Learn to be a Better Cleaner
- Domestic or Commercial
- Choose the right cleaning products and equipment for each job
- Avoid damaging buildings and furnishings - choose appropriate techniques
- Learn the fine points of many cleaning techniques
- Full support from expert tutors and sound feedback on submitted assignments
A Lot of Work Opportunities
Virtually every public building employs cleaners, from restaurants, offices and shopping centres to community centres and hotels. Cities employ cleaners to sweep the streets, and clean public places. Transport companies employ cleaners to clean trains, planes, trams, ferry boats, cars etc. Private households increasingly employ part time cleaners, particularly when both spouses work, and there is sufficient extra money to pay for a cleaner.
Why Study?
Studying cleaning sets you apart, making you more attractive to an employer, or client.
Anyone who has employed cleaners will tell you that there are good ones and bad. Often a cleaner might be employed because they are in the right place at the right time, and they "seem nice"; but to keep and thrive in a cleaning job, you need to perform, and to do that you do need to know what you are doing. Cleaners are also often employed because they are "recommended". Those who are new to the cleaning industry may start a cleaning business with a little well thought marketing; getting a few clients. If you follow that path, your business needs to impress those first clients and then recommend you to others.
Whatever way you find work in the cleaning industry one thing is clear - you will prosper if you understand more about how to clean different things, different ways, and as a result, do a better job.
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Nature and Scope of Cleaning
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Introduction
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Standard Types of Cleaning
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Bond Cleans
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Outdoor Work
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Cleaning Roles – general cleaners, specialist cleaners,
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Chemicals/Products
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Natural versus Synthetic Products
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General Procedures (over 25 product types reviewed)
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Equipment and Tools
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Inventory and Resourcing
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Reporting Concerns
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Disposal of Waste
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Compliance with legislation
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Sustainability and Maintaining Reputation
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Pest Control -spiders, rodents, insects
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Cleaning Stains & Specialist Cleaning Techniques
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Introduction
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Categories of Stains
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Protein Stains
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Carbohydrate Stains
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Lipid Stains
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Pigment Stains
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Resin Stains
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Cleaning Artwork – restoration
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Cleaning Products You can Make Easily
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Floor Care
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Introduction
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Carpet Cleaning
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Deep Cleaning Carpet
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Shampooing Carpet – manually, with a machine
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Steam Cleaning Carpet
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Removing Pigment Stains from Carpet
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Rugs
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Sisal, Jute, Seagrass
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Wool
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Cleaning Newer Timber Floors
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Cleaning Reclaimed Timber
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Waxing and Polishing Timber
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Unvarnished Timber
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Varnished Timber
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Tiles
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Porcelain Tiles
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Stone Tiles
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Concrete/Cement Floors
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Bamboo Flooring
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Linoleum
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Outdoor Ground Surface Cleaning
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Tiles
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Paving
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Timber
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Concrete
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Artificial Grass
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Furniture & Furnishings
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Furniture versus Furnishings
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Cleaning Furniture
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Upholstered Furniture – general clean, deep clean
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Wood Fixings
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Waxing Furniture
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Polishing
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Conducting Inspections
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Cleaning Leather
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Linen Cleaning
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Assessing Quality of Linen
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Care of Linen
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Fibre Structure and Appearance -tensile strength, Elongation, Elasticity, Specific Gravity
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Effect of Moisture
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Chemical Properties of Fibres
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Insect Resistance
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Resistance to Microorganisms
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Electrical Properties
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Effect of Sunlight
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Thermal Properties
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Fire Resistance
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Classification of Fibres
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Natural Fibres -Cotton, Linen, Wool
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Manmade Fibres – Viscose Rayon, Acetate, Nylon, Polyester, Acrylic, Plypropylene, Fibreglass
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Blended Fibres
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Washroom Cleaning
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Importance of Hygiene
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Routing Cleaning Maintenance
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Wash Basins and Taps
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Soap Dispensers
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Mirrors
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Paper Towel Dispensers
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Hand Dryers
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Vending Machines
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Sanitary Item Dispensers
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Sharps Disposal Containers
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Toilet Paper Holders
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Toilets
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Urinals
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Light Fixtures
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Floor Cleaning
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Rubbish Removal and Disposal
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Vandalism
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Replacing Dispensers
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Workplace Health and Safety
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Avoiding Falling
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Caustic and Corrosive Cleaners
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Kitchen Hygiene and Cleaning
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Introduction
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Storage Cupboards
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Sink and Drainage Area
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Removing drain blockages
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Cleaning Sinks
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Oven Cleaning
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Oven Door
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Cooktop -gas, ceramic, metal, etc
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Refrigerator
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Freezer
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De-icing
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Freezer Drains
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Defrosting a Freezer
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Dishwasher
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Waste Disposal
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Waste Disposal and Work Flow
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Organic Waste Disposal
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Commercial Cleaning
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Introduction
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Divisions of Commercial Cleaning
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Janitorial Work -finding work, cleaning skills, building maintenance, administration, general
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Commercial Cleaner Work – finding work, skills/scope of work
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Specialist Cleaning Jobs
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High Rise Window Cleaner
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Professional Laundry Worker
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Future outlook for Cleaning Industry
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Cleaning Businesses
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Introduction
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Cleaners versus Housekeepers
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Essential Cleaning Skills
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Advanced Cleaning Skills
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Administrative Skills
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General Skills
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Becoming a Residential Cleaner
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Joining a Franchise
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Setting up your Own Business
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Getting a first Client
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Introductory Offers/ Loss Leaders
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Advertising -local print, digital, etc
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Complaints
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Explain the nature of the cleaning industry, equipment and materials used, and concepts such as sustainability.
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Understand how to clean a range of stains from different surfaces and specialist cleaning techniques.
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Describe how to clean different indoor floor surfaces and outdoor ground surfaces.
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Understand ways to clean furnishings and furniture including a range of fabrics and other materials.
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Understand what is involved in washroom cleaning including toilets bathrooms.
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Understand how to clean and maintain hygiene in kitchens in residential homes, cafes, and restaurants.
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Discuss requirements for working in a range of commercial cleaning ventures such as cleaners in industry, hospitals, shopping centres, or for specific purposes.
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Discuss the requirements for cleaners working primarily as cleaners of residential buildings.
What You Will Do
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Choose one indoor and one outdoor floor surface to clean, either where you live or where you work. Clean each of these two surfaces using notes from this lesson, your own knowledge and any other tips you may have found out through research. Take photos before you clean the surface, during cleaning and after cleaning. Also photograph any cleaning products you used and how you made them (if you combined ingredients). Remember to follow health and safety guidelines. Don’t mix chemicals you are unsure about. Wear personal protective equipment and ensure the room for your indoor surface is well-ventilated.
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Search for residential cleaning jobs in your nearest town or city. You may find these online via jobs websites or you may find them in the classified section of newspapers. Try to find three different jobs that are currently being advertised and make notes on what they ask for. Note: If you can’t find any jobs advertised in your nearest town or city try looking further afield. The point is to get an idea of what sort of skills and duties are required.
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Find out what different types of cleaning services are available in your town or city (or nearest large town if you live in a rural or remote location). You may find this information quickly through conducting an online search. Make a note of what services are being offered, the most common types of service and those which are less common.
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Get hold of a piece of fabric which you can experiment with by applying and attempting to remove stains. For example, you could use an old sheet, an item of clothing, or perhaps pick up an off-cut of material from a fabric or sewing accessories store. It is better for this experiment to use something which is pale and plain coloured (not patterned) so that the stains are easy to see. Don’t use anything of value to you in case you permanently damage it. Apply five stains to the fabric as follows: Protein stain – egg yolk is probably easiest, but you could rub grass onto the fabric or use blood from a piece of fresh meat; Carbohydrate stain – tomato sauce, chocolate or gravy; Lipid stain – cooking oil or machine oil; Pigment stain – pen ink; Resin stain – wax, glue or tree sap. Next, take a photo of each stain and label it. Now, attempt to remove each stain using methods described in this course (take precautions where necessary e.g. wear rubber gloves, eye goggles and a face mask which blocks vapours, and do this in a ventilated room). Photograph the end result and once again label your photos.
These activities are examples of what you will do in the course.
There are 8 assignments - one for each lesson - which are marked and returned with feedback from your tutor also. At the end of the module, you can formalise your learning and sit the exam in Cleaning Solutions to obtain the Statement of Attainment. This is the final challenge to assess your knowledge. You will receive your Statement of Attainment in Cleaning Solutions (Home and Work) to present to employers or anyone with an interest in your industry competence.
Working flexibly, online with no set deadlines to meet, makes this substantial online course in Cleaning the perfect option for busy people.
Get in touch with us to find out more about this course or other options for learning with ACS. Our friendly team of Enrolment Advisors are here to help you.
OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK IN CLEANING
Domestic
Working as a domestic cleaner provides a lot of opportunity if you are good at what you do. Time efficient and a good finish is what is sought after.
You can work as a domestic cleaner without qualification but to be trusted you may complete suitable course which demonstrates your skills and knowledge. The job market demands so much of people. As a domestic cleaner, you may work on your own or in small teams, or you may run your own business and organise jobs for employees. You will need to have a comprehensive knowledge of legislation and possibly even employment regulations.
Commercial Cleaning
You can specialise in a particular area of cleaning such as offices, residential complexes and care homes, hospitals, schools and childcare settings, industrial workplaces, aircraft… and more.
- If you want to work in the recreation or hospitality sector, cleaning is essential, upskill today. Add this Statement of Attainment to your resume or CV, stand out from the crowd.
- Working in the health sector? You know how important cleaning and sanitation really is.
- Working in childcare or in schools? Tidy, clean schools make for productive and effective classrooms. Hygiene is important for children too with high numbers of people in one place.
- Working in cinemas, on aircraft etc? In these and some other situations, you must meet tight turnaround times. Efficiency is a key skill.
Who is this Course For?
- Anyone starting or running a commercial cleaning business
- Anyone seeking to work as a domestic housekeeper or cleaner
- Staff training - eg. hotel managers or others may use this course to train their cleaning staff
- Building managers - to understand, monitor and better manage the services of your cleaning staff
- Home owners -to better understand how to clean what in their homes
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