To maintain medical asepsis in a patient room, which cleaning approach is correct?

• A. Clean from most contaminated to least contaminated.
• B. Wear gloves at all times, even when not contaminated.
• C. Skip gloves when contaminated.
• D. Clean from least contaminated to most contaminated, wear gloves when contaminated, and disinfect surfaces appropriately; dispose waste properly.

Answer: (D)

Preventing the spread of infection relies on cleaning from clean to dirty, using gloves when there is potential contact with contaminated surfaces, disinfecting appropriately, and disposing of waste properly. Cleaning from the least contaminated areas first minimizes the chance of transferring microbes to spaces that are supposed to be clean. Wearing gloves whenever you might touch contaminated materials protects both patient and staff and helps prevent cross-contamination. Disinfection should follow product guidelines so surfaces are effectively killed, and waste should be disposed of properly to avoid spreading contamination. The other approaches would increase infection risk—reversing the cleaning order, wearing gloves all the time when not needed, or skipping gloves during contamination.