Which Hidden Surfaces Are You Forgetting to Clean?
Soil always finds its way. That’s why facility managers must consider all surfaces when developing a strategy for keeping spaces sanitized and deodorized year-round.
Most building managers already do a solid job of taking care of carpets and flooring because those materials tend to show grime and wear rapidly. It’s easy to see when the hallway carpet’s beginning to look dingy; it’s much harder to tell when cubicle walls, workstation dividers, and dark-colored chairs get dirty. However, it’s not a good idea to neglect these oft-forgotten furnishings, equipment, and capital investments.
You have to commit to comprehensive cleaning — particularly in the COVID-19 era, where employees are worried about passing along viruses and bacteria. From window curtains and cubicle walls to desk rails and door handles, every surface will get dirty. But here’s the good news: You can maintain a beautiful, healthy environment without having to spend 24 hours a day cleaning the building from floor to ceiling.
Comprehensive Cleaning Done Right
The secret to creating a fresh, attractive facility lies in determining not just which spaces to clean, but how often to clean them. For instance, workers tend to spend the bulk of their workdays in their cubicles — perhaps they even snack or eat lunch there. Cubicles have a bad habit of gathering dust, dirt, and germs while maintaining a deceptively clean appearance.
To maintain a genuinely hygienic environment, scour every surface of the cubicle at appropriate rates. Scheduling daily, interim, and restorative cleans helps avoid the chain reaction of soil migration. It also improves the building’s aesthetics and extends the life of key assets.
If uneven cleaning frequencies have started to take a toll on your facility, consider putting a couple of measures in place to improve the overall cleanliness and function of your spaces.
First and foremost, make sure you’re not inadvertently undermining cleaning-and-disinfecting efforts by overlooking certain surfaces. For example, as a response to CDC recommendations, many employees are now wiping down their desktops and equipment several times each work period. Nevertheless, their efforts could be sabotaged if surrounding upholstered surfaces like panel walls and chairs aren’t receiving periodic deep cleans, too.
If you have a lot of paneling or cubicles, set up rotating cleanings to limit downtime. During one visit, your cleaning provider could address a row of exterior visitor-facing panels, then clean a series of workstations on the next visit. By focusing on one area at a time, you can tackle every surface without disrupting business operations.
Additionally, you should explore other ways to keep your investments protected and clean. You want your assets to last for a long time. Talk to your trained cleaning technicians about strategies like adding a moisture repellent to chairs or textile furnishings. Repellents and protective products make spots simpler to remove and keep surfaces from absorbing odors. In addition, MilliCare offers disinfectant treatment for your soft surfaces, such as chairs and cubicle panels, for greater peace of mind.
Understanding your options doesn’t mean you have to choose them all. However, the more knowledge you have about the various surfaces in your facility and the best ways to keep them cleaner longer, the easier it is to maintain a safer, healthier building.
Whether you’re in the process of reopening after quarantine or you’re just seeking innovative ways to keep a spotless facility, pay attention to what you clean and how often. If you want a second opinion on your cleaning frequency schedule, MilliCare ’s team welcomes the chance to talk about your property.