How to know if your commercial space is being cleaned properly

We regularly clean our homes, whether it’s daily spot cleaning, weekly vacuuming, and monthly deep cleans. It’s great for our health, keeps the house in good condition, and contributes to comfortable living. The same is true for commercial spaces where people work and access the building for various purposes. When a place is not properly cleaned, chances are, everyone will notice. Not only that, but a commercial space can quickly become a breeding ground for germs and pose a health risk. As a janitorial supplies company in Calgary, this is an issue that has become a crucial topic in the last year and a half during the pandemic.

If you have an in-house cleaning staff or hire professional commercial cleaning services, how do you know if your commercial space is being cleaned properly? Here’s our expert insight along with some tips to improve the cleanliness of your commercial space.

You will hear about it

First and foremost, if the space isn’t being cleaned well, you will likely hear about it from an employee or a customer. Some of the most common complaints about commercial buildings are:

• The cleanliness of the bathrooms, particularly the floor, stalls, and sinks
• Bathrooms are consistently out of toilet paper and paper towels
• Pungent smells from trash cans
• The entryway has built-up grime from people tracking in mud and dirt

These common issues usually arise when there is no cleaning staff present during business hours. While hiring a professional cleaning service or having staff clean the building overnight makes sense, it’s just as important to have a team member in the day responsible for refilling the bathrooms, emptying trash cans, and spot cleaning the entryway throughout the day.

Professional janitorial products will also make daily cleaning quick and easy as that’s what they’re designed to do. Commercial cleaning products are powerful enough to go over an area with one wipe while being safe for a space that the general public uses. If you haven’t already, we recommend switching toilet paper dispensers and paper towel dispensers to ones designed for commercial buildings. The rolls are larger so you won’t need to replace them as often.

You will see, smell, and feel it

If you suspect that the building isn’t being cleaned the way it should be, you’re likely noticing some dust build-up, a stain on the carpet that has been there for awhile, or you’re sneezing and sniffling after working in the building for an hour, just to name a few examples. You’re not imagining things – these issues are a result of inadequate cleaning.

If your cleaning staff or the cleaning company you hired are doing a great job in another area, the solution may be as simple as creating a checklist for daily and weekly cleaning tasks that can be checked off. Here is an example of a cleaning workflow that your staff can use:

Daily cleaning:

• Empty trash cans at the end of the day
• Clear any debris from the outside of the building
• Vacuum the floor, carpets, and mats
• Mop hard floors
• Dust office desks and high-traffic areas
• Wipe down high-touch surfaces
• Clean mirrors and windows
• Clean all bathrooms and refill with toilet paper and paper towels as needed
• Organize the reception area and wipe down furniture

Weekly cleaning

• Dust filing cabinets and shelves
• Dust window sills and vents
• Wipe down paper towel dispensers, hand dryers, toilet paper dispensers
• Throw out old food from the refrigerator, clean and organize the kitchen
• Clean the microwave and dishwasher

Your bottom line will be affected

Last but certainly not least, when a commercial space isn’t being cleaned properly, your bottom line is impacted. Having a clean space sets the tone for your business and makes an impression on your clients. Furthermore, no employee likes working in a place that is dusty and dirty in any way. Customer trust decreases, employee morale goes down, and you’ll find yourself spending more to reverse the impact of a commercial space that is not being maintained. When you have a good, consistent cleaning routine in place, you’ll know exactly how much your janitorial supplies and products cost per month and can budget for the expenses accordingly. Cleaning impacts your bottom line, right down to the small details!

About Apple Cleaning Supplies