July 06, 2023
Case study: Sanctuary Supported Living switch up cleaning solutions and reap productivity and sustainability rewards
By swapping their cleaning tools and partnering with RCP, Sanctuary Supported Living have been able to make significant efficiency improvements that allow the care organisation to clean more to a higher standard in less time, while also reducing their ecological impact.
With aims to improve their sustainability credentials and protect commercial resources, while maintaining a high level of professional care and support to residents, UK-based care organisation Sanctuary Supported Living wielded impressive results by introducing a more cohesive approach to cleaning with better tools for the job. How did they cut cleaning time by 45% and save 180,000 litres of water?
CLEANING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
Sanctuary Supported Living has over 650 supported housing services across England. The homes are underpinned by a rigorous cleaning schedule that allows them to keep both staff and residents safe. But with various areas to tackle, all with different needs, they were looking for a better solution that could save them time and money.
Working with the expert team at RCP, a time and motion study was carried out to review the impact of introducing new products and processes. Firstly, the switch from a disconnected set of cleaning products, and tools improvised based on need, to an integrated set of RCP cleaning materials eliminated 55 minutes from a 107-minute clean, that’s a staggering saving of 45%. Secondly, the uplift in products also expanded the cleaning tasks the team could take on, such as cleaning the tops of lights, and how safely they could undertake tasks with telescopic equipment. The switch from inflexible products, and ad-hoc tools has crucially meant a significant improvement in the cleaning experience for staff, meaning they aren’t required to contort or elevate themselves to ensure thorough cleaning. This led to a reduction in physical stress and fatigue which in turn increased cleaning time.
Overall, the Sanctuary team were able to significantly reduce the time spent on cleaning, while increasing the amount of cleaning undertaken thanks to better tools, all with greater comfort to their staff.
ACHIEVING IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY
The key focus for Sanctuary has been to use this exercise to improve the sustainability of the business’ processes. Through the adoption of new tools, the team calculated significant reduction in their environmental impact.
Comparisons between the previous cleaning equipment and RCP’s Pulse™ Mop System reveal the site will save approximately 400kg in mop heads that would otherwise be going to landfill, and will now save approximately 180,000 litres of water and hundreds of pounds in electricity costs. Further cost and resource reductions came with the introduction of HYGEN™ Microfibre Cloths as a result of the high number of washes they can endure before requiring replacement. These significant strides in terms of environmental credentials were considered to be a real success by the Sanctuary team and are a real proof point of the ‘buy better, waste less’ approach.
SAVINGS ACROSS MULTIPLE BUSINESS AREA
Housing Team Leader, Dawn Moreton, has been thrilled with the time, cost and environmental savings:
“Firstly, we can do more cleaning to a higher standard in less time with less ecological impact, thanks in part to products like the Pulse™ Mop System eliminating the need for a large bucket of water to be carried around as well.
“Secondly, safety improvements from using products like the High Level Duster that reaches telescopically while a cleaner can keep their feet on the ground, or a microfibre cover on a flexible head means the tool can twist and turn, rather than our staff having to, reduces physical strain or potential musculoskeletal problems. As well as the reduced fatigue that comes from using a lighter cart and removing heavy buckets water.
“Finally, the savings have been noticeable. There are the financial savings that come from durable products that need less replacement, and there’s a saving in time that comes from the efficiency RCP’s setup has given us and there’s a sustainability saving, where we’re using fewer products and resources, meaning less is taken from the planet.”
As businesses continue to tackle rising prices and inflation, as well as increasingly taking steps to become more sustainable, RCP can help to redefine not just the cleaning that takes place but what it costs commercially and for the environment.
Get in touch with one of our experts to find out how your business could benefit.
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Download the full case study here.
