Some people don’t think clients and other visitors to their office notice the ceiling fan full of dust and even creepy bugs hanging dead from its blades.  Don’t fool yourself!  They do notice and pray that nothing will fall on their heads while they are talking to you.

Quality is in the details, and a clean fan says a lot about the care you put into your business, your surroundings, your employees, and your clients.  In other words, take the time to clean your office’s ceiling fan at least every two months.

Besides the unprofessional appearance a dirty ceiling fan gives, it will not work as well as a clean one, because the dirt limits the airflow, making the fan less efficient.  In addition, a dirty fan brings allergens into the air, since the dust they collect is being re-distributed all over the place.

Cleaning it is really easy. Do not think that because the fan is located high up you will have to break your neck as you try.  If you dust it every week, you will maintain it very clean, and you can do it with a long duster, which will get rid of the daily dust easily, or you can use a vacuum with a ceiling fan cleaning attachment.  Nevertheless, when a thorough cleaning is required, you will have to get up there.

This is the equipment you will need to clean your office’s ceiling fan:

-A tall and safe stepladder.
-Paper towel.
-A good, and if possible, organic cleaner.  You can do your own by mixing warm water, dishwashing liquid, and white vinegar.
-Old newspaper sheets.

This is what you need to do to clean it up like an office cleaning expert will:

-Turn the fan off.

-Put old newspaper sheets on the floor directly under the fan; these will catch the dirt that falls while you clean the blades.

-If the fan has a light fixture, remove the bulb, and clean it before putting it back.

-Climb up to reach the fan and use the paper towel and the cleaner to clean the blades one by one.  Use one towel per blade, the paper must be clean every time you wipe the dirt off a blade.

Thoroughly cleaning a ceiling fan may take you between thirty minutes to an hour, depending on how dirty it is.  If there is a fan in the kitchen, you will have to use a cleaner that removes grease.

When cleaning the fan, never soak the blades with water or cleaning fluid, because these can get deformed depending on the material.  Read the fan’s manual before cleaning it, because some materials, like iron, should not be cleaned with water.  You may use some polish to give the fan a shiny finish; however, don’t go overboard, because the polish may grab more dust.

Make sure the fan’s motor remains dry while you clean the blades; otherwise, you may cause electrical shocks and may damage the motor.

Once your office’s ceiling fan is thoroughly cleaned, it will be very easy to maintain if you remember to look up and dust it on a weekly basis.

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One of the worst decisions you can make is to wash a deck or a wall using too much pressure.  Most certainly you will end up cleaning more than what you initially planned to, and will probably have to replace shingles, boards, or even wall plaster in the process.  This is, without thinking about the shock you will experience in front of the power such a washer has.

If you decide to pressure wash a surface in your house or office, make sure first you understand how this machine works, since you will be working with the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.  In many cases, it is better to hire a professional commercial cleaning service to ensure the job is correctly done.

The first element is air, or pressure.  If too much pressure is exerted over a wooden surface, wood splinters will fly all over the place, and believe us, you don’t want that to happen.  Test the pressure on a small section of the surface to ensure you are going to get it right and will not be causing more damage than good.

The second element is water, or water flow rate, in this case.  If the pressure washer works with cold water, you will have to compensate for the absence of heat, and will need to intensify the water flow.  On the contrary, if the washer works with hot water, ensure you follow the directions on how to add the chemicals, otherwise, the dirt won’t get emulsified correctly ?this is the third element, earth and it will stick to the surface you are trying to clean, like when you are trying to wash grease from a concrete surface.  In general, hot water pressure washers  the fourth element, fire? do a better job.

After reading the directions and testing the pressure on the washer, follow these tips to make sure you go through the process smoothly:

-Wear the right body protection.  You don’t want to accidentally pressure wash your eyes or other sensitive body parts.

-Read and understand the directions fully.  Although the machine may look easy to handle, it isn’t.  If you stand too close, you may damage the surface, if you stand too far away, you won’t get the best results.

-Work from the top down, if not, you will have to clean again.  It is about working smart, not hard.

-Do not aim the nozzle directly at the surface you are cleaning.  There should be an angle on the washer wand to efficiently push the dirt off instead of shooting it into the surface.  This will be a big issue with stucco and brick surfaces.

-Never aim the nozzle at windows or screen doors.  You know what will happen… yes, these will break and the screen doors will be torn off the frame.

-Turn off the washer before changing the nozzle or refilling the detergent tank.

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If there is a space that must be kept spotless clean 24/7, it is a medical or dental office.  Its cleanliness is vital to ensure the safety and comfort of the patients and the personnel.

Many medical practices decide to hire professional commercial cleaning services to take care of their daily cleaning needs; nevertheless, there are strict guidelines that must be followed by the medical staff in between patients and at the end of the day to ensure no one is at risk of injury or illness.

Among these guidelines we can name the appropriate cleaning and sanitation methods demanded for dental and medical offices established by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), as well as any personal preferences that may exist in regards to office cleaning.

In order to ensure a medical facility is completely safe and comfortable for the patients and medical staff, follow these 5 cleaning steps:

1.Replace used linens, towels, and patient gowns immediately after each patient is dismissed.  Put the dirty ones in laundry bags or the laundry area.  Empty the trashcans, and wipe all of them with a disinfectant cleaner.  Change the bags in every trashcan.

2.Gather all the used instruments and put them in an established location for sterilization or processing.  Make sure every instrument and tool for patient care is taken away from patient rooms and care areas before the next patient arrives.

3.Wipe all the surfaces with an accepted disinfectant cleaner.  This includes countertops, chairs, desk areas, patient tables, door handles and knobs, and any other surface that may have been touched, held, or could have come in contact with body fluids.

4.Clean all the equipment for patient care.  This is, dental and medical tools, procedure equipment, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, and any other portable equipment; these should be wiped with a disinfectant as they are used during the day.

5.Tidy up the office waiting area.  Make sure the trashcan is taken away, organize and disinfect magazines and other reading materials, and clean the chairs, table surfaces, and desk areas with an accepted disinfectant cleaner.  Get rid of any garbage on the floor and vacuum or sweep the floors as much as needed.

Remember to always wear gloves and other personal protection equipment, like a gown, cap or mask, as you could come in contact with blood or other body fluids during cleaning.

Last, but not least, disinfect any toys that remain in the medical facility regularly with an accepted disinfectant, and let them air dry completely.

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There are many health risks related to office spaces that are closed up, with sealed windows, maximum insulation, and no circulation of fresh air.

Several dangerous pollutants like formaldehyde, black mold, radon, carbon monoxide, and other gases, can build up inside closed areas. However, NASA has discovered that there are 15 plants that can help purify the air within a building of 1,800 square feet.

In the study conducted by NASA, several gases and contaminants were placed inside Plexiglas chambers in the company of different plants to see how effectively these plants would clean the air.  Among the plants that got rid of up to 90% of the formaldehyde present in the environment were aloe, the snake plant, the golden pothos, and the philodendron.  These are most certainly good plants to help you purify the air in your office.

When the plants were tested against benzene, the champions were the peace lily, the English ivy, the dracaena, and the gerbera daisy, which removed up to 80% of this contaminant, and they proved very effective in dealing with carbon monoxide and other pollutants too.  For example, these cut the trichloroethene levels in half, an unstable organic chemical that is present in office cleaning products, glues and paints, and that gets in the air through evaporation.

Among the most popular plants to clean the air are the ficus, the spider plant, the rubber plant, and the Boston fern.  There are also several palms on the list: the areca palm, the bamboo palm, the dwarf date palm, the reed palm, and the prayer palm.  The Chinese evergreen that grows in dark rooms is another favorite, and among the flowering plants that get the job done we can find the Christmas cactus and the chrysanthemum, which will add color to the environment while they help clean it.

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“A cluttered desk is a sign of creativity and imagination”… this is the excuse many people give when faced with a mountain of papers, trinkets, and cups piled up on their work desks.  Truth be told, they are plain disorganized and lazy in regards to office cleaning.

When you start wasting time looking for things amid the chaos that your work desk has become, instead of investing that time in being creative and brilliant, you know it’s time to change something.

Miracles happen; even a messy person can maintain a clean and organized desk, and here we give you 10 precious tips to do just that:

1.    Create a system to manage paper
Most of the clutter on work desks is paper, thus, you have to find a place for everything:

•An inbox, a simple stackable letter tray where you can put the documents that can’t be filed yet, perhaps memos, printouts, or other random papers placed on your desk by other people.

•An incubate box, a letter tray located above your inbox one to put things that are “on hold”.  These relate to things that are not yet completed like articles you plan to read, sketches for a potential project, or information about an upcoming event.

•An action and follow-up file, an A-Z accordion file works perfect.  In it, you will put papers that require an action that will take you more than two minutes like forms to fill out, or documents you must review.

•A current projects holder, a file holder or box to put your active projects’ folders.  There should be one folder per project.

•A filing cabinet, to put completed projects, reference items, or any other material that you may be using in the future.  Employ simple flat folders labeled from A-Z to stack your information.

•Dump boxes, namely, a trashcan, recycling bin and shredder.  Get rid of everything you no longer need, in the best way possible.

Now, you need the POR system to clean your desk: Process. Organize. Review.

•Process: Put all the papers on your desk in the inbox, check each file, and ask yourself if you can act on it.  If you can:

-Do it, if it will take you less than two minutes.
-Delegate it, if you are not the right person to take care of it.
-Defer it, if it takes longer than two minutes, put it in your action and follow-up file, or in your projects’ file if it has to do with a project.

•Organize: If you don’t have to act on the file:

-If it is not needed, trash it, recycle it or shred it.
-Put it in the incubate box until you are ready to deal with it.
-File it in your filing cabinet for future reference.

•Review: Set up reviews for you to process your inbox and to organize your files:

-Daily, go through your inbox at least twice during the day, it must be empty by the end of the day to start again tomorrow.
-Weekly, at the end of the week, move the completed projects to your filing cabinet, check your incubate box and see what you are ready to tackle, and dispose of what you have put into the recycling bin.
-Monthly, at the end of the month, check your filing cabinet and clean it from files you won’t be using again.

2.Get rid of Post-it notes
These get lost easily and look ugly.  Use a notebook to write down reminder notes instead.

3.Trash any printouts
Do not keep printouts after you have completed the task related to them.  You should already have a hard copy.

4.Have blank folders and a marker in your desk
You won’t be filing anything if you don’t have things handy.

5.Schedule your reviews
Set a time to clean your desk at the end of every day.  It will become a habit fast.

6.Get rid of pens
Just keep two pens, no need for more.

7.Do not accept promotional items
This includes cheap pens, magazines, brochures, postcards, or anything else that will clutter your desk. Just say no.

8.Keep books at home
If there are books you don’t need regularly, keep them home.

9.Don’t eat at your desk
This only means more trash and dirt: paper bags, cups, utensils, crumbs, and stains.  Additionally, eating out lets you have a break from work.

10.Limit photo frames
You should have a picture of your loved ones at your desk, but don’t overdo it, it can only distract you and clutter your workspace.

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Mopping the floor is one of those activities that everyone seems to know how to do, but in reality, very few people do correctly.  If you do not employ the right technique to mop, you will be creating a lot more work, and will even be promoting danger, for yourself.

Here we show you the right way to mop a floor, just like professional commercial cleaning services do:

-There are different sizes of mop heads, thus, select a weight that fits your body size.  If the mop is too heavy, you may hurt your back, because you will have to make a greater effort to move quickly and efficiently.

-Fill the mop bucket with 4 gallons of cold water, and add the cleaning product following the manufacturer’s directions.  Always chose a neutral pH floor cleaner to avoid damaging floor finishes.

-Before mopping, sweep or vacuum the floor.  If loose dirt is not removed before you mop, you will spread the soil around the floor when doing it, and this will create a mess.  Remove gum or stickers with a putty knife.

-Locate wet floor signs surrounding the areas you are mopping and their entrances.

-Begin mopping at the farthest corner of the room and move backwards in the direction of the door.  Always keep the mop bucket on the side of the floor that hasn’t been mopped yet and in a place where you won’t trip over it.

-Start the job by mopping along the baseboards to avoid splashing the walls or baseboard with the cleaning product.  Later, fill in the open areas.

-Never push the mop forward and backward, but from side to side forming an eight figure, and overlap each stroke as you move back and forth.  Maintain your back straight as you mop, never twist the spine, or else, you will strain it.  Use your arm muscles, not your back, to move the mop back and forth.

-Turn over the mop and use the other side when one side gets dirty.

-Rinse the mop in clean water and squeeze it to get as much liquid out as possible, but never force the wringer and don’t twist the head, because this will break the fibers.

-Change the water as many times as necessary.

-Once the floor is completely dry, put the wet floor signs away, and rinse out the mop head, the bucket, and the sink.  Store the mop correctly and safely, preferably hanging so that it can dry thoroughly and easily.

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The average office cleaning worker normally is in such a hurry to finish the job that he or she sacrifices the quality of the work, or they are constantly struggling to clean everything up.  In the majority of cases this happens because they are not employing the right tools and products to get the job done, those that will do most of the work by themselves.

Here we present you the 6 secrets that top office cleaning services swear by, the ones that help them clean effectively and be the best at what they do, saving them and others precious time and energy:

1.    The secret of time
Lots of cleaning products demand time to work; if they are sprayed and immediately wiped they will not clean or disinfect appropriately.  Cleaning personnel must read the product’s instructions to find out how much time it needs to perform at its full capacity so that it easy for them to remove the dirt or bacteria from the surface.

2.    The secret of knowledge
Many times surfaces and objects don’t get cleaned properly because the cleaning staff is using the wrong chemical for the job.  For example, there are special products to get rid of grease accumulations. These break through the fat tackling the situation from the core, but if the cleaning personnel uses an all-purpose cleaner instead, they will have to work three times harder to get rid of the grease.

3.    The secret of shaking up
In some cases, the dirt is very much adhered to a surface, and in these cases, spraying and wiping is not enough.  The cleaning staff may need to work harder or use better tools to clean more efficiently; this is, to shake up the dirt so that it can be removed easily.  Sometimes, a slow speed floor machine works better than a hand.

4.    The secret of temperature
Some cleaning products require hot water to be effective while others need cold water.  Again, the staff must read the product’s instructions to find out the correct water temperature they should use.

5.    The secret of ventilation
In the case of carpets and floors, ventilation is key to ensure proper drying of the surface.  Without good drying, these surfaces could grow mold and mildew, creating very unhealthy conditions.

6.    The secret of soil removal
There are several cleaning tools that instead of removing soil spread it around, like feather dusters or vacuum cleaners without sealed bags or Hepa filters.  The removal of soil is crucial to clean effectively.

When hiring an office cleaning service, pay attention to the procedures they employ to clean.  Do they use professional tools and equipment?  Do they use the products guided by the labels on them?  If your answer is yes, you have found a cleaning gem, and you can trust it with your office cleaning completely.

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When running and operating an office setting, one of the largest expenses you’re likely to have is buying and maintaining all the appropriate electronics.  Because computers, printers, copy machines, and fax machines can be quite expensive, especially if buying them in large quantities, it is absolutely essential to your business that your electronics stand the test of time, and don’t need to be readily replaced.  Because of this, it is very important to the overall bottom line of your business, that these electronics be properly maintained and cleaned regularly.  And one the best ways for your company to do this is by hiring a commercial cleaning service that specializes in office technology cleaning.

Your computers, copy machines, and office printers are important investments that need to be protected.  But oftentimes office equipment such as this can go unprotected for months to years at a time, damaging the equipment, giving it a much shorter life span.  Dust buildup overtime, can get into the equipments’ circuitry and cooling systems reducing their ability to work properly and keep from overheating.  This dust can also clog up the air inlets, and may result in an improper air flow, which can slow down or even break your equipment.

To prevent this, it is important that your company take all the necessary precautions to ensure that you’re not replacing your expensive office equipment every few years.  And the best way to do this is by hiring an outside commercial cleaning company that specializes in cleaning office equipment.  These companies will not only clean your office from top to bottom, but will also carefully clean each piece of office technology you may have, ensuring a proper life cycle for all your equipment.  This way, not only will you have a sparkling and well organized office space, but you will be saving your company thousands of dollars by properly caring for your office’s electronics.

A professional commercial cleaning service that specializes in cleaning office electronics will also be able to help you maintain your equipment so that it will stand the test of time.  One way to do this is to offer you advice on how to take better care of your office equipment.  Some advice they may give you is to try using covers on your keyboard, mouse and screen when you’re not using them.  This will prevent dust from getting into cracks and crevices, while reducing cleaning frequency.    They will also teach you the appropriate ways of cleaning computer screens and other sensitive equipment, so that it does not cause damage.

Try researching commercial cleaning companies in your area, ask them if they specialize in cleaning office electronics, and any other cleaning services they provide.  This way, not only will you have a clean and well organized professional office space, but you will not have to replace your costly office electronics every few years.

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As we know, it can be quite a difficult task maintaining a business office, especially if your company does not have a professional office cleaning service of their own.  Cleaning the office can be a monotonous activity, especially if you have more important work that is being put off so you can take care of the necessary cleaning.  Today’s modern offices need sweeping, mopping, dusting, scrubbing everyday, and this can be an overwhelming task if it is not clearly defined and addressed.

Because employees will often resent it if they are forced to clean the office along with everyone else, then from a managerial standpoint, this will only lower employee morale and cause unneeded problems and conflict down the line.  If you are forcing your employees to address these cleaning issues, then it is not only taking them away from the job that your paying them to do, but oftentimes, the cleaning work done will be substandard at best.  For all of these reasons, many business owners decide that it would be best for their company to just hire an outside office cleaning company, who are professionals, and can do the job much easier than your employees, while cutting out all the unnecessary conflict associated with office cleaning.

The aim of using a professional office cleaning service is to make sure that your entire business premises, including offices, bathrooms, and hallway areas, are kept spotless and well organized at all times.  Because commercial cleaning services are a professional operation, they will most likely make use of the newest technologies and tools, to make offices as clean as humanly possible.  This not only saves your employees time and effort from doing the job themselves, but the end result will be a much cleaner and happier office.

Some professional office cleaning companies may offer additional services as well, including handyman services, superintendent services, and pest control.  This can save your company money because you won’t need to hire additional pest control or repair companies to fix any ongoing problems at your business office.  Professional office cleaners should take care of all cleaning responsibilities including sweeping, mopping, dusting, waxing, vacuuming, trash collection, polishing, sealing, and cleaning the carpets.  Some office cleaning companies may offer extra carpet care like washing and steaming of the carpets, for a little bit extra.

An office cleaning company will get your office looking the best it ever has, without all of the fallout of making your employees get their hands dirty.  A good commercial cleaning company will follow the appropriate office cleaning standards, while maintaining your facility, and restoring a professional image to your business.  It is recommended that you research the different companies in your area.  Before hiring an office cleaning agency, make sure to ask them for some references, so you can get some secondary feedback about their service.  Hiring an office cleaning company will not only help your business to maintain the kind of image it’s looking for, and can also boost employee morale at the same time.

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A proficiently organized janitor closet is the first step to ensure your office is truly safe and clean.  Why?  Because places with important amounts of human traffic, like hospitals, apartment buildings, hospitals, and office complexes, depend on organized and efficient janitorial services to run smoothly, and this can only be accomplished if the cleaning supplies are in order and adequately stored.

Janitors’ closets are, in many cases, the neglected source of many chemical dangers and accidents.  A janitor closet must have more than enough room to hold all the cleaning equipment and products.  The size of the space will depend on the size of your office and its needs; however, there should be enough room for extra supplies and for the staff to move freely and safely around.

Every janitor closet must have a good place to put the ‘material safety data sheets’ (MSDS). These explain the correct use of every chemical, and the entire cleaning crew should know them by heart and must know where they are in case of an emergency.  In the same way, the cleaning staff must know how to dispose of dangerous products or materials. They should be trained for it, and it is your responsibility, as the hiring company’s owner or representative, to ensure the office cleaning services you hire are professionals in preventing accidents as much as they are for cleaning.

A well-equipped janitor closet must contain:

-The relevant MSDS sheets

-The appropriate labels for all bottles

-A list of emergency phone numbers

-First aid kit

-Extra supplies

-Protective equipment like goggles, gloves, and aprons

-A sink and tap with the right drainage

-Enough room to safely store the equipment and products

No one should neglect the janitor’s closet when checking safety and health aspects at the office.  If there’s room for everything, it is easier to store it and keep it clean, organized, and safe, and it is also easier to deal with an emergency in case there is one.

Janitor’ closets are a priority on the lists of health and safety inspectors.  They check that these comply with every health and safety regulation, like the MSDS sheets, the storage capability, type of ventilation, and proper work area for the staff.  Your company can save lots of money and prevent serious emergencies by complying with these simple guidelines.

But maybe the most important thing is that all the office cleaning personnel receive the right training and that they know where everything is in the janitor’s closet.  They must respect your company’s policies and standards as well as reinforce the good habits and safety procedures your business abides by.

The janitor’s closet may be the smallest room in your office’s building; however, it is most certainly not the least important.

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There is a lot of value in an office cleaning company that promises and reinforces green cleaning.  However, one thing is promising, and a very different one is actually talking the talk and walking the walk.

Here is a list of the points you have to supervise in order to confirm that your office cleaning services are really green cleaners.  As you will see, the fact that you use commercial cleaning services does not mean you don’t have to keep an eye on the job being done:

1.    Check the office’s entrance
The entrance to an office is the place where most contamination settles, because everyone goes through there.  Office cleaners must be good at containing this pollution immediately, before it gets into the building.  The entrance and mats should be cleaned and vacuumed very frequently.

2.    Check if they reduce airborne particles and chemicals
How exactly do you do this?  It’s very easy. Check if the cleaners are using microfiber cleaning cloths; these trap the dust in the cloth and do not let it disperse, and they also reduce the need to use chemicals for cleaning.  If the cleaners use chemicals, see that they apply it to the cloth instead of spraying it on the surface that is being cleaned; this will ensure the chemicals are contained.

3.    Check if they use the right vacuums
The right vacuums are hepa vacuums, which reduce airborne particles.  The cleaners must empty and clean them frequently to ensure they work well.

4.    Check the products they use
A green office cleaning company will only use green cleaning products, and they will also be knowledgeable about chemical management systems to dilute the products correctly.

5.    Check that they follow the directions on cleaning chemicals and disinfectants
In order to do this, you have to read the directions yourself.  Most disinfectants need time to settle in order to work well, and every cleaner should follow the directions on how to properly and safely use every chemical.

6.    Check that that they use the right mops
These are the microfiber flat type, which grab and get rid of dirt instead of moving it around the place, like normal mops do.

7.    Check that they use effective methods to avoid cross contamination
For example, cleaning cloths organized by color: red to remove dust, yellow for toilets, blue for windows, etc.  They should also categorize mop buckets and handles by color to avoid mixing chemicals.

8.    Check if they use recycled products
Green cleaning services promote the use of recycled paper products on bathrooms and kitchens.

9.    Check if they have green cleaning training programs for their employees
The only way for an office cleaning company to go green is to teach their staff why it is important to be green.

Green cleaning, as much as green living, is not something you can impose on someone. It has to be understood in order to be accepted as a way of life, and a way of cleaning.

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No one wants to be surrounded by foul odors all day, especially when you’re trying to get your work done, but beware of trying to mask those odors with commercial air fresheners!  There is plenty of doubt surfacing as to whether or not these perfumed culprits are actually quite harmful to our health.

If your office cleaning company uses natural green cleaning products, you should have no need for them in the workplace anyway, but many individuals like to have that little stick, or gel, or spray to chase away odors just in case.  If you’re one of those people, here is a bit of information on the downside of air fresheners and also some tips on keeping the air fresh naturally!

Many air fresheners on the market today contain chemicals known as phalates, which are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects and fertility problems.  Conclusive evidence has not been confirmed regarding the amount of exposure required before adverse affects take place, but as a precaution many countries have banned the use of phalates in some cosmetics and children’s toys.  This should tell us that being exposed to this dubious chemical is not a good thing, and might as well be avoided if possible until evidence is found to the contrary.  So, where does that leave us with our concerns about nasty odors in the office?  Well, the truth is, some simple answers can be found right under our noses!

Cleanliness, of course, is the first defense against odors.  As mentioned above, if you have hired a diligent and efficient cleaning company, your office should be free of odors anyway.  But for those not so pleasant smells that waft in from time to time, you can try these things:

_Open windows to bring a bit of fresh air if possible to eliminate a temporary odor from a burned lunch or food spill.

_Empty all trash containers daily or immediately if something is really smelly and shake a bit of baking soda into the bottom of the trash can as well

_If you have a garbage disposal, run a piece or two of lemon through the system every so often

_Heat a small dish of water and cinnamon in the microwave for a few minutes to eliminate odors both in the oven and the room

_If someone in the office has a green thumb, consider placing a few houseplants throughout the office.  Plants act as natural air purifiers and look pretty too!  There are also commercial companies that will provide and maintain plants for the workplace in the event that no green thumbs can be found!

_Consider putting a small personal air cleaner on your desk.  These can be found in a variety of sizes and price ranges and work quite well to keep small areas odor free.

_Zeolite crystals also help to eliminate stubborn odors that are sometimes hard to pinpoint.  These crystals are usually sold in a mesh pouch and can often be found in home, farm and hardware stores.  They absorb odors for a period of time and then can be refreshed by being placed in the sun for a time.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.maintenance-one.com as the original source).

Waste removal is quite often a part of your office janitorial services, but reducing personal paper waste is something every individual can and should make a concentrated effort to achieve.  While there is nothing we can do about some documents that require filing and storing, there are many simple ways to work towards having as paper free a work environment as possible.  Here are 4 steps you can take to help reduce the paper clutter that has to be removed from your workplace.

1. Sort

The first step to reducing paper clutter is to decide exactly which documents must be kept and which are headed for the waste bin. At this stage you are determining the final destination for all the paper that collects in various spots around the office.

There will be papers that must be filed for keeping and need to be easily accessed if and when necessary, such as tax documents, legal agreements etc. These will go in a pile for filing. If you’re ever in doubt as to whether or not a document is needed for official purposes, always file it away.  Better to be safe than sorry, but don’t let it be an excuse to keep every piece of paper that crosses your desk!

Then there are those papers that should be kept for future reference but not for official purposes, such as advertising materials, brochures, business cards etc. and these will go in a pile for scanning.

And finally, there are those papers that have no further purpose and can be thrown away.  These will go in a pile for the shredder.  Now you’re ready to make those piles of paper disappear!

2. File
All documents in the “file pile” can now be filed away in appropriately labeled folders for quick access whenever necessary. Make it a habit to go through the filing cabinet at least once a year to determine if there are documents there that can be removed.

3. Scan
Investing in a good quality scanner for your computer is a must in order to reduce paper waste. Each of the documents in this “paper pile” can now be individually scanned into your computer and kept in a properly labeled folder on your desktop. You should also back up your scanned items on a memory stick or CD for safekeeping in case of a computer crash.  A hard copy can always be printed again if needed, and the document is readily available at the click of your mouse for reading, editing or reference.  Once scanned and electronically filed, these documents can now be moved to the shredder pile.

4. Shred
There are mobile shredding companies that will come to the workplace for shredding larger amounts of paperwork, bur individual paper shredders are inexpensive, easy to use, and will allow you to take care of paperwork yourself as you are finished with it.  Once shredded, the paper is off your desk, into the recycle bin, and gone from the office!

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.maintenance-one.com as the original source).

Most people will list cleaning the bathroom as their least favorite household chore for various reasons. Partly because of this, and partly because we all lead busy lives, many home and office building bathrooms are regularly neglected in terms of cleaning. Of course, most offices contract with a licensed and bonded commercial cleaning company for this purpose, and these experts know to avoid  these three common bathroom cleaning mistakes.

1.    Waiting Too Long Between Cleanings: There is a reason why commercial cleaners clean the bathroom everyday, even if it doesn’t look like it needs to be cleaned. Simply put, bathrooms are breeding grounds for germs, and are also high traffic areas, so frequent cleaning is key.

2.    Rushing: Many people are in a hurry to get the cleaning process over with as quickly as possible. But if you simply spray cleaner on the surfaces and immediately wipe it down, you are not doing yourself, or the other people who use the bathroom any favors.  If you’ve ever observed a janitorial and maintenance professional at work, you’ll notice that the first thing that they do is spray cleaner on every surface, and then move on to another task, like cleaning the mirrors. They do this because they know that those extra few minutes allow the cleaner to do its job, i.e. kill germs and disinfect.  Wiping off cleaning products as soon as you put them down will not kill germs or disinfect.

3.    Neglecting The Details: Professional cleaners never forget to clean around the base of the toilet tank, underneath the faucets, or to dust regularly.  Make sure that you don’t either—a few minutes really can make a difference when it comes to cleaning more effectively.

Office recycling is an essential part of the office cleaning process. Most office have recycling bins and programs in place, but even so, there are still many things that you can do on your own to conserve resources and create a greener office.

All offices require a lot of paper, for printing, faxing, copying, etc. You can help to conserve paper by using both sides of the paper when printing, especially for draft copies.  You should also avoid color printing, except for times when it is absolutely necessary. Placing a paper recycling bin next to the printer is another way to remind yourself to reuse and recycle whenever possible, and a nice subtle reminder to your employees and co-workers as well.   Many companies sell recycled and chlorine free printer paper, so try to purchase this whenever possible.

If you are in charge of purchasing furniture for your office, consider purchasing used furniture and office equipment. Not only will this save you money, but it will also help to reduce the landfill waste and airborne pollutants created as a result of the manufacture of office equipment and office furniture.

You can greatly reduce energy consumption in the workplace simply by switching to EnergyStar approved light bulbs and making sure that you and your fellow workers turn off lights, appliances, and computers when  they are not in use.

Lastly, find out whether your janitorial and maintenance company provides recycling services. Most companies do, and if yours doesn’t make sure to ask why. Office recycling conserves resources and energy, and can save your workplace money in the long run as well.