before a meeting
• Cleaning machines - These include vacuum cleaners, pressure washers and industrial scrubbing machines. Industrial sized cleaning machines are specifically designed for professional cleaners to tackle large jobs in office buildings, schools, hospitals and more
• Cleaning products - Manufactured for specific tasks, cleaning products are available as window cleaning sprays, washing-up liquids, floor detergents, laundry powder and so on. Designed to make cleaning easier and leave behind a fresh fragrance, the use of cleaning products can be very rewarding
• Cleaning tools - Including mops, sweeping brushes, cloths and sponges, cleaning tools allow for the swift and easy application of cleaning solutions and removal of dirt and grime
• Dental hygiene - These are tools designed for orthodontists and oral hygienists to remove build-up and plaque that can lead to rotten teeth and bad breath
• Hand & skin care - Hand washes, sanitisers and hand protection creams fall under this category. As well as preventing the spread of germs, hand and skincare products also help to protect and repair workworn skin and prevent skin conditions, like dermatitis
• Pest control - Tackling flies, ants and other creepy crawlies, pest control products like flycatchers and mouse traps are especially important in food production facilities
• Toilet rolls, paper towels & dispensers - Washroom facilities are, understandably, an important part of employee welfare. Easy to load towel dispensers and soft toilet tissue goes a long way to show your people that you care
Considerations when choosing cleaning & hygiene products
• Space - whether you work in a small office space or a large multi-storey building, a wide choice of multi-purpose cleaning products and bulk cleaning supplies are available.
• Dispensers - ensure you choose the right refills for your dispensers to ensure toilet rolls and hand towels fit.
• Number of employees - it's always better to have too much than not enough, especially when it comes to toilet rolls.
• Eco Credentials - we sell a wide range of eco-friendly cleaning solutions, such as those from Ecover® and Oleonix®, as well as sustainably sourced hand towels and toilet rolls from Northwood®.
• Personal Protective Equipment - when using solvents or bleaches, ensure you protect your hands against contact by wearing chemical protection gloves.
Cleaning & hygiene jargon buster
No matter how satisfying cleaning can be, it's important to be aware of the chemicals in cleaning products; and how they might react with a surface and the effect they may have on your skin and airways.
What is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, 2002?
COSHH is British legislation that ensures that steps are taken to protect employees against exposure to hazardous substances. It places the onus on employers to carry out risk assessments and act on the potential dangers discovered, including providing training to staff and displaying warning signs to highlight risk.
However, it also requires employees to act within the boundaries of their training and their company regulations. Failure to comply with COSHH regulations will see the guilty party (employer, employee or both) convicted and fined an unlimited amount.
FAQs
What precautions should you take when handling cleaning chemicals?
Before using a new cleaning chemical, take a look at the Safety Data Sheet for it to identify the hazards it may pose to you and others around you. All precautions you take should be based on this information, and include:
• Wearing the correct personal protective equipment, like chemical safety gloves, safety spectacles and/or an apron
• Working in a well-ventilated room to avoid breathing difficulties
• If diluting a cleaning chemical, always follow the manufacturer's instructions and never mix different cleaning chemicals together
Where should cleaning supplies be kept?
For consumables like hand towels and toilet rolls, it's best to keep them stacked safely and away from dirty environments. Cleaning chemicals, on the other hand, should be stored according to the manufacturer's instructions, often away from direct sunlight and in room temperature. Storage instructions for chemicals should be printed on product labels, or can be found on Safety Data Sheets, either downloadable or upon request from the supplier.