Anyone with office cleaning experience knows how tough it can be to maintain a dust-free office. Dust build-up appears in all of the toughest-to-clean and hardest-to-reach areas. Meanwhile, you’re stuck dusting day after day after day, trapped in a losing battle against dusty surfaces.
At JAN-PRO®, we know how frustrating and time-consuming this aspect of office cleaning can be. But we also know how easy it is to make mistakes when dusting a workplace. Below, we’ve collected eight of the most common dusting mistakes made during office cleaning, along with tips on how to dust your workplace more effectively.
The Wrong Office Cleaning Materials
Dusting is a breeze with the right materials, specifically those made of split-fiber microfiber. Our office cleaning service providers swear by microfiber cleaning cloths and mop pads, which use millions of microscopically thin fibers to trap higher rates of dust, dirt, debris, and bacteria. By cleaning with microfiber, you’ll trap practically every mote of dust you come across.
Dusting Your Office with Dry Cloths
A dry microfiber cloth cleans more effectively than a damp cotton cloth or a damp paper towel. Because of this, many people leave their microfiber cloths dry when dusting surfaces around the office. However, studies have shown that microfiber cloths trap the highest levels of dust when slightly damp. This is particularly true for areas where dust and oil residues have mixed, which makes dust harder to remove.
Cleaning Screens with Abrasive Materials
TV screens and computer monitors are one spot where it’s better to use a dry microfiber cloth instead of a damp one. Screens require special care during cleaning to prevent damage. Use microfiber rather than cotton or paper towel, avoid water and cleaning products such as glass cleaner, and make sure that you use a fresh cloth. A dirty one could contain debris that can leave scratches.
Dirty or Low-Quality Vacuum Filters
Unfortunately, there’s no way to prevent 100% of dust in your office. But by using HEPA-filter vacuums for office cleaning, JAN-PRO cleaners substantially reduce the amount of airborne dust in your workplace. A dirty or low-quality vacuum filter will spew dust back into the air, whereas a HEPA-filter vacuum will trap 99.99% of particles bigger than 0.3 microns.
Dusting with Dirty Office Cleaning Materials
During office cleaning, make sure that you have a sufficient number of cleaning cloths for dusting. It doesn’t take long for cloths to get dirty. When that happens, they start to spread dust from one surface to another. Take a lesson from our office cleaning service providers: as soon a dusting cloth gets dirty, switch to a clean one.
Forgetting to Dust Vent Covers and Fans
The dustiest areas in your office are the surfaces exposed to highest levels of airflow, like fan blades and ventilation covers. Not only are these surfaces dustier than others, they’re also a leading source of dust the pollutes the air in your office. Make sure you clean these areas properly during office cleaning. Vacuum them using a detail attachment, then wipe them down with a damp microfiber.
Leaving Easy-to-Move Objects in Place
When cleaning, it’s tempting to cheat and take shortcuts. One of the most common shortcuts is to leave small, easily moved objects in place during dusting. Dust around and underneath these objects goes untouched. This leaves you with an office that looks clean at first glance, but which is littered with dirty secrets on closer inspection.
Starting Office Cleaning in the Wrong Spot
When you dust high areas in your office, it is common for some dust to enter the air. Dust will then float down until it settles on lower surfaces. This is why our office cleaning teams are trained to dust from top to bottom. This way, many of these disturbed dust particles are caught later on during the clean.
Take a smarter approach to office cleaning with your local JAN-PRO. Call 866-355-1064 today to learn more and request a FREE estimate for office cleaning.