Churches, synagogues, mosques, and all places of worship offer safety and comfort to many people in Denver. No matter your views or beliefs, your place of worship offers a needed break from the fast-paced world we live in. A church is a place that welcomes everyone, and it’s a place we go when we’re happy, sad, confused, angry, or lost.
Places of worship regularly host large groups of people, and parishioners also tend to occupy the space for long lengths of time, from 30 minutes to multiple hours. Further, communication and interaction take place through singing, conversation, handshaking, and social events of many kinds. Much like schools and other public spaces, churches can be a perfect breeding ground for germs and bacteria to spread.
There was a time when a church custodian could perform all the necessary cleaning in a church. The year 2020 changed that reality. A commercial cleaning service is the perfect answer to keeping your parishioners safe.
Cleaning Vs Disinfecting:
In the midst of the pandemic, it’s now important to not only clean but to disinfect as well. Cleaning surfaces with soap or detergent and water removes germs from the surface. Washing does not always kill germs, it just reduces their number. There is a reduction in the risk of infection, but the possibility is not eliminated. The procedure needed to disinfect does not always clean a dirty surface, but it does kill germs. Keeping your church safe is a two-step process of cleaning and then disinfecting that must be done frequently. Other areas of contamination include church pews, rugs, carpeting, floors, desks, bibles, paperwork, and more. How often your church needs to undergo a disinfecting process depends on how often people use the facility. We can offer custom schedules for our commercial cleaning services.
Pinpoint the High-Traffic Areas:
Walk through your house of worship and take notes of areas where people frequently gather. Consider how many people gather, how long they stay, and what activities occur during the period. Include information on the types of surfaces people come into contact with. Different cleaning and disinfecting steps are necessary for carpeting, plastic storage tubs, hardwood floors, church pews, etc. Your list will help you determine how often cleaning and disinfecting is necessary.
Church Pew Care:
In the past, caring for church pews was relatively simple. It only required some dusting and quality furniture polish. But there are also instances where a child may spill a snack or drink, or an adult may spill coffee. Scratches are also a frequent occurrence, which can take a bit more effort and special products to fix. Polishing the wood should also be done about every six months, and this can be a huge task for a single janitor or maintenance person. Lastly, now that regular disinfection is needed, you’ll need to know how to protect the wood surface while disinfecting. This can be a tricky process and requires professional tools and experience. This is another reason to invest in commercial cleaning services for your place of worship.
Different Flooring Surfaces:
Places of worship typically feature an array of different flooring surfaces. While common spaces may be carpeted, the narthex and nave may consist of stone, and the crossing, apse, and sacristy may also consist of uncommon materials. These different surfaces must all be cleaned and disinfected in different ways. There’s also the fact that some more historical churches will need to be cleaned with the utmost care in order to avoid damaging decades-old features that are cherished by parishioners. Furthermore, it’s important that the proper cleaning products are used. You want to avoid leaving any residues or odors after cleaning. It would be distracting and off putting for parishioners to detect odors during worship, and it would also take away from the overall experience.
Variety of Facilities:
Some churches also have kitchens and daycare areas, which will require a different set of cleaning procedures, tools, and materials. A daily disinfecting of these locations is a must. Take care to use the disinfecting solutions properly to avoid foodborne contaminants, provide fresh bathrooms, and safe daycare spaces for your littlest church attendees.
Delicate Objects and Items of Priceless Value:
Stained glass, brass, and more uncommon surface materials must be cleaned very delicately. Not just anyone is able to walk up to the altar and polish brass, gold, or silver. Not only are these places sacred, but they are also very fragile and valuable. Statues, candleholders, crosses, and other church furnishings require very intensive care when cleaning, and also someone that understands the value of the objects themselves. Our janitorial teams receive professional training and conduct their cleanings with the utmost care when working with your congregation’s most cherished objects and areas. We can follow the most detailed cleaning instructions, and do so with respect to your special items.
Hard-to-Reach Areas:
Vaulted ceilings and suspended lighting or statues must also be cleaned from time to time. Because of the height of these objects and the wide variety of materials they may be made of, it’s best to hire a commercial cleaning service to clean these out-of-reach places. Our janitorial teams have the proper equipment to clean high ceilings, all while remaining safe and taking care not to damage delicate furnishings.
Churches can be extremely difficult to keep clean; they feature all manner of intricate designs and house very rare and valuable things objects. It requires a high level of expertise to properly clean religious objects, but it also requires a great sense of duty and care. Our commercial cleaning teams understand the importance that your place of worship holds, and will remain diligent when cleaning.
As the old adage goes, cleanliness is next to godliness, which is why it is so important to have a good plan for how to keep your church building clean and safe. Please contact us today to help us make your house of worship a safer and more beautiful place for your congregation!
