As a Denver business owner or facility manager, keeping your workplace tidy should be a top priority. But finding time for thorough cleanings amidst your other responsibilities can be challenging. Do you ask your employees to step away from important tasks to clean your facility? This can be a tough order to balance, as employees often resent pulling double duty as a cleaning team, and it also takes them away from dollar-producing activities. However, we have been in the commercial cleaning business for decades and know a few tips and tricks.
If hiring professional cleaning services isn’t in your budget, try these DIY cleaning tips first:
Create a Cleaning Schedule
Designate daily cleaning tasks like wiping down counters, taking out trash, and sweeping floors. Weekly tasks may include mopping, dusting, and glass surface cleaning. Monthly focus on things like ceiling fans, baseboards, and window treatments. Quarterly – tackle more extensive efforts like carpet shampooing, wall washing, air duct cleaning, and grout scrubbing. Map out which tasks fall under each timeframe and schedule blocks on your calendar to complete them consistently. Consistency is vital to prevent buildup and prevent damage to your building. Better yet – find out which employees are best-suited for each task. Some people love to sweep, and others find bliss dusting fans and wiping down counters. If you’re able, set aside specific dates on weekends or evenings to tackle extensive cleaning and offer incentives such as overtime pay or free meals.
Start with a Good Declutter
Clutter accumulates quickly in offices, whether it’s paper piles, equipment, boxes, cables, office supplies, etc. Spend 10 minutes at the end of each workday for employees to organize their desks by sorting papers, filing documents, clearing surfaces, and properly storing unnecessary items. Also schedule a monthly 30-minute team effort to declutter common areas like conference rooms, breakrooms, supply closets, and storage areas. Staying on top of your mess is the easiest way to prevent an overwhelming amount of clutter that seems impossible to tackle. Just a few minutes per day spent tidying can make a huge difference in the long run.
Implement Zone Cleaning
Divide your office into logical cleaning zones like lobby, front desk area, hallway, individual offices, conference rooms, breakroom, restrooms, and storage/utility rooms. Assign 2-3 zones to be cleaned per session, rotating through the full zone cleaning list each week. Post the zone cleaning schedule so your team knows which area is the priority each day. No matter what your Denver facility looks like, its important to specify which zones should be cleaned, how they should be cleaned, and when they should be cleaned. Communication is important here, as well as holding people accountable for completing the work. It’s no different than ordinary business goals – you should expect your team to perform and execute on time.
Disinfect High-Touch Areas
Disinfection is a critical part of any cleaning schedule. Germs accumulate quickly on high-touch surfaces like door handles, light switches, keyboards, phones, appliance handles, faucets, toilet handles, handrails, and shared office equipment. Prioritize disinfecting these areas multiple times a day. Appoint someone to take responsibility for this rather than assuming it will just get done. Diligent cleaning like this is important in cold and flu season and can make a big difference when it comes to the productivity of your team. In the post-pandemic era, health and wellness should be something to invest time and energy into.
Stock Up on Supplies
Assess all the types of surfaces in your office such as glass, countertops, floors, walls, mirrors, metals, wood, plastic, etc. Obtain cleaning products designed specifically for each surface type. Keep enough supplies like microfiber cloths, disposable wipes, gloves, masks, and more. Set reminders to take inventory so you never run short on essential cleaning products. Evaluate monthly if supply needs change. Be sure that your employees understand how to safely use and apply cleaning products. Mixing chemicals can be dangerous and this is why proper training and equipment is essential for DIY cleaning.
While keeping your Denver facility tidy with your own staff is possible with diligent effort, partnering with professional commercial cleaners is highly recommended and pays dividends. The financial investment in commercial cleaning services returns exceptional value in five key areas:
- Enhanced Productivity: Your staff can dedicate their work time solely toward core responsibilities rather than intensive cleaning tasks. This leads to higher productivity.
- Improved Health & Safety: Commercial cleaners are trained in infection control methods and specialized disinfecting techniques your staff likely does not have expertise in. Their work enhances health and safety.
- Increased Operational Efficiency: Cleaning companies have standardized processes, industrial equipment, and economies of scale. They clean thoroughly and efficiently.
- Elevated Company Image: Professionally cleaned facilities project competence, quality, and attention to detail. It influences customer perceptions.
- Access to Specialized Services: Companies offer HVAC cleaning, pressure washing, carpet/upholstery cleaning, and more that your staff cannot provide.
While DIY cleaning may seem like it saves money, the benefits of partnering with a commercial cleaning service generate substantial savings and value. For Denver business owners and facility managers, invest in cleaning pros. Whether you need regularly scheduled cleaning, full-time professional janitorial services, or just the occasional deep cleaning, we have a variety of services that can be customized to your exact needs.
