Why Whiteboard Cleanability Matters

Jan 26, 2021

cleanable whiteboards in patient room In healthcare, where everything in a patient’s room is cleaned constantly, having cleanable products means saving money. Cleanability is so valued in hospitals that modern facilities are designed specifically to make them easier to wipe down and sanitize. This includes the shape of patient rooms, the textures of materials used on furniture, and the products that are placed within each space. It's no different with patient room whiteboards. When whiteboards are cleanable, fewer resources and less time is spent keeping them safe for patients and providers to use.

The Importance of Whiteboard Cleanability

Cleaning in healthcare requires more than simply wiping something down. It’s even important to differentiate between the terms “cleaning” and “disinfecting,” which are both necessary for reprocessing medical equipment. Cleaning refers to removing dirt and waste from a surface, while disinfecting (or sterilizing) refers to the process of removing bacteria and other microorganisms. Both are important, and both can be more easily accomplished when a whiteboard is cleanable.

When whiteboards are easily cleanable, facilities see a number of benefits that include:

Lower risks of hospital acquired infections (HAIs): cleanability allows for whiteboards to be more thoroughly disinfected, reducing the spread of viral and bacterial contaminants.

Efficiency: when whiteboards are easier to clean and disinfect, the total time it takes to sanitize and change over patient rooms decreases.

Cost savings: a smaller amount of cleaner and disinfectant needs to be used, and whiteboards will last longer even after repeated cleanings.

What Makes a Whiteboard Easy to Clean and Disinfect?

What does it mean for a whiteboard to be “cleanable?” There are three major factors:

1. Thoroughness: the possibility of cleaning the entire whiteboard.
2.Ease: how quickly and easily a whiteboard can be cleaned.
3. Longevity: how a whiteboard withstands repeated cleanings over the years.

In short, whiteboards that are truly cleanable make it easy for users to fully clean and sanitize them, and the materials will be able to withstand these types of cleanings without breaking down or degrading over time.

Whiteboards that offer exceptional levels of cleanability have several key features:

Non-porous surfaces: smooth, non-porous surfaces (like glass) are the easiest to clean and have natural resistances to bacterial growth.

Minimalist designs: sleek designs reduce the number of nooks, crannies and other areas that need to be thoroughly cleaned because they collect dirt and microbes.

Durable, high-quality materials: higher quality whiteboards are made from long-lasting materials that will not degrade after repeated cleanings.

Whiteboards that feature these design and manufacturing components make it more difficult to thoroughly clean:

Rivets
Stamped metal
Folded metal
Holes and small cavities
Porous metals and coatings
Welded areas and components

Cleanability comes down to a combination of product design and quality materials. Low quality whiteboards have cheap components that need to be welded together, creating a mass manufactured product that is hard to clean. These materials also don’t stand up to repeated sanitation involving common disinfectants used in healthcare environments.

Whiteboards are an investment, and when that investment is made in a high-quality product, the savings come in both the long lifespan of the product and how much time it saves those who use it. At Ghent Healthcare, we value quality and cleanability when it comes to our custom whiteboards. The materials we use make our whiteboards both long-lasting and easy to clean. For more information on cleaning and disinfecting Ghent Healthcare products, and to see how easy it is, refer to our cleaning guide.

Ready to create a whiteboard of your own? Get in touch with our team for a free consultation.

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