When our government and business leaders talk about returning to some semblance of normal, they often are referring to getting back to work and helping the economy heal.
For many workplaces, the “new normal” includes stepped-up cleaning and disinfecting services. It’s imperative that your commercial cleaning company provides what you need and expect during this unprecedented time and as the nation moves forward.
However, employers who “settle” because they don’t want to look for a new cleaning company are putting their employees and customers at risk. No one wants to do that.
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you determine the appropriate level of sanitization and disinfection for your workplace:
What’s the difference between cleaning and disinfecting?
Cleaning removes dirt that you can see – dirt on the carpet or floor, dust on a desk, etc. It’s no longer enough to make an office look clean; it needs to be thoroughly sanitized regularly to remove the dirt and germs you do not see. Routine disinfection helps to reduce the risk of COVID-19, flu and other respiratory illnesses.
Do we need to add disinfection services?
Consider adding regular disinfection of high-touch areas such as doorknobs, handles and light switches, your phone, keyboard and mouse, and sink areas in the restrooms and kitchen. However, it is important to remember that as soon as someone touches that door handle or sink, it is no longer disinfected.
How often should we clean? Can our employees help?
How frequently you clean depends on several factors, including the number of people in your workplace and whether you have customers visiting throughout the day. If your office traffic is high, ask yourself whether employees will “buy in” and take time during the day to wipe down their own workspaces as well as the restrooms, work room and kitchen (before and after eating)? If not, ask your commercial cleaning company for a quote to add midday services.
Either way, you should encourage employees to remain diligent to protect themselves and their co-workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends frequent handwashing, not sharing keyboards or telephones and wiping down high-touch surfaces multiple times throughout the day between visits from your professional cleaners.
What’s the advantage of using a professional cleaning company?
Professional cleaning companies train their cleaning crews in the correct use of equipment and chemicals to sanitize workplaces and reduce the risk of dangerous viruses, microbes and germs. They observe manufacturers’ “dwell times,” which is the time that a disinfectant must sit on a surface to kill germs – a critical component of disinfecting. They also follow guidelines from the CDC and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Professional cleaning companies have systems in place, like using color-coded cloths, to avoid cross-contamination between restrooms and other areas. And many of them have invested in new technology such as electrostatic sprayers and misters. Electrostatic sprayers more easily disinfect common areas, personal spaces and hard-to-reach corners and crevices, which is critical to reducing the risk of COVID-19, flu and other respiratory illnesses.
Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services has a proven track record of providing excellent sanitizing and disinfecting services. Create a healthy, clean environment for your employees and customers. Find a location near you to request a free custom quote for your cleaning and disinfecting needs.
