Archive for December, 2013

Commercial Cleaning: Keeping Your Business Clean

Posted on: December 10th, 2013 by Tim David No Comments

Commercial Cleaning: Keeping your Business Clean

The holidays are a busy time of year. You have end of the year tasks stacking up on top of normal operations. There are taxes to be prepared, budgets to be calculated, and plans for the next year to be considered. For many businesses, the holidays are also linked to increases in sales. (And none of this is intended to ignore the fact that you’re personally busy during the holidays: parties, shopping, and more parties.) Just reading this probably has your heart racing! But in the midst of the stress and chaos (and hopefully joy) of the holidays, it is important to remember to stay on top of the everyday, sometimes mundane, tasks: like business cleaning.

Why it is important for keeping your business clean?

Making cleaning a daily priority is important! (see our November post: A Clean Office is… for additional reasons why cleanliness is so important.) Keeping business cleaning as a high priority is smart business for several reasons:

Dirty business may turn customers away

Commercial Cleaning Services

Your business is your most important calling card. In their research, business analysts Dr. Dennis Gioia and Dr. Kevin Corley have discovered that when it comes to perceptions a clean business can be more important than doing good business. The appearance of your business can make a lasting impression that can impact the way a customer perceives your product or services. For example, if you have a dusty or cluttered lobby, then the customer is likely to perceive your output as lacking an attention to detail. So business cleaning is a necessary task for good business.

Employees will be more productive

A clean office has greater employee output and satisfaction. Dr. Jeffrey Campbell of the Center for Facilities Research has discovered that a cluttered office is linked to employee high levels of stress and frustration with lowered levels of productivity. And business cleaning is more than simple organization. An employee who cannot maneuver the filing system is likely to experience this stress. But so is the employee who notices the lamps are dusty or the baseboards are dirty. Business cleaning can provide a workplace that employees can be proud of, which makes them happy workers with high productivity.

Prolong life of equipment

Clean office equipment, cared for with the proper janitorial supplies, can have lasting benefits that speak to your bottom line: saving you money. The experts at techpro.com have identified that keeping your business cleaning is a necessary part of the regular maintenance of your office machinery, such as computers and copiers. Dust and debris can slow down the operating speed of your equipment, reduce the operating life of your machinery, and even void the normal warranty of your office equipment. All of these can cost you a lot of money. It is important that you stay on top of business cleaning so that your equipment can work hard and long for you.

Safety

We know that we have mentioned it before. We cannot repeat it enough. A clean business is just safer, for you, your employees, and your customers. (For a reminder, please visit our previous post Winter Tips for Your Business and Employees.) And business cleaning could not save your more than in the safety of the people who enter your business. Legal expert Joseph Perkins claims that in America businesses are involved in more than 15 million lawsuits each year, which averages out to one new claim every two seconds. Having a clean business can be your protection from such stressful outcomes.

How to keep your business clean?

Because business cleaning is such a high priority, you should follow these cleaning tips to increase the janitorial services of your office:

Delegate cleaning to employees

You are unlikely to have a single person who can complete all of the janitorial services in your office. You could try splitting the work up across multiple employees. Working together can make keeping the office clean a more reasonable task.

Keep track of cleaning responsibility

As with all delegation, the key to success is accountability. You want to stay organized in your delegation. Keep a list with all business cleaning assignments available for you and all of your employees. The list should include answers to the following questions: What is the task? who is responsible for it? What is the schedule for completion? Remember: not all business cleaning tasks need to be completed daily. Some items may be on a weekly or monthly schedule. By staying organized in your delegation, you can guarantee that all business cleaning will get accomplished.

Keep cleaning supplies handy

In order for business cleaning to be a daily task, the supplies must be in a place that is convenient for employees. If someone notices the restrooms are untidy, but the supplies are inaccessible, then he or she is unlikely to do anything about it. In fact, you can store the supplies (hidden from customers) in a location that could remind employees about their assigned duties and expected obligation to keep the workplace clean. Put it somewhere they are likely to see them. And remember to have the correct janitorial supplies. Ask your employees what supplies they need in order to complete their tasks.

Do daily inspections

Checking on the cleanliness does not need to be as difficult or dramatic as that sounds. You do not need to get certified by the health department to do daily inspections. Instead of taking on the perspective of a drill sergeant or health department representative, walk through your office as if you were an employee or a customer. And ask yourself, “How does our business cleaning impact my perception of this company?”

Hire commercial cleaning company

Hiring a commercial cleaning company is smart business. These cleaning services can save you money by prolonging the life of your machinery, increasing the productivity of your workers, and keeping your customers satisfied. (For more reasons to hire a commercial cleaning company, see our blog post: Commercial Cleaning Services: Benefits of Outsourcing Your Cleaning.) The real reason you should hire a commercial cleaning services to complete your business cleaning…you deserve it. You work hard to provide your employees with a safe and happy work environment. And you guarantee your employees a good product. By this time of the year, you have worked hard and deserve a break. And a good commercial cleaning company can provide just that. Outsourcing your cleaning services can be just what your holiday needs!

How to Clean Your House: How to Deep Clean Your House From Top to Bottom

Posted on: December 10th, 2013 by Tim David No Comments

Maid Services

There’s no place like (a clean) home!

The holidays are stressful. You have a to-do list that is a mile long: presents to buy, gifts to wrap, shopping to do, and many, many more. You have friends and family to visit. You have office parties to attend. And you are likely to have company over who you want to impress. Amidst all of the work you have to do, you need give your house a deep cleaning. But in the stress and chaos of the holidays, you cannot seem to add any more tasks. But deep cleaning is not about working harder, it is about working smarter.

Because we know you have a lot going on, we want to give you tips for cleaning your home that will make any holiday occasion a smash. Follow these tips on how to deep clean your house through the holiday (or any time) and your home will sparkle.

Pre-Clean: This is the work that can make streamline all other stages of deep cleaning. You can also involve the entire family in this stage of the process.

  • Pickup clutter: Make it a game. Time the kids to see how fast the task can be done within each room. It can be a productive time together as a family. And you can charge the kids with maintaining this throughout the holiday. (Maybe offer a little extra holiday money to entice them. Or ask for a clean house as a holiday gift.)
  • Get organized and tools needed for deep cleaning: By having the necessary tools for each stage of cleaning ready, you can focus on the task at hand. And can streamline your work by gathering all the supplies at once. You do not want to be tempted by distraction when you walk into the living room to get the vacuum cleaner after you have already started. We all know that distraction comes easily to someone who is cleaning. A pre-cleaning strategy can help minimize that temptation.

Clean High (Anything above your head): You want to start high so that as the dust is settling, it is landing on surfaces that have not been cleaned. Nothing is more frustrating as watching a freshly cleaned surface getting contaminated. But as you are reaching for higher surfaces, remember safety first! Use ladders and ask someone to spot you. It is also a good choice to leave the children out of this stage. It is just not worth the risk. Deep cleaning a house is important. Your (and your family’s) well-being is mandatory.

  • Vacuum or dust upper ledges & above cabinets: The cleanliness of your home will be measured by house guests in the kitchen and bathroom. Hygienic and healthy spaces for preparing food are important to people. So if you are inviting them into your home to share food, you want them to confident that the food they are eating is safe. Make your kitchen sparkle from top to bottom by not overlooking the tops of cabinets. Remember: just because it is not in your eye sight, does not mean that it is not in the eye sight of another (taller) house guest.
  • Clean ceiling air vents: Do not overlook the value of cleaning air vents. Having clean air circulating through your house begins here. And clean air vents can minimize the dust that settles on surfaces at eye level.
  • Dust or wash ceiling fans: Ceiling fans can quickly gather dirt and dust. Make sure to clean the fan blades and the base of the fan. Don’t forget to clean the tops of all the blades. (And while you’re up there…you can change the direction of the fan blades so that instead of blowing cool air, the blades will distribute heat. Most fans have a switch on the base.)
  • Dust light fixtures: Proper lighting is necessary for showing off your home’s assets, setting the proper tone, and making spaces inviting and safe for guests. And proper lighting begins and ends with the deep cleaning of all light fixtures. Make sure to clean the base and bulbs of all light sources. If that means taking off bulbs and washing them in soap and water, the payoff is worth it. (No one wants to see last summer’s bug collection through your ceiling lights.)

Mid-Level Cleaning (Eye level): This is the most important level of cleaning because this is what will be most visible to any houseguests. Our cleaning tips will be sure to have them staring in wonder. And because these items are not too high, the family can participate. (Teaching your children how to deep clean your house not only makes your job easier and teaches your child the value of hard work, but it instill the better practices of how to clean a house in your children and can be quality time together to talk about important things going on in their lives.)

  • Wash curtains: Begin here so that your curtains can be washing while the dust is flying. You do now want the loose dirt and debris settling on them, so leave them in the dryer until the room is finished. And the extra light from the window will help your eye catch any problem areas in the room. Natural light can be a blessing when it comes to deep cleaning.
  • Dust bookcases: Make sure to use the proper cleaning supplies when dusting. A high quality cleaning agent can have healthy oils which can elongate the life of any wood and give your furniture an extra sparkle. And make sure to remove all items from shelves before dusting (instead of just dusting around them). You can simply dust the items as you return them to the shelves. Kids can be great at this task. Just make sure to remind them to start high on the shelves and end low.
  • Dust pictures & other wall hangings: You are proud of the pictures and art you have in your home. You spent the time and money to frame and hang all of it. Let your guests see how much these mean to you by making sure to properly clean them. Make sure to clean both the glass and the frame. (This likely will require two different cleaning supplies, but that will not be difficult because you completed pre-cleaning and have both sets with you.)
  • Window washing: You are taking the time to clean your curtains. And this provides you the perfect opportunity to clean your windows. The sparkle that clean windows provide is priceless. (Not to mention that dirty windows are always noticeable.)

Mid to Low Level Cleaning (Waist Level): This is the level of cleaning that we often think of when we clean. These are the items that are most used and deserve a great deal of attention and effort.

Dust all remaining flat surfaces: Remember to start high and finish low when considering these surfaces.
Clean & polish furniture: A good polish can make furniture sparkle and increase its life.
Vacuum & spot clean upholstered furniture: You want your furniture to look fresh and inviting. But make sure that you do this with enough time that any furniture will be dry.

  • Change linens: Wash all linens. Guests can see (and smell) that this has been done.
  • Clean stove & oven: Clean equipment makes cooking easier and foods taste better. This is likely to require some elbow grease.
  • Clean & wipe down sinks & counters: You are likely to do this multiple times. It is worth the investment to teach the children the proper way to sanitize these surfaces. Make sure to use anti-bacterial cleaning agents and fresh towels for clean-up. You do not want to contaminate a surface as you are cleaning it.
  • Scrub showers/bathtubs: This is likely to require a bit of back-breaking labor. Try using cleaning supplies that can cut down on that labor. (For example, if you have hard water, make sure to buy a product that is designed for hard water.
  • Clean toilets: Make sure to clean the inside and outside of the toilet. There are numerous products that can help with the cleaning with each flush. Perhaps the holidays are smart time to invest in one. (You simply drop some of them in the tank.)

Low Level Cleaning (Floor Level): Clean floors are necessary for a sparkling home. Deep cleaning will likely mean doing many of these cleaning tips more than once. (The holidays bring extra welcomed traffic!) These are all tasks that are ideal for participation by children. Sweeping and vacuuming are tasks suitable for all family members.

  • Wash area rugs: Begin here. Throw area rugs into the wash immediately after the curtains. This way they are out of the way for the other cleaning.
  • Vacuum/sweep floors: Make sure to move as much furniture as possible. And keep the vacuum handy for quick touch-ups. A freshly vacuumed carpet is so inviting.
  • Mop floors: Make the floors sparkle so that they reflect all your hard work. Try making the task fun. They make mop-skates so that the task can be more fun.
  • Dust baseboards: This simple task will show your attention to detail. Guests may not even be aware that they noticed it. Instead, they will feel overwhelmed with your talents at deep cleaning.
  • Sweep front & back porches: You want your guests to feel welcomed into your before they even enter. And you want to minimize the dirt and debris that is tracked in when they do come inside. Clean entryways can do both. And having proper floor rugs (e.g., thick mats to gather snow and water or lighter rugs to collect leaves and dirt) can be ideal in getting the most out of your entryway.

We know that these cleaning tips that teach you how to deep clean your house can be overwhelming. There is a lot to do. If you don’t have time for deep cleaning, hiring a professional maid service company will help keep your home sparkling & clean. You know that your house needs a deep cleaning. And are now aware of how to deep clean your house. But time during the holidays, and all year with your busy schedule, is a scarce resource. And what better way to protect that commodity than by hiring a professional cleaning service. Treat yourself to the gift this holiday season that will keep on giving. Or give someone else the gift of a deep cleaning in his or her house. It is sure to be the gift that will not need a return receipt.

Hopefully these cleaning tips will provide you all the tools you need for deep cleaning your home. These cleaning tips are good for the holidays and all year long. A home with deep cleaning is as valuable in May as it is December. By knowing how to deep clean your home, you can set yourself up for holiday success. And give yourself, and your guests, memories that will last all year.