Importance of Wearing Gloves
The main reasons for wearing gloves in a janitorial or other cleaning position is to minimize the spread of germs as well as for chemical and puncture protection for the person wearing the gloves. As a janitor or other sanitary maintenance worker, one of their main goals is to keep the environment they’re working in clean and germ free to stop the spread of sickness, which means it is vital that they use gloves. Hands remain cleaner and don’t spread germs when they are protected by a glove barrier.
Anyone working with chemicals on a regular basis should be wearing gloves in order to protect themselves from any harmful effects that come from skin being in contact with chemicals.
What Gloves to Wear
For basic cleaning tasks, a pair of disposable latex, nitrile, or vinyl gloves are suitable protection. However, nitrile gloves are strongly recommended for cleaning tasks that take place in healthcare industry environments because nitrile has high levels of chemical and puncture resistance. In many environments, particularly in healthcare, you want to choose a disposable glove because you’ll be changing gloves very frequently.
Flock-Lined Gloves: This type of glove comes in nitrile or latex and is constructed with a cotton lining and extend past the wrist giving full coverage to wearers. They are extremely durable and suitable for long-term wear when working in cleaning tasks that have a prolonged exposure to water. Flock-lined gloves can withstand many different types of cleaners and detergents and they do a great job of keeping any sort of irritant away from your skin. While they protect your hands from water and many cleaners, they do not do a very good job of protecting from abrasions.
Neoprene Gloves: These gloves are one of the most durable styles that you’ll find. They’re very industrial and can withstand many harsh chemicals and acid based cleaners. Since they are so sturdy, they can be used for a long period of time, however their thickness inhibits their dexterity.