Guides & How-Tos

Heavy metals like lead and mercury pose serious health risks and require specialised cleaning solutions. Hanleys supplies a range of lead removal cleaning and hygiene products. Let us introduce you to the D-LEAD range, designed to effectively remove toxic metal contamination and support workplace safety across high-risk industries.

What Are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements with high density and atomic weight. While they exist in the environment, they are commonly defined by their toxic potential to humans and ecosystems—even at very low concentrations.

Lead is among the most well-known hazardous heavy metals including mercury, chromium, and cadmium. These substances are widely used across industries such as manufacturing,

Queensland is generating waste faster than its population is growing. In 2024-25, the state produced more than 10 million tonnes of waste, an increase of around 440,000 tonnes in just one year. At the same time, less than 30 per cent of household waste is being diverted from landfill — well short of the state’s recovery targets. See ABC article.

These figures make one thing clear: improving recycling outcomes isn’t just about setting targets. It’s about how waste systems are designed and used every day. Businesses, schools, facilities and households all share the responsibility of waste management. The way we label bins, place recycling stations and manage waste streams can either support better recycling — or quietly undermine it.

Making Recycling Easy and Effective

In organisations, at schools, or at home, recycling success depends

Doing laundry isn’t just about throwing clothes into a machine — whether at home, in a care facility, or in a commercial laundry, following the right processes ensures better results, longer-lasting fabrics, and greater efficiency. This guide covers the essentials: from wash programs and fabric classification to troubleshooting common laundry problems.

The WATCH Principle: 5 Key Variables in Cleaning

At the core of effective laundry is the WATCH principle. These five variables work together to determine wash quality:

• WATER – The universal carrier that transports both chemicals and soil.

• ACTION – The mechanical movement that loosens soil and circulates fresh cleaning solution.

• TIME – The duration needed for chemicals to penetrate and act on soils.

• CHEMICAL

Understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting is essential for maintaining a healthy environment - in homes, schools, childcare centres, aged care facilities, offices, or healthcare settings. While both are necessary for optimal hygiene, cleaning and disinecting serve different purposes - mistaking one for the other can lead to the spread of germs that may cause illness.

By clearly understanding when and how to clean versus disinfect, cleaners can create more hygienic spaces, prevent the spread of germs, and ensure the products and methods they use are effective for the situation. 

Step 1: Cleaning – “Removing the Gunk”

Cleaning is the process of removing dirt, dust, and germs from surfaces. Typical or daliy cleaning doesn't necessarily kill germs, but by removing

When it comes to hygiene and convenience, paper hand towel is essential for homes and businesses alike. Whether you're outfitting a busy office washroom or mopping up food mess in your home kitchen, the right towel does more than just dry hands. The right choice of towel supports hygiene standards, minimises waste, and can even reduce operational costs when used efficiently with a compatible dispenser. This guide will walk you through the key considerations for choosing paper hand towels and help you find the right fit for your space.

Things to Consider: Ply, Absorbency & Fold Type

Choosing the right towel begins with understanding ply, absorbency and folding style:

Ply: Refers to the number of layers in a sheet. 2-ply options are often

This article has been updated for Clean Up Australia Day 2025, which takes place on Sunday 2nd of March. This comprehensive guide includes all you need to know about Clean Up Australia Day for individuals, schools and business – from how to register your event, to activities for schools, and recommended products for your clean up kit.

While our nation’s pollution problem can’t be solved with an annual clean up day, the clean up and the lead up is a great time to reflect on your environmental impact and learn ways to improve it. Beyond the clean up, there are many small and practical ways to act to protect the environment and alleviate Eco anxiety.

Every year on the 5th of May is World Hand Hygiene Day. Join hands with us in promoting proper hand hygiene practices - your health and wellbeing with thank you.

At Hanleys, we stock an unmatched range of hand wash and hand sanitiser brands and supply to healthcare, aged care, schools, hospitality and more industries where hand hygiene is of utmost importance.

Hand hygiene isn't just a routine task; it's a cornerstone of healthcare, essential for safeguarding patient safety and preventing infections. That's why the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign, led by the World Health Organization, resonates with us.

We're proud to be your trusted partner in maintaining impeccable hand hygiene standards. With our extensive range of hand wash and hand sanitisers, we've got you covered, no matter your preference or requirement.

Our selection of hand care brands, include renowned names like Gojo, Purell, Deb, SC Johnson, Diversey, Kleenex, Agar, Aquim, and more. From hand soap dispensers with

If you’re dreading spending countless hours scrubbing, hosing and sweating, you’re not alone. But what if we told you there’s a solution that saves you time, money (and sweat)? Hanleys is your complete solution for all things cleaning. Use the products the professionals use and make exterior house cleaning a breeze this festive season.

Bond cleaning is often a daunting task, especially when it comes to ensuring you meet the standards required for getting your bond back or getting paid (if you’re the cleaner). But, with the right approach and the proper cleaning products, you can streamline the process and achieve exceptional results.

In this guide, we share some professional industry tips and recommend Hanleys products to help you through the task efficiently.

Pro Tip 1: WATCH

When it comes to effective bond cleaning and housekeeping, remember the acronym WATCH:

Water: the universal carrier – the vehicle for your chemical and the soil it removes.

Action: assists with dislodging the soil from the surface. Action also helps move fresh cleaning solution to the point needed.

Time: chemical solution needs time to penetrate the soil and take effect – this depends on the nature of the soil and the chemical used.

Chemical: you must select the correct type of chemical & dilution for the best results.

Heat: for every 10 degree

Summer is a time to enjoy the great Australian outdoors, but it's also a season that brings a host of pesky pests that can spoil the fun. These pests can pose a severe threat to your health and well-being, ranging from mosquitoes and spiders to bees and wasps, cockroaches, ants and termites. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at each of these pests, including their characteristics, behaviours, and potential impacts, as well as some tips on preventing and controlling them.