Posts Tagged ‘office cleaning companies’

Once a Year Cleaning Jobs

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Spring cleaning isn’t just something that homeowners need to do.  Oftentimes businesses have cleaning jobs that need only be done once or twice a year as well.  If you have a commercial cleaning company taking care of your place of business, consider asking them if they will also do this type of maintenance.  Deep cleaning jobs might include such things as steam cleaning of carpets, washing down of walls, thorough dusting of ceilings and rafters as well as complete window cleanings. Here are a few things to consider depending on the type of business you have.

A retail business should consider a deep cleaning of the premises prior to their main busy season.  This could mean at the beginning of summer, or perhaps just prior to Christmas.  You want your customers to really be able to focus on your merchandise, not cobwebs in the rafters or smears on the windows.

Similarly, a business that is fairly quiet during the winter months will want to get things spruced up before the busy summer season.  Anything that attracts tourists or the public in general should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before your customers or clients begin to arrive.  Some examples might be farmer’s markets, boarding kennels, tourist’s attractions and outdoor party facilities.  A thorough cleaning of some of these places might be too large for an individual and by outsourcing the job to a commercial cleaning company, you will be better able to focus on plans for the busy season ahead.

Even some offices such as medical buildings have different volumes of traffic through the doors at different times of the year and a deep cleaning of the carpets, furniture, doors and windows should be considered accordingly.  Although your staff and cleaning company can often handle a day to day cleaning of kitchen and bathrooms, they still require a more thorough job at least once a year.  This should include taking all appliances apart and cleaning shelves, drawers, stove elements and components, as well as a thoroughly cleaning of cupboards and pantries where any food is stored.

A larger job that should also be considered for a healthy work environment is a thorough cleaning of heating and air conditioning ducts.  There are specific companies that provide this service and if your cleaning company doesn’t, they should be able to direct you to a reputable company.  Breathing healthy air is important to everyone and the reduction of work related health issues is of the utmost importance to business owners, staff, clients and customers alike.

If you own a business of any kind be sure to consider a commercial cleaning company for some of these large jobs that should not be neglected.

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How to Hire the Right Commercial Cleaning Services

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Dirty and untidy businesses are noticeable to customers, as well as important clients   How your business presents itself can speak volumes about who the company is, and a lot about the people in charge.  Although it might be time consuming, taking the time to find the right commercial cleaning company for your business will not only save you time and money, but will lead to far fewer headaches down the line.

If you are looking into hiring a commercial cleaning service for your company there might be some factors you want to consider.  Whether you are looking on a bulletin board, the phonebook, the internet, or the newspaper, finding a qualified, professional cleaning service may prove difficult.  But if you know what to look for, and put the time into the search, as you would any important decision, you will end up with the right qualified cleaning company that will help take your business to new levels of professionalism.

There are two types of companies offering janitorial services: large chains, and smaller, privately-owned companies.  Each type of company has its pros and cons.   Large cleaning companies may offer better equipment and usually more efficient services, but sometimes they can be quite expensive.  Smaller commercial cleaning companies, on the other hand, can often be less expensive, may or may not do the same quality work, and sometimes offer more custom services.  To make the best decision for your company, you first need to understand your cleaning needs before contacting any company to find out the best fit.

Another important step in finding a commercial cleaning service is checking references.  This can be a sure-fire way to hear first hand what kind of company this is, and what kind of services they offer.  Make sure when in the evaluation process that you ask for references, and check them out thoroughly.  Another step you can take to protect yourself would be to ask the cleaning company if they offer insurance.  Many commercial cleaning companies offer certified bond insurance, which is insurance money set aside to be used in case of broken, damaged, or lost property of their clients.  Make sure when you’re in the evaluation process that they verify proof of their certified bond insurance.

The final step of the evaluation is finalizing a contract together.  Make sure that everything that you had discussed and agreed upon is in the contract, including how often, and to what extent, they will be rendering their services.  Most importantly, make sure that you make provisions in the contract, to be able to drop the service, if you do not find they have lived up to their end of the bargain.  All in all, this may seem like a complicated process, but after you have found the right company, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that you did everything necessary to hire the right professional cleaning service for your business.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

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Office Cleaning Checklist….What Your Cleaners Should Do

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

When you pay for an office cleaning service, you want to get what you pay for.  Commercial cleaning providers will often supply a checklist of services so you can choose how much or how little they do.  With Maintenance One, we perform a 32-Step Cleaning Service even on our most basic plans!

If you don’t have a checklist provided by your company, you can use ours to find out how thorough your current cleaning company is. We’ve been in the cleaning business a long time and know that our competitors don’t even come close to providing the service and value that we do.

DAILY CLEANING

Your reception area represents your customer’s first impression. You want it to always be bright, clean and inviting.  Every individual needs a clean work environment. A well organized and clean workplace helps to make everyone more productive. Cleaning tasks for the reception area and office spaces include:

1.  Empty waste receptacles and replace liners. Wash as needed.
2.  Vacuum all carpets and mats
3.  Vacuum all hard floors
4.  Dust all horizontal surfaces of desks, chairs, tables and other furniture
5.  Damp wipe all horizontal surfaces with disinfectant
6.  Mop all hard floors with disinfectant
7.  Remove cobwebs from front entry and immediate surrounding areas
8.  Remove fingerprints and marks from around light switches and door frames
9.  Clean automatic glass doors inside and out
10. Wipe all internal glass
11. Polish all brass and bright work on doors and cabinets
12. Spot clean walls and painted surface
13. Collect all garbage, papers, bottles etc. from front entrance
14. Ensure all areas are clean & arranged neatly

Kitchen/Break Room & Washroom
A clean and sanitized washroom is a must in any working environment to ensure safety and reduce the risk of spreading germs.  Same thing goes for a kitchen or break room where employees eat. It is imperative that this space be clean and sanitary even if no food preparation is done there.

15. Stock toilet tissue, hand towels, facial tissues and hand soap
16. Empty waste receptacles and wipe if needed and replace bin liners as required
17. Clean and polish mirrors
18. Wipe hand towel dispensers/hand dryers
19. Wipe down doors and sills – remove all dust and prints
20. Clean and sanitize all basins. Polish all bright work
21. Dust partitions, tops of mirrors and frames
22. Remove splash marks from walls and partitions around basins
23. Mop clean restroom and kitchen floors with disinfectant
24. Elevator and Stairs
25. Remove garbage from all areas
26. Polish all brass and bright work
27. Vacuum and mop all hard floors
28. Spot clean internal glass in doors 29. Toilets and urinals to be cleaned and disinfected on both sides and disinfected/sanitized and wiped dry

WEEKLY CLEANING

30. Spray buff all hard floors.
31. Clean all glass inside & outside with squeegee.

MONTHLY CLEANING
32. Vacuum vents and chairs

These are just the very basic cleaning procedures that should be completed by your janitorial company.  If your current cleaning service isn’t performing like they should be, contact us! We’re currently offering new customers 50% Off their first three months of service. Our 32-Step Cleaning Service is standard no matter how big or small your office space is. Find out how you can get in on this amazing limited-time offer.

Secrets to an Efficient Office Cleaning

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Cleaning a workplace efficiently is one of the most important aspects to a productive business. A clean and tidy workplace is one of the keys to keeping staff motivated and high-spirited. A clean and sanitized office influences workers to do things in a tidy fashion, keep their paperwork properly filed, and everything running in an organized way.

Another fact that must be considered is the overall image of the company. It is important to show a clean office and reception area when customers’ visits are frequent. It all adds up to the general way customers and providers regard the company, and we know for sure this is a factor that helps close many deals.

Office cleaning must be kept on a daily basis. Whether it is more convenient to do a daytime cleaning or at night is something that must be pondered taking into consideration what type of activity the company runs. Some voices are raised to support daytime cleaning, because it is more environmentally friendly, due to the fact that once the lights are out, and the personnel has gone, there is no need to turn the lights on again to clean the place. However, cleaning when regular staff has gone does not interrupt the normal workflow, and does not distract workers. Probably, the company can save electricity in other ways, such as instructing personnel to turn off their computers before going home, or rationalizing air conditioning.

Efficient office cleaning must not be considered a waste, but an investment. It helps reduce employees’ sick days due to colds and other infectious diseases, allergies, and the effects of pollution. That is why it is important not to conduct a cosmetic cleaning, but rather a thorough deep cleaning. We will highlight some points that must not be overlooked.

•    Carpets are usually the favorite place for microorganisms to proliferate. They need to be vacuumed on a daily basis and deeply cleaned once a month, with the use of ecological products and avoiding chemicals that may be harmful. In this regard, there are certain steam carpet cleaners that do a wonderful job just by applying water steam. High levels of sanitation  are achieved this way because hot steam kills most microorganisms.

•    Telephone mouths and headphones, as well as every mouse and keyboard must be cleaned with a cloth embedded in a soft disinfectant.

•    Books and folders must be removed from shelves and cleaned one by one. Frames (photos, diplomas, etc) must be also wiped with a damp cloth. This is the only way to catch all dust. Just vacuuming them usually takes the filth back to the air, hence to the floor and other objects.

•    Desks must be cleaned also, not just polished, but disinfected as well, especially where clerks usually lay their hands and elbows.

•    An important action that is sometimes forgotten is the disinfection of wastebaskets, as this is bacteria’s favorite place to grow, and also a source of odor.

•    Bathrooms must also be deeply cleaned every day, as they are one of the sources of infections most commonly present in workplaces. Also, cleaning personnel must make sure that all consumable materials are replaced (liquid soap, toilet paper, etc.)

It is unlikely that employees will exclaim every morning, “Boy, is this office clean!”, but rather will complain when they find something filthy, and the same goes for customers. As professional business people, we must make sure that this never happens.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

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Cleaning is Also a Sensual Matter

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Commercial cleaning is nowadays one of the services no company can do without. Professional office cleaning has become a matter of providing a service which is indispensable to carry on day to day activities. There is funny thing about cleanliness. When it is properly performed, no one seems to notice it, but when some aspects of cleaning are neglected, and filth becomes obvious, cleanliness, or rather the lack of it, gets under the spotlight.

There are certain aspects about professional office cleaning that cannot be neglected, in order to provide healthy visibility to the matter. Cleaning is also a sensual matter, in the sense that it must appeal to all senses. We can all think about places we have been that, although impeccably clean, they did not strike as a clean place, either because they did not look or smell like a clean, healthy place.

•    Cleanliness strikes through the eyes.
Tidying up is a fundamental aspect of cleanliness. Even though cleaning staff is not expected to file clerical papers, they can also help de-clutter offices just by a more efficient arrangement of objects. If books are lying around, they must be put in shelves, the same as newspapers and magazines in reception areas. Chairs must also be correctly placed in meeting rooms, similarly with ashtrays, glasses, or office items –staplers, pencils- which are left lying around. Waste management is also important. Waste must be disposed of properly and in timely fashion. All elements that can be recycled can be donated to organizations that will greatly appreciate them.
A special note must be made about cleaning items. The wardrobe or small office where cleaning supplies are stored must also remain spotless. If a substitute janitor shows up the next day, he must be able to find all supplies with no difficulty.

•    The ears are also important.
In the case of offices that are cleaned during the day, while the staff is at work, the cleaning staff must be trained to clean causing the least noise pollution as possible. In fact, it would be ideal for them to go unnoticed. Thus, if areas to be polished are not too big, polishing can be done by hand instead of using a noisy machine that will disturb everyone.

•    The smell of health.
Fragrances and deodorants are a double-edged weapon when cleaning offices. They must never be used to mask filth or stale odor. If there is a distinct foul smell when entering an office, the source of such a smell must be sought until discovered. Some clues: wastebaskets not properly sanitized, rotten food in the employees’ fridge, bathrooms.
Scents are a sensitive topic. The room must be left with a soft gentle smell, not too disturbing –remember that fragrances are a very personal matter. While somebody might adore a particular smell, somebody else might loathe it. Nevertheless, scent is an important factor that conveys the idea of a clean place. Thus, a soft deodorant and air perfume must be used.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

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