Colour-coded cleaning is the process of designating colours to cleaning equipment (buckets, cloths, brushes, brooms, mops, etc.) in certain areas of a venue, reducing the spread of germs across areas and increasing hygiene throughout a business or home.
Cleaning areas are categorised according to their level of contamination risk.
While many cleaning companies adopt their own colour-coded cleaning system, The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) guidelines are:
RED for high-risk areas - urinals, toilets and washroom floors.
YELLOW for clinical / healthcare use - all other washroom surfaces, including sinks, mirrors, cubicles, tiled walls, glass and metal.
GREEN for general food and drink preparation areas - kitchens, bars and food processing factories.
BLUE for general lower risk areas, excluding floor areas - offices, classrooms, window ledges, corridors, general dusting and polishing.
WHITE for bespoke or site-specific areas.