As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across Australia and the world, one thing is clear - professional cleaners are playing a critical role in the fight to contain the virus.
At Cleancorp, the phones haven’t stopped ringing.
“We’ve gone from standard business hours to cleaning around the clock, almost 24/7,” says Hela Mejri, Operations Manager at Cleancorp.
With virus transmission via surfaces a key concern, businesses are calling on commercial cleaning teams like ours to carry out intensive sanitisation and infection-control cleans. From offices to gyms, retail stores to warehouses, our team is working day and night to help reduce the spread and keep essential services running.
But behind the scenes, the pressure is mounting. Cleaners are being asked to enter high-risk environments with little public recognition, and in many cases, limited protective gear. Some companies, like Cleancorp, have stepped up safety protocols, supplying full PPE and hazmat-style protection to frontline workers.
Still, the industry as a whole is under strain. Cleaners are speaking out about a lack of equipment, inadequate training, and the very real fear of contracting the virus at work. And with 48% of commercial cleaners in Australia being foreign nationals (according to the 2016 Census), many are international students juggling strict visa limits and financial stress, despite being in high demand.
“We’re hearing from cleaners who are scared to go to work, but also can’t afford not to,” Hela adds. “This is a vulnerable workforce doing incredibly important work. They need more protection, more recognition, and more support.”
As cleaning becomes more central to the national COVID-19 response, there’s a growing call for the government to increase safety standards across the industry. Already, supermarkets and healthcare have received temporary exemptions for student visa work limits - cleaners may be next.
The United Workers Union has labelled commercial cleaners an “essential but invisible workforce,” and we couldn’t agree more.
At Cleancorp, we’re doing everything we can to protect our teams and support the clients who rely on us. This moment demands more than just cleaning - it demands leadership, empathy, and action.
Because if we want to keep Australia safe, we need to start with the people scrubbing down every surface to make that happen.
“It’s been very busy, we jumped from working eight hours a day to almost 24 hours, seven days a week to keep up with demand" said Lisa Macqueen, CEO.
Read the full SBS article here.