JAN-PRO Philadelphia outlines how clinical cleaning differs from office cleaning

JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Philadelphia released guidance on July 23, 2026, focused on surface disinfection in outpatient care. The advisory says clinical spaces need cleaner-specific protocols, documented standards and training that general office cleaning does not cover.

Why it matters: - The CDC estimates about 1 in 31 hospital patients has a healthcare-associated infection on any given day. - Environmental surfaces can help spread those infections. - The same pathogens seen in hospitals, including C. diff, MRSA and norovirus, also show up in outpatient offices, clinics and specialty practices. - Clinical cleaning affects infection control in places where most patients receive care.

What happened: - JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Philadelphia released guidance on how clinical cleaning differs from general office cleaning. - The guidance focuses on surface disinfection in outpatient care. - The release was issued July 23, 2026. - The company serves Philadelphia and surrounding counties, including Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Bucks.

The details: - Clinical settings must follow standards such as CDC environmental cleaning guidance and OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. - General office cleaning scopes do not address those standards. - Cleaning must come before disinfecting. - Disinfectant applied over visible soil does not reach pathogens beneath it. - Surfaces should be cleaned first, then disinfected as separate steps. - Hospital-grade disinfectants must be used at labeled contact times. - Each disinfectant label lists a dwell time, which is the number of minutes the surface must stay wet to kill what the product claims to kill. - Wiping surfaces dry too early means the surface has not been fully disinfected. - Color-coded microfiber systems help prevent cross-contamination. - Those systems keep restroom materials separate from exam-surface materials. - Written protocols should reference CDC guidance and OSHA requirements. - Those documents are the records a practice may need during an audit. - Training must be specific to clinical environments. - Waiting rooms, exam rooms and procedure rooms have different requirements, including how regulated areas are handled.

Between the lines: - The guidance signals that many medical offices may be using cleaning routines built for standard workplaces rather than care settings. - Chad Janak, president at JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Philadelphia, said a medical office is not just an office. - Janak said practice managers should ask whether cleaning happens before disinfecting and whether the protocol can be shown immediately. - The emphasis on documentation suggests compliance matters as much as cleaning technique. - Philadelphia’s dense network of hospital-affiliated practices, independent clinics and specialty offices raises the stakes for infection control.

What's next: - JAN-PRO Philadelphia says protocol reviews and facility walkthroughs are available by request. - The company also offers medical office cleaning in Philadelphia, commercial cleaning in Philadelphia and medical facility cleaning in Montgomery County. - Practices that want to assess their procedures can call (610) 209-7589. - More information is available on the company’s LinkedIn page, Instagram profile, Facebook page and Yelp listing.

The bottom line: - Clinical cleaning is not the same as office cleaning, and the difference comes down to standards, sequence, documentation and training.