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How A Professional Office Cleaning Company Prevents The Spread Of Viruses

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A professional office cleaning company can play a vital role in controlling the spread of viruses.

Every year people get sick from the flu and other viruses. When people are unable to report to work it causes millions of dollars of lost profits for companies in BC.

How Do Viruses Spread?

WebMd says “Viruses spread from person to person mainly in droplets that fly out when you cough or sneeze. These tiny drops from a sick person go through the air and land on the mouths or noses of others nearby.

Germs are also passed along when you touch mucus droplets from someone else on a surface like a desk and then touch your own eyes, mouth, or nose before you get a chance to wash your hands. Viruses like the flu can live 24 hours or longer on plastic and metal surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and cups.”

Unfortunately, the flu virus isn’t the only virus that can spread easily.

The Spread Of Diseases In An Office Environment Is Worse Than You May Think

The BMC Infectious Diseases Journal published a study in 2006 saying “The most common nosocomial pathogens may survive or persist on surfaces for months and can thereby be a continuous source of transmission if no regular preventive surface disinfection is performed.”

This study was done in a hospital environment and shows the long-lasting power of severe, even deadly viruses. Shari Solomon, president of CleanHealth Environmental LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland says “Over the past few years, a number of infections that we always considered hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA and C.diff (a bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis), have become community-acquired infections, as well,”

Not only are superbugs becoming more resistant to antibiotic drugs. Antibiotic-resistant infections are typically spread when people touch a contaminated surface and then touch their mouth, eyes or nose.  This is why handwashing and cleaning of high-touch surfaces is imperative.

Offices Are Prime Locations For The Spread Of Diseases

The possibility of spreading disease is especially high in facilities where people live or work in close proximity to each other.

A growing number of people are choosing not to get vaccinated and showing up at work or school when they are sick.  This increases the risk of spreading the illness exponentially.

Professional Office Cleaning Solutions

Manual disinfecting methods have their limitations.  Commercial office cleaning company workers who are trying to conform to a schedule may miss contaminated surfaces or skimp on the time spent on cleaning due to scheduling pressures.

Technology Based Solutions For Disinfecting An Office

Innovative technologies combined with training programs on how to use the technology properly can provide safer, better coverage in a shorter period of time than traditional disinfecting methods.  For example:

  • Electrostatics can cover large areas and hard to reach surfaces quickly and efficiently.
  • In hospitals, copper-treated surfaces have been found to reduce a number of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
  • Chemicals remain on the surface for a much longer time when spraying disinfectants using electrostatics.

Non-Technology Based Solutions To Get Better Office Cleaning

Commercial janitorial services technology offers some great options for getting the best cleaning possible, but quite often what you need is an experienced cleaning professional with the right tools and training. Here are some examples of what to look for in a well-managed commercial cleaning company:

  • Custodial workers should be trained to identify cleaning areas that may not get enough attention in regular daily cleanings.
  • Cleaning hot-spots should get special attention based on a schedule instead of waiting for the dirt to become obvious before someone pays attention to it.
  • Cleaning and disinfecting should be done every day.
  • A more thorough, rigorous deep-cleaning should be scheduled on regular basis.
  • Schedule workloads for janitorial staff so they have enough time to give personal attention to areas based on their judgment.
  • Use “Green Cleaning” products instead of caustic disinfectants for sanitizing and disinfecting in the least toxic way.
  • Avoid bleach based cleaners which can cause irritation and respiratory problems.
  • If there is an outbreak of sickness spreading through the office, get a special “office deep cleaning” done asap! You’ll be surprised how quickly you can stop the spread of an illness.
  • Institute a color-coded system of microfiber to help prevent cross-contamination.

Professional Office Cleaning Company Offers Safer Alternatives

Although it is true that “people get sick all the time” a professional office cleaning company can do a lot to keep your staff and clients safe.

Evergreen Building Maintenance specializes in office cleaning.  We use green cleaning solutions to sanitize and disinfect your office environment.  With over 30 years experience in the commercial cleaning business, we have cleaning crews that have several years of experience.

Using in-class and on-site training protocols, we are constantly training and equipping our cleaning professionals with the latest technologies to give you a safe environment.

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

Office cleaning in board room with high end furniture

Top 3 Ways People Judge Office Cleaning In The Okanagan

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Office cleaning – does it really matter to clients and staff?

The more a client values your company the more likely they are to want to do business with you.

Same goes for staff.  If you want to attract and keep the best employees, they have to value your company over others.

Value Is In The Mind Of The Beholder

We’re all taught to not judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what we all do as humans.  We do have a rational side of the brain, but in reality, emotional triggers easily overpower our logic.

According to Emma Snider in her article “How to Use Psychological Biases to Sell Better and Faster,” the first bits of information we pick up about a company becomes the “anchor” that all other information is attached to and compared with.

Once a person picks up a positive or negative cue, consciously or subconsciously, the company gets “branded” with that quality.

It becomes very difficult to overcome the influence of a first impression.

People are always in the process of formulating perceptions based on visible and invisible clues like smell.  These affect how we feel.

In another study, respondents who felt their city was “clean,” were more likely to report being happy.

If we apply that principle to an office or retail facility, we can say that a clean office makes your staff and visitors happier.

If having a visibly cleaner facility makes for happier tenants, students, patients, customers, and workers… think about the impact it would make on clients and customers.

Consider the amount of “business value” office cleaning could generate.

How To “Package” Your Office Or Facility So It Projects Value

One-third of any purchase decision is based on the perception of packaging.  Cleanliness should be considered a major attribute in the visible “packaging” of a facility.

It makes sense that we need to keep our customers and staff happy. Just as you take the time to manage the branding of your business through advertising, social media and other means, it makes sense to manage office cleaning the same way.

Three main things to manage how people judge your office cleaning

Make A Good First Impression

It is very difficult to recover from a poor first impression.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when managing first impressions in the entrance area / Lobby / Common area:

– Finger prints on the front door glass

– Reception area – desk smudges and not dusted properly

– scuff marks on walls

– debris on floor, carpets

– mud stain on entrance mats

– floors not swept and washed

– entrance counter not wiped down

– entrance glass fingerprints

– dust on baseboards

– dust on counters and cabinets

– dust on plants

– dirty chairs

– clean corners, behind doors, behind desks, garbage bins

Smell Matters

Odours are one of the key ways that people judge the cleanliness of office and retail spaces.

If your facility has any kind of stale or bad smell, it can be a powerful turnoff.  One of the main places that are vulnerable to bad smells is the washroom.  Here are some things to manage to make sure your washroom is adding “value” to your company:

– spots all over the mirrors

– porcelain not cleaned properly

– dirt buildup around the edges of faucets

– grimy, countertops, not cleaned properly

– outside and inside urinals not cleaned properly

– corners of floors not cleaned – dirt and debris in corners

– toilet seats not cleaned

– key spots under the toilet

– porcelain on top of bowl not clean

– inside of bowl not clean

– toilet paper not filled consistently – same with paper towels and ladies napkins,

– floors are not cleaned properly – have a dull finish

– smells bad, doesn’t smell fresh and clean

Good Odours

Studies have shown people associate particular scents, like pine for example, with sanitation.

Keep the rooms of your building well ventilated where possible, and choose office cleaning products with an appealing odour.

Clutter Can Be Costly

Cluttered desks, boardrooms, office cubicles and messy areas like storage cupboards and kitchens give off an impression of a dirty environment.

Make sure your building is kept tidy.

Use stylish storage units to keep areas that are prone to clutter-free of unnecessary mess.

Empty garbage bins on a regular basis.

Keeping in mind that office cleaning affects your bottom line in subtle but significant ways, take time to select a reliable commercial office cleaning company.

Evergreen Building Maintenance specializes in providing quality daily or weekly office cleaning services.

Call now for a quote on daily or weekly office cleaning and commercial janitorial services for your facility: 1-888-959-7304 or 250-800-3732.