Imagine you walk into your favorite grocery store. The floor shines. Signs let you know the staff disinfects on the hour. You’re pretty convinced the commercial-cleaning crew is on its game.
It’s nice to know you can count on things being spic and span … until you go to throw away your coffee cup and face an unemptied trash can piled high with junk. Now, in spite of everything else, you’re wondering if the rest of the store is just as dirty. What gives?
In short: perception is everything. It doesn’t matter how clean you keep your facility. Even with top-notch disinfection procedures, if certain essentials aren’t taken care of, people are going to perceive dirtiness. The little things can make or break an impression when it comes to commercial cleaning.
Here are some key things to stay on top of:
Lack of signage. Post information around about the frequency and methods of your cleaning program to stay top-of-mind for customers. Make cleaning logs visible in restrooms.
Not touchless? Post touchless hand-sanitizing stations at key points throughout your facility. Use touchless towel and soap dispensers in your restroom. Read more, here.
Overflowing trash cans. Make sure to keep the heap maintained.
Dirty floors, counters and windows. These are the first things customers will notice. Additionally, soiled surfaces don’t just look bad; dirt keeps disinfectants from reaching the surface, which means they don’t work. This blog has some great tips on how to protect your office mats.
Lack of visible cleaning crew. Seeing the process in action helps remind people you adhere to your cleaning program. If they aren’t clearly identified, consider uniforms for your cleaning crew.
Smell. This one is tricky, because some people are sensitive to certain smells – and even “unscented” cleaning chemicals can trigger headaches for some folks. With that said, a “clean” smell is generally a good thing. If you control how much chemical – and what type – you use, it shouldn’t overpower anyone. Check out “How to fix nagging restroom odors,” for some good tips.
Staying on top of the six perception basics is easy with a day porter. Porters are janitors who work during the day. From handling spills to spot vacuuming to emptying trash, they check all the boxes and are trained to do it all.
“With the added responsibilities your team faces, a day porter can also increase their bandwidth,” said Mike Staver, KleenMark’s director of operations. “Bringing in that extra person during the day is honestly one of the most efficient ways to quickly elevate your cleaning and disinfecting program.”