In most people's minds, workplaces stay clean with the sheer force of capitalism. The floors wouldn't dare be sticky or the windows grimy out of respect for how hard everyone is working. Of course, we all know that this isn't really true. Someone vacuums the carpets, wipes the windows, and empties the rubbish cans every night. Someone must make sure the workplace is pristine and motivating for regular staff the next morning.
Unfortunately, not all office cleaning solutions are equal. Sometimes there aren't enough on-staff janitors to handle the building needs, sometimes you have a service that is not a good fit for your building. And sometimes, a business has no office cleaning service at all. When regular staff are asked to take on janitorial duties themselves, the results are always variable and almost never ideal. They forget to take out the rubbish, they skip duties that aren't appealing, and no one remembers to refill the soap and toilet paper dispensers.
The good news is that it's fairly easy to tell if it's time for a change in office cleaning services. All you need is a quick tour of the facility. Just by taking a walk through the most critical areas for cleanliness, you can tell if your current office cleaning solution is working or if it's time to reach out to a dedicated service. Here are the top three places to check for the quality of your current office cleaning service.
1) Check the Break Room
The break room is the first place to check for clues on your facility cleanliness. This is where messy food-related activities occur and there are clear signs of a break room experiencing long-term cleanliness problems. It is also one of the areas where staff, if asked to be their own janitors, will often fall through leaving the break room to become increasingly grungy over time.
Sticky Floor?
How does the floor feel beneath your shoes? A light sense of stickiness or, worse, a shoe-sucking sticky spot will prove that a mop has not touched that floor in weeks. Even if someone is assigned to cleaning the break room, they may skip the duty, or they may not even know where a mop is located.
Lingering Smell?
Break rooms tend to smell like the foods eaten by the staff. But a clean break room will smell like different things day by day. If your break room has had the same mixed-food smell for weeks, or it smells the same on Monday as it did on Friday, then it's not being sufficiently cleaned.
Inside of the Microwave?
The inside of the break room microwave can be pristine and shining or a biological hazard zone. We all know the difference between a regularly cleaned microwave and one that has seen a hundred bowls of chili and frozen dinners since its last wipe-down. A dirty microwave is a clear sign that no one is taking complete responsibility for cleanliness.
Everything is Greasy?
When food is heated in the microwave or on the stove, some evaporated grease, broth, and other components linger in the air and condense on everything in the break room. A quick soapy wipe-down will make this unnoticeable but without regular cleaning, it can build into a greasy patina on everything over time. Test the counters, the table, and the oven-hood if there is one to discover the build-up.
2) Check the Bathroom
The bathroom is the second most revealing location in a facility for cleanliness. In worst-case scenarios, it is the most revealing. This is because no one delights in cleaning bathrooms so even responsible regular staff will tend to dodge the duty. The cleanliness checks in a bathroom are also easy to do.
Looks and Feels Clean?
Most of us can almost instinctively tell a clean bathroom from a dirty one the moment we walk in the door. Does it smell right? Are the tile edges clean? Trust your instincts in your first check and let your sense of self-preservation be your guide. If your instincts say "Go Somewhere Else", it probably doesn't look or feel clean. Now look for details.
Stocked Supplies?
The next check is the easiest. Check if there is soap in every dispenser and, if so, how much. Check the toilet paper rolls and paper towels. Check the supply of seat covers if your facility offers them and the personal hygiene dispenser if there is one. If anything is insufficiently stocked, you need better office cleaning services than you're getting right now.
Shining Fixtures?
Closely check the little details of the bathroom cleanliness. The mirrors and fixtures should shine, or only show a few fingerprints that occurred that day. Smudgy mirrors and grimy fixtures are a clear sign that the bathroom is not clean enough for a workplace.
3) The Storage Closet
Finally, take a look into one of your storage areas. These are spaces that are often overlooked even by staff assigned to cleaning tasks because they become non-areas in the workplace. However, a professional cleaning service would not forget to keep storage areas tidy, dusted, and vacuumed. Here's what to look for:
Dust Bunnies?
Check the corners and under any shelving for dust bunnies. These are easy to remove but build up over time in unused areas. The bigger and more numerous the 'bunnies', the longer it's been since someone came in with a broom or vacuum.
Spider Webs?
Now check the upper corners and shelves of the storage area. Spiders only gather in unused areas and clearing them out once a week is more than enough to prevent the gathering of cobwebs.
Neatly Organised?
Finally, how casually messy is the storage area? Staff may or may not take responsibility for keeping this area tidy, but a cleaning team certainly will. Simply straightening boxes and making sure that stored items make it onto shelves instead of piles is a simple task and a sign that someone is keeping the building in top condition.
Hire Professional Office Cleaning Contractors
Does your facility need better office cleaning services than you're achieving right now? If your business has been relying on too few in-house staff or even your own employees to take care of janitorial duties, there's a good chance that you need a better cleaning service than you're getting.
Consider upgrading to professional janitorial service to take care of all your facility cleanliness needs. For more information or to consult on the cleaning needs for your business, contact us today!
