It’s that time of year again…Spring Cleaning!  And if you’re anything like me that means you’re tearing through your house, eliminating clutter, and cleaning every nook and cranny.  Spring cleaning is not just for your residence, though.  Office spring cleaning is equally important and satisfying.  Nothing feels better than having a neat and organized space!  Let’s look at some tips that will help you spring clean your office.

Tools You’ll Need for Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning in your office and spring cleaning in your home are very different endeavours.  You’ll need a mop and broom at home, not to mention some other cleaning supplies, but what do you need to clean your office in the springtime?  First, you’ll want a shredder for destroying sensitive documents that you no longer need.  If you don’t have a shredder in your office, contact a local shredding company and get some boxes for these documents to be picked up and destroyed.

In addition, make sure you have tools for organizing your desk – file folders, labels, and storage space come to mind.  You can even create organizational trays, one for papers you need to keep, one for filing or storage, one for trash or recycling, and one for shredding.

Finally, make sure you have a duster, cleaning wipes, surface cleaner, a cloth or sponge, and trash bags so you can sanitize and declutter your office as you go.

Set a Schedule

We’re obviously busy when we’re at work, so you’ll want to dedicate some time for spring cleaning.  Block off an afternoon in your calendar well in advance so that you’ll have the time and focus for nothing but cleaning.  Ideally, you’ll schedule your spring office clean for a time when you can shut down your computer and ignore a ringing phone – interruptions will slow you down.  Maybe even consider spring cleaning the office in the evening or on a weekend.

Visualize your Perfect Workspace

Getting organized before your spring cleaning will help you create your perfect workstation.  Desk clutter can be distracting and create inefficiencies, so carefully consider how you’d like your desk and storage areas organized so you can keep important files and documents close at hand.  You can even implement an inbox/outbox tray system on your desk, or if you already employ such a system consider a “to-do” tray dedicated to your most pressing work.

Sanitize!

High touch areas such as your keyboard, mouse, and telephone should regularly be cleaned with sanitizing wipes, but you can dig a little deeper during spring cleaning.  If you eat at your desk, your keyboard will likely be full of crumbs, so consider using a vacuum or compressed air to clear out the keyboard debris.

Evaluate Cleaning Contracts

Finally, an annual review of your office cleaning contract just makes good sense.  You can evaluate cleaning schedules, unforeseen cleaning needs, and the cost and quality of your service.

Any business owner can attest to the challenges of maintaining a clean and sanitary working environment.  Whether you are operating a small office space or a large industrial warehouse, keeping the workplace clean helps improve worker safety and productivity while also ensuring you make a positive first impression on potential clients.  Still, many business owners try to save money by keeping their cleaning services in-house.  So when is it time to consider working with a professional janitor?

First and foremost, it’s important to recognize that professional cleaning companies bring not only cleaning expertise, but they should also have all the equipment required for your cleaning job.  Many business owners make the mistake of thinking commercial cleaning is as straightforward as residential cleaning when in fact commercial cleaning typically requires specialized cleaning equipment and professional skills.  So while you may be able to rely on your staff to empty recycling or trash, there are many cleaning tasks that will be outside the scope of their abilities.  Working with professional janitorial companies ensures that your entire workplace is cleaned adequately, efficiently, and affordably.

Another reason it might be time for you to consider a janitor is you’ve noticed your workplace efficiency beginning to suffer.  Sure, it seems reasonable to ask staff members to clean their own desks or workspaces by wiping surfaces and emptying trash, but the reality is time spent cleaning is time spent away from other day-to-day responsibilities.  Many business owners discover staff productivity increases once they start working with professional janitors.  Hiring dedicated cleaning staff ensures that workplaces are kept neat and tidy so that your staff can focus on the most important aspects of their jobs.

Even if you already have dedicated, in-house cleaners, you may still want to consider professional cleaning companies.  As a business owner, you can save yourself the time and effort of managing cleaning staff and ensuring quality cleaning by hiring a janitorial company.  You can work closely with janitorial management to develop a cleaning contract that fits the needs of your business and then leave cleaning staff management and quality control to them.  If you have any concerns with cleaning staff, you would direct those concerns to the cleaning company and they’ll do the rest.

Typically, professional janitorial services are a cost effective way to ensure your workplace is safe, clean, and presentable to staff and clients.  For as little as $20-$30 per hour of cleaning, you can find a cleaning company that provides the services you want when you want them.  You will have the freedom to determine which cleaning services you require and you can schedule cleanings for a time that is convenient for your business.

What can you flush down a toilet?  It seems like a question with a very simple answer, and yet countless plumbers can tell you that people sometimes flush very interesting things – syringes, electronics packaging, squirrels…no joke!  Even though these are all things that have really been flushed, there are a number of items you may not have considered dangerous to flush.  Let’s have a closer look.

To Flush

Realistically, the list of things that should never be flushed is much longer than the list of flushable items.  So, let’s start with the easy topic.  What can you flush down a toilet?  Keep in mind, this advice pertains to North American toilets – in many countries around the world sewage systems are either very old or less advanced and it is not advisable to flush anything but human waste.  Things aren’t so different in North America where you can flush human waste and toilet paper.  And that’s it.  You really shouldn’t flush anything but those things that come out of your body and toilet paper.

Not to Flush

So really, what not to flush isn’t really complicated.  Is it urine?  Is it feces?  Is it toilet paper?  If you answered no to any of these questions, DON’T FLUSH!  Nevertheless, let’s have a closer look and try to understand a bit of the “why” behind reasons not to flush.

First, let’s start with other paper products.  Tissue, paper towel, or any form of paper other than toilet paper should never be flushed.  Toilet paper is designed to break down when it’s wet; this is not true for tissue paper or paper towel.  In fact, these kinds of paper will absorb moisture, hold their form, and ultimately can cause blockages to your pipes or the community sewage system.

Also, never flush anything of a pharmaceutical (or black market) drug nature.  Many people believe flushing drugs is a safe method of disposal, but wastewater treatment facilities may not be equipped to remove the chemicals often found in drugs.  If they’re not removed, they’ll eventually end up in lakes, rivers, or even groundwater systems.

There are a wide range of other items that should never be flushed:

• Drugs! Once again, never flush drugs of any kind.
• Fats, oils, and grease as they can block sewer systems when they cool.
• Garbage, sand, metals, wood, plastic, animal remains, fish, cat litter (even if it’s “flushable”), feminine hygiene products, napkins, diapers, or glass.
• Corrosive cleaners or substances.
• Flammable or explosive substances.
• Automotive liquids including but not limited to anti-freeze or brake fluid.
• Paint or solvents.
• Fertilizer.
• Medical equipment.

This is just a sample list of the items you should never flush down your toilet.  So, just to be clear, there are only 3 items that you can flush down your toilet – urine, feces, and toilet paper.

Time and time again we hear the same question from business owners, “why do I need to hire a janitorial service?”  It seems like a valid question.  First of all, you are likely already employing some staff that has the ability to clean up after themselves.  More importantly, it is difficult to see how regular janitorial services will translate into business growth for you.  In fact, many business owners see janitorial services as an extra cost that can reduced or even eliminated entirely.  Nevertheless, there are some key ways professional janitorial services can help your business.  Let’s have a closer look.

Professionalism

Sure, you’re a professional person.  You work hard and you’ve build a business that reflects your professional values.  Still, as much as we don’t want to admit it, companies often fall victim to clients and consumers judging a book by its cover.  You may have the most effective business model, product, or service in your market but if potential clients are not impressed by your building or office, they’ll be put off.

A well-maintained office tells potential customers and even your employees that you are serious about the work you do.  More importantly, a clean office or building also shows people that you pay attention to details.  Ultimately, you need to consider a clean work environment as the face of your company; a face that lets you make an excellent first impression.

Focus

You and your staff have important work to do, and you need not be distracted by daily cleaning tasks or a messy working environment.  Even the smallest business with office space will benefit from the peace of mind knowing that your workspace will be well-maintained.  Requiring you or your employees to take up cleaning tasks distracts them from the daily work that helps your business grow.  In addition, working in a disorganized or messy environment can have a negative impact on efficiency and productivity.  Professional janitorial services help you and your employees focus on the work that makes your business run.

Expertise

Finally, you wouldn’t expect any Joe Blow to step in and run your business as well as you do, would you?  So why would you assume that you have the skills, tools, or expertise to effectively clean your own offices.  From floors and windows to bathrooms and kitchens, professional janitorial companies not only have the experience necessary to maintain a spotless office, they also have the tools and equipment to get the job done efficiently.

So, when it comes to the question of how a janitorial service can help your business, there are actually a wide range of benefits to consider.  Professionalism, focus, and expertise are just three of the many reasons you should hire experienced cleaners for your business.

There are many reasons it is important to keep your office clean.  From making a good impression for potential clients or employees to improved worker productivity and enhanced health and safety, a clean office is an effective office.  Nevertheless, approaches to office cleaning vary widely.  Some companies hire professional cleaning services to ensure the office is organized and spotless from top to bottom.  Others expect their regular staff to keep their own workstations clean while only paying professionals to handle bigger jobs like kitchens, bathrooms, floors, and windows.  No matter your company’s individual perspective on office cleaning, these office cleaning tips will help to ensure a happy and efficient workspace.

Get Organized

We can never be too organized –a well-organized office is easy to keep clean.  Start with your cleaning supplies.  It’s always a good idea to maintain a closet or cupboard with all the basic office cleaning supplies.  Glass cleaner, paper towel, dish soap, sponges or cloths, and microfiber wipes should be kept in one place so that everybody knows where to go if they need supplies to clean up.  A designated cleaning cupboard is important whether you contract professional cleaners or not – after all, small messes and spills are bound to happen from time to time.

Beyond the cleaning supplies themselves, make sure your office is organized so all equipment, files, and supplies have a designated place.  Also, make sure to adequately label all storage locations so staff can more easily maintain an organized office.  Ultimately, it’s helpful to limit the amount of paperwork and material on desks so that it’s easier to focus on the job at hand rather than worrying about clutter around a workstation.

Make Cleaning Easy

Ideally, your office should be equipped so that small cleaning tasks can easily and regularly be handled.  Keep a supply of keyboard and monitor wipes, and eve antibacterial wipes so that staff can wipe down their own desks and equipment at the end of the day or week.  You can also install large recycling bins so that employees can easily empty their own recycling when personal bins get full.  If staff members frequently eat in the office, consider having a separate bin for food waste and/or compost.  Ensure that this bin is emptied at least every other day.

With respect to shared eating spaces like office kitchens or break rooms, develop a system to ensure that expired food doesn’t build up in the fridge.  You can require that staff label containers in the food with their name and date, so that you can easily remove unlabeled or past due items.  Similarly, install a dishwasher or encourage staff to clean shared dishes after every use.

Regularly Review your Policies

Finally, in order to ensure that you maintain a clean office, it is important to review and update policies that aren’t working.  Identify the major cleaning issues that plague your office and consider creative solutions.

Office cleaning services – http://ipmjanitorial.ca/office-cleaning-services.html

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