Reflecting on 40 years in the cleaning industry

IN September 1980 I applied for a job at Rochdale Council as a cleaning operative and, 41 years later, I am now looking forward to retirement, leaving as head of the cleaning/catering service. To say the cleaning industry has changed dramatically over the 40 years is an understatement, and a recent visit to the Cleaning Show in Manchester summed this up when watching computer programmed, battery operated cleaning machines doing the work that I used to do with a mop and bucket.

In 1980 I was sent to a school as a relief cleaner with no training, no PPE and no experience. I was shown the cleaning cupboard which contained a galvanised mop bucket, a pretty filthy mop, a cloth, a fivelitre bottle of bleach, and a bottle of neutral detergent. The caretaker on site was clear with his instructions: ‘Just wash and wipe everything’. In simple terms I used the same mop for all the floors (there were no carpets in schools in those days) including the toilets and was then told to wipe the desktops with the same mop. I don’t think the term ‘cross contamination’ had been heard of. Cleaning toilets was easy - just get a cloth, put some bleach on it and wipe everything down - sinks, urinals, toilets, walls, all using the same cloth because ‘bleach kills everything’.

As the years went on the industry progressed and new cleaning machinery was made available. ‘Buffing machines’ were all the rage. Being able to use a 200rpm or 400rpm machine for cleaning moved the industry forward, but training some staff to use a machine was a challenge and I personally had to untangle two staff members who tied themselves up when the buffer went AWOL.

The old ultra-high-speed machines were also an improvement but staff keeping the machines running when ‘having a chat’ did result in a number of claims for new floor coverings!

Training for cleaning staff became the norm, working to a specification, along with having pride in the work that cleaning staff were doing. Logoed PPE/ID badges being worn and support from the British Cleaning Council, the ABCD and other organisations showed that the cleaning industry was vital for all companies and having a professional image within any organisation would only be of benefit.

It has not all been good news. As the industry grew and machinery became the norm, managers realised the service could be speeded up and the areas covered by cleaning staff were enlarged, resulting in major job losses. Schools being given delegated budgets allowed them to take the cleaning ‘in house’ or use an external provider which had a major impact on local authorities. The introduction of academies has further weakened the cleaning industry within local authorities and this is likely to worsen with the news that all schools must be in a multi academy trust by 2030.

In recent years the pandemic has had one of the greatest impacts on the cleaning industry. I believe that the pandemic has shown the critical role the cleaning industry has in all aspects of life, from hospitals, to schools, council buildings and even in your own home.

It is evident that without a cleaning industry the impact of COVID would have been worse. Seeing millions of people disinfecting surfaces and seeing empty shelves in supermarkets where cleaning products were held just highlighted people’s concerns. The cleaning industry should be proud of its efforts during this time.

I will leave you with a quote from a headteacher: ‘My school can operate without teachers, but without cleaners I would close down in 24 hours’. All cleaning staff should hold their heads up high and be proud to say ‘I am a cleaner’.

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The ABCD is a member of the British Cleaning Council. The views of Council members are their own.