Why Healthcare Cleaning Is Different: Reflections from Interclean 2026
From Infection Control Matters by Brett Mitchell
April 16, 2026 · 13 min · Episode 181
About this episode
Brett and Martin discuss the unique challenges of healthcare cleaning as highlighted at Interclean 2026.
In this episode, recorded live from Interclean in Amsterdam, Brett and Martin highlight the contibution of Clean Hospitals to healthcare hygiene and reflect on the contrast between healthcare cleaning and the wider cleaning industry. While the scale, innovation, and investment in cleaning technology are impressive, much of it is not designed with healthcare realities in mind. We discuss why cleaning in hospitals is fundamentally different — shaped by interruptions, human behaviour, complex environments, and higher-risk pathogens. Key links www.cleanhospitals.com Paper referred to: Xie, A., C. Rock, Y.-J. Hsu, P. Osei, J. Andonian, V. Scheeler, S. C. Keller, S. E. Cosgrove and A. P. Gurses (2018). "Improving Daily Patient Room Cleaning: An Observational Study Using a Human Factors and Systems Engineering Approach." IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors 6(3-4): 178–191. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6760906/pdf/nihms-1041686.pdf
People in this episode
Host: Brett Mitchell
Guest: Martin
Topics covered
- healthcare cleaning
- hygiene
- cleaning technology
- hospital environments
- pathogen control
Keywords
- healthcare cleaning
- hygiene
- cleaning technology
- hospital
- pathogens
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Clean Hospitals, Interclean, IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors
Books & works: Improving Daily Patient Room Cleaning: An Observational Study Using a Human Factors and Systems Engineering Approach
Places: Amsterdam
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