Winter is about to start! And as snow falls on the streets and sidewalks, you’ll find more and more of it tracked through your entrances, exits, and hallways.
It’s only natural. But should you do anything about it? After all, it’ll melt eventually. I’ve met a few managers and owners who make sure to clean it up once it “gets bad enough.” But before we get into the real snowy seasons, I wanted to talk about 3 different reasons why you definitely don’t want to let this mess slide for too long.
Reason #1: It’s Slippery!
Speaking of sliding, this sort of snowy, slushy build-up at your entrances can become a real hazard no matter how much traffic you see in a work day. Even if the snow melts, you have the byproduct: water! Carpets get soggy and tile floors get slick—a perfect combination to risk more slips and falls.
And that means liability. Any effort you can put into clearing a floor of slick hazards like snowy entranceways is probably going to cost less than a damages lawsuit!
But even if your walkways are slip-free, snow that melts and evaporates leaves behind something else: dirt and grime.
Reason #2: It’s Dirty!
There’s something beautiful about falling snowflakes becoming stark white snowdrifts. It’s picturesque. But once it’s packed under a dozen boots and trampled through your walkways, you might notice it takes on that grey, slushy color and looks decidedly less pretty.
Not only that, this slush carries dust and contaminants that remain even after the moisture dries. While there’s nothing toxic about snow, NPR reports that plowed snow may contain sand and chemicals like magnesium chloride. This grime it leaves behind can contribute to nasty buildup on your floors that contributes to bacterial growth and other potential health risks.
Every day you leave this residue to build up the greater the chance for growths of things like mold to settle in. And every hour you have a dirty walkway is another batch of visitors who might be making assumptions about your facility.
Reason #3: It’s Unprofessional!
Let’s assume 2 things: your walkways are slip-proof and your snow just has the natural dirt that gets tracked in. Even if we remove the physical and health risks from the equation—it still looks bad! You have employees, customers, and visitors all tracking through and seeing the kind of shape you’re willing to leave your facility.
This bad impression may even affect the way people choose to do business with you. And just like avoiding a lawsuit by putting in a little extra effort to avoid slip risks, you can help maintain your reputation as a facility that concerns itself with cleanliness and safety by keeping your walkways clear of snow and slush.
Using Your Resources Effectively
But how often is this required? Are you supposed to have a posted bouncer at every door with a mop and broom to clean up after every person who walks through? Of course not! That sort of constant oversight is expensive. This is where it might help to get a second opinion.
While you worry about the operations of your facility, a professional cleaning crew can assess your average cleaning needs. At Maintenance One, we combine reliability and experience to provide you the exact services your facility requires.
We’ll look at your daily operations, the usual foot traffic you see at each entrance and exit, and determine the best times in the day or week to tackle those tracked-in winter messes. Perhaps a day porter crew can add it into their routine for a busy intersection while an after-hours deep cleaning crew can focus on other areas.
Whatever you need, Maintenance One can help you with it. Contact us today for a consultation or if you have any questions. And if you’re looking for a crew to help you with the challenges winter poses, feel free to request a quote with us.
