Evergreen Building Maintenance provides daily and weekly office cleaning, and janitorial services in Kelowna, Kamloops, Vernon, Penticton, Cranbrook, West Kelowna and Lake Country regions.

Three Qualities of Top Commercial Cleaning Professionals

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Being a professional cleaner isn’t always what it seems. When you think of their work, especially when it comes to how the movies depict them, the job can come off as a lonely, boring or even repetitive. The truth is, the cleaning industry is a viable sector of the labour force in Canada and the Janitorial Services industry is expected to grow continually and widen potential customer bases.

The Worldwide Cleaning Industry association states that green cleaning is a current marketplace phenomenon and this need is being driven by customer demands for environmentally friendly products and services. Companies involved in this trend along with their workers are offered an abundance of work!

So sure, the job can have its challenges ups and downs, but doesn’t every job? Here are some of the top three qualities of cleaning professionals that you probably don’t associate with the janitorial industry.

Humility

Janitors and cleaning professionals are well-versed in what many people consider unskilled labour. But the truth is, highly trained professionals that follow specific cleaning protocols are some of the most humble people out there. Humility is a virtue — it’s being honest with oneself about ability, talents, gifts, struggles and weaknesses. It’s the ability to set one’s pride aside to work together as a cohesive team. It’s not basing your self-worth on others but a true connection with one’s self first and foremost.

Strong work ethic

The truth is, whether you’re running the company or the one scrubbing toilets, if you’re working in the cleaning industry you likely have a strong work ethic. It takes time to complete a series of tasks quickly and efficiently in order to move on to the next job that could be one of five contracts within a day. A strong work ethic is not only important in the short term day-to-day aspect of the work, but it leads to future recommendations, relationships, recognition and reputation within your team and within the company.

They are team players

Working as a cleaning professional isn’t about being the centre of attention but it doesn’t make their work isolating. In fact, many cleaning professionals operate in tightknit teams.

Showing that you can work well with all kinds of people is a highly important characteristic when it comes to being a cleaning professional. Plus, if you let your guard down a little, you might even make some lifetime friendships out of your colleagues! Friends can also help you avoid sweating the small stuff when you have to deal with the challenges of the job.

So there you have it — the world of janitorial work is much more than what one would think. It involves well trained, humble and highly professional teams of people to get the job done. Are you in need of professional cleaning services for your commercial or industrial property? Get in touch with us today to get the process started.

Happy holidays from Evergreen Building Maintenance!

 

Is Your Janitorial Company Ready For Your Winter Commercial Cleaning Needs

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The cold weather season is in full effect but that doesn’t mean the cleaning season is over! In fact, winter brings with it a host of specific cleaning needs. As a business owner, you know all too well how there’s always tasks left to do. There’s always something that could use some sprucing up — so why not rely on timely, punctual and effective professional commercial cleaning services? Here are some considerations for your winter cleaning regimen.

Keeping the Effects of Snow, Dirt and Salt in Control

Winter brings on an additional need for cleaning professionals across the various industries.

We’ve written a lot about how it’s important to keep businesses clean for the health and safety of employees and customers — particularly when it comes to sanitization and controlling the spread of the flu and common colds. It’s also really important to keep government offices, commercial buildings and retail businesses from the buildup of snow, dirt and debris. This sort of buildup can actually wear at carpeting, discolour it and cause the need for replacements come spring time.

Regular steam cleaning helps to extract trapped salt or dirt that can get tracked indoors from outside. It helps to restore the appearance of entry ways and office carpeting by removing any stain-causing agents. A regular stem clean makes a huge difference to how professional and clean your business will look year-round!

Protect Your Flooring from Salt

Sand and salt that is used to combat ice has a rough texture that can strip protective coats from flooring. This can also make the flooring look messy and worn out and make your flooring slippery which can be hazardous. Even if you do a basic sweep or use entry way mats, the residue of the sand can spread easily to flooring and affect its durability and look. The residue must be cleaned with proper cleaning products in order to combat this issue.

Handling Harmful Liquids and Chemicals

Leftover puddles of chemicals found in ice and snow melts can also be extremely hard on the flooring of your business. They can also cause stains, make wood flooring swell, make laminate curl or present issues of mold and mildew if left unaddressed. A regular clean administered by a professional cleaning service can ensure that these damaging properties do not seep into flooring to cause any unwanted long-term issues.

Take care of your business’ property this winter by choosing Evergreen Building Maintenance. We can work out a schedule, task list and frequency that fit best with your business’s specific objectives. Get in touch with us today to get the process started!

Healthcare, flu, people, rhinitis and medicine concept - ill man blowing his nose with paper napkin and drinking tea at home

Conquering Flu Season With The Right Janitorial Services

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Flu season in Canada is typically in late fall into early winter. Unlike the common cold, the flu is far worse because it can lead to other illnesses like pneumonia and an onset of other worsened symptoms. The best way to avoid the flu altogether is to have strong preventative measures put into place, especially if you run a business. This not only benefits the health of your workers but it also benefits you as a business owner. Hiring a professional cleaning service is a cost-effective measure that ensures that you, the business owner, can minimize sick days due to the flu. It’s a strong tactic to keep your business running smoothly and to minimize illness. Here is a comprehensive review on how to minimize the flu in your office.

Secure areas with sanitization

The truth is, most people get sick from touching an infected surface. While illnesses like the flu can be caught from transmission in the air, repeated exposure to the virus in shared areas like break rooms, kitchens and conference rooms are often the main culprit.

Increase cleaning frequency

Hiring a professional cleaning service to routinely sanitize these areas and items within the areas on a frequent basis will reduce the spread of the flu virus. If you normally have a bi-weekly cleaning, consider having one once a week and set the priorities to be focused toward flu management.

General tips

Your professional cleaning service can work with you to determine the best ways to do this by cleaning door handles, hard surfaces and computer keyboards.

  • Tell your sick workers to stay home –if someone falls ill at your workplace, encourage them to work-from-home or to rest up and get better. This will minimize the spread of the virus in your office.
  • Encourage workers to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer during the flu season and to avoid touching their face
  • Encourage people who are pregnant or who have underlying health conditions to take precautions during flu season to avoid hospitalizations

The truth is, the flu can affect each person differently. You do not want to run the risk of having your workers get ill – as some people may be ill a longer than the average and could suffer worse repercussions. Take precautions by hiring a professional cleaning service that will work to reduce the spread of viruses.

Are you ready to conquer the flu? Get in touch with us today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Excellence Awards logo

Evergreen Building Maintenance Wins a Business Excellence Award for Sustainability

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Each year, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce holds the annual Business Excellence Awards, an event that highlights companies who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in Central Okanagan. This year, at their 29th annual award ceremony at the Delta Okanagan, judges narrowed down sixty-two semi-finalists and thirty finalists. Evergreen Building Maintenance made its list of finalists and received the prestigious award for its sustainability efforts. The event was held in collaboration with Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP on October 13th.

Categories 

The Categories businesses were recognized for were:

  • Rising Star Business of the Year
  • Small Business of the Year
  • Mid-size Business of the Year
  • Large Business of the Year
  • Social Entrepreneurship Award
  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year
  • Business Leader of the Year
  • Sustainability Award
  • Distinction in Hospitality & Tourism Award
  • Marketer of the Year
  • Technology/Innovation Award

Evergreen Building Maintenance was awarded with the prestigious Sustainability Award at the event, which is given to ‘a company whose business practices embrace innovative approaches and techniques, which are cutting edge in contributing to environmental sustainability.’

The Process

Each year, nominations are received for the business and individual awards from across the valley. Once the nomination period has passed, a party is thrown in their honour and a detailed nomination package is completed.

This package is then reviewed extensively over an 8-month process by experienced judges. Once the finalists are selected, they are usually visited at their place of business by the judges in September before they make final decisions.

Businesses who win these awards receive valuable publicity and admiration within their respective sectors. We are happy to have been honoured with this incredible award and feel a deep sense of pride that our hard work and dedication to sustainability has been recognized!

Evergreen Building Maintenance is living up to its name when it comes to practicing sustainability and green cleaning initiatives. Learn more about the industries we work for and the services we proudly offer across Western Canada.

Janitorial Cleaning Services At The Okanagan Correctional Centre

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Evergreen Building Maintenance was recently awarded the honour of working with the Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC), the largest correctional facility in British Columbia, located north of Oliver on the Osoyoos Indian Band Reserve. This is an expansive contract, as the facility spans 300,000 square feet across 14.5 hectares (36 acres).

The 378-cell facility is a $200 million project that is part of BC Corrections’ second-phase of their capital expansion plan. When it’s completed, it will hold double its original capacity in B.C.’s interior. It also requires a deep trust of Evergreen’s trained and educated employees, as it’s a high-risk, high-security area that requires enhanced security clearance for all staff on the grounds.

Project Goals

The goal of the project is to enhance public safety for communities, correctional staff and inmates within the province and to stimulate the economy in the area. It will create up to 1000 new permanent and contractual construction jobs along with 240 full-time correctional job positions for both experienced workers and new recruits. Other contracted staff will include on-site nurses, doctors, dentists, counsellors, food service workers and trades personnel.

Environmental accreditation

The OCC developmental project has been applauded for its environmental efforts and has obtained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification. The project is also using wood in accordance with the B.C. Building Code, to adhere to the First Wood Act set out by the Government and to maximize energy efficiency.

Evergreen’s Milestone

As a company, we feel we’ve hit a milestone since we’re working on not only a large project, but also one that directly reflects our environmental values. At Evergreen, we continually strive to use eco-friendly measures in our cleaning from using fragrance and scent-free products that are free of toxic chemicals like VOCs, to implementing products that are GREEN SEAL or ECOLOGO certified.

Other green practices we use include:

  • Zinc-free floor finishing procedures
  • Conducting interior building air quality reports
  • Using paperless billing systems
  • Using non-fuel powered equipment
  • Creating customized disposal and recycling programs
  • Hiring employees trained in green cleaning practices
  • Low impact solutions to remove graffiti
  • Lotus Pro High Capacity Wall Units

Evergreen began in the Okanagan Area over 30 years ago and has expanded to several regions across Canada. Interested in learning more about our work? Get in touch with us if you company or facility is in need of quality commercial cleaning services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Fall Janitorial Cleaning Is As Important As Spring Cleaning

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Spring cleaning is the best way to prepare your business for the summer season and get rid of all the dirt and environmental debris that can build up during the winter. However, the cleanup that is required at the end of the summer season is as crucial as spring cleaning but often neglected. Here are just a few of the reasons why fall cleaning is as important as spring cleaning.

Get Rid of Summertime Dirt and Pollutants

Many commercial spaces such as recreation centres, restaurants, bars and shopping centres have outdoor facilities that are only open during the summer. Dirt, dust, pollen and other environmental debris can be tracked indoors from these outdoor spaces. If left uncleaned, this summertime debris can collect and accumulate inside your business during the colder months. Once you’ve closed down any patios, outdoor vendors or sports facilities for the season, it’s important to give your indoor spaces a thorough cleaning for the winter. This includes washing all windows, walls, carpeting and furniture.

Prepare Your Business for Winter

It’s important to make your indoor space as clean and comfortable as possible before winter begins, since you’ll be spending more time inside once the snow start to fall. Not only will a fall cleaning make your business a more pleasant space to work, it will also help to attract more customers. If your business uses summer accessories such as patio furniture or sports equipment, you’ll need to find practical storage solutions to house those items during winter. A fall cleanup can help prepare your business for a productive and successful winter.

Fall cleaning is important for any commercial space but it can often be difficult to find the time for such a detailed project. That’s why Evergreen Building Maintenance offers the most comprehensive commercial cleaning services in Western Canada. Our friendly and professional staff has the experience and tools necessary to give your business the kind of deep clean that it needs before winter. Contact us at Evergreen Building Maintenance for more information about our commercial cleaning services and green clean initiatives.

The Importance of Upholstery Cleaning in the Modern Office

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Many modern offices have put away traditional ideas of desks and work stations as a creative solution to foster collaborative work between colleagues within a workplace community. Since many people now work off their mobile devices and laptops, modern companies want to create a more comfortable environment for their workers as an alternative to working-from-home or free-lance.

Because of this trend, modern offices can now include more couches, banquettes, chairs, rugs, window covers and lounge areas and sometimes even decorations that really need to be cleaned and sanitized regularly. That’s where we come in!

Upholstery cleaning is absolutely essential to remove dust, debris and keep allergens in check. With the modern office being such a dynamic environment with people visiting frequently, in order to keep the office clean and sanitized, it’s best to hire a professional cleaning service that can focus on delivering reliable upholstery cleaning services.

Here are some additional reasons for upholstery cleaning:

  • Dust particles can slowly break down upholstery fibers over time that can wear at your furniture. In some cases, food and debris can be harder to see on furniture like couches (think of someone eating food while lounging on the couch!) With a regular cleaning, it’s possible to extend the life of the fabric of your couch by reducing the build-up of dust and debris in advance.
  • Revitalize the look of your furniture – is your furniture getting a little old, or are you saving money by using pre-owned office furniture? Save on the cost of a new couch and hire a professional cleaning service to give your furniture the boost it needs.
  • Make a good impression to your clients and employees – make a good impression by keeping your office clean so your clients can focus on your good work.
  • Fabric is a breeding ground for allergens. Hiring a professional cleaning service will ensure that allergens do not make a home in your office furniture!

For more information on our services, check out testimonials given by some Canadian businesses that have used Evergreen Building Maintenance’s dedicated commercial cleaning services and fill out the form to request our services today!

 

 

Minimizing Allergens in the Workplace

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At Evergreen Building and Maintenance is concerned with the health of our clients and customers. The Spring and Summer season is the time for allergies that can be triggered by pollen and ragweed outdoors. Allergic rhinitis, the condition describing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms affecting the nose, is common among allergy sufferers, but allergens can also affect the lungs, throat, sinuses, ears and eyes.

A survey commissioned by Johnson & Johnson also suggested that as many as 10 million Canadians suffer from allergy symptoms and that 55 percent of Canadians claim that their allergies cut into their work productivity.

The immune system identifies and reacts to different allergens. When an allergen enters the body of someone who is predisposed to allergies, it triggers an immune reaction which results in the familiar symptoms allergy sufferers know all too well. Improving the upkeep of your office is crucial in reducing and maintaining indoor allergens and ensuring the wellbeing of everyone in the workplace environment.

The Evergreen Building Maintenance team can help you with…

  • Eliminating dust mites and other indoor allergens
  • Cleaning mold or mildew on concrete flooring or walls
  • Cleaning carpeting to prevent moisture seepage
  • Improving the air quality by assessing ventilation (we conduct air quality reports)
  • Window cleaning –to remove dust and debris build up

While a deep clean is integral to reducing allergens in the workplace, certain cleaning products actually emit chemicals such as VOCs that contain allergens that many people react to severely. With this in mind, we do not use VOCs to ensure that we’re doing our best to meet your health and safety needs.

According to The Lung Association, a study found that 72 percent of people in Canada with asthma had adverse reactions to chemicals found in fragrances (Canada Safety Council). Our products are specifically fragrance and scent free to avoid any kind of contact allergy situation.

At Evergreen, we make every effort to reduce airborne concentrations of allergens. With proper training in healthy and safety, we implement strong training programs to keep our employees up-to-date with the latest protocol.

Fill out our service request form today!

The Importance of Tile and Grout Cleaning

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Grout is the cement that fills the gaps between your ceramic tiles. It is quite often found in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways of commercial properties. Grout is an important part of flooring as not only does it keep tiles in place, it also seals the flooring to avoid leakage. It is also notoriously difficulty to clean, yet having clean grout and tiles is crucial in maintaining a welcoming and healthy environment in all commercial spaces.

With that being said, here are some reasons why it is important to hire a professional commercial cleaning service to take care of your grout and tiles.

Grout is Porous and Very Difficult to Clean

Grout readily accumulates dirt, is easily stained, and can hold moisture. This means when grout gets dirty, it stays dirty no matter how many times you mop and clean your tiles. In fact, often enough, if the grout is not cleaned specifically, the residue that builds up will just redistribute itself all over your flooring.

Professional cleaning tools and solutions are used to break through these sticky and stubborn residues. If you use regular cleaning products on grout, you’ll just be adding to the cycle of residue build up and attract even more grime.

It Takes Time

Remember, grout fills all the individual cracks between each tile. Manually cleaning them would be a tedious and time consuming endeavor that could also be pretty hard on your back.

It is definitely worth investing into a service that uses industrial grade steamers and cleaners. For many businesses that take the cleanliness of their facilities seriously, that is the only way to go when it comes to professionally clean tiles and grout.

You’ll Pick Up Tips

When it comes to your grout and tile, aftercare is just as important as having a professional service come in to take care of cleaning in the first place. The commercial cleaning experts at Evergreen Building Maintenance can give you advice and let you in on the best measures to keep your floors looking pristine for your clientele between cleanings.

Professional tile and grout cleaning on a regular basis not only makes your business look great, it could save the need to retile the premises in the future. In the long run, it can prove to be a cost-effective measure that will keep your property looking its best at all times.

Have any questions? Visit our website to learn more about our services.

 

 

 

Meet the Operations Manager of our Okanagan Commercial Cleaning Division

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Ranjit Takhar began working at Evergreen Building Maintenance while studying at the University of British Columbia. While attending post secondary, he learned the basics of the business and helped out with complicated paperwork and proposals for maintenance contracts.

Little did he know that at the young age of 24, after completing his Management Degree at UBC Okanagan, he would be successfully running the day-to-day operations for the Okanagan Division of the company.

Recently, he was featured in the second edition of Kelowna’s Top Forty Under 40 program presented by BDO Accountants and Consultants, Kelowna’s Jaycees, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and the Daily Courier newspaper.

The article in the Daily Courier highlights Ranjit’s passion for entrepreneurial work that overpowered his initial disinterest in taking over so much responsibility. His love for finding new and creative ways to promote the business has increased opportunities for Evergreen’s expansion.

As of 2016, Evergreen has contracts for 150 buildings utilizing 78 employees to complete building maintenance services throughout the B.C. and Alberta. Kelowna was where it all started, with Evergreen taking care of several commercial buildings, libraries, office towers, municipal buildings, retail stores, etc.

However, Takhar believes that the company can adapt to larger operations.

“…there’s opportunity to expand more into Vancouver and Alberta and even Saskatchewan to get more airport, university, retail chain stores, banks and arenas contracts” said Takhar.

Perhaps the success of Evergreen came from successfully executing the strong company philosophy to address performance related concerns within the same business day.

Evergreen is proud of being fully owned and operated. No services are franchised, and there is an emphasis on having regional managers and working supervisors who are always ready to attend to needs of the clients.

Takhar’s hard work in school has continually paid off and he enjoys having the opportunity to use his professionalism and efficiency towards putting forth good business practices towards the range of services offered at Evergreen Building Maintenance.