Every office, retail space, or workspace should receive regular cleaning such as vacuuming, disinfecting, and waste removal. However, how often do you need a more thorough, deep clean?
If you think for a moment about high traffic areas like office hallways, restrooms, and warehouse floors – there’s a lot of activity in those spaces on a daily basis. Every time someone walks or talks, they’re spreading dirt, dust, and germs from outside and then pushing it around inside. Not all areas of an office will get this kind of usage, but you do want to think about which areas might need the most attention.
Is there a set duration or number of times an office should be cleaned annually? The short answer is no. Every office is different, but there are some guidelines to follow that might help. These become more clear when we understand the difference between regular cleaning and deep cleaning, and how the size and function of a workspace plays a role.
- Moderately high-traffic areas : These spaces should be deep cleaned every few months. Areas may include hallways, meeting rooms, and lobbies.
- High-traffic areas : Since these spaces are more prone to accumulating dirt and debris, they should be deep cleaned as often as once per month. Areas may include entranceways, office kitchens, and bathrooms.
- Carpeted areas : In addition to a regular maintenance program, these spaces should be deep cleaned at least once or twice a year to help remove built-up stains, dirt, and bacteria.
Regular office cleaning, or simple daily cleaning, is also important and includes tasks such as clearing one’s desk of garbage, wiping down tables, dusting surfaces, and perhaps lightly vacuuming floors. All of these regular cleaning items aim to make the work environment tidier and more appealing overall. They’re things that any individual can do and that maintain the basic cleanliness of the office. While some businesses would indeed have this kind of cleaning performed by professionals, some offices might relegate this to employees. Cleaning of this type can improve morale and recruiting, but would not qualify as deep cleaning.
How Often Do Your Facilities Need A Deep Clean?
The answer is more often than you think! Routine cleaning keeps your business functional – it’s hard to stay productive if trash cans are overflowing and the bathrooms are filthy. But over time, hidden grime, germs, and allergens can build up. Regular cleaning, no matter how often, doesn’t make a proper substitute for periodic deep cleaning.
Sometimes the best way to determine whether your space needs a deep clean is to ask your employees or customers – they likely know the answer. The cleanliness of a business has proven time and again to correlate with customer satisfaction. Think of an Apple store – their sales floors are always kept miraculously clean, almost to the point of being sterile, but that’s no coincidence. When customers feel comfortable and safe inside of your space, they’re more inclined to stay, interact and purchase.
Whereas the purpose of daily cleaning is to maintain a pleasant aesthetic, deep cleaning can actively refresh and revitalize a workspace and improve employee health. Deep cleaning procedures can include tasks like cleaning floors and tile grout, changing air filters, sanitizing all surfaces, cleaning upholstery, and more. Anything that requires a special tool, specialized knowledge, or considerable effort (accessing hard-to-reach places, etc.) falls under the deep cleaning umbrella.
Deep cleaning is crucial to the health and safety of all employees, and also to the proper functioning of sensitive equipment or technology. Without it, germs, mold, and other harmful materials can slowly build up and contribute to illness over time.
While you may not think about it too often, if your workspace has a dedicated server room, where your sensitive and expensive IT equipment is stored, you’ll want to ensure that space is kept clean. Electronics attract a lot of dust, and too much buildup can destroy equipment or degrade it. Modern businesses depend on technology, and technology must be maintained on a regular basis – including regular cleaning.
Considering The Size and Use Of Space
Larger offices, both in terms of square footage and population, will generally need more frequent cleaning than smaller ones. But size isn’t the only factor. The features of an office play a role, too. In particular, if an office features a lot of carpeting, it should undergo more commercial office cleaning than a workplace with less carpeting or none at all.
Germs, dirt, and dust more readily stick to carpeting than hardwood or tiled flooring. The amount of activity will also determine office cleaning frequency. An office filled with the constant motion of staff members and customers will get dirtier quicker, and therefore need cleaning on a more regular basis. However, more modern office designs that feature more glass and less carpet will have different cleaning requirements, simply due to the design of the building.
If you’re uncertain how you should approach office cleaning for your warehouse or workspace, we recommend calling in the professionals. Depending on the size, design, and function of your worksite, your cleaning needs will be unique. An auto shop and an IT store may be the same size and experience the same level of traffic, but each requires a very different cleaning schedule.
Please contact us today to create a plan to keep your warehouse, office, or work site clean and free of germs. With a properly cleaned and sanitized site, you’re protecting your business, your employees, and your future success.
