How often does your office actually get cleaned? We don’t just mean removing stacks of paper from desks and wiping coffee stains off of break room counters to make the place look better. Because office cleaning isn’t just about aesthetics.
Of course, it’s important to de-clutter to minimize stress and maintain clean conditions to uphold a professional image. But frequent, proper cleaning is vital for an abundance of other reasons. For example, cleaning helps prevent workplace safety hazards and expensive damage to equipment and facilities, keeps germs under control so people don’t get sick, and improves productivity.
This is your guide to keeping the office clean with maintenance, regular and deep cleaning, and how to know which type of cleaning is appropriate. We review the importance of a clean office and the dangers of clutter and present useful tips on how to keep your office clean and organized, with some office cleaning FAQs at the end.
Why is Office Cleaning Important?
Especially when you have a limited budget, it’s sometimes tempting to cut corners in seemingly less central priorities like office cleaning. But keeping the workplace clean is so crucial, sacrificing cleanliness would be a disservice to your workers and the company as a whole.
Here are some of the underappreciated reasons a clean work environment is important:
- Professional image- Offices need cleaning to make good impressions on business partners, job candidates, and other visitors by exuding discipline and professionalism.
- Staff productivity- A clean working environment reduces stress, confusion, and distractions for better motivation, creativity, and productivity.
The majority of Americans say disorganization limits their motivation, with 77% saying disorganization interferes with productivity.
- Facility and equipment longevity- From electronics and appliances to furniture and floors, regular cleaning helps you avoid serious damage that necessitates costly repairs and replacements.
- Health and safety- Regular cleaning prevents occupational hazards and the spread of illness-causing bacteria and viruses.
The Dangers of a Cluttered Office: What You Must Avoid!
Did you know allowing office clutter to accumulate is actually dangerous? This is how leaving clutter around the office creates serious hazards:
Fire Hazards
Obviously, stacks of files piled on top of desks and reams of paper kept out in the open will cause a potential fire to spread faster. Additionally, objects left near doors, exits, and in hallways and staircases can obstruct escape paths in the event of an office fire.
Risk of Trips, Slips, and Falls
Similarly, dust, dirt, spills, and clutter left on the floor present trip and slip hazards. You cannot leave stairs unattended or let spills, dust, trash, paper, or cellophane lay on a slippery tile floor, and you can’t let cords lay in walkways. Don’t underestimate the danger of falling due to a slip or trip, because these represent over 15% of all accidental deaths, second only to car accidents.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are serious concerns, too. Not only does it harm work performance to constantly feel distracted and overwhelmed at work, but this unnecessary stress can take a major toll on workers’ mental health over time, especially if they already have depression, anxiety, or neurological differences.
Tips on How to Keep Your Office Clean
If you’re ready to eliminate the dangers of a neglected office and see for yourself the benefits of a cleaner office, follow these tips on how to keep your office clean and organized:
Clear Off Desks
It’s not too much to ask employees to keep unnecessary clutter off the desks, opting for filing cabinets, organizers, and desk drawers. They should clear any remaining documents or office supplies off of their desks at the end of the day.
This way professional cleaners or the staff themselves can quickly and easily wipe down desks at the end of the day without displacing anything.
Remove Trash and Messes and Tidy Common Areas
Basic workplace hygiene goes a long way. Employees can help out by throwing out all trash, especially from food and coffee, and cleaning up any spills, crumbs, or other messes. They may also be expected to remove their stuff from the fridge at the end of the week.
Then, a cleaning team will usually be responsible for taking out the trash, fully cleaning surfaces, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, and wiping out appliances.
Clean Hard Floors and Carpets
Whether you have tile, hardwood, carpet, etc., it’s usually necessary to clean the floor almost every day. This can look like regular vacuuming, sweeping, and/or mopping.
The more traffic and dirt a given area sees, the more intensive and frequent floor cleaning needs to be, think entryways and halls.
Maintain IT Equipment
Germs and dust easily get trapped inside electronics such as phone buttons and microphone holes, keyboards, mice, monitors, desktop computer consoles, printers, copiers, WiFi routers, etc.
Beyond basic dusting, it sometimes takes a little expertise to remove dust and germs from these tiny spaces, but regularly dusting and wiping down the electronics reduces buildup.
Hire Professional Cleaning Services
Whether your workforce pitches in significantly to keep the office clean, or whether you want to burden them with as little upkeep as possible, you certainly need some degree of professional cleaning services.
Luckily, client-focused professional cleaners are happy to customize the exact tasks and frequency for your needs based on the size of your space and staff and the amount of traffic at your office.
What Kind of Office Cleaning Does Your Office Need?
You know cleaning services can range from one-off deep cleaning and disinfecting, and occasional maintenance, to routine cleaning and even round-the-clock janitorial or day porter services for the busiest office buildings.
So, how do you know what type of office cleaning is necessary for you? It depends on the size of your space, how crowded it is, and the sheer number of personnel sharing the facility.
Regular Office Cleaning
Almost every office needs routine cleaning roughly three to five times per week. You can typically adjust which tasks you want professional cleaners to do and how often. These services tend to cover:
- Bathroom cleaning and disinfection
- Kitchen and breakroom cleaning
- Wiping windows
- Dusting workspace surfaces
- Cleaning floors, furniture, and upholstery
- Consolidating and taking out the garbage
- Disinfecting high-touch surfaces like door handles, elevator buttons, and lightswitches
Deep Cleaning
Before and after moving offices and at least once or twice per year, a more thorough cleaning is in order. This involves more in-depth duties such as:
- Moving furniture to clean out-of-reach spots
- Top-to-bottom disinfection or sanitizing
- Changing air filters and cleaning air ducts and vents
- Deep-cleaning tile grout, carpets, upholstery, and appliances
Maintenance Cleaning
Maintenance cleaning refers to jobs with more exhaustive than routine cleaning and in between deep cleanings. Maintenance cleaning checklist items could include:
- Wiping mirrors
- Comprehensive dusting, including walls and baseboards
- Spot-cleaning windows
- Vacuuming upholstery
- Sanitizing sinks
- Vacuuming underneath furniture
- Wiping appliances
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an office cleaning checklist?
An office cleaning checklist names all the tasks needing to be completed during a given cleaning session and necessary supplies/equipment.
The checklist may look different on different days of the week since some tasks have varying frequencies. You can go over your checklist with your cleaning company and cleaning team.
What are the major benefits of hiring a commercial cleaning service to handle your entire office cleaning needs?
Outstanding office cleaning eliminates hazards, germs, and distractions, making better professional impressions, promoting workplace health, and boosting productivity.
What is the fastest way to clean an office building?
How long it takes to clean an office depends on the square footage, job difficulty, and the number of cleaning staff working. The more personnel clean at once, the faster cleaning will go, especially if they’re experienced and efficient.
Having a Problem with Cleaning Your Office?
Don’t hesitate to remove workplace hazards, germs, and productivity-hampering clutter. Contact Dallas Janitorial Services for a free office cleaning quote. With our hardworking cleaning professionals, we serve businesses all around Dallas-Fort Worth with responsive customer service, 24/7 availability, and personalized attention.
