As a business owner, now is probably the time where you’re feeling two things: excitement and worry. Opening your business back up post-lockdown is a huge accomplishment but also something that needs to be planned out on both a short and long-term scale.
One of the main things you’re probably worrying about is how you’re supposed to clean and set up your business so that everyone feels safe, including you, your employees, and your customers. However, that can seem like an impossible task to handle.
Here at S&G Cleaning Services, we understand that struggle, which is why we want to give business owners some help and guidance in setting up their business for success by having a clean and healthy work environment.
Make a Plan
The first thing the Centers for Disease Control recommends — and so do we — is to make a plan. The easiest way you can make a mistake and have to shut your business right back down is by going in without a plan.
First, you’ll want to identify some different things:
- What surfaces and objects your facility has: When you know what surfaces and objects you have, it will be easier to make a list of cleaning supplies and technology you’ll need to clean and disinfect.
- How many people will be returning: How many people are returning to the office will determine the setup of your office space, as well as how you’ll be able to social distance throughout your facility.
- Where everyone will be working: Each person’s workspace should be the one place they can be where they are safe from germs and bacteria. By setting everyone up at least six feet apart with sanitization guards, you’ll be able to minimize the spread in your office.
- The high traffic areas for customers: High traffic areas are hot spots for germs and bacteria. If you can focus your cleaning efforts on those daily, you’ll lower the risk to both your customers and your employees.
- Sanitization zone locations: Having set spots where sanitation products will be for general use, such as hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, will allow you to promote a work environment that values hygiene and cleanliness above all else.
By laying out the above items, you can have a clear overview of the different areas of your office and what needs to be handled.
Clean to Disinfect
Unless you plan on hiring an office cleaning company for your sanitizing services, it’s important you understand the correct way to disinfect your space. First and foremost, you never disinfect right from the start.
Disinfection only works if the surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned with a cleaning agent. The easiest one to use, and usually the cheapest, is simply warm water and dish soap. Dish soap can clean a variety of surfaces, even floors and bathrooms, providing an overall clean.
If you skip the step of basic cleaning, you’ll still have particles of dirt and grime that will affect how well your disinfection chemicals attach to bacteria, germs, and viruses. This type of interference can stop them from doing their job, leaving behind harmful bacteria, and unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus.
Once everything has been cleaned, you can go in and use an EPA-approved disinfectant that works against COVID-19. There are a variety of cleaning options, each with its own specialized uses for certain surfaces and objects.
A Daily Clean Is the Best Clean
The best way to implement your plan to its fullest potential is to do it daily. Although it can seem tedious, you’d much rather be safe than sorry in the middle of a global pandemic.
Try to make a daily checklist of areas and high-touch points that need to be cleaned and sanitized. Some main areas we clean in our professional office cleaning service include:
- Handrails
- Door knobs/handles
- Elevator buttons
- Sinks and faucets
- Drinking fountains
- Countertops
- Toilets and toilet handles
- Window sills
- Light switches
- Equipment controls
- Cabinets/drawers
- Vending machines
- Chair arms
- Electronics
If you can keep up with the list daily, you can better protect everyone in your office. Additionally, it will be easier for you to communicate with customers about all of the areas that are cleaned and disinfected every night, which will increase their trust in you.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Let’s face it — you can do all of these steps, and things can still go wrong. That’s why it’s important to make sure your employees understand the plan for cleaning and why it’s important.
Try to have a video meeting to discuss all of the new rules and regulations for coming back to work. Explain all of the new seating arrangements or office additions that will be put in place to keep them safe.
Additionally, try to ask for their input on what would make them feel safer and healthier. It’s shown that a cleaner work environment leads to a happier and healthier staff, so try to hear them out on some of the things they would like. Of course, make sure they all understand that masks need to be worn at all times as well.
If your team understands the point of the cleaning measures, the easier it will be to keep the plan in place and illness at bay.
A Long-Term Tip: Hire a Trusted Commercial Cleaning Company
At the end of the day, the best way to ensure your office is clean and healthy is to hire a trusted commercial office cleaning service that has an in-depth office sanitizing service as well. An office sanitizing service will be able to come into your space daily to both clean and disinfect from floor to ceiling to keep you and everyone else there safe.
As a business owner, you probably don’t have the time to clean and disinfect your space daily, and neither do your employees. With disinfecting services like the one we have here at S&G Cleaning Services, you can focus on your business and leave the cleaning to us.
We offer our sanitizing services to the following industries:
- Accountant offices
- Property management offices
- Real-estate offices
- Architecture offices
- Construction company offices
- Engineering and IT company offices
- Manufacturing offices
- Retail stores
- Dental offices
- Insurance company offices
- Printing offices
- Rescue squad units
- Fire departments
- Libraries
- Churches and more!
Let us handle your disinfection services so you can focus on getting your business back to full working order.
Request a Quote
If you’re ready to book your own office disinfection service, click here for your free quote. We’re excited to serve you.
