As a business owner, you likely know how important it is to maintain your work environment.  Whether you want to ensure the health and safety of your staff or you want to make a good impression for your customers, cleaning services are an important (if not overlooked) aspect of running a business.  So, when it comes to hiring a janitorial company, what do you need to consider?  From the reputation of the company and their cost of services to references and services provided, there are many factors to think about before hiring a janitorial company.

The Janitor’s Reputation

Ultimately, when you are hiring any professional to provide a service, you likely want to consider how long that service provider has been in business and their general reputation in your community.  Sure, a start-up can provide excellent services, but it’s more difficult to verify the quality of their work.  On the other hand, hiring an established janitorial company helps you know you are working with a professional that has a satisfied customer base as well as roots in your community.

Dollars and Cents

Ideally, you want to collect bids from a variety of professional cleaning companies serving your company and business type before you make a final decision.  While you probably do not want to hire the lowest bidder, you also don’t want to be taken for a ride financially.  Getting a few bids that are based on a realistic expectation of services delivered will give you a good sense of what is a fair price to pay.  Then you can consider other factors such as the company’s reputation and references before settling on an offer.  As a rule of thumb, remember that the lowest bidder might be low-balling to try to get your business but exceptionally low prices are usually a reflection of poorer services.  Aim to get around 5 quotes, take the average and carefully consider the bids that are closest to that average.

Check References

Always….always…ALWAYS check references before hiring a janitorial company.  If you were interviewing a new employee, you’d check their references and the same should be true for potential cleaning companies.  Any reputable business will be happy to provide you a variety of recent references that can help you to confirm that you’re going to get the quality and variety of services you require at a fair price.  When speaking with the references, try to have a few questions prepared that reflect your needs.  For example, you probably want to know that services were provided on schedule and to a satisfactory level.

Products and Services

Not every business requires the same cleaning services.  Before hiring a janitorial company, create a comprehensive list of all the services you require and your ideal schedule for these services.  Make sure to negotiate carefully with your janitorial company so that you get the cleaning you need when you need it.

Do you hate cleaning windows?  As if cleaning interior windows wasn’t a hassle enough (it is!), but really…who wants to spend time cleaning exterior windows?  I can’t think of anybody, except maybe the professionals.  No doubt, cleaning outside windows involves a lot of messing around – you’ve got to drag buckets of water and other cleaning supplies up and down ladders to reach higher level windows.  Not to mention the actual work of cleaning the window.  To make a long story short, cleaning windows is a difficult job that also poses some risk to your safety (hello! Ladders!!).  Plus, as a amateur, you may have noticed how difficult it is to get pristine, streak-free windows.  I’d swear it’s impossible!  So, what can you do?

The answer is simple: hire professional window cleaners and your window-cleaning nightmares are gone.  Window cleaning service professionals have all the skills and tools they need to do the job (interior AND exterior) effectively, efficiently, and most importantly – safely.  When many of us consider the actual cleaning part of windows (i.e. before we’ve even considered hiking up and down ladders with buckets of water, squeegees, and whatever else you’ll need), we probably think – how hard can it be?  Wipe the window, dry the window, job done.  Then if you’ve ever tried to clean your exterior windows, you probably know how painstaking the job can be.  Fortunately, professional cleaners use the right cleaners and equipment to leave your windows clear as glass!

But, how often do you need to have your windows cleaned.  This really depends on a lot of factors.  What is the weather like in your area?  Do you get a lot of rain, snow, or wind?  Is your home surrounded by trees or other sources of debris?  How clean do you like your windows to be?  It may seem strange, but the frequency of window cleanings is a uniquely personal choice.

Nevertheless, most professionals recommend window cleaning services at least once or twice a year for basic home services.  You can even get more bang for your buck and have your interior and exterior windows cleaned at the same time.  As a business owner, you will want to have more frequent cleanings.  Clean windows are an easy way to make your business appear efficient and organized – and no matter how much our mothers tried to teach us not to judge a book by it’s cover, it’s usually the first thing we do.  Professional window cleaning services for businesses should be conducted at least once a month; but once again, that depends on several factors such as dirt, debris, and weather that may cause your windows to become dirty faster.

The push for green initiatives is apparent in pretty much every business sector and industry.  Reducing or eliminating the harmful impact of human activity on the environment is more than just a fad and we can see the evidence of eco-friendly cleaning services gaining momentum over the past 20 years.  Nevertheless, many people are still uncertain of what eco-friendly janitorial services involve and whether it’s possible to provide the same quality cleaning with green products and procedures.  In fact, green cleaning is efficient, effective, and relatively easy to implement.  So what are eco-friendly janitorial services?

Green Cleaning Products and Supplies

It should come as no surprise that over the past couple of decades a new industry dedicated to the development of green cleaning products and supplies has emerged and is growing in popularity.  Many green products today out-perform conventional products and they are not only safer for the environment they’re safer for people too.  Moreover, many of these eco-friendly products are even more affordable than traditional cleaning alternatives.  As a side benefit, green products often provide better results that last longer.  From recycled paper products to environmentally-responsible hand-wash and sanitizer, floor seals, dishwashing liquid, and microfiber cleaning cloths, there are a wide range of eco-cleaning products that promote a healthier environment.

Whether you are looking for residential or commercial cleaning services, there are always green options available.  In the 21^st century, the focus on protecting the environment drives many of the choices we make.  We buy fuel-efficient and energy efficient appliances, we purchase products from companies that address sustainability in manufacturing, and we tend to choose natural alternatives wherever possible.  To this end, even the equipment available for janitorial services is becoming more environmentally friendly.

As we become more and more conscious of sustainability, we also need to consider the manufacturing and distribution of cleaning products and equipment.  This means utilizing products and equipment that are sourced locally, but also come from facilities that promote an environmentally friendly approach.  Truly green cleaning involves a chemical-free, locally sourced approach that ensures the health of the planet and the people who inhabit it.

Potential Services

Ultimately, many of the principles that apply to environmentally-friendly living apply to environmentally-friendly cleaning.  This involves reducing waste, conserving energy, conserving water, and obviously using products that do not contain harsh chemicals.  Arguably, any responsible professional cleaning company should be applying these principles to the services they provide, but this is not always the case.  As such, it’s important as the customer that you seek out professional cleaners that offer green cleaning services.

So, if you’re looking for eco-friendly janitorial services, don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions.  Try to get more information about what approaches your cleaner takes to ensure they offer truly green cleaning.

Are you considering hiring professional cleaners for your home or business?  If so, you might be wondering how different residential and commercial cleaning can really be.  Indeed, many cleaning companies offer both residential and commercial cleaning services, but often at significantly different rates.  Understanding the difference between residential and commercial cleaning can help you to see why this is the case, so let’s take a closer look.

Comparing Residential and Commercial Cleaning Services

Home cleaning services typically cost less than commercial cleaning mostly because of the scope of the services.  With respect to residential cleaning, professionals will offer a variety of services, much as you would expect from commercial cleaning.  Cleaning companies will take care of kitchens, bathrooms, windows, and floors in your home which isn’t so different from what you would expect from commercial cleaning services.  That being said, residential cleaning services are usually less complicated simply because of the amount of traffic – cleaning up after a family of four is a much different endeavour than cleaning an office with 50 staff members and countless customers.

Another factor that is important with respect to residential cleaning is the safety and comfort of your family.  Perhaps you have a sentimental nature and you want to know you can trust your cleaners to care for your belongings as you would, not to mention the fact that you’re exposing private elements of your life to professionals.  In this sense, you might say that commercial cleaning services are a little more no nonsense than residential cleaning.

On the other hand, hygiene and sanitation are often much bigger issues in a commercial cleaning scenario.  Ensuring a healthy workplace requires proper cleaning in a commercial environment.  In fact, commercial cleaning services can have a much bigger impact on a company’s bottom line than many business owners realize.  Whether you’re trying to improve workplace efficiency by maintaining a clean and organized workplace or you want to reduce staff sickness by maintaining a sanitary facility, commercial cleaning services are vitally important to the health and safety of your employees.

In short, whenever you are seeking cleaning services, either residential or commercial cleaning, it is especially important to work with professionals that have the skills and experience required for your unique job.  Always carefully vet your cleaning companies by asking friends, family, or colleagues for referrals and also checking references in advance.  You should also carefully consider your cleaning needs and make sure to speak to potential cleaning companies to ensure that they can provide the services you need on a schedule and budget that works for you.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking all cleaning services are the same, this is simply not true.

What is the face of your business?  There is no single answer to this question, though many business owners would be quick to identify resources such as their brand, their product or service, or their personnel.  While these are all fundamentally important aspects of any good business, many entrepreneurs, executives, and managers would also recognize their building and offices as important representations of their business.  Indeed, when clients, colleagues, or other associates visit your offices for the first time, and impression will be made.  What kind of impression do you want that to be?

Whether you want to streamline business operations, improve cleanliness of your office and facilities, or ensure proper maintenance of office amenities, there are myriad benefits to a professional janitorial maintenance plan.  An effective maintenance plan will keep your business running smoothly in a number of important ways from preventing problems before they arise to improving workplace health and safety.

Prevention as a Policy

Preventing building problems is as simple as a regular and monitored maintenance plan.  A maintenance plan takes the guess work out of keeping your building and offices in tip-top condition.  By working with professional janitors on a scheduled maintenance plan, you ensure all the details are accounted for: lightbulbs in stairwells are replaced in a timely fashion, facilities problems are identified and rectified quickly, and signs of possible future problems are recognized so major problems don’t arise.

Health and Safety

One of the most overlooked benefits of a monthly maintenance plan is the health and safety of your employees.  A clean, disinfected office reduces workplace illness so that workers take fewer sick days.  In addition, a well-organized and orderly office will promote efficiency among staff members.  Ultimately, clean, well-cared for offices are productive offices – and productivity means janitorial services have a measurable return on investment.

Cost of Cleanliness

Given the benefits of a janitorial services, it should come as no surprise that the costs of these services are easily justifiable.  That being said, many business owners are surprised to learn how inexpensive a janitorial maintenance can be.  Indeed, working with professional janitors is often much less expensive than hiring, equipping, and managing in-house staff and the cost of services in general is affordable.  Most importantly, the best janitorial companies will work with each of their clients to set up a maintenance plan that meets their individual needs for services and budget.

As you can see, there are many benefits to working with a professional cleaning company and arranging a regular maintenance.  Regular cleaning and maintenance ensures our business puts forward the best first impression while keeping your workspaces in excellent condition and promoting the health and safety of your valued workforce.  And all this can be achieved affordably and effectively for any business model.