Office cleaning is one of those services you may not notice until it isn’t being done. But we know there are significant benefits to solid office cleaning from lowered employee absenteeism to higher employee productivity. For these reasons and more, it is critical to partner with an effective office cleaning company that not only follows cleaning industry best practices but also delivers real value to your facility. While much of your office cleaning comes down to the commercial cleaning company you contract with, there are things you can do to help them deliver great services to you day after day.
The summer months in your facility present a unique set of issues for both you and your janitorial services company. Each season has a set of challenges and summer is no different. When that warm weather hits, it’s hard to resist the call of pools, barbecues, boating and other summer evening plans. Never mind we might love our jobs and places of employment, summer’s siren song is hard to resist. So we watch the clock waiting for that magical hour and we count down the days until our vacations. But all too often in the haste to getaway, we can leave behind cluttered desks, piles of forgotten takeout in the office fridge and more that can make it had for your office cleaning company to give you their best work. Don’t let summer forgetfulness get in the way of your office cleaning company giving you the most effective service throughout the year. There are a few easy things you can do to prepare for summer and even make use of some of the downtime to attend to other needs in your facility.
Your office cleaners are generally asked to clean the clear areas of work spaces and desks without moving and disturbing things on it. Sure, your office cleaners will toss a paper coffee cup or two but papers and trash left behind or files and papers strewn about make it much harder for your office cleaners to clean your office! And when you are on vacation, often others have to use, look through or even just look at your work space so other good reasons to get your desk organized BEFORE you head out of town. As a Facility Manager, it is helpful to instruct employees to organize their work areas before they leave for the day and before planned vacations. Doing so is thoughtful to your colleagues and helps your cleaning company do their best work and deliver value to your facilities.
Is your office refrigerator becoming something straight out of a horror movie? Is it quickly becoming a collection of science experiments rather than a safe place to stow your lunch until noon? Do stacks of Styrofoam takeout containers threaten to topple every time you open the door? Does the smell of days old food and crusty condiments hit you the minute you step into the break room or cafeteria? Summer generally means more people taking time off which often translates into a growing, molding, and stinking office refrigerator. Add to that the fact that summer can be the time of office cookouts and celebrations that lead to half-covered sheet cakes and seven half empty ketchup containers filling the shelves. Not only is a filthy office refrigerator gross, it can actually become a health hazard. If you can get employees to claim that half eaten tuna sandwich or Chinese takeout, it is best to periodically designate a clean out day and post a notice giving your people time to claim anything they don’t want thrown away. We suggest you schedule the clean out just before your office cleaning company comes so unrefrigerated food isn’t left out very long.
Though summer is one of the most longed for times of the year, it can be less than comfortable for those individuals who suffer from seasonal allergies. The best and most effective office cleaning companies must make cleaning for health a priority. That means that your office cleaning service can help do their part to assure good indoor air quality for everyone by reducing allergens and irritants in your facility. What types of things can your office cleaning company to help improve air quality? Daily vacuuming will aid in removing dust and allergens from the air. Additionally, summer offers a good opportunity to deep clean carpets removing further allergens. Check to see that your office cleaning company uses low moisture carpet cleaning like the Whitaker system. This revolutionary carpet cleaning method is easier on the environment as it uses less product, water and hastens drying. Furthermore, summer might be your chance to clean HVAC ducts and filters further improving your building’s air quality.
Whether you are right on track with preventive maintenance or you have a list of to-dos a mile long, summer offers a good time to tackle deep cleaning and preventative maintenance. Often summer can mean better weather, less traffic in your facility which can make it a suitable time to do deep cleaning, repairs and maintenance. Did you know that many building services companies also offer a myriad of added maintenance and handyman services? These might include tasks like carpentry and wall repairs, window washing, plumbing, painting, HVAC preventive maintenance, electrical and more. Is summer a good time for you to tackle your to do list before it becomes overwhelming? Do you have areas of your facility that could use a deep cleaning? Do you have repairs or maintenance that needs to get knocked out? If so, get on touch with your building services contractor and they can help you plan cleaning and maintenance to best fit your needs and summer schedule.
You and your facility deserve effective, responsive cleaning that offers real value. If you aren’t getting the work your janitorial company promised, now might be the right time to rethink your commercial cleaning services. Reduced maintenance budgets mean your office cleaning company needs to work with your budgets to keep complaints from stacking up and keep your facility in good, clean condition. Thoughtful summer planning and maintenance can be a big part of staying on track with your office cleaning assuring that your facility stays clean and running smoothly this summer and every season.