Cleaning up the Mess

Health facilities are prone to messes caused by bodily fluids such as blood. For example, bedsheets are likely to contract a patient’s blood or blood-containing fluids. There may be times when there is a lot of blood. This section teaches you how to properly clean up the mess.

Know what to do

Health facilities have policies for how to handle large areas of blood or blood-containing fluids. For example, there may be a specialized cleaning bin for placing bloody sheets. Make sure you follow your employer’s policies and perform the correct procedures for cleaning up blood and bodily fluids. Your employer’s policies supersede this information.

Clean up the area immediately

Put on the appropriate PPE.
Use absorbents, such as solidifiers, to absorb most of the fluid. For example, you may need to use a towel to soak up the fluid.
Use facility-approved disinfectant cleaners to sanitize the area.
Use the appropriate procedures to dispose of cleaning materials.