Our professional cleaning blog

Why do organisations draw up a cleaning schedule? Well, when we approach any professional project, most of us would take a similar approach. We’d break down a target into smaller, more manageable sub-projects. Office cleaning is no different, and this is the function that a cleaning schedule fulfils. You may be a small business looking to divide office cleaning tasks between team members, or want to provide a framework for a professional cleaning quote. Your cleaning schedule, or checklist, ensures that nothing gets overlooked.

Why Keep on Top of Office Cleaning?

But why worry about cleaning tasks getting overlooked? Surely there are more important things to be getting on with! It may feel like this in the middle of a busy working day. However, take a step back and consider the benefits of a clean and well-structured working environment. Employees enjoy better health and wellbeing and are likely to be far more productive. Systems and equipment will work better and for longer when not in disarray or clogged with grime. When your office receives visitors, a clean and well-ordered space will help to create a great impression. Remember that regular cleaning is an incremental benefit. So your planning schedule is a vital piece of kit.

Cleaning Zones

So, where do you need to clean? Begin by breaking down your office space into areas. This is a great way to focus your cleaning tasks to ensure that nothing gets missed.

Reception and Foyer

Clearly, reception and foyer areas must be cleaned regularly in order to present a fresh and professional image to visiting clients.

Individual Office Rooms

It can be easy to close the door on private offices, however, these rooms should be cleaned alongside open plan areas.

Open Plan Office Space

Consider the extent of your regular cleaning here. Some businesses prefer a basic wipedown, others clear desks daily of any mugs or crockery.

Bathrooms

Nightly bathroom cleaning is advised. This is the main working area which receives the most complaints from employees when surveyed.

Kitchens

As a shared space, an office kitchen can very quickly spiral into chaos. Unless your rota is extremely strict, don’t forget to include this on professional schedules.

Breakout or Social Areas

These areas are both informal meeting spaces and social eating zones. So it’s important to keep them hygienic to maintain office wellbeing.

Meeting Rooms

Remember, these areas are the second most prominent spaces for visiting clients, so it’s vital that you keep them looking professional and pristine.

Business Variation

Of course, every business is unique. Even two offices in the same industry can have very different cleaning schedule requirements. Offices vary in size, working pattern, habits, culture and footfall. So what are the elements of your business that you should consider?

Size

The most informative factor for your cleaning schedule is the size of your organisation. Large businesses who cover multiple floors of an office building will tend to generate a greater demand on their cleaning schedule than a small team of five.

Seasonality

Is there a regular ebb and flow to your business? Some industries turn to tumbleweed over the Summer months. Others find this their most hectic season. Factoring this in will help to structure your annual cleaning schedule.

Hours

How about working hours? Of course, cleaning contractors tend to come in when your working day is over. So does your business follow unusual working hours? Perhaps you deal with different time zones which will affect when you schedule your cleaning.

Waste

How much waste does your organisation generate? Consider the recycling, general waste and bathroom waste of the business. This waste needs to be removed both regularly and ethically.

Events

How event-based is your business? These may be regular employee social events, or hosting clients within the office. Clearly, these occasional changes in the office schedule will have an impact on your cleaning requirements, so plan ahead.

Mission

How can your cleaning schedule support your organisation’s mission statement? Have you pledged responsibilities in sustainability, conservation or waste reduction? By planning your cleaning schedule with your contractor, you can ensure these points are met.

Essential Checklist

What about the gritty reality of daily, weekly and monthly tasks? Different though organisations are, many cleaning schedule tasks are common to most offices. You may simply alter the frequency that they are required.

DAILY

Office and Reception Area:

• Clear mugs from desks
• Vacuum all floors (including staircases if relevant)
• Wipe down desks and keyboards
• Empty waste bins and replace bin bags
• Wipe clean door handles

Bathrooms:

• Mop and disinfect floors
• Clean toilet bowls and sinks
• Sanitise toilet seats, cisterns and toilet bowl exterior
• Replenish toilet roll
• Wipe clean mirrors

Kitchen area:

• Wipe down kitchen appliances
• Wash up crockery and put away
• Wipe down sink and draining board
• Empty bins and replace bin bags 
• Vacuum and mop floors

WEEKLY

• Spot clean any marks on walls
• Remove any cobwebs
• Clean client-facing windows
• Polish glass, mirrors and reflective surfaces
• Polish smears from hardwood surfaces, floors, and conference tables
• Remove out of date food from refrigerator
• Refill any utilities such as kitchen towels, hand wash and washing up liquid

MONTHLY

• Vacuum fabric chairs and upholstery
• Check and clean air vents
• Polish and maintain hard floors
• Clean inside of refrigerator

OCCASIONAL

• Deep clean carpets
• Deep clean IT equipment
• Maintain and re-seal flooring
• Clean windows of whole building

Your office is a happier, healthier and more productive place when a good cleaning schedule is in place. If you would like to work with CJH Cleaning to come up with your ideal schedule, just get in touch.

As COVID-19 continues its spread across the globe, governments, organisations and scientists are offering continually updated advice to individuals and businesses. The one aspect that has remained constant is the requirement for stringent hygiene protocols and practices. These measures will increasingly require a deep clean for coronavirus. For business owners, the priority must be their duty of care to their employees’ health. A deep clean can help you to balance this by keeping your business running and thereby ensuring the safety of your workforce’s jobs.

Office Risk Areas

So which areas of the office are the hot spots when it comes to passing on potentially harmful viruses? These are the places where multiple people come into contact with equipment. On desks, a telephone mouthpiece, keyboard and PC mouse are hotbeds of bacteria, potentially harbouring a virus. Shared areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, meeting rooms, receptions and print rooms all provide a crossover space where people can contaminate through contact. These spaces are the real focus of a coronavirus deep clean. Clearly, these areas cover the majority of an office layout. So, maintaining the hygiene of your office is vital.

Understanding the Virus

As an employer or business owner, you’ve probably read up on coronavirus. You should instruct staff to self-isolate should they show symptoms. Rather than “flu-like” symptoms, there are actually two main indications of this virus:

• a high temperature
• a new, continuous cough

Any staff with these symptoms should remain at home for 14 days and their working space should undergo a deep clean. The government requirement is is that:

“Once symptomatic, all surfaces that the person has come into contact with must be cleaned including:

• all surfaces and objects which are visibly contaminated with body fluids
• all potentially contaminated high-contact areas such as toilets, door handles, telephones”

This is a lot of space, even for small offices. So your method and timing of a deep clean for coronavirus is vital. Indeed, while your office is quieter as colleagues work remotely you can take the opportunity to deep clean your office.

What is a Deep Clean?

A deep clean is a process that intensively cleans all of a space at one time. A regular clean focuses on different areas of an office, paying less attention to the overall. After a deep clean, though, an office is entirely disinfected from top to bottom. Clearly, speed is of the essence when your deep clean is in response to a contamination. Similarly, you must be confident that the methods of a deep clean are reliable in its results of disinfection.

Electrostatic Deep Cleaning

This innovative method of deep cleaning sprays electrostatically charged particles over surfaces and equipment. The positively charged particles aggressively adhere to surfaces, enabling this process to coat and sanitise more accurately. Electrostatic spray surface cleaning is 50% quicker to undertake than traditional methods of deep cleaning. This makes its application more accessible and requires less personnel. So you can expect results for more reasonable rates.

Deep Clean Timing

Businesses may choose to deep clean for coronavirus because an employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Alternatively, you may choose a deep clean for coronavirus as a precautionary measure. If you have chosen to direct your employees to work remotely, this is an ideal time to schedule a preventative deep clean. By doing so, when your staff return to the office, there is much less chance of a resurgence of virus contamination.

Current Advice to Businesses

Government advice is currently not to close workplaces, but to encourage remote working where possible. So unless they have displayed symptoms, staff should be free to work from the office. However, many businesses have chosen to direct staff to work from home, if this is possible. Clearly, the direction that business owners take here will very much depend on their line of business and remote working infrastructure.

Ongoing Best Practice

Preventing the spread of germs is vital in managing an illness such as coronavirus. So within your office, you should continually promote the following behaviours as advised by the Government:

• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze.
• put used tissues in the bin immediately
• wash your hands with soap and water often and use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
• clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
• do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

What about the Future?

Some experts have suggested that seasonal coronavirus illnesses may become commonplace in future years. This means that workplaces may find increased requirements of office hygiene in response. As a general approach, maintaining a high level of office cleanliness will always help to prevent the spread of illness between employees. Part of your regular schedule of cleaning should, therefore, include a deep clean. The timing of this may in future years be planned to dovetail for coronavirus.

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, regular deep cleaning of office spaces should become a regular part of a workplace maintenance schedule. When organisations like CJH cleaners can offer the service as a quicker process, we hope to make this change more manageable for businesses. Just contact us to discuss or book an office deep clean.

For up to date government advice and guidelines, always go to official sources such as the Department of Health and Social Care.

Introducing our latest piece of equipment to help deep clean your premises especially with the current situation we all find ourselves in at this moment in relation to the unprecedented outbreak regarding Coronavirus(COVID-19) Electrostatic spray surface cleaning is a process of spraying electrostatically charged Chemical particles which allows you to spray a chemical mist onto surfaces and objects. Electrostatic spray uses a specialized solution that is combined with air and atomized by an electrode inside the sprayer. Subsequently, the spray contains positively charged particles that are able to aggressively adhere to surfaces and objects. Because the particles in the spray are positively charged, they cling to and coat any surface they’re aimed at. This equipment cleans awkwardly shaped objects or hard to reach places, Our fully trained operative only have to point and spray; the nature of the mist allows it to coat surfaces evenly, and envelope objects—even if the mist is only sprayed from one side. After the spray is applied, the sanitizing agent works to disinfect the covered surfaces. For this reason, electrostatic spray is an excellent solution for germ and contaminant ridden areas. • Reduces the time it takes to cover and disinfect all surfaces and hard-to-reach places by 50% compared to conventional methods. Why use our Electrostatic Cleaning Service? • Improves infection control and the spread of viruses such as influenza, MRSA, HIV and many others including Human Coronavirus. • Applies chemicals in a more efficient, controlled manner, eliminating the dangers of overuse • Prevents costly financial burdens associated with contagious healthcare infections • For desktops, floors and walls that need to be absolutely spotless, electrostatic spray cleaning is the best option. The same goes for equipment and hard to reach places; if a piece of equipment is heavily trafficked, electrostatic spray cleaning in the most comprehensive way to remove germs and dirt.

Why do organisations draw up a cleaning schedule? Well, when we approach any professional project, most of us would take a similar approach. We’d break down a target into smaller, more manageable sub-projects. Office cleaning is no different, and this is the function that a cleaning schedule fulfils. You may be a small business looking to divide office cleaning tasks between team members, or want to provide a framework for a professional cleaning quote. Your cleaning schedule, or checklist, ensures that nothing gets overlooked.

Why Keep on Top of Office Cleaning?

But why worry about cleaning tasks getting overlooked? Surely there are more important things to be getting on with! It may feel like this in the middle of a busy working day. However, take a step back and consider the benefits of a clean and well-structured working environment. Employees enjoy better health and wellbeing and are likely to be far more productive. Systems and equipment will work better and for longer when not in disarray or clogged with grime. When your office receives visitors, a clean and well-ordered space will help to create a great impression. Remember that regular cleaning is an incremental benefit. So your planning schedule is a vital piece of kit.

Cleaning Zones

So, where do you need to clean? Begin by breaking down your office space into areas. This is a great way to focus your cleaning tasks to ensure that nothing gets missed.

Reception and Foyer

Clearly, reception and foyer areas must be cleaned regularly in order to present a fresh and professional image to visiting clients.

Individual Office Rooms

It can be easy to close the door on private offices, however, these rooms should be cleaned alongside open plan areas.

Open Plan Office Space

Consider the extent of your regular cleaning here. Some businesses prefer a basic wipedown, others clear desks daily of any mugs or crockery.

Bathrooms

Nightly bathroom cleaning is advised. This is the main working area which receives the most complaints from employees when surveyed.

Kitchens

As a shared space, an office kitchen can very quickly spiral into chaos. Unless your rota is extremely strict, don’t forget to include this on professional schedules.

Breakout or Social Areas

These areas are both informal meeting spaces and social eating zones. So it’s important to keep them hygienic to maintain office wellbeing.

Meeting Rooms

Remember, these areas are the second most prominent spaces for visiting clients, so it’s vital that you keep them looking professional and pristine.

Business Variation

Of course, every business is unique. Even two offices in the same industry can have very different cleaning schedule requirements. Offices vary in size, working pattern, habits, culture and footfall. So what are the elements of your business that you should consider?

Size

The most informative factor for your cleaning schedule is the size of your organisation. Large businesses who cover multiple floors of an office building will tend to generate a greater demand on their cleaning schedule than a small team of five.

Seasonality

Is there a regular ebb and flow to your business? Some industries turn to tumbleweed over the Summer months. Others find this their most hectic season. Factoring this in will help to structure your annual cleaning schedule.

Hours

How about working hours? Of course, cleaning contractors tend to come in when your working day is over. So does your business follow unusual working hours? Perhaps you deal with different time zones which will affect when you schedule your cleaning.

Waste

How much waste does your organisation generate? Consider the recycling, general waste and bathroom waste of the business. This waste needs to be removed both regularly and ethically.

Events

How event-based is your business? These may be regular employee social events, or hosting clients within the office. Clearly, these occasional changes in the office schedule will have an impact on your cleaning requirements, so plan ahead.

Mission

How can your cleaning schedule support your organisation’s mission statement? Have you pledged responsibilities in sustainability, conservation or waste reduction? By planning your cleaning schedule with your contractor, you can ensure these points are met.

Essential Checklist

What about the gritty reality of daily, weekly and monthly tasks? Different though organisations are, many cleaning schedule tasks are common to most offices. You may simply alter the frequency that they are required.

DAILY

Office and Reception Area:

• Clear mugs from desks
• Vacuum all floors (including staircases if relevant)
• Wipe down desks and keyboards
• Empty waste bins and replace bin bags
• Wipe clean door handles

Bathrooms:

• Mop and disinfect floors
• Clean toilet bowls and sinks
• Sanitise toilet seats, cisterns and toilet bowl exterior
• Replenish toilet roll
• Wipe clean mirrors

Kitchen area:

• Wipe down kitchen appliances
• Wash up crockery and put away
• Wipe down sink and draining board
• Empty bins and replace bin bags 
• Vacuum and mop floors

WEEKLY

• Spot clean any marks on walls
• Remove any cobwebs
• Clean client-facing windows
• Polish glass, mirrors and reflective surfaces
• Polish smears from hardwood surfaces, floors, and conference tables
• Remove out of date food from refrigerator
• Refill any utilities such as kitchen towels, hand wash and washing up liquid

MONTHLY

• Vacuum fabric chairs and upholstery
• Check and clean air vents
• Polish and maintain hard floors
• Clean inside of refrigerator

OCCASIONAL

• Deep clean carpets
• Deep clean IT equipment
• Maintain and re-seal flooring
• Clean windows of whole building

Your office is a happier, healthier and more productive place when a good cleaning schedule is in place. If you would like to work with CJH Cleaning to come up with your ideal schedule, just get in touch.

Of all the habits that you might be thinking of changing this January, cleaning your keyboard more regularly is probably not one. But it should be! It might not be as exciting as Dry January or signing up for a marathon, but it could change your life! So we want to share tips on how to clean your keyboard, how often it should be done and why it pays for an office to get IT kit routinely cleaned.

Why Clean IT Kit?

There’s one big reason - bacteria! Your keyboard and mouse are the top breeding grounds for bacteria on your desk. This kit is in constant contact with hands - both yours and those of other office staff. More and more people eat or snack at their desks and the detritus gets lodged in tiny crevices on a keyboard and mouse. So, you’ll probably agree - it gets pretty dirty. So to help prevent the spread of office illness, IT kit should be regularly cleaned.

How Often?

But how regular is regular? Some advice from medical professionals suggests that a keyboard should be disinfected every day. This is probably unrealistic, so more often guidelines advise to wipe down your keyboard weekly. To be brutally honest, we’re not convinced that many organisations or individuals employ this habit, either. A basic wipe down is easy to include in your professional cleaning contract if employees are unlikely to stick to this commitment!

Basic Clean

What constitutes a basic clean, then? And when does a ‘wipe down’ become a full clean? The key with any IT cleaning is to ensure that the equipment is turned off and unplugged prior to the clean. This means that the process is safe and won’t result in any accidental actions being implemented on the computer!

Expel

Your keyboard will be full of bits of dirt and crumbs which have fallen in between the keys. There are a few ways in which you can expel this debris. One is to turn your keyboard upside down and shake out the debris. Alternatively, you can use a pressurised air canister to blow the debris out. Or use a vacuum attachment to suck out the bits of dirt.

Wipe

Clean on and around the keys with a swab dipped in either rubbing alcohol or anti-bacterial solution. Wring the cloth so that it is not dripping wet on the keyboard as you wipe. The solution should sterilise the surfaces but not soak them.

Dry

Allow the keyboard to fully dry before use. When undertaken at the end of a working day, the keyboard will be ready to be used at the start of the next working day.

Deep Clean

As a more intermittent process, a deep clean of your keyboard can extend the life of the equipment and also deal with more hidden bacteria. Again, turn off and unplug before undertaking any IT cleaning process!

Dismantle

If possible, remove the keys with a blunt knife or flat-headed screwdriver. A good tip here is to take a photo of your keyboard before you do this so you replace the keys correctly! Clean the keys with dish soap in a colander or sieve. You can also remove the faceplate to either wipe with disinfectant or soapy water.

Sterilise

Once the keys and faceplate are removed, you can wipe down the interior of the keyboard with a swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or anti-bac solution. Do not soak the keyboard.

Dry

Allow the pieces of the keyboard to fully dry before reassembling. This can take a couple of days, so a good idea is to leave it over a weekend. You can then replace the faceplate and click back the keys ready for use.

Emergency Clean

Of course, there are occasions which require immediate action! Coffee spills being the most frequent. If you’ve spilled on a keyboard, immediately unplug the equipment and tip upside down to remove any excess liquid. Continue shaking until drops stop falling.

Wipe Dry

Use a lint free or microfibre cloth to wipe the keyboard dry. It’s important to hold the keyboard upside down during this process. Absorb as much liquid as possible before you turn the keyboard over.

Air Dry

Allow the keyboard to air dry for at least 24 hours. Again, make sure the keyboard remains upside down to further drain any moisture. Place a towel underneath it to soak up any liquid.

Test

If your keyboard has survived the spill, you should undertake a disinfectant clean to remove stickiness.

Don’t Forget the Mouse!

A mouse gets just as grubby as a keyboard so is worth cleaning at the same time. You can clean a desk mouse in much the same way as your keyboard. For some types of mouse you can easily remove the top in order to clean underneath. Wipe with a swab dipped in anti-bag or rubbing alcohol. Use a cocktail stick to get into any tiny crevices.

Professional IT Cleaning

From daily cleaning to deep cleaning, there are many benefits that a professional cleaning contractor can offer. Hygienic IT equipment is vital in maintaining the health of your team. In turn, this prevents lost hours of productivity. And the well maintained IT equipment will work for longer, saving you costs in the long term.

There are lots of regular tasks which should be turned into habits in order to manage the hygiene of your office keyboards. In addition, your professional cleaning contract can undertake occasional deep cleans to make your office a shining example! Contact us to find out more.

Accidents happen. No matter how many precautions we take, eventually, all carpets will be spilt on. So when this happens, you need to be able to deal with it. This guide will show you how to get oil out of a carpet, absorb paint or ink, and manage the onslaught of muddy feet! Whether your carpet is commercial or domestic, large or small, the management of dirt and stains will extend the life of the carpet. Not only this, but a clean carpet provides the foundation for a positive spacial environment.

We’ve divided stains into three areas - oil, dye and mud. These encompass very different types of stain: oil and grease-based products, dying products such as paint or ink, and natural staining like mud and grime.

Speed of Response

One thing that all stains have in common is that the speed of your response to the stain is vital. Prompt treatment of any stain will decrease both the effort that it takes to remove it, and the likeliness of it leaving a trace. Don’t forget, blotting a stain rather than scrubbing it will always yield superior results for carpets. The friction of rubbing a stain will embed it further into the carpet fibres. Which is why the pressure of blotting enables the culprit of your stain to be lifted and removed.

How to get oil out of carpet

When it comes to oil and how to get oil out of carpet flooring, the key is in absorption. As oil and oily substances are so viscous, it takes additional substances to help to lift the spill from carpet fibres. There are both home and chemical solutions to treat a spill.

Cornflour

Once the excess spill is initially absorbed with a dry cloth, liberally sprinkle cornflour onto the area affected by the stain. This will further absorb oil from the carpet. Vacuum the cornflour from the carpet and repeat if necessary. Following this process, you can wash the area with washing up liquid or carpet shampoo to complete the clean.

Cleaning Solvent

This specialist type of cleaning solution helps to dissolve the grease and remove the stain. As it's a chemical product it is wise to test it on a hidden area of carpet first. Press the solvent into the stained area with a cloth and leave standing for around 5 minutes. Then blot the solution and allow to dry. You can repeat this process if the oil is proving to be stubborn!

How to get dye out of carpet

The challenge with spills that contain dying agents such as ink or paint, is that traces of the stain are more likely to remain and discolour the carpet. Before applying solutions, remove as much of the spill as you can from the surface of the carpet.

Everyday Solution

Household surgical spirit can be applied to a spill of ink or paint. Blot with a cloth and repeat. You may need to do this several times, and the solution itself can sit on the spot for around 30 minutes to get to the heart of the stain. Rinse with a mix of white vinegar and warm water. Once dried, vacuum the area.

Commercial Solution

When the excess spill is absorbed from the carpet you can apply a chemical carpet stain remover. Be more sparing with these products than you would be with household solutions to avoid unnecessary damage. When dealing with paint, don’t attempt to use paint thinner on the carpet as this will damage the fibres. Rinse the surface and allow to dry.

How to Get Mud Out of Carpet

As a natural substance, you may assume that mud and dirt is more straightforward to remove. However, this is a stain which spreads easily so treat the stains with caution.

Mud is easier to manage when dry, so pick up any clumps of excess and allow the carpet surface to dry. Now, a lot of the stain will come away with a vacuum cleaner. For best results use a hose attachment and vacuum in all directions. Now, blot the remaining stain with a mix of water and washing up liquid. If the stain proves more stubborn, move on to a commercial carpet stain remover or shampoo. Using downward pressure, these solutions can absorb and lift the stain. Just make sure that you rinse the carpet clean of the solution and allow to dry before allowing footfall on the carpet.

Home or Commercial Products?

Which products should you use for the best results? For domestic spills, you can often get as good a result using items found in an ordinary kitchen cupboard as many commercial products. However, depending on what has been spilt and the extent of the stain, a heavy-duty commercial product may be more effective. For example, you may find how to get oil out of carpet yourself a challenge. Professional cleaners have access to more complex cleaning solutions which is why they are able to achieve such great results.

When to Call in the Professionals

So, when should you look to professional assistance for your carpet? You may have experienced failed cleaning, or simply want peace of mind that the stain will be removed without a trace. Alternatively, your carpet may be too delicate for you to dare to touch it for fear of permanent damage! For office spaces which either require regular carpet maintenance or have extremely large areas of carpet, professional cleaning contractors offer great value for money. Just give us a call at CJH Cleaning to find out how we can rejuvenate your carpet.

For businesses large and small, budgets have become increasingly tricky to balance. And office cleaning is no different. You wouldn’t be alone in thinking that you can trim some of your budget from your workplace hygiene contracts. However, sometimes the most economically prudent course of action is to choose a professional cleaning job. So in this ever competitive commercial environment, what are the tasks that really need a professional hand? And what should you understand about how to price a cleaning job? 

Who Should Clean?

For small businesses, it is tempting to spread the burden of office cleaning amongst the workforce. However, this is often a breeding ground for discontent. Not to mention for germs when individuals fail to pull their weight! So for any size of business, there is value in removing the responsibility of cleaning from your office workers. Don’t forget that cleaning in commercial premises is actually quite complex. It’s one thing to expect your staff to wash up their cups at the end of the day. It's quite another to expect them to take on more detailed cleaning than is required in an office. 

Heavy-Duty Cleaning Jobs

So which specific aspects of a cleaning job are always best left to the professionals?

Carpets

 Office floors can be easily neglected. After all, who looks at a floor? Well, lots of people actually - especially clients! Almost imperceptibly, office carpets can deteriorate to such an extent that they affect first impressions. Your professional cleaning contractor will have access to and experience with intensive carpet cleaning equipment. This kit can give your floor a new lease of life. The job will be achieved more quickly and effectively in the hands of office cleaners who are focussed on the task.

At Height

 Some aspects of commercial or office cleaning require working at height. This may mean windows, ceilings, solar panels or signage. This type of cleaning is subject to stringent health and safety requirements. This cleaning job may require a water fed pole system and powered access platforms. A professional contractor will have access to this equipment to make the job quicker and more thorough. 

Specialist 

 Industries and areas which require specialist cleaning include industrial zones, medical premises and even schools. These require specific equipment, training standards and processes. When your experienced cleaning contractor carries these as standard, these reassurances are included when they price a cleaning job of this type.

Detailed Cleaning Jobs

It’s not just heavy duty cleaning that benefits from the hands of professionals. In addition, detailed jobs are achieved to a superior standard by an experienced contractor. 

Technology

With so many tiny nooks and crannies, your office desk computer and phone setups are a breeding ground for bacteria. This is mainly down to food particles and contact with hands and faces. As a one-off or occasional deep cleanse, this detailed cleaning job can prevent the spread of workplace illness and increase the lifespan of your technology. 

Waste Management 

 As businesses become increasingly aware of the importance of recycling materials, this aspect of waste management is incredibly important. Experience and knowledge of the waste process is vital here. Professional waste management service providers have access to the correct recycling and waste processes. This can help your business confidently meet its environmental commitments in terms of recycling and waste responsibility. 

Everyday Cleaning Jobs

Many of the cleaning jobs that we have mentioned need to be undertaken with some degree of regularity. Add to this the requirement for everyday office cleaning. From desks to the kitchen, is this something that your business has struggled to keep under control? One of the most frequent sources of workplace dissatisfaction is office hygiene. So actually, outsourcing the everyday cleaning of your office can benefit staff satisfaction. 

How to Price and Budget

Every cleaning contract is different. This is down to variety of specialism, detail and frequency, along with differences in size and scale of building. So how can you know what to expect when you seek to fulfil a cleaning job? There are a few things to consider.

 Size of Space

 You will need to work out your office floor area, number of desks, bathrooms and communal spaces. All of these things affect how to price a cleaning job. One thing remains true though, the frequency of contracts will always bring the overall price down when compared to one-off cleans. 

 Be Specific About Your Needs

 Talk to your commercial cleaner about your expectations and requirements. Explain to them how the space is used. When and where things get busy, and which areas come under the most scrutiny from visitors. An experienced professional cleaner can advise how best to utilise their services within your price budget. 

 Draft a Plan

 Cleaning is a cyclical affair. This is one thing that domestic and commercial cleaning has in common. So alongside your regular daily or weekly clean, take the time to plan for seasonal cleans to windows, signage and flooring. This will help you to balance your budget across the year.

 Consolidate Your Suppliers

Once you have your plan of cleaning and waste management requirements, you can consolidate your contract with one supplier. This tends to bring price benefits. So rather than working out how to price a cleaning job individually, your overall contract covers these individual things over the year. From regular to occasional cleaning, internal to external, maintenance to waste removal, CJH cleaning have the experience and knowledge to structure a plan and a price that works for your business. So just contact us for a quote.

The modern office can be a wonderful place. Clean lines, modern decor and cutting edge technology. These spaces can foster creativity and productivity. It all comes down to nothing, though, if you’re surrounded by all things unhygienic! In fact, filthy workplace habits can ruin the workplace environment entirely and even spoil specific design features. 

The Rise of Productive Office Design

Thoughtful office design has been on the rise for many years now. Some businesses use vibrant colour to encourage positivity. Others choose modern materials with a clean, reflective quality such as glass to project clarity. And many businesses have turned their attention to the individual workspace with flexible desk space and breakout zones. So what’s the point in putting all this thought into an office design or layout if it’s going to be undermined? 

What are the Results of an Unhygienic Workplace?

Low standards of workplace hygiene can result in the spread of sickness and corresponding sick days for staff. In addition, an ongoing lack of clean etiquette can result in a general feeling of dissatisfaction within a workforce. So the organisation’s levels of productivity are low even when people are not taking days off sick! It can even be the reason for leaving a job, causing increased turnover of staff.

Which Habits are the most Reviled? 

According to office staff, in no particular order, the winners are:

Uncovered Sneezes

“Coughs and sneezes spread diseases” the adage goes. It’s true, of course. Perhaps we’re sounding like an elderly aunt! But the fact that nearly half of office workers cite this as their worst colleague habit surely shows we’re not alone! So grab a tissue or hankie and make sure you’re prepared.

Bathroom Behaviour

The office loo is the scene for multiple crimes! From not flushing the loo to failing to dispose of sanitary items properly, an unhygienic bathroom can cause huge stress. We all need to use the loo and if it’s repeatedly left in a disgusting state this can significantly effect a working day. So leave the place as you’d like to find it and you can’t go wrong.

Hand Washing

This gets a section all of its own! Yes, it’s certainly an unhygienic bathroom behaviour. But over a third of workers have noticed this habit amongst their colleagues. Which may come as a shock! The importance of hand washing is drummed into us at home and at school all through childhood so it’s a wonder that so many people don’t do it!

Desk Dining

This is a tricky one as it’s intrinsically linked with the pressures placed on colleagues by workload. However, eating lunch at your desk carries a cumulative effect on the hygiene of the space. Bacteria can build up in the tiny nooks, crannies and gaps in a keyboard and around your phone if left unchecked. 

Crockery Clutter

This is another big one. Over a third of workers complain about uncleaned crockery left in the office kitchen. This builds up very quickly to make what should be a helpful and social communal space unhygienic and unpleasant. Not only this, but the room can no longer fulfil its function.

Overflowing Bins

A bin is only a hygiene solution when it is regularly emptied. If left unchecked, a bin may smell or spill over, affecting the whole area around it. Businesses are becoming more conscious of waste management, and this complaint should really not be as prevalent as it is. 

What can we Do about all This?

It’s one thing to inspect all the gruesome habits of our colleagues, but quite another to take proactive steps to change it. But change things we must, to ensure a healthy, happy office workplace. So let’s look at what approaches to take in order to enact change.

Training

Education and information is always key in changing habits. Surprisingly, under 20% of employers provide training regarding workplace hygiene. When an unhygienic workspace impacts the productivity of staff, it is surely worth including hygiene in training programmes. 

Policy

Similarly, to uphold a clean and functional space for staff, employers should ensure they have policies in place. Promoting a simple principle like leaving an area as you would expect to find it can help to galvanise staff into acting more considerately.

Equipment

To uphold hygiene policies within the workplace, it’s vital to provide staff with the right tools to comply. So, make sure your bathroom never runs out of soap. Include within your budget things like anti-bac gel, tissues and washing up liquid. All this makes it harder to be unhygienic. 

Signage

Visual reminders are incredibly helpful in preventing unhygienic work habits re-emerging. So add affirming signage to communal areas like kitchens, bathrooms and breakout areas. Then there’s no reason for staff to ‘forget’!

Professional Cleaning

For reliable maintenance of standards within the workplace, employ a professional cleaner. In this way, your space can be managed and the pressure taken off colleagues. A good cleaner will manage your waste, conduct thorough IT cleaning and even ensure the cleanliness of your communal kitchen. 

Incentives

It’s always more productive to offer staff incentives than threaten consequences. So consider how a competitive angle may help. Perhaps you could have a ‘cleanest team’ reward. Cake or booze tends to be popular! The importance of professional office cleaning is highlighted when seen through the lens of unhygienic workplace habits. By laying this foundation for a clean environment, business productivity is improved and staff health and morale is lifted. For thorough, reliable office cleaning and guidance, just contact us at CJH Cleaning.

Who dares tackle the subject of the office kitchen?! It’s the space that causes the most unnecessary tension amongst colleagues. This all comes down to whether communal area rules are followed. Unless everybody pulls their weight, this and other communal spaces can turn into a battleground. Not only this, but they can become hives of unpleasantness, breeding both bacteria and discontent.

The Rise of the Communal Space

In modern offices, the kitchen is no longer the only communal space. With break out zones and games rooms on the up, there are plenty of open areas in which people are free to make mess. The challenges come along when it is time to clear the mess and leave the space as you found it. The increase in open, multifunctional spaces has proven to be great for business. Informal brainstorms and meetings in these spaces often incubate increased creativity and heightened focus. So the problem is not in the space itself.

A Matter of Etiquette

So, what are the rules which we assume that others should abide by? This is a set of unwritten rules, manners or etiquette. It may not be explicit, but these communal area rules are ingrained in most of us. More importantly, if we see them flouted we can be deeply offended and even angered.

The Most Common Complaints

So, what are the worst offending actions that colleagues commit? Those things that set most of our teeth on edge and raise our hackles. These horrific floutings of the communal area rules may be familiar…

Teabags in the Sink

Why not simply throw them in the bin? When you want to wash up a mug (because we know that you are a kind and courteous colleague!) and the sink is littered with others’ detritus, it’s no surprise that you feel cross!

Microwave Spillages

Not only is this a nuisance when you come to heat up your own soup, but unwiped spillages can breed bacteria.

Mouldy Food in the Fridge

That sinister looking salad which no one will claim… Who should display the bravery to delve in and remove the item?

Communal Supplies Left Empty

After an epic meeting, you go to make the cup of tea that you’ve been fantasising about… only to find that the tea bags are out. If you use the last one, get some more!

Filthy Teaspoons

The teaspoon graveyard. Sad looking spoons displaying layers of ground on staining is a sight that really shouldn’t exist any more… but it does! Get them washed up or in the dishwasher!

Piling Up the Dishes

At home with your family, or in a flatshare, the piling up of cups and plates by the dishwasher would put you in a rage. It’s no different in your office!

Impact on Productivity

For those colleagues who constantly find themselves picking up the slack when others ignore communal area rules, work life can become pretty demotivating. A sense of dissatisfaction in the workplace can grow and affect productivity. In the long term, this can increase staff turnover as dissatisfied staff seek pastures new. The people who have shown kitchen etiquette clearly show incentive and proactivity; so are they really the staff that you want to risk losing?

Provide Sufficient Facilities

So how does a business owner or office manager change how people behave regarding communal area rules? One of the first things is to ensure that the right facilities are available to allow staff to keep a space clean and clear. We mean recycling bins, a dishwasher and a plentiful supply of cleaning equipment. How about having a stock of permanent markers in the kitchen so that people can easily name their foodstuffs? This certainly prevents arguments about whose yoghurt is attempting to walk out of the building! 

Clarify Communal Area Rules

So, without being overbearing, what guidelines should you have in a communal area? Rules that should be explicitly detailed in staff newsletters and on the wall. This leaves all staff with no excuse. Ensure that these rules apply to everyone - and that includes the CEO!

Kitchen

• • • • Dirties should be dealt with by the person who used them - be this washed up or placed in a dishwasher.
      • Supplies should be replenished by those who finish them
      • Take responsibility for the fridge!

Break Spaces

• • • • Leave the space as you would wish to find it.  Because what goes around comes around.
      • Report any maintenance issues. Things can only be repaired when the powers that be know it’s broken!
      • Use the space respectively. Noise pollution is damaging too! 

Incentives

Carrot, not stick! If your kitchen or break out rooms remain in good repair and in a clean and clear condition, reward staff with improved facilities or an afternoon of cake! Staff are more likely to respond to these incentives rather than threats.

Get Professional

It’s all very well and good to say to colleagues that they must clean up after themselves. However, there’s always a deadline looming or an urgent meeting to leave for. It is these ‘one off’ circumstances that lead to a breakdown in communal area rules. So the only way to solve this bone of contention once and for all is to get a professional cleaning contractor to manage communal areas. From kitchens to games rooms and even crockery left on desks, you can instruct your office cleaning contractor to manage these spaces.

Your communal areas are important. And so communal area rules are vital to allow these spaces to fulfil their potential in encouraging creativity and focus. At CJH Cleaning, we manage regular cleaning throughout the office to relieve pressure on your workers. Our aim is to allow your staff to focus on the business and work more productively within their clean environment.

Whether you’re looking in or looking out, clean windows are important. In the commercial environment even more so. And what more vital part of a window that its transparency? For a dirty office window, compromising transparency through smearing and grime can have a huge effect on business, productivity and brand image. Why is this, though? And how do you ensure you’re getting the best from your windows?

Clean Window Benefits

Well maintained and regularly cleaned windows can offer tangible advantages to businesses of all sizes. From reputation to health, your window cleanliness could be leaving ripples of which you were previously unaware.

Corporate Image

This is all about first impressions. They count and we all know it. So if your office is littered with grimy, unappealing windows, what message is this sending to visitors? When these visitors may be investors, potential clients or associates, can you afford to leave them uncleaned? Ensure your corporate image is highlighting your attention to detail by maintaining a sterling first impression!

Natural Light

The function of a window is, of course, to illuminate a space with natural light. This is important to employees. The people who spend most of the day in a professional building can benefit from improved health by experiencing higher levels of natural light. Vision, wellbeing and mental clarity are improved. This can only be a good thing for your business!

Maintenance

The cleanliness of your windows is more than just aesthetic. The build up of grime and bacteria can damage seals, hinges and frames. These maintenance issues, if left unattended, can run up a huge cost to your business. There is also the matter of the health of those coming into contact with the windows. A surface breeding bacteria will become unhealthy to those in the surrounding space. So to ensure your staff enjoy optimal health, see to it that windows are not left to breed bacteria.

Productivity

A result of both the light-diffusing properties and maintenance of your windows, the productivity of your staff can rely on windows. Clean windows promote the enhanced focus and clarity that an environment rich in natural light produces. Not only this, but by ensuring hygienic surfaces throughout your office (not just on desks!) the workforce will benefit from better health and fewer sick days.

Cleaning Timeline

How often should commercial windows be cleaned? The more frequently the better. Especially if you want to make the most of the conditions that clean and clear windows have on a business. The recommended clearing frequency often depends on several aspects, though.

Location

Is your office located in a city, or on a major traffic thoroughfare? The surrounding daily pollution will have an impact on how regularly you external windows need to be cleaned. In contrast, more rural locations generally experience less of this type of pollution. However, don’t forget about other aspects to your business location. The position could be susceptible to the spread of mud and dirt, or of strong winds, for example.

Time of year

Window cleaning frequency may need to vary through the year. With windy and wet conditions over the late Autumn through Winter, your building’s windows can become filthy in a fraction of the time that you find in the Spring. Similarly, an excessively hot Summer can result in sticky, dusty windows that require frequent cleaning. When you establish a long term contract with a commercial cleaning company, they can offer the flexibility to have all the seasons covered!

Business

Your area of business can play a part in when and how often you should have your office windows cleaned. High levels of coming and going, or deliveries, can mean that dirt is transferred to windows more frequently. For businesses involved in health, food or service, spotlessness is a vital part of brand image.

Window Tips

It’s all about making your windows work for your business. This part of your building is full of opportunity. So for both internal and external windows, why not make the most of your regularly cleaned commercial windows?

Convey a message

From advertising to branding, windows are great to elevate an office design concept. Enhance exterior facing windows with vinyl graphics or even etching. These techniques are eye-catching and informative. To maximise the message, the key is to keep these windows looking shiny and bright!

Offer privacy

Glass technology offers a huge number of possibilities to businesses. Windows can change from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. Soundproofing is second to none and glass is a desirable contemporary finish for the office. By maximising natural light while maintaining privacy, internal windows, when cared for, are an ideal office solution.

Support inclusivity

Does your office feature internal windows between office spaces? Glass office partitions? Don’t block them off with blinds all day. Although it’s true there are some demands in business that require complete privacy, this doesn’t go all day every day! You’ll find that by embracing the transparency of windows, you can build a culture of transparency within an organisation. Barriers between departments and management can be softened by simply being visible.

Windows really are important in creating a positive working environment. They have the power to lift your workforce and win over clients. So the next time you prioritise cleaning across the workplace, make sure the windows are up there. It’s where they deserve to be!  To discover what your perfect commercial window cleaning programme would be, or simply to get a quote, just call us here at CJH Cleaning!

How important is the appearance of your office? We’re talking about the cleanliness of the windows and the condition of the paintwork. The level of clutter around desk areas and functionality of waste containers. The internal and external state of repair and condition of the space has far reaching consequences to the business itself that may come as a surprise!

1. First Impressions

   Exterior

   This is something that really counts for businesses. The exterior of a building makes an impression upon potential clients visiting your premises. A clean and well maintained exterior is memorable for both visitors and users of a building. So regular jet washing of walls, cleaning of windows and upkeep of signage can have a real impact on won business.

   Reception

   Consider the appearance of your reception area. After the exterior of the building, this is the next zone that projects an impression of an organisation. So take care to make sure that your lobby and desk are constructed and laid out in a way that supports your brand. In addition they must appear fresh and clean. Perhaps add some fresh flowers to a reception desk and ensure that floors are regularly cleaned.

2. Productivity

   Desks

   Your office upkeep, maintenance and cleanliness not only affects visitors to your building, but also those who work there. Employees working in a clean and clear environment will likely be more productive than those working in unsatisfactory conditions. When clarity of surroundings equals clarity of mind, regular cleaning of desk space is vital.

   Meeting Rooms

   What’s the function of meeting rooms for your organisation? You may be meeting clients, or holding internal brainstorming meetings. Either way, performance and inspiration are key to a successful meeting. And creativity is more likely to be fostered within vibrant and clean surroundings.

3. Workflow

   Recycling

   How does recycling aid the workflow of an office based organisation? Well, in a world that is still a long way from the ‘paperless office’, office paper recycling systems are key. Ensure that your organisation offers convenient and regularly emptied paper recycling bins. In this way you can help your employees avoid the build up of unnecessary paperwork on their desks. Similarly, offer dedicated plastics, tins and glass recycling opportunities in the office kitchen. When people spend so much time in their office, a considerate approach to recycling is key for businesses.

   Washrooms

   One place that must not be neglected is the office w/c or washroom. Optimise facilities that are offered in these spaces and ensure they are regularly cleaned and restocked. People care about the state of their washrooms, whether they are workers or visitors. This is why these spaces can have a major impact on satisfaction levels. So by outsourcing management to a contractor, you can be confident that your organisation will not fall down in this area.

4. Natural Light

   Windows

   Staff are more healthy and productive when they are exposed to natural light. Taking breaks is key here, but in addition this is why glass fronted office buildings are so popular. However, investing in an office building that benefits from large windows may come to nothing if those windows are grimy. When we are enjoying a lovely bright day on the outside, why should the inside feel dark and grey? Especially for offices in urban areas that experience levels of pollution, it’s important to schedule regular window cleaning.

   Partitions

   Use of glass is extremely popular within office spaces too. And its popularity is increasing! This is because partitioning areas using glass enables natural light to be diffused around the building. Smart glass technology is allowing this material to be used for meeting rooms and private spaces too. However, it can quickly look grubby and smeared which counteracts the contemporary look that you may be going for! So if glass is great for your business brand, make sure you get it cleaned!

5. IT Hygiene

   Personal IT

   From keyboards to mice and phone handsets, we know how many germs and bacteria inhabit office technology. This can cause the spread of illness across an organisation. So you can lose days of productivity by allowing dirty IT systems within your organisation.

   Communal IT

   It’s not just desk based IT, though. Photocopiers and printers are used by multiple people across an organisation. This means that the germs on hands can easily be transmitted around a whole department. So it’s worth keeping these things clean unless you want the salesforce dropping like flies with the dreaded Summer cold!

6. Energy Supply

   Solar Panels

   Perhaps your office building is fortunate enough to benefit from energy supply via solar panels. This is a great innovation and a very prudent investment. However, it is an investment that only returns as much as it is allowed to. Yes, the variable sunshine of the UK is one consideration, but the cleanliness of the panels is another. When dirty solar panels can lose around 20% of their energy output, the performance of this investment can be optimised through cleaning.

7. ‘A Stitch in Time’

   Regular Maintenance

   So it is that the old adage is true - regular office building and equipment maintenance can help to avoid large repair bills. Cleaning is part of this regular maintenance. The build up of dirt and grime can actually contribute to the material decline of aspects of your building. More importantly, it could mask it from your view, making faults undetected until a later date. 

So the impact that the appearance of your office building has are multiple. From productivity to wellbeing to impressions and even physical repair, it pays to keep things clean! For solutions across your office building just contact us at CJH cleaning for advice or a quotation. 

The average desktop harbours 20,961 germs per square inch. And that’s before you get into the IT on the desk: a phone, keyboard, mouse and printer. From coffee cups to office biscuits to tissues, a desk is a breeding ground for bacteria. As staff spend more time at their desk each day, working longer hours and choosing to eat at their workstation, it is ever more vital to maintain hygiene in these areas.

Your office desk profile

So where are the main offenders in harbouring bacteria? Items of technology are real magnets for germs. Of course, users touch these items most often so they come into contact with hands, ears, and mouths. Not only this, but the buttons, hinges and tiny crevices of these pieces of technology are particularly difficult to clean. 

Phone

Unsurprisingly, this is the most unhygienic item in an average office. It comes into direct contact with your hands, mouth, ears, and hair. So it follows that on average 25,000 bacteria are found here. Not only this, but since phones are used by numerous people (when did you last answer a colleague’s phone when they were in a meeting?) germs are easily passed between people.

Keyboard

Although it is just your fingertips that contact your keyboard, all those buttons are perfect hiding places for germs to take refuge! Add to dust and skin particles all those custard cream crumbs and drips of coffee and there’s quite a collection of muck under your QWERTY. An average keyboard plays host to around 3,500 bacteria. Despite this, these pieces of equipment are tricky to clean and often neglected. 

Mouse

All that endless scrolling and clicking results in around 1,500 bacteria existing happily on an average mouse. This is another item of an office desk which is frequently touched my multiple people, so it only takes one unwashed hand to transmit all manner of germs around the office.

Personal Responsibility?

In a recent survey, sales and marketing departments were declared the worst for desk hygiene. Over a fifth of workers in this field admitted to only cleaning their desk once a month. However, to what extent should office desk cleanliness be a personal responsibility? For sales driven employees, pressure is high to win business so it’s not surprising that desk cleaning drops off to-do lists! For business owners who wish to allow their staff to focus on their roles, a professional cleaning contract is key. This removes the need for personal responsibility and increases office hygiene.

What can the individual do?

This is not to say that all staff should take the cleanliness of their desk for granted. Daily habits are key in maintaining basic hygiene levels. Regular hand washing will prevent the transmission of germs around a space. We mean before and after eating and after coming in from outside, not just on using the loo! If you do need to eat at your desk, lay a cloth napkin under your food to prevent direct contact and collect crumbs.

Professional cleaning

Office Cleaning

General office cleaning will ensure that the desk surfaces in your office maintain a high level of hygiene. From daily to weekly cleaning, the build up of bacteria on both the desk and the equipment on that desk will be managed. Your contract will ensure that standards remain constant across the whole office so the passing of germs from person to person is decreased.

IT Specific Focus

Required less regularly, consistent IT focused cleaning is a detail that marks the difference in overall office desk hygiene. With specialist equipment to disinfect even the tiniest crevices in your IT kit, a good cleaning contractor like CJH Cleaning will not just aid the health of your desk workers, but also the equipment itself!

Staff ‘Perks’

By removing the ‘personal responsibility’ of desk cleaning, a business manager or owner essentially gives their staff an added ‘perk’ to their employment. Office workers enjoy the comfort of working in a clean and maintained environment, while enjoying the space to focus on their roles and business. 

Staff Well-being

Health

Every year, staff absence through sickness costs the British economy nearly £12 billion in lost revenues. Added to this, a survey reported that one in ten workers believes that they have experienced bad health due to poor workplace hygiene. In this way, regular and structured professional cleaning contracts can play a vital role in reducing this waste.

Productivity

A dirty office environment can also affect the psychological well-being of employees. We’ve all heard of the concept of a clear desk enabling a clear mind. Indeed, some research shows a direct connection between a clean working environment and increased productivity. So in this way, your professional desk cleaning commitment allows your staff to work more efficiently and achieve more.

Happiness

When health and productivity are combined, happiness lies. This is a bold statement, but put in real terms; if business owners and leaders commit to improving the direct working environment of their staff, those staff are less likely to become disaffected. It then follows that an organisation is less likely to experience a high staff turnover.  Employing a structured and regular professional cleaning contract for your office is an action that can radically improve your business. Office workers are under increasing pressure to achieve quantifiable results in this fluctuating economic environment. Conversely, businesses are under pressure to offer a balanced working environment which considers staff well-being. Professional office, and specifically desk and IT cleaning, is a great way to reconcile these two pressures. You will ensure your staff are productive at their desk, while being allowed to feel more focused.    As for the office kitchen, though… well that’s a whole other blog!