Are you looking for a commercial cleaning company?  Have you already consulted your preferred online search engine only to find dozens or even hundreds of commercial cleaners serving your community?  Are you feeling overwhelmed?  Rest easy, though choosing a commercial cleaning company can seem daunting given the number of options available in most urban areas, there are ways you can make your search easier.

Ultimately, before hiring a commercial cleaner, you want to contact a number of potential candidates to see if they provide the services you need, when you need them, and at a price that meets your budget.  It’s always best to start with referrals from colleagues.  If you don’t have colleagues that have acquired similar commercial cleaning services, you can have a quick look at online reviews to at least get a sense of whether or not a commercial cleaner is reputable and respected in your community.

Once you have a refined listed of four to six candidates, you want to contact each of them and ask specific questions about their experience, services, and price.

Services

Not all commercial cleaning companies will offer the same services.  Indeed, commercial facilities are varied with respect to the type of business (leisure, retail, office, or industrial) and the space they utilize.  Commercial cleaners may specialize in hotels, pubs, or restaurants or they may offer a wide range of services to meet the needs of many commercial businesses including retail stores, office buildings, and even warehouses.  As such, you want to make sure the commercial cleaning company you contract provides the services you need.

Experience

Similar to services provided, you want to get an idea of your cleaner’s experience.  How long have they been in the business?  Do they have the tools and technology necessary to provide excellent cleaning services?  Can they show they have experience cleaning facilities that are similar to your own?

Price

Clearly, the cost of cleaning services is also going to be a major factor in choosing a commercial cleaning company.  You’ll be surprised to learn that there can be a great degree of variation in cleaning costs from one company to the next.  Sometimes these prices will vary depending on the types of cleaning services you require, but sometimes these prices seem almost arbitrary.  A good rule of thumb is to choose a company you can afford, but one that also will provide all the cleaning services you require on an appropriate schedule.

Still, once you’ve narrowed your search even further to a couple of companies that offer appropriate services and experience at an affordable price, you’ll also want to ask for references.  Also, consider bringing in your commercial cleaners for a trial period before you agree to a longer-term contract.  Many commercial cleaners will be happy to demonstrate their services on a shorter trial period.

Fresh air is synonymous with feelings of freedom, refreshment, invigoration, and relaxation.  There are many expressions in the English language that allude to this fact.  We might talk of “needing to take a breath,” or we might describe a situation as a “breath of fresh air.”  As humans, we identify with the outdoors and open spaces as places that give us energy.  When it comes to air quality in your office space, it should come as no surprise that fresh air contributes to an energized, alert, and healthy workplace.  Indeed, happy and productive employees are more likely in an environment that is clean and has contaminant-free air.

That being said, maintaining air quality in an office, commercial, or industrial facility can be more challenging than you’d expect.  An effective ventilation system is important for climate control but also helps to keep air circulating while filtering contaminants thereby creating an environment with better air quality.

There are many contaminants that can degrade the air quality in your workplace.  Dust, allergens, bacteria, and odours are among the most common contaminants that can have a significant impact on worker productivity and efficiency.

• Dust contributes to coughing, sneezing, sore throats, and itchy eyes; and as the day progresses, these symptoms can become almost debilitating for some staff members.
• Likewise, allergens transported by staff with pets (via animal dander), pollen from plants or flowers in the office, and even mold can trigger allergic reactions in employees. Sometimes, these reactions pose serious health risks.
• Bacteria are a natural factor in any environment, but some airborne bacteria and other microbes cause serious illness. In fact, bacterial infections account for a significant proportion of sick time for staff fighting infections.
• Finally, odours can not only be a source of conflict in the office – nobody wants to smell your microwaved fish! But, they also may trigger allergic reactions, cause headaches, and generally distract people from the work at hand.

As you can see, it is incredibly important to maintain good air quality in your office space in order to ensure that work is completed effectively, efficiently, and happily.  Still, sometimes a good ventilation system is not enough to address air quality issues.  In fact, that ventilation system itself needs regular maintenance and upkeep.  You’ll want to ensure that your ventilation system and all air ducts and associated components are cleaned at least annually by a qualified professional.

You really can never take air quality too seriously.  Whether you want to ensure an environment that is free of contaminants, or you just want to create the most comfortable working environment possible, air quality should not be overlooked.  Even if you’ve never had your ventilation system cleaned, fear not!  It’s never too late to restore the air quality in your office.

Professional janitorial services are a must have for any business owner who operates an office, commercial, or industrial space.  Not only does proper cleaning help to maintain the image of your business, but it can also improve employee productivity and health and safety.  That being said, budgets are a real thing and business owners (particularly small business owners) are always looking to moderate their expenses.  With that in mind, you must be asking “how much should you pay for janitorial services?”

Any time we’re talking about the cost of services, we need to be careful because many factors will influence the bottom line.  When it comes to janitorial services, there are 4 main factors that will impact total costs: geographic location, cleaning requirements, cleaning frequency, and the facility.  We’ll discuss each of these factors so that you can get a clearer picture of what janitorial services will cost for your business.

Geography

Whether your business is located in a rural community, a city suburb, or a major metropolis will impact the cost of cleaning services, though not always predictably.  For example, rural cleaning services can be more difficult to come by as there will certainly be fewer janitorial companies and therefore less competition for your business; this can often translate to higher costs.  On the other hand, the cost of running a business in a major urban centre is typically higher, so this can also translate to higher janitorial costs.  Travel and parking costs, the costs of cleaning supplies and materials, and the cost and availability of sound labour are all elements that are influenced by geography and will therefore influence the cost of your janitorial services.

Nevertheless, to give you a ballpark idea of cleaning costs, you should expect to pay between $20 and $40 per hour for cleaning services.  In a small city, cleaning costs will typically fall between $20 and $30, whereas you’ll pay upwards of $25 per hour in a larger city.

Cleaning Requirements

Depending on the scope of your cleaning requirements, the cost of janitorial services will vary significantly.  For basic cleaning services, you’ll obviously pay less.  Basic services include tasks such as trash removal, bathroom and kitchen cleaning, and floor and windows.  More comprehensive services cost more because they require more time and energy as well as more specialized equipment.  You can even request environmentally-friendly cleaning services, but you should expect to pay more.  Ideally, you need to make a list of all the cleaning services you require so that your janitor’s quote reflects your specific needs.

Cleaning Frequency

This should really be a no-brainer: The more often you require cleaning services, the higher your monthly costs will be.  Still, you’ll find that the cost per cleaning is often lower when you require more frequent services.

Your Facility

The size of your facility will impact janitorial costs simply because larger facilities require more time to clean, but other factors will influence cost as well.  For example, an office with different types of flooring might be more expensive to clean because your janitor will need to utilize different types of equipment.  In addition, an industrial facility will likely require specialized cleaning equipment that isn’t necessary for most basic office spaces.

In the end, the cost of janitorial services can be very difficult to estimate.  Speak with several professionals in your area and get a quote based on your location, your cleaning requirements and frequency, and the type and size of your facility.

Assuming a “one size fits all” approach to estimating the cost of just about any service is not usually the best approach.  When it comes to the cost of office cleaning, there are a wide variety of factors that impact your bottom line.  From the size of an office to the types of cleaning tasks that are required, business owners should expect professional cleaning services to be tailored to their needs.  However, this also means that each cleaning contract will usually come with a different price tag.  Nevertheless, let’s take a closer look at the cost of office cleaning and some of the factors that will affect cleaning quotes.

First things first, cleaning costs not only vary depending on your needs, but also depending on the cleaning company.  For smaller jobs that require regular trash and recycling removal in addition to light cleaning tasks such as wiping surfaces and vacuuming floors, many companies will advertise a flat rate.  In general, the smallest offices requiring only basic cleaning can be maintained for as little as $30 per cleaner visit.  However, if you require specialized cleaning tasks such as carpet cleaning, floor waxing and/or buffing, window cleaning, or you have extra restrooms that need to be serviced, your cleaning costs will likely be much higher.  For example, if you have only a handful of employees and require once or twice weekly basic cleaning services, your cleaning costs could be less than $200 per month; on the other hand, an average small business with a couple offices, a break room, and a meeting room might cost upwards of $500-600 per month for basic cleaning.

As your cleaning needs become more complicated, the costs associated rise.  In many cases, these more complex cleaning contracts are charged according to the square footage of your office.  Some cleaners charge as little as 5 cents per square foot while others charge closer to 60 cents per square foot.  As you can see, there is quite a range in cleaning costs even from one company to another.  Moreover, most professional cleaners will separate charges for more laborious services.  Expect to pay between 30 and 50 cents per square foot for stripping and waxing floors, around $30-40 per hour for carpet cleaning, and a flat rate (between $10-30 per appliance) for cleaning microwaves or refrigerators.

Interestingly, the cleaning rate per square foot tends to decrease as office sizes increase.  Don’t get too excited though – this doesn’t mean it is cheaper overall to clean a large office, just that the cost per square foot is lower.  For example, if you pay 10 cents per square foot to clean a 20,000 square foot office, your monthly bill would be $2000; whereas, if you pay 20 cents per square foot to clean a 2,000 square foot office, your monthly bill would be $400.

Ultimately, your best bet as a business owner is to clearly set your cleaning expectations and then contact various cleaning contractors to see who can fulfill your needs and meet your budget.

The office kitchen…it’s the bane of my existence!  Dirty dishes in the sink, spills left on the counter, and splatters in the microwave – it’s enough to drive even the messiest office member a little bit crazy.  But it’s not just about my personal feelings, the fact is that kitchens are breeding grounds for bacteria; and while cleaning staff may regularly wipe down desktops and computer equipment, office kitchens are often left in disarray – so what can we do?

To eliminate the problem of germs, mold, and mess in the kitchen, it’s important for offices to establish and post a set of clear kitchen rules.  Sometimes we need to teach etiquette before we enforce it.  So, I’ve consulted professional cleaning staff for a set of kitchen rules that will help keep that shared space free of contaminants.

Kitchen Basics

Let’s start with a set of basic rules for office kitchen etiquette…and then we’ll launch into what to do with the refrigerator and microwave before closing out on some common sense tips.

“Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”  It’s a simple principle that we learn in elementary school.  When it comes to the office kitchen, the principle is just as simple: if you make a mess, clean it up.

• Wash, dry, and put away your dishes.
• Wipe the sink after use and be sure to remove food scraps and other debris in order to prevent clogged drains.
• Never leave open food or beverages on the counter – it attracts insects!
• Wipe up your spills folks – this includes counters, cabinets, and FLOORS!
• Rinse and drain the shared sponge or cloth to prevent bacterial growth.

These are very basic rules that you’d think you wouldn’t need to remind your coworkers about, but it’s always helpful to post such rules in a highly visible space in the kitchen.

Now, let’s talk about the kitchen appliances, possibly the most abused appliances in the entire galaxy.

Refrigerator Etiquette

I’m not going to hold any punches – office refrigerators are usually disgusting.  That being said, we need them to keep our lunches cool and food safe.  Your home and office fridges should always be set to 40°F in order to protect against food-borne illness.  Still, the state of your office refrigerator has more to do with personal responsibility than internal temperatures.  So here are some basic fridge rules:

• Always label your food containers with your name (and even the date).
• Never leave food in the office fridge for more than 2 days.
• Clean up your spills!!!
• Never allow food to rot or spoil in the fridge, but if you come across rotten or spoiled food, remove it immediately.

Microwave Etiquette

Office microwaves are likewise disgusting.  Consider posting these rules:

• Always cover your food before microwaving.
• Wipe up any spills or splatters immediately to avoid the dried-on effect.
• Avoid heating foods with strong odors (i.e. fish or popcorn).

The Common Sense Office Kitchen

Ultimately, common sense courtesy is the name of the game with shared office spaces.  Just cleaning up after yourself makes the kitchen a more comfortable place to use for everyone in the office and helps to create a peaceful working environment.