Build a Better Workplace Environment by Building a Relationship with MilliCare

Despite our appreciation of nature and the great outdoors, most people spend at least 90% of their time indoors. And on a weekly basis, we spend about 40 hours of that time in an enclosed office space.

Knowing that workplaces serve as “homes away from home” for so many, property managers have begun to focus attention on raising the environmentally beneficial attributes of commercial spaces. As a result, improvement of overall indoor air quality and reduction of carbon dioxide levels have become important operational and design considerations. After all, evidence shows that healthy atmospheres produce healthy workers.

Cleaner Offices = Energized Employees

In a double-blinded study from Harvard University, researchers documented a correlation between optimal IAQ and increased mental ability among working participants. The employees reported higher cognitive abilities when exposed to air containing fewer volatile organic compounds, amounts of CO2, and contaminants typically found in indoor air. Those who toiled under worsening air quality conditions suffered from reduced cognition.

Organizations committed to providing team members a safe environment should implement strategies that keep the workplace as free from airborne toxins as possible. But it is not as daunting as it seems. A well-documented way to effectively boost IAQ (and reduce CO2 emissions and VOCs) is through daily maintenance and periodic specialized care of carpeted surfaces.

Carpets Care for the Air

What makes carpets the key to a healthier office, retail, or manufacturing environment? In addition to offering an aesthetic element and contributing to noise reduction, all carpets filter and trap pollutants. The fewer pollutants in the air, the less potential for people to experience respiratory distress, impaired mental capabilities, or onset of cold and flu symptoms.

Of course, over time, particles and dust work their way toward the bottom of the carpet, gradually building up toward the top of the carpet pile. If carpets are not routinely deep cleaned beyond basic vacuuming, they lose their filtration abilities — and IAQ suffers. When IAQ drops, so does employee performance. Research shows that unhealthy or “sick” workplaces lead to everything from reduced decision-making capacity to an upswing in absenteeism.

While employees taking sick days doesn’t seem that disruptive, it actually costs businesses about $225 billion a year. To stop environmental wellness issues before they begin, facilities managers should follow a strategic carpet deep-cleaning cycle. At MilliCare , our customized Total Care Plans are structured to provide the precise level of attention each carpeted space requires depending on factors like foot traffic, proximity to entrances, and carpet type.

Greener Cleaning Makes Everyone Breathe Easier

Of course, the type of deep clean matters, too. All systems are not created equal. For instance, hot-water extraction carpet cleaning methods may end up leaving the carpet only half cleaned. They also use tons of water, turning carpets into damp targets for mold and mildew. Plus, the chemical solutions used in many commercial hot-water or steam-cleaning methods can be detrimental to IAQ. Rather than solving the issue, they generate more problems.

At MilliCare , we use Green Seal Certified products, and our processes have been approved by well-respected entities such as the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. When our technicians apply our proprietary and energy-efficient dry cleaning carpet methods, grit, grime, and pollutants are fully removed from the vicinity. All that we leave behind is a fresh-smelling, healthier area conducive to employee and visitor innovation, accomplishment, and engagement.

Want to learn how MilliCare can help you improve the IAQ at your indoor facility? Contact a local technician today to set up a demonstration.