Tag Archive for: commercial cleaning company

VOC Gasses can cause cancer and other illnesses

Is Your Commercial Cleaning Company Poisoning The Air With VOC Gasses?

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Are you aware if VOC gasses are a problem in your office?

Here’s the scenario:

You hire a commercial cleaning company to keep your office building clean. The floors are shiny, the door handles have been sanitized, toilets are cleaned, dust on desks and equipment has been removed, cubicle walls are cleaned and the garbage is thrown out regularly.

That’s a pretty solid cleaning routine in an office environment. It would be fair for you to believe you have provided a clean and healthy environment for staff and clients… right?

Not quite…

In a first-of-its-kind study, Environmental Defence tested the impact of cleaning products on indoor air quality. In all 14 studied households, levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) went up during cleaning.

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are gases that are emitted into the air from products or processes. Some are harmful by themselves, including some that cause cancer. In addition, they can react with other gases and form other air pollutants after they are in the air.

Watch Out For Products Containing Prohibited Ingredients

Prohibited ingredients in cleaning products include:

  • Toxic Air Contaminants
  • Great Waters Pollutants of Concern
  • Hazardous Air Pollutants
  • Global Warming Compounds
  • Ozone Depleting Compounds
  • Alkylphenol ethoxylates
  • Dibutyl phthalates
  • Heavy Metals (including arsenic, lead, cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, mercury, nickel and zinc)
  • Carcinogens as listed by: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), National Toxicology Program, USA EPA, Occupational Health and Safety Administration
  • Carcinogens and Reproductive Toxins as listed in Proposition 65

Health Effects Of VOC’s In Products Commonly Used By Commercial Cleaning Companies

As with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed. Scientifically proven health effects of exposure to VOC’s include:

  • Eye, nose and throat irritation
  • Headaches, loss of coordination and nausea
  • Damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system
  • Some organics can cause cancer in animals, some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.

Key Signs Or Symptoms Associated With Exposure To VOC Gasses:

  • conjunctival irritation
  • nose and throat discomfort
  • headache
  • allergic skin reaction
  • dyspnea
  • declines in serum cholinesterase levels
  • nausea
  • emesis
  • epistaxis
  • fatigue
  • dizziness

Common Sources of VOCs In An Office / Home Environment:

  • paints, paint strippers and other solvents
  • wood preservatives
  • aerosol sprays
  • cleansers and disinfectants
  • moth repellents and air fresheners
  • stored fuels and automotive products
  • hobby supplies
  • dry-cleaned clothing
  • pesticides
  • building materials and furnishings
  • office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper
  • graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers and photographic solutions.

Indoor air quality has always been a key component of effective green cleaning. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC gasses) are a major control point from cleaning and sanitation products.

Studies are now showing that VOCs from cleaning products are also a large contributor to outdoor air pollution.

Make sure your commercial cleaning uses Green Cleaning products and processes.

Evergreen Building Maintenance Is Committed To Green Cleaning.

Call Evergreen Building Maintenance for a free quote for daily or weekly office cleaning services: 1-888-559-6870 or 250-999-2796

Kelowna Commercial Cleaning Services – Evergreen Building Maintenance uses “Green” cleaning solutions and equipment so you can breathe easy!

Commercial Cleaning CompanyEvergreen Building Maintenance

How Your Commercial Cleaning Company Helps You Stop Losing Clients To Competitors

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Many businesses have the idea that office cleaning services are just an expense.

In reality, this is far from the truth.  The right commercial cleaning company enhances brand reputation.

If an office cleaning company is doing its job properly it can add real value to your company’s offering.

When a potential client looks around the marketplace they want to find the best fit for their needs.  They look at your product or service and they consider the overall “feeling” they have about your business.  This is a very real, but intangible “perceived” value that can make or break a deal.

Perceived value is more of a gut reaction… “how do I feel about this business?”

Feelings take into account more than just your product or service.  Things like “did the receptionist smile at me”, “was that a firm handshake”, or “this place is really clean… it looks like these people are really professional” can make or break a client’s confidence in your business.

Avoid The Pain Of Losing A Client Because Of A Dirty Or Smelly Work Space

If your office, building, or even the parking lot is not perfectly clean, clients and potential clients are likely to see you as a lesser quality company.  That subconscious feeling can make it easier for a competitor to step in.

A Professional Commercial Cleaning Company Enhances Brand Reputation And Increases Your Perceived Value

People will make a judgment about your professionalism in one quick glance.  Shiny floors, a fresh smell, all the lights working, and clean doors and windows are all part of the first overall “assessment” of you and your company.

The right commercial cleaning company can strengthen your reputation and perceived value in tangible terms…deals can be lost or gained by how clean your office looks.

1. Gain Credibility In The Eyes Of Your Client

When your office is spotless and fresh smelling, visitors are left feeling good about their experience.  They trust you more because they see that everything is in its place and organized.

When your commercial janitorial service makes sure they dust around the window frames and the top of cubical walls…they are actually increasing the perceived value of your offer.

2. Make A Good Impression On Clients

Every businessperson knows they should look presentable when meeting a client…at least the first time.  The same thing applies to your office or building.  If your office cleaning is at a high standard, you have created the context for a great first impression.

Your office cleaning company can make sure the areas where you meet clients are spic and span when you have a meeting scheduled.

3. Close More Deals With An Impeccably Clean And Comfortable Work Environment

A clean and comfortable work environment sure makes it easy to concentrate on building rapport and closing deals.

An unclean office building can create stress in the mind of your prospect, while a clean environment can make the client feel at ease.

A good office building cleaning service will make sure the plants are watered, the windows are perfectly clean and there are no stains or spots on the waiting room furniture.

4. Escape From The Stress Of Wondering If Your Facility Will Be Up To Par When Your Client Comes To Your Office

Good office cleaning companies are your partner in presenting your value as a company.  When you see a client, you want a distraction-free place where you can communicate your value.

A carelessly placed garbage can in the wrong place can throw off the “balance” of your office space.

When you have an office cleaning company that understands they are your partner in business, you will be able to trust that everything will be spotlessly clean and organized when you meet clients.

That’s one less stress-causing factor you have to deal with and you can stop worrying about how your facility looks and focus on presenting your value.

Discover an easy way to communicate your credibility and distinguish yourself in your market.

Give Evergreen Maintenance a call today!  We know the REAL secret for maintaining a positive, healthy environment for your business.

We are a Kelowna commercial cleaning company that can help you stop losing customers to competitors!

Kelowna Janitorial Services – Get Better Results With The Same Budget!

Call now for a quote! 1-855-824-8450 or 250-869-5165.

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How The Right Commercial Cleaning Company Can Give You A Competitive Edge

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A clean and well maintained business is part of a strategy for providing top notch customer service.

We live in a very competitive world now.  It takes a time, energy and money to attract customers.  The next challenge is to keep them.  You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

When a client visits your facility they expect a certain standard of décor and cleanliness.  All it takes is a small sign of lack of care and a client can get turned off.

Having The Right Decor Is Not Enough

Yes, you can have the best furnishings, design and artwork, but if there is even a little bit of trash on the floor, the building doesn’t smell right or if the carpet has stains, your client will become uncomfortable.  That might be enough for them to start looking for another place to spend their money.

If a client visits the lobby in your office and sees a nice, clean environment, they get a good feeling about your company.  When they visit your office or the boardroom and it is perfectly clean, organized and well maintained they gain confidence in doing business with you.  All this happens on a subconscious level even before they know the details of what you are offering.

Choosing The Right Commercial Cleaning Service

Of course, you know all this.  It’s not news to you.  However, when was the last time you felt your cleaning company really ‘got’ how important this is for your success?  Does your commercial cleaning company really “care”?  Do they go out of their way to notice what needs cleaning and just take care of it?  Or, do they keep hoping that you won’t notice and get defensive when you bring it up?

Just as an unclean environment tells your clients you are not a true “professional”, when a cleaning company constantly needs to be monitored, that’s not professionalism either.

In order for you to put your best foot forward for you clients, you need a commercial janitorial company that cares enough to proactively take care of the cleaning without you having to monitor the small day-to-day details.

When clients see that you pay attention to even the small details of cleanliness they understand that you truly value their business.

Things Your Commercial Janitorial Service Should Automatically Take Care Of

Pay attention to the areas where the customers spend their time. The upholstered furniture in waiting areas should be spotless.  Leather surfaces should be squeaky clean.  Metal should be shiny, with no blemishes or rust.  Countertops need to be cleaned and sanitized often.  Drapes, windows and blinds need to be dusted, often.  Hardwood floors should be polished.  Carpet should always be completely spotless.

These are minimum expectations.

When a professional cleaning crew gets familiar with your office or building, they will notice many small and potentially big problems on a day-to-day level.  They will handle anything that needs to be taken care of automatically.  If there are expenses involved they will run it by you, but you will never have to worry about not looking good for your clients.

Daily Or Weekly Cleaning Service

Depending on your needs, a daily or weekly cleaning contract gives a professional commercial cleaning company the ability to get to know your facility and your needs.

Evergreen Building Maintenance has been in business for over 30 years.  We specialize in providing daily and weekly cleaning for offices, office buildings, retail shopping malls, medical offices and more.

If you want to work with a commercial janitorial service that is willing to “partner” with you in making your business look its best, give us a call: 1-888-559-6870 or 250-999-2796.

Our Kelowna commercial cleaning services give you a competitive edge!

Commercial janitorial services company and Commercial cleaning services

How The Right Commercial Janitorial Services Company Can Increase Profits And Decrease Expenses

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Commercial Cleaning Company - The College Of The Rockies

Commercial Cleaning Company Gets An A-Ok At Prestigious College Of The Rockies!

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Evergreen Building Maintenance Inc. was awarded the commercial cleaning company contract this summer for the College Of The Rockies in Cranbrook BC.

“It was a tough bidding process against some of the top commercial cleaning companies in BC” says Ranjit Takhar President of Evergreen Building Maintenance.

The contract for cleaning College Of The Rockies is considered quite prestigious since it is the main college serving 6 or 7 cities in the Kootenays and is also one of the primary attractions of Cranbrook, BC.

Approximately 2,500 busy full time busy students use 200,000 sq. ft. of high traffic space including classrooms, indoor and outdoor recreational areas, parking lots, food courts and medical training facilities.  This is quite a challenge considering the College requires a wide variety of expertise from its commercial cleaning company 365 days a year.

Takhar says “This contract proves we are ready to take on larger federal / educational institutions that require full-time day porters and consistent high volume service.”

The RFP from the College was clear that it only wanted to deal with companies that could guarantee that “the work shall be performed by fully trained persons, competent in the particular operation assigned to them.”

Not An Easy Job For Any Commercial Cleaning Company

This is a busy college campus.  They don’t have time for small companies that can’t provide “fully trained” staff for all aspects of the commercial cleaning duties.

Right from the start it was clear that the College Of The Rockies wanted competent who can clean according to “specifications” using the “best techniques of the trade”.

Meeting the “specifications” would require a mature commercial cleaning company that can consistently supply:

  • All labour needed to do the job, at all times. If someone gets sick, they must be able to provide a replacement worker instantly, including another supervisor, if needed.
  • All cleaning supplies, chemicals and materials like sealers, waxes, plastic garbage bags, liners, tampons, sanitary napkins and disposal bags must be of good quality.
  • The commercial cleaning company must have all necessary equipment like polishers, commercial grade vacuums, auto scrubbers, buffers, carpet extractors, etc. and they have to be less than five years old.
  • All materials and chemicals must meet Canada Standards of Safety.

Using the “best techniques of the trade” means each and every person on the job must be thoroughly trained and have experience.  The College would not tolerate amateur “mistakes” commonly made by newbies.  A thorough cleaning and sanitizing of high priority areas would be required every day including:

  • Healthcare facilities such as dental labs, nursing labs and first aid classrooms.
  • Cafeteria and chef’s training classrooms and kitchens.
  • Daycare areas.
  • Aboriginal Gathering Place

“Extras” Are Included In The Contract

In addition to all scheduled cleaning, the commercial cleaning company is expected to

  • wash walls, ceilings, doors and window frames
  • floor stripping and refinishing
  • window cleaning inside and outside the building
  • clean the atrium and glass walls
  • clean light fixtures, lens and interior of fixtures
  • clean dust from ceiling

All tasks must be performed without breaching security measures and in accordance with fire and emergency regulations.

Since the College Of The Rockies is a public institution they also wanted to make sure the commercial cleaning company treats its workers properly.  The contract would only be awarded to a company that could prove that it pays its workers properly and on time.  All workers must be covered by Workers Compensation.

Comprehensive general liability insurance would be required by the company and all employees must have a Commercial Fidelity Bond in order to protect the College, its agents and “servants”.

When you look at all the requirements and scope of service, only an established company would be able to handle the job…new companies and small companies need not apply.

Fortunately, Evergreen Building Maintenance was able to provide proof that they could meet and exceed all the requirements of the College Of The Rockies at a great price!

Congratulations to all the local people that will be working to keep the College Of The Rockies looking beautiful!

If you have a local business, whether it’s small or large, Evergreen Building Maintenance has the in-house resources to keep your premises clean all year long.

Call now for a commercial cleaning company quote 1-855-824-8450 or 250-869-5165.

We’ll do a walkthrough of your building and build a custom strategy to get the best clean every day you come to work!

Commercial cleaning company office building

How The Right Commercial Cleaning Company Can Make Overall Building Maintenance Easier

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A commercial cleaning company normally does not get involved in the overall building maintenance of a facility.

But whether your business caters to students in a dorm, office employees, patients in a medical facility, or travelers and guests in a hotel they will form an overall opinion about your company based on their experience of the physical aspects of the facility.

Initially, your customers expect quick and hassle-free parking.  When they enter the building they expect a clean, comfortable, and well-functioning building.  If they don’t get that, their attitude changes.

It’s important to make sure your building maintenance staff is trained to improve customer attitudes and provide great experiences for a long-lasting, positive impression of your company and facility.

When this occurs, they will leave with a positive experience.

Sometimes You Need More Than Just A Commercial Cleaning Company

Does your facility operate like clockwork? If you operate your facility by outsourcing each service to a different company you are going to end up wasting a lot of time.  It takes up valuable time to look for someone you can trust to deliver the standard of service required by your facility.  If you make a quick decision and just go with the most impressive looking sales presentation, you are likely to end up paying a high dollar and still, you may end up disappointed.

Outsourcing individual services to different companies demands more of your time supervising and explaining how your building works.

Consistency is another consideration.  If you have several companies you turn to for various needs, each will have its own staff turnover.  That means the quality of service is not likely to be consistent… then you are back at square one, trying to find a company that can provide the standard of service you require.

Ease Your Building Maintenance Burden With Seamless Care

Think of it this way:  If you hire an established, medium to large, experienced commercial cleaning company they will have much of the building maintenance expertise you will need from time to time.  You may not need building maintenance services every day, but a relatively large commercial cleaning company will have specialists “floating around” in the area that they can pull to provide the services you need.

Since this kind of commercial cleaning company is already working in your facility, their project manager will be familiar with the requirements of your building.  They will be able to orient and train the building maintenance person rather than you getting stuck with that task, when you could be doing other things.

You wouldn’t have to worry about consistency of service because the people looking after your facility will know what you expect.  They have been providing the standard of cleaning that you expect, so they will make sure their building maintenance people perform to that level.

Maybe its window washing, preventive maintenance or commercial handyman services. Or, it could be HVAC repair or light construction. If you already have a good relationship with your commercial cleaning and janitorial services contractor, why not work with them to coordinate other needs within your building? Skip phone calls, hiring, supervising and follow up with multiple service contractors and pass along this part of your business to a company you already have a relationship with that you trust.

Problem solved!

When you hire a commercial cleaning company look for their ability to do a variety of tasks, as a company, even though you won’t need all of their services every day.

Evergreen Building Maintenance has been a leader in the commercial cleaning business in BC and Alberta.  With a full time crew of 156 fully trained personnel and growing; we can provide a wide variety of building maintenance services on an “as needed” basis.  Some of our services include:

  •     Building Maintenance
  •     Commercial Cleaning
  •     Janitorial Services
  •     Property Caretaking
  •     Landscaping Services
  •     Parking Lot Maintenance
  •     Bundled Services
  •     Technology & Innovation

Call now for a free, confidential commercial cleaning and building maintenance quote:   1-888-559-6870 or 250-999-2796

We are a Kelowna commercial cleaning company that can help make overall building maintenance easier!

Kelowna Janitorial Services – Get Better Results With The Same Budget!

commercial cleaning services security

Commercial Cleaning Service Security – Can You Trust Them To Be In Your Building At Night?

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Your commercial cleaning service company will often need to get into your building after business hours.  You don’t necessarily want someone vacuuming or mopping in the presence of your clients and busy staff.

Sometimes the nature of your work demands a great deal of security.  You can’t let just anyone wander around completely unsupervised.

Banks have that problem.  So do police stations and jails.  In fact, because of our privacy laws and customer confidentiality, a lot of businesses would lose the confidence of their clients if there was a security leak.

Here are a few things your commercial cleaning service should be doing to make sure your interests are secured:

  1. All Commercial Cleaning Staff Members Must Have Background Checks

    You don’t want people with criminal records in your building at night. Your commercial janitorial service must provide assurance that they do a thorough background check of their employees including getting police reports.

  2. Commercial Cleaning Service Security Requires Mandatory Drug Testing

    A reputable commercial cleaning service must be able to provide some sort of evidence that they do drug testing on ALL employees. Even though privacy laws may prohibit providing information on specific employees, ask for evidence of drug testing procedures including names of the drug testing companies they use.

  3. Communication With Non-English Speaking Staff

    Commercial cleaning companies often employ non-English speaking staff. When you want to communicate information about hazards and sensitive areas you need to make sure everyone clearly understands.  It is important for your janitorial company to provide someone on the cleaning team that is fluent in English and is smart enough to understand what you are saying.  They must also be able to communicate that information to the rest of the staff.

  4. Fully Bonded And Insured

    Things can go wrong. Employees can make mistakes.  Sometimes the wrong person can get the job on the cleaning company’s team.  Make sure your cleaning company is fully bonded and insured.  If something goes wrong, including theft, you don’t want to end up with the bill.

  5. Check References

    In addition to all of the above make sure you get several references. Check to see if your cleaning company has consistently held long-term contracts with several of their clients.  Find out how long the employees have been with the company on the team that will be handling your contract.  Ask around among other facilities managers about what they have heard about the company you are considering hiring.  Do a check on the Internet to see if there are reviews or media reports about the company.

Screening a commercial cleaning company for trustworthiness can never be perfect, but you can get a good “feel” for the attitude of the management from the consultant you are working with.  Keep good communication lines open with that person to address any concerns and adjust practices to suit your business.

Evergreen Building Maintenance has long-term experience working with banks and government offices.  They have provided commercial cleaning staff for police services and criminal detention centres.  Sometimes it can take six to eight months to go through the enhanced security clearance.

Whatever your needs, Evergreen Building Maintenance can provide the commercial cleaning service security cleared staff to look after your building responsibly.

Call now for a free, confidential quote:   1-855-824-8450 or 250-869-5165.

Evergreen Building Maintenance hires and trains people you can trust.

Commercial Cleaning And Janitorial Services

Top 3 Things To Look For When Hiring Commercial Cleaning Services

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The right commercial cleaning company provides more than just a professional appearance.   Research shows that if the working environment is dirty there are long term cognitive effects on employees.  If your work environment is not clean it can have a negative effect on your bottom line!

A study published in the Journal Of Occupational And Environmental Medicine shows that the right commercial cleaning service will strengthen the well-being and morale of your employees.  This has direct implications for increased productivity.

Nobody wants to do business with a company that has dirty facilities.  It’s a direct reflection of your office and your company.  No matter what kind of company you are, hiring the right commercial janitorial service is very important for your success.  This makes choosing the right commercial cleaning service one of the most important decisions you, as an owner, or your human resources department can make.

It can be very tempting to choose the least expensive cleaning company when comparing quotes but remember:  you get what you pay for.

Hiring a commercial cleaning company is not an easy task, but if you do it right, you can find a commercial janitorial company that will be an asset to your business for years to come.

Here are the top three things to look for when you want a reliable commercial cleaning service for your building:

  1. Every company has different needs. Make sure your cleaning company offers the services you need based on the type of work you do.

    Work with the cleaning company’s consultant and map out the exact services you need.  Here are some examples of what to think about:

    1. Maybe you just need a simple vacuuming and dusting service
    2. Carpet and upholstery cleaning
    3. Cleaning of the toilets and washroom facilities several times a week
    4. Hardwood floor cleaning
    5. Power washing
    6. Parking lot cleaning
    7. Window cleaning
    8. Special event cleaning
    9. Special cleaning of certain rooms that are used in the evenings or early mornings

  2. Find out how many years they have been in business and what accounts they have with a business similar to yours.

    Do you really want your facility to be a training ground for your new commercial cleaning company?  Experience matters.  When you work with a  company that has been around for a while they will have long term employees and quality.

    Experienced companies are just better at what they do.  You want a company with years and years (preferably, decades and decades) of experience.   Mistakes that the new companies are stumbling through haven’t been an issue for the bigger, older companies forever. Techniques perfected by the older companies have been molded by wisdom and elevated by experience.  The new guys are still struggling to master the basics of their craft.  Sure, their work may be cheaper, but that’s because it’s of far less quality.

    Same thing applies for your industry.  If your cleaning company has experience with your industry, you will have a far better experience than if they don’t.

  3. Do they have the right kind of insurance? Not only do they need to have insurance, but your commercial cleaning company needs to have the right kind of insurance.

    Fly-by-night commercial cleaning services won’t be able to provide proof of insurance.  Look for clauses that ensure that protect you from legal liability if something happens to their workers while on your premises.  Make sure your cleaning company has general liability insurance, worker’s compensation, automobile liability and an umbrella policy.  Verify coverage so you have peace of mind that you won’t be liable for mistakes made by your cleaning company.

Evergreen Building Maintenance has over 30 years of commercial cleaning services experience.  They have many experienced teams that have been with them “forever”.  All employees are specially trained with the latest “green” commercial cleaning techniques and have the right tools for the job.

Call now for a free quote.

Our professional consultants will walk through all the steps needed for your business and design a custom solution so your building looks good, feels good and reflects the high standards you value.

Evergreen Building Maintenance will give you satisfying answers for each of the three questions for hiring a commercial cleaning company in Kelowna!

Kelowna Janitorial Services – Get Better Results With The Same Budget!