The commercial cleaning industry — like almost any other industry — doesn’t have a single set of best practices. It has several.
The reason for this is simple. Different practices lead to different results, and different companies approach their work with different goals.
If you’re trying to create the healthiest workplace possible, you use one set of practices. If you’re trying to keep cleaning costs to a bare minimum, you use another.
So when you’re hiring a commercial cleaning company, it pays to know both how they’ll clean your workplace and why they clean the way they do. Otherwise, you could end up hiring cleaners who use the wrong cleaning products, equipment, or techniques for your needs.
Commercial Cleaning Practices & Protocols
As a small business owner, office manager, or facility director, you can’t be expected to learn every detail of the commercial cleaning industry. Instead, it’s better if you have a basic sense of cleaning practices.
You’ll also want a general knowledge of the areas where different companies take different approaches. Here are five important examples…
Customization
Every facility has unique factors that impact cleaning services. To achieve the highest levels of heath, safety, and sanitation, you’ll need a cleaning plan tailored to your facility. But a custom cleaning plan takes time and expertise that some commercial cleaning companies aren’t willing to invest. When hiring new cleaners, pay close attention to their level of customization.
Vacuums
Most people fail to realize how much more effective cleaning teams are with the right vacuums. Yet case studies have found that backpack-mounted vacuums offer big savings on time and money for cleaners and their clients. Vacuum filters are equally important. Without HEPA filtration, vacuums can spew airborne dust and allergens back into the air, causing serious air quality concerns.
Textiles
Today, the best commercial cleaning companies have switched to microfiber cloths and mops. Microfiber textiles can trap upwards of 99% of dust, dirt, grime, and bacteria when dampened with water — far more effective than any other type of textile. For a better clean, you’ll want cleaners using microfiber textiles, and you’ll want to be sure these textiles are properly disinfected and maintained between cleanings.
Techniques
Many cleaning companies try to save money by under-investing in training. Instead, they give cleaners a bunch of high-strength cleaning products to compensate for subpar cleaning techniques. Ironically, it’s typically more cost-effective to teach proper cleaning techniques to your cleaning staff. This way, they can use lower volumes of product and avoid harsh chemical products wherever possible.
Green Cleaning
Green cleaning products have become more popular, more affordable, and easier to obtain in recent years. Commercial cleaning companies have responded to this change in different ways. Some have stuck with chemical cleaning agents. Some have switched entirely to green cleaning products. Most fall somewhere in the middle, using non-green products only when necessary, while adopting greener products and techniques in other areas.
Request a FREE commercial cleaning estimate today by calling JAN-PRO® at 866-355-1064.