Most people have experienced a case of ” a cluttered desk, a cluttered mind” at least once in their working lives. Just like desks get cluttered and messy, office spaces can too. There doesn’t need to be a catastrophic leak or a violent storm for the office to need a deep clean. Daily activities, meals, client meetings, and maybe an office party or two can leave your space in need of a little TLC.
At ServiceMaster, we’re here to help your office look like new, whether you need disaster cleanup, air duct cleaning, fire and smoke restoration, water mitigation, or simply a routine window and floor cleaning, our experts can assess the needs of your commercial space and get you back in business quickly and efficiently.
We also know there are things you can do to give your office a little boost that doesn’t require much effort and might even be a good way to cultivate teamwork in the company. Here are our suggestions for an Office Cleaning Guide that we recommend doing on a regular basis.
Daily/Weekly:
Empty all Garbages
Depending on the size of your business the frequency may change, but it is good to get in a habit of taking out garbages on a consistent basis. Not only do garbages fill up, but it also can create a smell and breed bacteria. Pay close attention to the garbages in eating and common areas since food waste can be especially fragrant. If your space utilizes cubicles, offer small garbage and recycling bins for employees to use at their desks, but make sure you have a plan in place for how they will be emptied, either by an outsourced cleaning crew or by the employees themselves.
Vacuum Floors and Surfaces
Carpet can be a trap for dust and dirt, which can be mitigated by vacuuming regularly. Running the vacuum over all surfaces on a regular basis can keep an office space looking fresh and clean and reduce odors and allergens throughout the space.
Wipe Down Surfaces with a Mild Disinfectant
Wipe down desks, conference tables, reception areas, kitchen surfaces and any other hard surfaces with a mild disinfectant. This will help to stop the spread of bacteria, as well as keep your space looking fresh. Say goodbye to those pesky coffee rings!
Use Glass Cleaner on any Entry Doors and Windows
Wipe away smudges on any doors and windows especially on the entryway into your office. First impressions mean a lot and handprints and other smudges on an entrance can give off the impression that your office doesn’t value attention to detail. A 30-second wipe down can make a huge difference, and leave your office looking more professional, and even a little brighter!
Wash Dishes or Load the Dishwasher
Nobody likes to come home to a sink full of dirty dishes, just like nobody likes to walk into their breakroom and see a stack of unwashed mugs. Creating a system around washing office dishes may seem unnecessary, but it can help avoid making just one member of your team responsible for all of the dishes. This might mean making a rule that each person is responsible for their own dishes, or that a rotating schedule gets put into place for a different employee to be in charge of dishes each week. Regardless of what system works best, having clear expectations around dishes can save time and energy, and even avoid some unnecessary office politics.
Clean Out the Fridge
Nobody likes the smell of rotting food, and as hard as we all try, it can be easy to forget those leftovers in the breakroom fridge for long periods of time. A good rule for offices to follow is: any food left in the fridge on Friday gets tossed. It might be annoying to lose your Tupperware from time to time, but keeping the break room fridge clean and fresh is important for the overall cleanliness of the kitchen.
Sanitize Door Handles and Light Switches and Elevator Buttons
Use disinfecting wipes on areas where many hands touch on a regular basis. Door handles and light switches are common places that people will wipe down once in a while, but according to moster.com one of the dirtiest spots in an office building is actually the first-floor elevator button. If your office has an elevator, consider running a disinfecting wipe over the buttons on a regular basis. Sanitizing surfaces won’t completely stop the spread of bacteria, but making an effort to clean highly trafficked areas is still a worthwhile task, especially during cold and flu season. 😊
Monthly:
Vacuum all Fabric Surfaces
Fabric surfaces like chairs and couches get used regularly, but cleaning them can get put on the backburner. Make a point to vacuum these spots on at least a monthly basis. Don’t forget cubicle walls and any other space in your office you may miss during your weekly vacuum. This reduces dust and the chance to breed dust mites, who love soft fabric surfaces like couches and chairs. Dust mites are relatively harmless, but their droppings can cause allergies and inflame asthma for employees.
Dust all Out of Reach Areas
Dusting the top shelves of our cubicles or offices might be the last thing on your to-do list, but it’s important to clean even hard-to-reach areas on a monthly basis.
Seasonally:
Organize Desks and File Cabinets
Clutter can accumulate pretty quickly, especially in a busy office. Spring cleaning is not just a good idea for your home organization, but it’s also helpful at the office. Set aside a couple of hours a few times a year to get rid of unnecessary items, shred documents you no longer need and reorganize any other items in your space. Individual employees should be responsible for organizing their own spaces and communal spaces can be left up to teams. One idea is to assign different departments a space within the office. For example, the sales department can be in charge of going through the conference rooms and accounting could be in charge of the break room. Spark a little competition and give a prize to the team who gets rid of the most junk or completes the task first.
Professional Upholstery Cleaning
Even when your fabric surfaces or carpet don’t look dirty or stained, it’s important to have a thorough and professional cleaning to reduce debris, odors, and any unsightly spots that have collected over time. Spring and fall are great times for a professional cleaning since in the Midwest we all know the toll the winter months can take on our spaces.
Window Cleaning
Employees and clients don’t like to look out of a smudged and dirty window. Since we have very limited control over rain spots, bird droppings, and general dust collection, it’s important to get a professional window cleaning done at least twice a year.
At ServiceMaster, we utilize de-ionized water throughout our exterior window cleaning process, which ensures that your windows will be 100% spot and streak-free. We also utilize a mixture of de-ionized water and a mild detergent and clean your interior windows and sills for a clean view on both sides.
Air Duct Cleaning
It can be easy to focus a big amount of time and budget to keep the places we can see in the office clean, but it’s important not to neglect indoor air quality. Having all aspects of your HVAC system checked by our ServiceMaster’s commercial duct cleaning technicians will ensure the quality of your air is improved and that your HVAC system is running efficiently and effectively. This could also mean a lower energy bill each month (win-win!).
ServiceMaster cares about clean!
We know how busy a day in the office can get, which means you may not always have the time to dedicate to keeping your space clean. The team of experts at ServcieMaster are here to help with regular commercial cleaning including; floor and upholstery cleaning, window cleaning or air duct cleaning as well as more in-depth cleaning cases such as fire and smoke restoration, water damage mitigation, and vandalism/trauma cleanup. Fill out a contact form here or call us 24/7 at (612) 688-4497 for a free quote.
