Category: Office Cleaning

11 May 2021
office cleaning

5 Common Office Cleaning Mistakes

office cleaning

As Americans slowly begin returning to the office, office cleaning protocols are at the top of everyone’s mind. Building superintendents, office managers, and workers are understandably concerned about cleanliness and safety in the workplace. While many office building managers are utilizing professional office cleaning services, others are relying on in-house staff to manage office cleaning responsibilities, and while your staff may have good intentions when it comes to cleaning, they often lack the knowledge and expertise that comes with professional cleaning services.

Here are five common mistakes that untrained cleaners make when performing office cleaning duties:

Spot Cleaning

One of the most common office cleaning mistakes, spot cleaning refers to the cleaning of only visible surfaces. Spot cleaners rarely move things in order to clean an entire surface. At first glance, your office may look clean, but deep down there are germs and bacteria lurking in hidden corners and unseen spaces.

Overlooking High-Touch Surfaces

High-touch surfaces such as door handles, keyboards, computer mice, shared office machines, elevator buttons, and light switches are areas that professional office cleaners pay particular attention to. These surfaces are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria and they should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly and often.

Failing To Disinfect

Cleaning is only the first step in the disinfecting process and it is often the only step an untrained office cleaner will take. In reality, surfaces should first be cleaned and then disinfected with an EPA-approved disinfectant. In addition, office cleaning staff must understand that different disinfectants require different dwell times to be effective. Failure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations is a failure to disinfect.

Avoiding Common Areas

Common areas such as breakrooms, restrooms, and kitchens are some of the dirtiest areas in your office building and without dedicated office cleaning staff, these areas are often avoided. While everyone wants a clean restroom, no one wants to clean it. Avoiding these areas is a huge mistake as they often harbor germs and bacteria that can spread viruses and disease.

Cross Contamination

Untrained office cleaning staff may not know the intricacies of avoiding cross-contamination. Mistakes like using the same cleaning cloth throughout the entire building or failing to change the mop head after cleaning the restroom. A professional office cleaning staff will understand how to avoid cross-contamination and will follow prescribed protocols to ensure that they are not moving germs and bacteria from one area to the next.

How To Avoid Common Cleaning Mistakes

The easiest way to avoid common office cleaning mistakes is to hire a quality office cleaning company. Professional cleaning crews are trained in office cleaning and disinfecting protocols and they are well aware of how to avoid common cleaning mistakes. Complete Care Maintenance can help with all of your professional office cleaning needs. Contact us today for a free consultation.

 

30 Apr 2021
cleaning and disinfecting

Cleaning And Disinfecting: The New Normal

cleaning and disinfecting

There is no denying it. The new normal demands that everyone steps up their cleaning and disinfecting protocols and procedures.

Let’s put all of our cards on the table and stop him-hawing around. There is no denying that the Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in a new normal for all of us and change is in the air. There is no longer time for a wait-and-see mentality. We have waited. We have seen. The elephant in the room can no longer be ignored.

We can not walk into a grocery store without noticing how Covid-19 has changed the world in which we live. Every interaction we have, every building we enter, every time we venture out in public, it is another environment we have been exposed to, another risk we have taken.  We have risked not just our own safety, but the safety of our family, friends, and neighbors. Everywhere we go, we are wary of the unseen danger.

People need to feel safe in these unprecedented times and as facility managers and business owners, we play a key role in adjusting to the new normal. We must help people to feel safe. It is both social responsibility and business imperative.

Cleaning And Disinfecting Makes People Feel Safe

The first step in making people feel safe in your facility is to create and implement a cleaning and disinfecting program that addresses peoples’ concerns. Your program should the latest safety, infection control, and cleaning protocols recommended in official guidance from the CDC, WHO, and OSHA. Your program should utilize EPA-recommended cleaning agents and disinfectants that are designated for use against Covid-19. You should also provide clear policies and procedures for cleaning and disinfecting your facility and include training for all employees on the proper handling, dwell times, and use of all cleaning chemicals and disinfectants.

That is a lot of work and it will take time and money to implement properly. There is the cost of chemicals and cleaning equipment, time spent researching and training staff on proper use, and safety protocols. And, of course, the time your staff will spend doing the actual cleaning and disinfecting – time they will not be spending doing the work you pay them to do.

If you do not have robust cleaning and disinfecting protocols already in place, starting from scratch may not be a viable option. You may find it more efficient and less costly to hire a reputable commercial cleaning company that has the equipment and know-how to hit the ground running.

Qualified commercial cleaning companies already have the trained staff, the proper procedures and protocols, the right tools and chemicals, and the knowledge and experience to clean and disinfect your facility effectively. All this adds up to reduced costs for you, faster time to implementation, improved employee productivity, and favorable public perception for your business.

The new normal demands that business owners and facility managers make cleaning and disinfecting an integral part of the customer service offerings. Customers, business partners, and staff now consider health and safety a top priority and it is your job to make them feel safe. This shift in public perception is not likely to go away anytime soon and the sooner you put a rigorous cleaning and disinfecting program in place, the better.

20 Apr 2021
janitorial services

Getting The Most Out Of Your Janitorial Services Company

janitorial cleaning

Hiring a janitorial services company can be a huge boon for your business, especially in the midst of the current pandemic. But we should not forget that janitorial services also come with a price tag and it is vital that you understand how to get the most out of your janitorial service provider to ensure the greatest return on your investment. Here are a few tips that will help you and your provider deliver the most bang for your buck:

Get An Accurate Janitorial Services Estimate

Often times when hiring a janitorial service for your place of business, cost becomes a primary factor in determining which provider you choose. It is important to keep in mind that low pricing is not really what ensures a healthy ROI. When vetting commercial cleaning companies you will likely receive a variety of quotes from different providers, and business owners often assume that all the quotes they receive reflect the same level of service.

The reality is if you do not take the time to clearly define your organizational needs you are leaving it up to the service provider to determine the level of service they will provide. Having a clear understanding of what you expect from your janitorial services company and ensuring that they understand your needs and expectations will go a long way toward getting more accurate quotes.

You should know how much space will need to be serviced, how much traffic that space receives, what services you require to maintain the space, and how often it will need to be cleaned. This information is important to your janitorial services provider because different facilities require different cleaning programs, different equipment, larger crews, and potentially more specialized cleaning and/or security protocols. All of these things are taken into consideration when providing an estimated cost for services.

How You Can Reduce Janitorial Services Costs

Consider Your Space

If we consider janitorial services costs on a cost per square foot basis we can find ways to reduce the cost overall. Obviously, the fewer square feet that need to be cleaned the lower the total cost. Of course, you do not want your janitorial services provider to only clean half of your office, but you may find that some areas of your facility require less frequent cleaning. Perhaps your 10,000 sq/ft facility houses 5,000 sq/ft of storage space, 2,500 sq/ft, of office space, and 2,500 sq/ft of common area. Your storage area likely does not need daily cleaning and if it does, it may be a task that can be managed by in-house staff, the same may be true for private office space. On the other hand, common areas and public-facing spaces do require more frequent and thorough cleaning.

Offer Employees A Work-From-Home Incentive

Believe it or not, the amount of traffic in your facility can impact the cost of cleaning. A break room that services 15 employees is much easier to clean than one that services 50 employees. Allowing employees to work from home when possible reduces the amount of daily traffic in your facility and the amount of time required to clean it. For instance, if your office building houses 35 private offices, that takes a relatively large cleaning crew several hours to properly clean. If half of your office staff works from home, you have effectively cut your cleaning requirements in half.

Consider The Frequency Of Cleaning

As was stated earlier, some areas in your facility require daily cleaning and disinfecting. Lobbies, entryways, breakrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and shared office spaces, just to name a few. These are the areas that you want your janitorial services provider to focus on. Other areas such as storage areas, stockrooms, and private offices may only need to be professionally cleaned once a week, or every other week.

Getting What You Paid For

Just as providing an accurate quote requires you to clearly communicate your needs and expectations, meeting your needs over time requires that you communicate effectively with your janitorial services provider. Organizational needs change over time and if you do not communicate these changes effectively, your service provider will have no incentive or reason to change the services they are providing.

Any reputable janitorial services company wants to retain your business. It is far less expensive for them to maintain an existing client account than to acquire a new one. They want to meet and exceed your expectations. That is why when needs or expectations change you should communicate those changes clearly to your provider.

This is true even when your needs have not changed, but your expectations are not being met. You should always reach out to your point of contact with the janitorial services company with any and all concerns. If you hired a reputable provider, they will bend over backward to ensure your expectations are met.

10 Apr 2021
spring cleaning

Spring Cleaning Tips For A Safer Workplace

spring cleaning

Spring is a time of renewal and rejuvenation. It is also the time of year that many of us begin our Spring cleaning regimen. While Spring cleaning is most often associated with residential spaces, we can institute this practice at work to help ensure a cleaner and safer workplace.

Safety hazards can be found in virtually any workplace, be it a retail store, office building, manufacturing plant, or warehouse. As the owner or manager of such a facility, mitigating these safety hazards is a high priority. After all, the costs associated with workplace injuries are substantial.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers pay an estimated $1 billion per week for direct worker’s compensation costs alone. Those direct costs include workers’ compensation payments, medical expenses, and costs for legal services. Then there are the indirect costs which include training new staff, accident investigation, implementing corrective measures, loss of productivity, repairs, lower employee morale, and absenteeism.

So, How Do You Mitigate Workplace Hazards?

As the owner or manager of a facility or workplace, there are several things that you can do to mitigate workplace hazards and thereby reduce the risk of workplace injuries. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Remove Clutter

A disorganized workplace is an unsafe workplace. If your workplace is littered with boxes, bags, paper, or unused equipment, you are setting yourself up for failure. Removing litter and debris is a no-brainer when it comes to workplace safety as these items can cause slip-and-fall accidents that are easily avoided. Removing and storing unused equipment, returned goods, and other unnecessary obstacles makes for a safer workplace as well.

Mitigate Fire Hazards

Clutter and debris are not only a major cause of slip and fall injuries, they are also potential fire hazards. Make sure that these items are cleared from your workplace and properly stored. Make fire exits easily accessible and ensure that fire systems are in good working order. A clutter-free workplace is much easier to evacuate in the event of a fire.

Store Things Properly

Proper storage of cleaning and other chemicals is imperative to the health and safety of your employees as is the proper storage of equipment and tools within your facility. Even boxes stored within your facility should be properly placed. Keep heavy items near waist level to avoid the need for bending or stooping. Where boxes are stacked, be sure that they are secured to prevent them from falling on someone.

Consider Hiring A Commercial Cleaning Company

Even if you only use them every Spring, a professional cleaning company can get your facility in tip-top shape quickly and efficiently. They can provide you with a yearly deep cleaning that helps reduce hazards throughout your facility and makes for a much healthier workplace. Quality commercial cleaning companies have the equipment and know-how to manage cleaning tasks that may be beyond your scope. For instance, they can more easily address high-ceiling spaces like warehouses and manufacturing plants. They can deep clean your carpets and floors to reduce slip and fall hazards and protect your floors.

Create A Cleaning Schedule

If you are not going to use a commercial cleaning company on a regular basis, you should consider creating a cleaning schedule. This way all the time and money that you invest in a Spring deep clean will not go to waste. Scheduling daily and weekly cleaning tasks will help to keep your workplace organized and clutter-free. This makes for a healthier and safer environment for you and your staff.

Spring is a great time to get your facility organized and safe. It is also a good time to set a precedent for cleanliness for the rest of the year. If you do not have the time or resources to get your facility in shape this Spring, or you just do not know where to start, contacting a reputable commercial cleaning company should be your first step.

 

 

 

 

20 Mar 2021
commercial cleaning

Add Commercial Cleaning To Your Marketing Plan

commercial cleaning

There is no doubt that the past year has changed the way that many businesses do business, and it has changed the way many business owners market their business. In a world still gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more businesses are recognizing that commercial cleaning should be a part of their marketing plan.

It is no longer enough to allow in-house staff to manage your business’ cleaning regimen. Cleaning has become so intricately entwined with the safety and value of a business that many business owners are turning to commercial cleaning companies to meet the demands and alleviate the concerns of a post-pandemic public.

What Consumers Want

In a recent study commissioned by Vital Vio 76% of respondents said they’re going to hold businesses accountable for how they clean their spaces and 51% won’t patronize establishments that aren’t transparent about their cleaning practices. StudyFinds reported a whopping 82% of Americans “said they are now more aware of, and concerned about, cleaning protocols in public areas,”.

For businesses looking to bring back customers, these statistics should be seen as an important marketing opportunity. Regardless of what business niche you operate in, the most important aspect of any business is meeting customer needs and expectations. As these statistics show, customer needs and expectations have shifted in the post-pandemic world and there is much more emphasis being placed on cleanliness. In the customer’s eyes, businesses are responsible for protecting the health of their patrons, and the majority of customers want visible indications that a business is making every effort to meet this responsibility.

Why Commercial Cleaning Makes Sense

Experienced commercial cleaning companies have always been well-versed in proper cleaning and disinfecting protocols. Many commercial cleaning contractors even provide services to hospitals and medical facilities. The point is that these companies understand how to properly clean and disinfect. In a post-pandemic world, this level of expertise means a lot to consumers still concerned about safety in public spaces. Commercial cleaning companies are trusted by consumers to clean and disinfect things the right way. Businesses that openly advertise their utilization of commercial cleaning services benefit from this consumer trust.

How To Add Commercial Cleaning To Your Marketing Plan

If you are like most businesses you are already meeting customer demands by enforcing mask mandates, employee temperature checks, and the provision of hand sanitizers. These are all visible cues to consumers that you take their health and well-being seriously. The reality is that you have already added health and safety measures to your marketing program. Adding commercial cleaning is a logical next step that can set your business apart from the competition.

Hire a Qualified Contractor

The first step to adding commercial cleaning to your marketing plan is to hire a qualified commercial cleaning contractor. You should seek out commercial cleaning companies that have extensive experience, that have set cleaning and disinfecting protocols, and that have experience cleaning in hospital-grade environments. These are the companies that understand cleaning and disinfecting, cross-contamination, and what chemicals and procedures to use while cleaning.

Set A Cleaning Schedule

Step two is to decide whether you want your commercial cleaning crew to work during or after business hours. Having uniformed commercial cleaning crews or day porters work during business hours is a clear sign to customers that you are making every effort to ensure a safe environment. And in reality,  on-site cleaning personnel do promote a cleaner workplace. They will continually clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces throughout the day, ensure that bathrooms and entryways are clean and sanitary, and be there to address unplanned spills or weather-related messes.

Of course, for many businesses having a cleaning crew or day porter present during business hours is just not practical. For these businesses having your establishment deep cleaned after hours is a more logical choice. This ensures that your place of business is always clean and sanitary at the start of each day. These businesses can promote the fact that their establishments are professionally cleaned and disinfected through the use of prominent signage, websites, television, and other paid advertising platforms.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that consumers want to know what you are doing to protect their health and well-being when they are patronizing your business. And while masks and hand sanitizers can go a long way toward bolstering consumer confidence, customers want to know that the environment is clean and sanitary. Nothing can satisfy this desire more than the transparent use of a qualified commercial cleaning service.

 

 

20 Jan 2021
day porter services

How Day Porter Services Can Improve Your Business

day porter services

Do you find that as the workday unfolds your facility begins showing the wear and tear of everyday activities? Does your entryway get dirtier every time someone comes through the door? Do your restroom supplies run low by noon? Is your breakroom a mess at the end of the day? If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, you should consider day porter services.

Many businesses rely on a commercial cleaning service to manage their facility cleaning after hours. This ensures your facility is clean and fresh when you walk in the door every morning, but is that enough? Day porter services are designed to ensure that your facility remains clean throughout the day. Here are five ways that day porter services can improve your business:

1) Ongoing Cleaning And Disinfection

Cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas is not a one-and-done proposition. Disinfection should be performed regularly throughout the day to minimize the spread of germs and viruses. Hiring a day porter service will ensure that these surfaces are cleaned and disinfected throughout the day making your facility safer for you, your staff, and your customers.

It’s not just high-touch areas that require ongoing cleaning. Restrooms, breakrooms, and entryways are all areas that tend to get dirty as the day progresses. Having a day porter at the ready helps to ensure that these problem areas are addressed throughout the day.

2) Restocking Of Restroom Supplies

Keeping your restrooms clean is just one part of a day porter’s restroom maintenance protocol. They also take responsibility for ensuring that your restroom supplies like hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towels are always restocked.

Restocking services can go beyond the restroom as well. For instance, it may include restocking breakroom and kitchen supplies, filling hand sanitizer dispensers, and even changing lightbulbs and HVAC filters.

3) Maintaining A Safe Environment

Day porters also help enhance workplace safety for both staff and guests. In addition to the ongoing cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces, they will ensure that entryways and parking lots are free of clutter and slip hazards. Furthermore, they are ready to address spills and wet floors and will even place hazard signs for damaged walkways and wet areas.

4) Liaison Services

Day porters can also provide liaison services for third-party vendors that you hire to perform more specialized tasks. Having your carpets and/or furnishings professionally cleaned? Having your building’s exterior power washed or a landscaping crew working outside? All of these tasks become much easier with a day porter on hand. Your day porter can coordinate with them, supervise their work, and ensure that they do a thorough job, leaving you to attend to the business of the day.

5) Improved Facility Appearance

Likely the greatest advantage of having a day porter on staff is the overall appearance of your facility. Your entryway and reception areas always look clean, your restrooms and breakrooms are always well maintained and supplies never run out. Maintaining a clean, safe, and functional workplace enhances customer perceptions, improves employee satisfaction, and boosts morale and productivity.

Is Hiring A Day Porter The Right Decision For Your Business?

While day porter services may not be right for every business, they can improve day-to-day business operations when you hire the right service provider. Complete Care Maintenance can help to evaluate your business needs and provide you with a customized day porter service plan that will address all areas of concern.

 

10 Jan 2021
firing your cleaning company

5 Signs That You Need To Fire Your Cleaning Company

firing your cleaning company

Are you feeling a little underserved by your cleaning service? Have they become complacent in their cleaning duties and no longer go the extra mile to make your facility shine? Has the cost of the service steadily increased without any recognizable benefit to you? If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, it might be time to consider a new provider. Here are five signs that you need to fire your cleaning service and look for a new provider:

1) Apathetic Cleaning Crews

Apathy is like a virus and it can spread like wildfire within a team. If your cleaning crew seems less than enthusiastic about the duties they perform, if they are wavering in their commitment to a job well done, it may be time to look for another provider.

Apathy leads to laziness and sub-standard performance. In a cleaning crew, it will manifest itself in unfinished tasks, forgotten trash bins, and less than clean restrooms. If you find that your facility is not getting cleaned as well as it used to, apathy may be the cause.

If the apathy that you witness among cleaning crew members is also reflected in communications with company managers and owners, that is a sure sign that it is time to fire your cleaning company.

2) High Employee Turnover

If new faces are showing up on the cleaning crew every other week, something is not right. This is indicative of a company with high employee turnover rates and high turnover rates are bad for their business and yours.

If your cleaning company is having a hard time finding, keeping, or managing employees they are costing you money. New hires require training and a company that is scrambling to meet client demand is likely putting staff in the field who are not fully trained. These individuals are learning on the job and you are paying for their education.

Untrained employees are less likely to perform as well as seasoned staff and that means some areas in your facility are not getting the attention they deserve. In addition, poorly trained cleaning crews are less familiar with cleaning and safety protocols which can lead to damaged surfaces or worse, injured staff.

If your cleaning company can not maintain seasoned staff, it may be time to let them go.

3) A Lack Of Communication

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to communicate with an unresponsive provider. If you are waiting days to hear back from your cleaning company, if there is no clearly defined protocol for issue resolution or complaints, or if issues are met with empty promises that never come to fruition, it’s time to fire your cleaning company.

Any reputable provider will have clear lines of communication and a hierarchy of command. This means that if a crew member is unresponsive you can approach their team leader. If the team leader can not resolve an issue, you can approach their immediate supervisor. All issues, requests, and complaints should be resolved in an efficient and satisfactory manner and someone should follow up with you to ensure the issue was addressed.

4) Lack Of Accountability

If your cleaning company’s management staff fails to conduct routine inspections and quality checks, they are doing you a disservice. Regular inspections and quality checks help enforce accountability for cleaning crews and allow management to address issues and inconsistencies before they become commonplace.

In addition, regular inspections, quality checks, and employee evaluations help management to identify training opportunities which in turn promote better training and more efficient processes. Smart companies provide oversight in an effort to continually improve their services through better training, better management, and employee accountability.

5) Reckless Security Practices

Let’s face it, you have to be able to trust your cleaning services provider. In many cases, these individuals have access to your facility outside of normal business hours. They must be trusted to honor your facility’s security protocols. Failure to lock up, set alarms, or respect the privacy of you and your employees is a serious breach of trust that can not be tolerated.

If your cleaning services provider fails to respect your company’s security policies and protocols, fire them.

Looking For A Professional Cleaning Service?

If you find yourself shaking your head in agreement with any of the points above, it may be time to fire your current provider. Of course, before you do, you will want to vet prospective companies to replace them. Complete Care Maintenance offers a variety of commercial cleaning services to meet any business need. Call or contact us today to get a free quote.

30 Dec 2020
disinfecting retail space

Commercial Cleaning Helps NJ Businesses Rebound From Pandemic

opeen for business

A new year is upon us and many New Jersey businesses are glad to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. The pandemic made it a difficult year for businesses across the country with many having to close up shop for extended periods of time. With new vaccines being distributed in 2021 there is hope that the pandemic is now behind us and many business owners are making plans to reopen their doors. The question is how to reopen safely and successfully. Many businesses are looking to commercial cleaning services to help them rebound from the pandemic.

BUILDING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

It is not just a matter of ensuring the health and safety of employees and customers, it is a matter of regaining consumer confidence. The pandemic has changed the way people shop, dine and consume products and services and for many consumers, a return to their former way of life is a little scary. Consumers need to know that a business can be trusted to protect their health and that means seriously upgrading their cleaning and sanitation protocols.

For businesses reopening in this ‘new normal’ commercial cleaning services are becoming an integral part of their campaign to earn trust and build consumer confidence. Cleaning crews are taking on a new role in the eyes of both businesses and consumers and what was once a hidden workforce performing their duties after hours will likely become a much more visible, public-facing workforce that will help to reassure customers and employees.

TRANSPARENT CLEANING PROTOCOLS

Business leaders and property managers have a huge incentive to make cleaning highly visible. This kind of transparency will go a long way toward boosting the confidence of consumers and workers who worry about returning to public life. In a post-pandemic world, there may be nothing quite as reassuring as a uniformed janitorial service and the pronounced smell of Lysol.

In a recent study commissioned by Vital Vio 76% of respondents said they’re going to hold businesses accountable for how they clean their spaces and 51% won’t patronize establishments that aren’t transparent about their cleaning practices. StudyFinds reported a whopping 82% of Americans “said they are now more aware of, and concerned about, cleaning protocols in public areas,”.

The bottom-line for business owners, property management firms, and office managers is that heightened cleaning and disinfection protocols (and being transparent about those protocols) is the key to bringing a wary public back into the fold. Hiring a commercial cleaning service can go a long way toward achieving this goal.

HOW COMMERCIAL CLEANING CAN HELP

There are many advantages to hiring a commercial cleaning company but in a world suddenly hyper-aware and germophobic consumer perception has risen to the top of the list. While assigning in-house staff to manage cleaning and disinfecting duties at your place of business can help, hiring a professional cleaning service is likely a smarter move.

People trust a commercial cleaning company to know how to clean and disinfect. While they will appreciate staff members cleaning and disinfecting high-touch areas during their visit, seeing uniformed commercial cleaners diligently at work will instill more confidence. In addition, the mere fact that a business is willing to invest in commercial cleaning services sends a very strong message about their commitment to keeping their customers and staff safe.

The reality is that people’s perceptions with regard to commercial vs in-house cleaning are correct. Commercial cleaning companies have a great deal of expertise with cleaning products, processes, and protocols. Regardless of how efficient your in-house staff is, without proper training and experience, they will never be as effective as a commercial cleaning crew. And while perceptions are important, effective cleaning and disinfection is really the primary goal and nobody does this better than a quality commercial cleaning service.