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04 Jun 2020

Business Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning, Janitorial Services, New, Residential Cleaning Mr Choco 0 comment

Going green and clean: Top eco-friendly commercial kitchen and office cleaning tips

Office and Commercial kitchen and cafeteria cleaning don’t need to be back-breaking, noxious-smelling activities to be feared. In this article, we’ll give you some advice on office cleaners, and commercial green cleaning products, and go through some ways to save the environment at work.

We’ll look at:

Traditional office and kitchen cleaning supplies
Eco-friendly cleaning products
The power of steam cleaning
The pros and cons of the DIY eco-cleaner
Deep kitchen cleaning checklist
Office cleaning tips
Other ways to go eco-friendly in the office

Read on to discover how to go green and join other eco-friendly businesses that are helping save the environment.

Keeping your kitchen and office clean and tidy is a basic business health and safety requirement. It’s necessary to help keep your employees and customers happy and healthy. There are expert teams out there who specialize in professional kitchen cleaning and office cleaning so you can be confident you’re meeting all the guidelines. But if you’re looking for ways to be green about your cleaning, it may be a good idea to talk to them about the chemicals and equipment they’re using in your workplace.

Traditional office and kitchen cleaning supplies

While effective and excellent at killing germs and viruses, a lot of the harsh chemicals used to clean professional workspaces are bad for the environment. Some even contain phosphates, which can be harmful to aquatic life. Others use hydrocarbons and compressed gas, which is terrible for air pollution and global warming. And that’s not even taking into account the single-use plastic and packaging that a lot of these come in.

Having a conversation with your kitchen and office cleaners about sourcing more environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and methods is a simple way you can go green and clean.

Eco-friendly cleaning products

People can be skeptical about sanitizing offices and cleaning kitchens with green products, but they’re just as effective at removing dirt, grime, and bacteria. Swapping to eco cleaners is the first (and easiest) step you can take in your ‘how to be greener’ journey. And what’s great is that there are loads of products out there that fit the bill, such as degreasers, surface cleansers, and even washroom supplies.

Using more products like these is responsible, effective, and good for the environment.

The power of steam cleaning

When it comes to kitchen cleaning and sanitizing, there are so many extra spaces you have to consider. Ceilings can become caked in grease, kitchen ducting can harbor dust, and grates, drains, and sinks can start to smell so much sooner thanks to the fat and food waste siphoned away.

There’s a lot of potential for bacteria in a kitchen, so regular deep cleans are necessary to help avoid customer illness and keep your business compliant with all regulations. But these deep cleans don’t need to be full of harsh chemicals and commercial green cleaning products – Steam cleaning is one of the best ways to be green and clean.

Steam Cleaners can reach temperatures between 66-149° C, so they’re certainly hot enough to kill germs, melt grease and remove a multitude of stains with zero scrubbing. And there’s not a chemical or cleaning agent in sight. You can steam clean your floors, surfaces, and appliances. They’re ideal for those out-of-reach places too. Just be careful not to use them on anything porous or prone to heat damage.

The pros and cons of the DIY eco-cleaner

In your eco-friendly cleaner research, you’re sure to come across some do-it-yourself cleaning solution recipes. Vinegar sprays, lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda solutions – they’re all well-known for their home-cleaning prowess, but are they suitable for use in commercial kitchens and offices?

They’re certainly effective, but having overwhelming vinegar and lemony smells in a kitchen could be confusing for cooks. You need to take into account the time some of these take to work. Some bicarbonate of soda oven-cleaning hacks need overnight soaking to break down stains.

Using pantry staples may seem like a low-cost, eco-friendly option for cleaning your kitchen and office, but you’ve got to consider the time spent, any leftover scents, and overall effectiveness. Professionally produced cleaning products are thoroughly checked for their efficiency – can you say the same for your homemade vinegar/bicarb solution?

Deep kitchen cleaning checklist

To help you stay on top of it and to keep those germs at bay – here’s a kitchen cleaning to-do list of things to consider and areas you shouldn’t forget:

Think about introducing rubber mats to trap dirt and runaway food – Brush and clean these daily
Sweep and mop the floors with eco cleaners, degreasers and disinfectants
Clean high-traffic touchpoints like door handles, switches, etc. daily
Don’t forget hard-to-reach and inaccessible areas such as ceilings, lighting, shelving, etc.
Keeping all your appliances clean will improve efficiency – don’t forget to scrub those seals and shelves
Clean the kitchen vents and kitchen ducting regularly.
Give the rubbish and recycling bins a clean to reduce smells

Office cleaning tips

Offices aren’t as high-maintenance as a commercial kitchen, but there are areas that need special attention as well:

Introducing rubber kitchen mats or rugs will trap dirt and spills – you can buy machine-washable ones for ease of use
Clean high-traffic touchpoints like door handles, switches, and desks daily
Vacuum regularly and thoroughly clean carpets at least once per year – consider a steam carpet cleaner as a green alternative
Keep the fridge and other communal appliances clean to improve efficiency and longevity
Clean the inside and outside of the bins to reduce unwelcome smells
Encourage staff to keep workspaces clean. This includes keyboards, monitors, and other equipment.

Other ways to go eco-friendly in the office

As well as making your cleaning greener, there are other ways to help the environment at work. For example, adding some plants and greenery to office spaces – they’re great for increasing oxygen levels and they create a welcoming atmosphere. To reduce the use of energy and encourage natural light, keep your windows clean both inside and out. And you could get some recycling bins and only choose reusable cups and plates.

Banishing paper towels is another great option – microfibre towels are super absorbent and you can get loads of different kinds of low-energy hand dryers these days. You should also consider smarter dispensers and sensor taps – they’re much more hygienic and reduce water consumption too.

There are so many different ways you can help the environment and keep your commercial kitchens and offices clean, all you need to do is take that first step.

28 May 2020

Business Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning, Corporate Cleaning, New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

Disinfecting Surfaces The Right Way

With many businesses set to reopen in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, business owners are working hard to ensure safe and clean work environments. For many business owners, this means hiring a commercial cleaning company. For others, it involves setting strict standards for in-house cleaning crews. Either way, it is vital that whoever is responsible for cleaning and disinfecting your workplace knows how to do so properly.

Clean First

Too often people rely on disinfectants alone to sanitize hard surfaces in the home and workplace. The fact of the matter is that you need to clean and disinfect and while most of us focus on the disinfecting part of the equation, cleaning is even more important.

Dirty surfaces are covered in clusters of germs called biofilm that is resistant to disinfecting chemicals. These germs need to be removed before a disinfectant can effectively kill lingering viruses and bacteria. To do this you should clean all surfaces with a soap and water solution which helps break up the biofilm and will remove most of the germs and bacteria on the surface.

Always use separate cleaning cloths for each surface. Using the same cleaning cloth on multiple surfaces only spreads the germs around the entire workplace, a phenomenon known as cross-contamination. Disposable cloths are best as you will need at least two cloths to clean and disinfect each surface.

Then Disinfect

Only once you have cleaned with soap and water is a disinfecting chemical able to sanitize the surface, but you can’t just spray and wipe. All disinfectants have what is called a ‘dwell time’ which is the minimum amount of time the disinfectant needs to stay on the surface before it will kill any remaining germs.

Most disinfectants will list their dwell time on the back of the bottle and they can range from thirty seconds to several minutes. Be sure you know what the dwell time is for your particular disinfectant and leave it on the surface long enough to do its job. Again, use a separate cloth to wipe the disinfectant off of the surface and then toss it in the trash.

Dispose of All Cleaning Cloths

It is important to note that the novel coronavirus has been known to survive on paper and tissue for three hours or more and on cloth for two days. Properly disposing of the cloths used to clean and disinfect your workplace helps to ensure that the virus is not lingering in your trash receptacles.

Need Help Disinfecting Your Workplace

If you are looking fora commercial cleaning company to help with the cleaning and disinfecting of your workplace, Complete Care Maintenance can help. Call or contact us today to learn how we can help keep your New Jersey business clean and safe for both staff and customers.

16 May 2020

New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

Getting An Accurate Quote For Office Cleaning Services

So, you have finally decided to outsource your office cleaning chores to a professional office cleaning service. The big question now is, how much will it cost? And the answer to that question may seem a little elusive. Not all commercial cleaning companies are the same and office cleaning is not a one-size-fits-all kind of service. You will want to talk with at least a few providers and request an onsite estimate for office cleaning services.

Most reputable providers will want to perform a walk-through of your office space to take measurements and evaluate your needs. They should ask about any specific wants and needs, problem areas, frequency of cleaning desired, security requirements, and scheduling. The goal of the walkthrough is to tailor a cleaning program specific to your office and provide an accurate quote.

You should be prepared to define what services you require, how often you want the services performed, and describe any special requirements or pain points. The walk-through is the perfect time for you to ask some key questions as well. Here are five tips for getting the most out of the walkthrough:

Ask for References

An established office cleaning company should be able to provide you with a variety of references from companies they have worked for and they should be happy to do so. When confirming these references be sure to ask how long they have had a relationship with the cleaning company and if there are any issues that they would like resolved.

Do They Have Liability Insurance

All office cleaning companies should be able to provide you with proof of insurance and a verifiable business license. You should also ask to see their general and workers’ compensation certificates. Any office cleaning company that can not provide these documents should not be hired.

Do They Maintain Experienced Staff

Be sure that your office cleaning company hires, trains, and maintains experienced staff. You want to ensure that the crews they are sending to clean your offices are professional and understand how to perform their job. You do not want a company that uses cash-paid day workers to fill gaps in their employee roster. These workers are typically not on the company payroll and are not covered by the company’s insurance.

Do They Have Established Cleaning Procedures

Experienced commercial office cleaning companies put processes and procedures in place to ensure consistency and to promote a more efficient workforce. A company that fails to do this is likely inexperienced and less efficient. Many professional companies will produce customized checklists for their cleaning crews that are specific to each client’s needs. You should ask if this is the case.

Do They Have MSDS Lists

Material Data Safety Sheets are an important part of a commercial cleaning company’s safety protocols. Any business that handles chemicals, even if they’re not considered dangerous, should keep an MSDS for each substance. The MSDS informs workers about chemical reactivity with other chemicals, whether it is flammable, exposure risks, and other characteristics that are essential to handling chemicals safely and responsibly.

08 May 2020

Business Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning, Janitorial Services, New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

Your Public Restroom and Your Reputation

Your business’ reputation is one of your most important assets, and as a business owner, you likely invest a great deal of time and effort into nurturing it. Reputation is not something that you can buy, it is a reflection of other people’s opinions and impressions of your business, its employees, and its services. Making a good first impression is the first step toward building a positive reputation.

While most business owners recognize that cleanliness is important to making a good first impression, many do not extend that philosophy beyond the lobby and reception area. Despite the common sense appearance of this thought process, you might be surprised to learn that customers are likely more concerned with the cleanliness of your restrooms.

According to a survey conducted by Bradley Corporation, the cleanliness of your restrooms is a major deciding factor with regard to customer perceptions of your overall business. According to the survey results:

69% of customers believe an unclean restroom indicates insufficient management
67% of customers experience a lowered opinion of the company when restrooms are dirty
63% of customers equate an unkempt restroom with a low degree of care for visitors’ comfort by the company

Each statistic makes it painfully obvious that the cleanliness of your public restroom has a direct impact on your customers’ satisfaction levels.

What Can You Do?

While everyone appreciates a clean restroom, no one wants to clean them. For most businesses maintaining a clean and sanitary restroom can be challenging and many use a commercial cleaning company to do the job for them. The key here is hiring the right company.

When considering commercial cleaning companies to manage your restroom cleaning needs there are several important things to consider. Obviously you want a company that is experienced, but you also want a company that can manage all of your restroom needs.

Your commercial cleaning company should:

Clean and disinfect all areas of the restroom with particular emphasis on high-touch areas like door handles, stall doors, faucets, hand dryers, and dispensers.
Clean and disinfect toilets and urinals, including hard to reach areas behind toilets and urinals
Clean and sanitize floors, walls, and countertops
Clean and sanitize sinks
Empty trash
Restock soaps, toilet paper, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, urinal cakes, and other restroom supplies.

Having a commercial cleaning company manage your restroom cleaning needs ensures that your restrooms are an asset to your company and that they reflect a positive image for your business. Your customers will appreciate it, your staff will appreciate it, and you will be assured that your clients and customers are not forming poor opinions of your business due to poor restroom maintenance.

08 Apr 2020

Commercial Cleaning, Corporate Cleaning, New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

A Clean Lobby Makes a Great First Impression

First impressions are everything and for many of your customers, your office lobby is their first opportunity to take stock of your company. While it is important to maintain cleanliness in all areas of your organization, the lobby should be a priority. Below are just a few tips that will get you on your way to making a great first impression with your office building’s reception area.

Pay Attention To Your Entryway

Let’s face it, your main entryway is easily one of the most trafficked areas in your building. It is where nearly everyone enters and exits the building. Because there is so much foot traffic in your entryway the floors accumulate more dirt and grime and doors and windows tend to get smudged.

It is important to ensure that carpets and floors are properly maintained in this ever-so-visible space. Daily vacuuming and/or dust mopping should be a priority as should attention to any spills or stains.

Do not forget the doors, windows, and outside entryway as well. Debris outside your lobby smudges on the glass doors, and noticeably dirty door handles are not going to give your clients a positive impression of your business.

Desks And Reception Area

A clean and tidy reception desk helps make for a good first impression. Like your entryway, the reception desk gets a lot of traffic. Be sure that carpets and floors receive the attention that they should and always maintain a clean desk.

Do not forget the chairs in waiting areas, these too are well-used and should be cleaned on a regular basis. Nobody wants to sit in a chair with noticeable stains or accumulated dust.

Shed Some Light On Your Windows

Natural sunlight is a great way to brighten the office and give it a more airy feel however that sunlight often reveals dust, smudges, and other noticeable dirt not always visible under artificial light. Be sure that your windows are cleaned both inside and out on a regular basis, so you and your clients can enjoy the natural light without the unsightly smudges.

Do not forget the window sills as they are natural dust collectors. Be sure to wipe them down when cleaning the glass.

Bad Smells Leave Bad Impressions

Sometimes when we spend too much time in a building we become immune to the odors that persist there. A dirty ventilation system can be a source of unpleasant odors and clients will certainly notice if your lobby smells bad. Dust, dander and other contaminants that accumulate on a daily basis can build up in the ventilation system and leave your lobby smelling stale.

Regular dusting of surfaces (including high-surface areas) and daily cleaning can help mitigate this problem. If the smell persists, it may be time to call a professional to clean out your ducts.

A Good First Impression Is Easier Than You Think

Establishing a great first impression with your office lobby is easier than you think. Take the first step and establish a cleaning regimen with your trusted commercial cleaning service company. Your clients or customers will notice a clean and professional ambiance to your workplace. Start making those first impressions count and contact us today.

30 Mar 2020

Corporate Cleaning, New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

5 Reasons To Hire a Professional Office Cleaning Company

Wondering if hiring a professional office cleaning service is worth it? Is it just another expense, or is it an investment with tangible returns? Keeping up appearances is important to any company that values productivity and employee health. Many office managers opt for professional office cleaning. Are these individuals just suckers, or do they know something that you do not?

Here are five reasons why smart companies are hiring commercial cleaning companies to manage their office cleaning needs:

1) You Did Not Hire Your Staff To Clean

Even if your staff is just a handful of people, expecting your staff to maintain a clean office environment is a hit-or-miss solution at best. Every member of your office team is trained to manage specific tasks for your company, likely none of which involve proper cleaning. When you include cleaning as part of their job duties you are reducing their productivity with regard to the tasks they are trained to do.

Having a commercial cleaning company manage your office cleaning allows your employees to dedicate their time to the tasks they were hired to do. This increases their productivity and the productivity of your office overall.

2) Professionals Use The Best And Safest Cleaning Products And Equipment

If you’ve never done janitorial work before, you may be unaware of just how far cleaning products and services have come. Cleaning products have gotten safer and more effective. Professional office cleaning companies are often the first to take advantage of the advances in cleaning products and equipment.

These companies have their hand on the pulse of the cleaning industry and like any business, they strive to find ways to be more efficient and more effective. This means that they can accomplish a more thorough cleaning in a more efficient manner than the typical office staff.

3) Office Cleaning Companies Are Trained To Clean

Unlike your office staff, office cleaning crews are trained in the most effective and efficient cleaning practices. They pay attention to high-touch areas, limit cross-contamination, and use proper cleaning techniques to avoid damage and enhance longevity.

It is almost a certainty that a quality commercial cleaning company will leave your office cleaner and more sanitary than your office staff will on their best day.

4) Reliable Source Of Cleaning Supplies

Many commercial cleaning companies will restock essentials like toilet paper, paper towels, hand soaps, and other cleaning supplies at substantial savings to you. Most of these companies buy supplies in bulk and at near wholesale prices. These savings are often passed on to you in the form of flat-rate supply refills and sub-retail pricing.

In addition, your commercial cleaning company will ensure that these necessities are always readily available. Consequently, you never run out of hand soap, toilet paper, or paper towels.

5) Saving You Money

In the long run, hiring a quality office cleaning company can actually save you money. When you add up the savings on supplies, the reduced sick days and healthcare costs, increased productivity, and proper care of your tangible assets (equipment, flooring, etc.), hiring a commercial office cleaning service is an investment that reduces long-term costs and protects the health and well-being of your clients and staff.

05 Mar 2020

Business Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning, Corporate Cleaning, New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

Commercial Cleaning and Coronavirus

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has compelled facility managers to seek professional commercial cleaning companies to ensure the safety of their staff and clients. In light of the virus spreading across nearly every state, businesses are increasingly realizing the significance of maintaining clean and sanitized facilities to reduce the risk of infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that the virus can remain viable on various surfaces for hours to days. This underscores the importance of regular cleaning and disinfection to safeguard the well-being of your clients and employees. High-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, elevator buttons, desks, tables, faucets, sinks, and toilets need consistent cleaning and disinfection to minimize the spread of the virus. Moreover, several other areas in your facility can be potential breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses.

Engaging the services of a professional commercial cleaning company ensures thorough cleaning and disinfection of these areas. Complete Care Maintenance is dedicated to ensuring that your facility is virus-free, and we can perform our cleaning services after hours to minimize interactions with your staff and customers.

Besides professional cleaning, there are several practical steps you can take to maintain a safe environment for your customers and staff. The CDC has issued guidelines that are instrumental in ensuring safety and preventing the spread of the virus:

Regular Hand Washing:

Promote and encourage regular hand washing for your staff and customers. Ensure the availability of hand sanitizers for use.

Social Distancing:

Discourage close personal interactions and maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet from others. Advise individuals who feel unwell to stay home and self-quarantine for at least 14 days.

Hygiene and Shared Items:

Encourage staff not to share items like coffee cups, borrow pens and pencils, and avoid using communal water coolers. Provide disinfecting wipes in break areas and common spaces for everyone to use. Items like microwaves, coffee pots, doorknobs, and food prep areas should be routinely wiped down.

Clean Workspaces:

Make sure that workspaces, desks, keyboards, external pointing devices, and office equipment such as printers, copiers, and shredders are wiped down before and after use. Equip areas with disinfecting wipes to facilitate cleaning.

Maintaining a clean and virus-free work environment is vital, especially during this pandemic. A professional cleaning staff can ensure that your place of business is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after hours, providing a safe space for your employees to work. While these are challenging times, we can all contribute to reducing the impact of the virus by ensuring clean and sanitary commercial spaces.

With professional cleaning, rigorous safety measures, and cooperative efforts, we can navigate through this trying period and promote a safe and healthy environment for all.

27 Feb 2020

New, Office Cleaning mj@5150design.net 0 comment

The Germiest Places In Your Office

Germs are everywhere in your office! That is why it is so important to perform regular, thorough office cleaning, but there are some areas in your office building that are germier than others. Whether you manage your office cleaning in-house or hire a professional office cleaning company, make sure that these 10 areas get the attention they require.

1) Elevator Buttons

If you have an elevator in your office building, you have one of the germiest places on our list. Imagine how many times these buttons are touched on a daily basis. Make sure that your elevator buttons get a thorough cleaning each day to help combat these bacteria and consider placing hand sanitizers outside the elevator on every floor.

2) Door Handles

Like elevator buttons, door handles get touched many times per day by many people, each leaving their signature on the door handle in the form of germs. Professional office cleaning staff are trained to pay particular attention to door handles. Be sure that whoever is cleaning your office space cleans and disinfects the door handles.

3) Desktops

Your desktop is a germ mecca! In fact, the average desktop has 400 times more germs than the average toilet seat! You might want to rethink that eating at your desk habit of yours. With over 20,000 bacteria, viruses, and fungi per square inch, your lunch party is much larger than you might have thought.

4) Keyboards

Yeah, that’s right. The one thing in your office that you likely touch more than any other. It is also likely the thing that you sneeze on, eat over, and spill things on, and it is one of those items that rarely gets cleaned. A quick wipe down with a microfiber cloth is not going to do the trick on this germ-fest; that keyboard needs to be disinfected daily.

5) The Office Phone

You thought your desktop was germy? Your office telephone is even worse with an estimated 25000 bacteria per square inch! And these are not just finger germs, these are breathe-in-your-face kinds of germs. If others use the phone as well, you should sanitize it several times throughout the day.

6) Other Office Equipment

Copiers, fax machines, printers, etc. are used by multiple people in your office and like keyboards, this equipment rarely gets cleaned. Make sure that your office cleaning company, or in-house staff clean and disinfect your office equipment.

7) Water Coolers

Water coolers are another place where germs gather in your office. People touch, lean on and hang out near these dispensers and when they leave, they leave germs behind. Water bubblers and coolers should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a day paying particular attention to the dispensed trigger or button.

8) Pens and Pencils

Ever see a coworker deep in thought with his pen resting thoughtfully on his lips? Sure you have. Don’t borrow pens from coworkers if you can avoid it. a recent study found that 14 percent of pens tested positive for staphylococcus aureus, or staph.

9) Breakrooms

Your office breakroom is a perfect place for bacteria to thrive. Coffee pots, vending machines, microwaves, sinks, counters and tabletops in these common areas are used by everyone in your office. Believe it or not, some people in your office may not be as hygienic as you think. This is an area to which your office cleaning staff should pay particular attention.

10) Restrooms

This one is a no-brainer and one that most people believe is the germiest, but as we’ve seen your desktop is a hot contender for that title. Nonetheless, the restroom is a haven for all types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It is also the one room that nobody wants to clean. Restrooms are quite possibly the number one reason you should hire a professional office cleaning service.

Need help with your office cleaning? Call Complete Care Maintenance for all of your office cleaning needs.

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