Colour Coded Mops & Buckets Guide

All cleaning businesses must stick to health and safety regulations, which include an obligation to avoid risks associated with cross contamination of bacteria or other substances. A significant part of this is maintaining a high standard of hygiene at all times.

One of the most effective ways for cleaners to demonstrate their understanding is by colour coding their cleaning equipment.

This is particularly important for items such as mops and buckets. When you consider the bacteria mops pick up on bathroom floors, you can understand the need for separate equipment per area. This is even more crucial for vulnerable environments such as medical settings.

Our guide focuses on the importance of colour coding mops and buckets and how this system works.


What are Colour Coded Mops?

Colour coded mops are mops given a specific colour to represent their intended use, or the area they should be used within. This means that everyone using them understands what they should be used for.

Mops have the potential to spread harmful bacteria if used incorrectly. This puts people at risk and poses the threat of cross contamination. Medical settings, in particular, need to be very careful and keep hygiene to a high standard as possible.



When cleaners are hired to clean buildings such as hospitals, they will be asked about their protocols. They will be expected to minimise any risk of cross contamination and the colour coded system is a perfect way of achieving this.

Each area that needs cleaning is given a colour and then the equipment for that area is assigned the same colour. This makes it very simple for everyone to follow the rules while keeping all equipment safe from spreading bacteria.


What is Colour Coded Cleaning

Most people in the cleaning industry follow the cleaning colour codes system which originated from BICS.

Cleaners work with potentially harmful chemicals and also have to be extremely careful to prevent cross contamination.

COSHH guidance for cleaning emphasises and enforces the importance of cleaning safely and responsibly. This involves identifying and minimising risks involved with handling cleaning chemicals. 

The easiest way of ensuring all employees follow hygiene and COSHH practices is by having them all adhere to a colour coded cleaning system.

This system is based around the designation of a colour to each area to be cleaned, and using colour coding on cleaning chemicals.

Most businesses find it practical to us the already established colour codes designated by the BICS system.

The colours are as follows:-

  • RED: Washrooms, toilets and urinals.
  • YELLOW: Kitchens, including all food prep stations.
  • GREEN: Public areas such as reception and hallways.
  • BLUE: Restaurant eating areas and bars.

How to Set Up a Colour Coding System for Mops & Buckets

It is very straightforward to set up a colour coding system for mops and buckets. As mops are used over a large area, and have the potential to spread bacteria over a large area, this is a vital step to prevent cross contamination.

As well as choosing colours and colour coordinating all the equipment, thought should also be given to how it will be stored and kept apart.


Choose Your Colour System

Firstly, you need to decide on the colours you wish to use for your system.

This can be the generic red, yellow, blue and green or you can come up with your own unique colour chart.

Either is fine, as long as everyone understands and adheres to it at all times. The information should be visible at all times to all cleaners. When new employees start, they should be introduced to the colour code rules.


Separate and Label All The Equipment

Your next job is to buy all the equipment required and colour coordinate it according to your new system.

This includes equipment such as:-

  • Mops and buckets
  • Cloths
  • Dustpans and brushes.
  • Cleaning buckets
  • Sponges
  • Aprons
  • Gloves
  • Brooms

Find Suitable Storage For The Equipment

You need to keep the cleaning equipment separate even after use. A proper cleaning storage system is important.

Ideally, each set of equipment should be kept in its locked cupboard which is only accessible by the cleaners. This ensures that there is no cross contamination which will happen if they are all piled on top of each other.


Have An Effective Cleaning System For The Equipment

The last thing to be mindful of is how the equipment is washed after its use.

You want to ensure everything is still kept separate to avoid cross contamination. You should also follow all the washing instructions including the appropriate temperature to use.

The temperature needs to be hot enough to efficiently clean items such as cloths and mop heads.


What Colour Mops & Buckets Should be Used in Different Areas?

You need to consider which colours you would like to use for each area that you clean. These can roughly be divided up into; bathrooms, kitchens, dining areas and public areas.

Some companies design their own colour coded system but most use the universally accepted one introduced by BICS.

This is handy because everyone working in the cleaning industry will be working from the same system. This is useful, for example, in the case of agency staff being required to cover the normal staff. It’s likely they also follow these colour procedures.


Red Mops & Buckets

Red is a hazardous warning colour and as such, should be assigned to the area with the most bacteria.

Therefore, red mops and buckets are assigned to the bathrooms. A specific set of cleaning supplies should be designated to these areas and only these areas.

A red mop and bucket should be used for the following tasks:-

  • Mopping around the urinals.
  • Mopping around the toilets.
  • For the whole bathroom floor.
  • Cleaning waste disposals.
  • Cleaning under the sink areas.

Blue Mops & Buckets

Blue mops and buckets are assigned to the restaurant and bar dining areas.

This area requires its own set of equipment as there are likely to be bacteria and viruses present. Many people use catering services within the hospitals and some of these people are sick. Everything must be kept to a high standard of cleanliness. Food is consumed in these areas so cross contamination must be kept at bay.

A blue mop and bucket should be used for the following tasks:-

  • Cleaning up spillages and mess that falls from tables.
  • Mopping under the tables.
  • Mopping the entire floor when the canteen is not in use.
  • Mopping any elevators that are accessed here.

Green Mops & Buckets

Public areas such as corridors, hallways and reception are designated the colour green.

In most establishments, this is generally considered the lowest risk area. In healthcare settings, this isn’t necessarily true as germs and viruses harbour wherever there has been physical contact.

A green mop and bucket should be used for the following tasks:

  • Mopping corridors.
  • Mopping hallways and lobbies.
  • Mopping around the reception areas.
  • Mopping the waiting room floors.

Yellow Mops & Buckets

Yellow is the colour assigned to kitchen areas within the healthcare setting.

This includes any areas where food is stored, prepared and cooked. Most medical settings have a kitchen for preparing patients’ meals and other facilities too. These areas must be kept remarkably clean to stop cross contamination.

A yellow mop and bucket should be used for the following tasks:-

  • Cleaning the floors in the main kitchen.
  • Mopping floors in staff rooms where food has been eaten.
  • Mopping the floors of any canteen areas.
  • Mopping any self service areas.

How Often Should Mop Heads be Replaced?

You should not use the same mop head for too long, as bacteria can get locked into the material.

Firstly, they should be replaced as soon as you spot any signs of wear and tear.  When there are any signs of damage, you risk harbouring all sorts of germs that washing doesn’t get rid of. A new mop is therefore required to avoid any spread of bacteria.

Without any damage, you should be looking to replace mop heads after they have been washed for a certain amount of time. This can vary depending on the type of mops being used.

When dealing with the traditional cotton mop heads, you should replace them after 30 washes maximum. If you use the more modern microfiber heads then these last considerably longer. You can get up to 500 washes out of these before they need to buy replacements.

You may need to change these broad guidelines in some cases though. It depends on how frequently they get used and how hazardous the area is. You will almost definitely feel the need to replace the bathroom mops before the ones used for the hallways.


How to Clean Mop Heads After Use?

How you clean your mop heads will depend on whether they are removable or not.

You need to be sure you are using the appropriate detergent and, ideally, a high temperature for the cycle.

Never assume that mops are self cleaning due to being covered in cleaning chemicals. This isn’t the case because as soon as moisture hits them, bacteria build. Therefore, whatever your mop preference, they need cleaning after every use.


How To Clean Removable Mop Heads

  • Remove the mop heads from the handles.
  • Rinse well under tap water as this will loosen some of the dirt trapped in them.
  • You can then use either the washing machine or the dishwasher to clean them.
  • Follow the correct procedure for the mop type.
  • Let it fully dry before storage.

How To Clean Non Removable Mop Heads

  • Add the correct quantity of detergent into a bucket and add hot water.
  • Rinse the mop under the tap first to loosen any dirt.
  • Pop the mop into the bucket and work up a good lather.
  • Rinse well.
  • Refill the bucket with bleach and water and leave the mop to soak for 10 minutes.
  • Rinse thoroughly.
  • Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
  • Leave to air dry before storage.

FAQs

What colour mop for a kitchen?

Yellow is the universal colour code for use in the kitchen so all mops and buckets should be this colour. This avoids spreading bacteria across multiple environments.

What colour mop and bucket for a bathroom or toilet?

Red is the mop and bucket colour for bathrooms when using the universal colour code system. This was introduced by BICS in the 1990s.

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