Accessibility is sometimes in what you spray, mop, wipe, or squeeze.
Today, I want to talk about cleaning and accessibility. Now, keeping things clean is a part of being accessible. A space without clutter is safer for people to move around - especially if they cannot see or if their walking is uneven, or if they use a wheelchair or other mobility aid. Unclean and cluttered spaces pose access barriers for a lot of people. Even if disability can sometimes make cleaning hard, an accessible space is usually a clean one. That said: how you clean, and the products you use, matter too.
In this issue, I will discuss six things you can do to make sure that when you clean, you are also keeping your space accessible. This list is obviously not comprehensive - just a few tips to get you started.
Much of this post will focus on two families of disabilities: multiple chemical sensitivity and disabilities that affect gait, or how we walk:
People with MCS have reactions to certain substances that can make them feel sick, cause dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations, and vomiting, make it hard to breathe, and difficulty remembering, among other things. These reactions can occur from touching a substance, but more often, from inhaling it. People with other disabilities often experience similar things - for example, many people on the autism spectrum become nauseous around certain substances that do not affect most people.
People with disabilities that affect gait may walk more slowly, need support from a cane or other devices, and are usually at higher risk of trips and falls. They often have disabilities that also mean they have trouble sensing if a surface is slippery or unstable. Common disabilities in this category include dementia (including Alzheimer’s), Parkinson’s disease, brain injury, muscular sclerosis, arthritis, among other conditions.
I will also talk a bit about access for other people, too.
Choosing Good Products
One good way to make spaces better for people with MCS and other conditions is to use products that are less likely to trigger people’s conditions. When I say “trigger” here, I do not mean in the way that causes media brouhahas – rather, I mean, “something where the fumes might cause a person to have a physical reaction.”
When possible, use scent- and odor-free cleaning products. These are often called “free and clear” or “fragrance-free” products. As much as many people may appreciate the “clean” smell, for other people, that smell can lead to nearly instant nausea, dizziness, or other issues. For example: “new car” and bleach smells make me nauseous within a minute or two. There are many good products out there – both from big-name brands and from local suppliers. Here in the United States, I like the Seventh Generation and Method brands. Many small businesses have started selling such products – here is an example from my friend Rachel Felous’ store, Simply Zero, in Loveland, Ohio:
(Please go visit her stores, both of which are in Greater Cincinnati! They are accessible and have lots of disability-friendly, zero-waste products. You can also order online from the link before the photo.)
There are some chemicals you should try to avoid when possible. People with MCS do react to a wide range of chemicals that differ from person to person, but a few chemicals are common triggers. These include, but are not limited to:
Phthalates
Formaldehyde
Pinene
Bleach
Benzene
Acetone
Ammonia
These chemicals are usually listed on cleaning products’ ingredients. Many of these can also trigger issues for other people – for example, autistic people (like me), anyone who is pregnant, or people who use oxygen and other breathing equipment.
While good products help, you may sometimes need to use a chemical that can cause problems. For example: certain health and safety codes require you to use bleach when cleaning certain types of spills, or scent- and odor-free products may not be available in your area.
Keep Your Space Ventilated
Ventilation helps for any product you use – especially if you need to use a product that can be harmful for some people. While a ventilated space is always good, it is especially helpful for cleaning in an accessible way. Here are some things you can do:
If you have a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, turn on the fan to help pull fumes out of the area.
In a kitchen, you can turn on ventilation fans
Many air purifiers can help you filter out fumes; check for HEPA-certified air filters
Open windows, or both windows and doors
Block Slip, Trip, and Fall Risks
The best way to prevent people from falling is to make sure they are not at risk for falling in the first place. To do so, you should try to block off areas where people can more easily slip, trip, or fall.
Where possible, block off any area where:
A spill or other accident has not been cleaned
Cleaning is ongoing – for example, mopping or vacuuming
You have just cleaned, and the floor is still wet or slick
You can use anything to block the area off. Many nice office buildings use stanchions to rope off an area, for example. You can use something simpler. For example, one ice cream store I like often uses their chairs, and cleans each half of the shop in separate shifts.
Make sure the block is something that people can both see and touch! For example – a sign can help (see below), but people may be confused as to where the slippery area is, or, if they are blind, not see it at all.
If you have specific questions about slip, trip, and fall risks, contact your insurance company. Most insurance companies employ specialists that can help you assess risk and answer questions. (My husband is one – and I am a totally fair and biased observer, of course.) While insurance staff do not focus on disability, the risks that they assess do disproportionately affect people with gait disabilities.
Let People Know with Signs
Signs do not substitute for blocks, but they do help many people. Some people will recognize the sign before they see a blocked-off slippery area. If you cannot realistically block off the area – say, in a busy supermarket – you can use signs to let people know that there is a risk. Also, many people with MCS use signs to know if they need to avoid a certain area.
Here in North America, we have a standard type of sign that indicates that there is a wet floor, or that cleaning is in progress. You will probably recognize them if you are sighted: they are yellow, triangular, and often have a person seemingly making a jazz hands gesture on them.
I suggest using these signs, as they are easy for many people to recognize from afar:
If you do not have these signs, or want to use another sign, that is okay! I will talk about accessible custom signs in a later issue, but write clearly and simply, using contrasting colors. Have both an image and text, as different people process one or the other more quickly. And in general, a clear sign is still better than no sign. (As my friend Meryl says, progress over perfection.)
If you do have a regular time you clean, put up a sign letting people know when that time is. It can be very simple – e.g., “our custodians come by around 10am every day to this part of the building,” or “we close for cleaning from 4pm to 4:15pm daily.” Put this information on your website too. Many good examples can be found on public pool websites, as pools often close at set times for cleaning.
Clean When It Is Quiet
When possible, do your cleaning when the space is less-trafficked. This may seem to be “common sense,” but it does make it much easier for people with disabilities to enter and leave a space when it is not being cleaned at the same time. People with MCS can avoid sensory exposure, and people with disabilities that affect their movement - and everyone else - can avoid slippery surfaces. Generally speaking, in a smaller space, you will be able to clearly identify times when things are a bit quieter.
This advice is for your routine, scheduled cleaning. Of course, there are some times when you will need to clean when many people are about. For example, if there is a spill, or something not hygienic happens, you will need to clean as soon as you can. The other points of advice will help you here.
Talk to Your Workers and Staff
You should tell workers about any changes you need to make to how you clean. But you should also listen. Your staff - especially any janitorial staff and others doing the cleaning - will likely have observations that can help you with these other tips. For example: when is the busy time? Is there a room where the ventilation is not enough? These workers are often your “first line” of discovery.
Make it easy for customers to contact you too - and make sure they can talk to a human. People may need to ask questions about cleaning products when they request accommodations, or may need to provide feedback on something that affected them. This information can help you stay accessible - and make any changes. Go for the simplest method of contact possible - even if it is just an email.
And, of course, you can always talk to me if you need more support. Remember that you can always book an appointment to learn more about OHA’s services on the website.
Opossum House/Jonathan’s updates
And now, for my update.
The past few weeks have been filled with many, many meetings! I have been conferring not just with current collaborators and folks I met at the Maryland Association of Counties conference a few weeks ago. I have filled yet another little notebook with notes from conversations with all sorts of people - and I look forward to unveiling some projects soon!
In a capacity separate from Opossum House, I am also working as a consultant with a really wonderful company called EdPros Digital, led by Ian Kunkes and Yoni Glaser. EdPros provides targeted, expert support for higher education institutions on digital accessibility, accommodations, disability policy, and accessibility-related project management. I am working with them to help institutions ensure that their digital resources and practices are accessible. Ian and Yoni are great and bring a lot of experience and wisdom - which, as a newer consultant, I really appreciate.
Finally, a fun accessibility thing I found at a synagogue. My husband and I recently went to a different synagogue from our own for the naming ceremony for our friends’ very cute, very sweet baby girl! At this synagogue - Ohev Sholom in Northwest DC - I spotted this cool box of reading glasses. These are available for anyone to borrow if they forget theirs when coming to synagogue. This practice is really neat - especially for older adults who often have intermittent vision needs. The googly eyes are a nice touch.
See you soon,
Jonathan Katz-Ouziel