Spring cleaning isn’t just for homewners. As winter gives way to spring, business and facility managers need to get their facility in tip-top shape for spring and summer business. There’s no better way to prepare your business for a new season than with an annual deep clean.
Here’s what you need to know in order to effectively remove germs, dust, dirt, odors, and grime from every surface in your facility.
PUT A SPRING IN YOUR CLEANING ROUTINE
Spring cleaning is celebrated in the fourth week of March annually. It celebrates a tradition of cleaning where you do a deep cleaning dive of your business or home. Since cooler temperatures typically keep people cooped up indoors for months, dust, gunk, grime, and even mold can build up on surfaces and equipment. A thorough and effective spring clean will refresh your facility from top to bottom.
Changing seasons is a great reminder to review tasks like maintenance, equipment repairs, and of course, deep cleaning. While spring cleaning is important, cleanliness and hygiene are a year-round commitment.
SPRING CLEANING IS DEEP CLEANING
Without regular and deep cleaning, a display of unpleasant things like odors, fingerprints, oily residue, dirt, dust, grease, stains, and broken equipment may greet people who enter. Spring cleaning gives your facility or business a much-needed dose of TLC.
When you see the same room or visit the same space every day, it’s easy to not notice the less-than-sparkling parts of your facility. When you plan to deep clean, you can review and hopefully fix equipment maintenance needs, refresh surfaces that may look worn, remove dust and dirt that has accumulated, and eliminate lingering odors.
Little things like dirt coating window sills and touch screens (in fitness facilities) covered in greasy or sweaty fingerprints may not catch your eye. Spring cleaning prevents you from missing any areas that need to be kept tidy for the health, safety, and satisfaction of your customers.
SPRING AHEAD WITH A PLAN
Spring cleaning your facility goes beyond simply cleaning out drawers, decluttering desks, and light cleaning such as sweeping and wiping surfaces. Spring cleaning, or deep cleaning, means you’re disinfecting entire spaces, rooms, and appliances. While disinfecting should be done on a regular basis, disinfecting everything possible when you spring clean will give you peace of mind that most germs are removed.
Here are 10 things to do to spring clean your facility and why it matters:
1. Steam Clean Carpets, Upholstery, and Curtains / Drapes
Doing this does the following:
- Eliminates trapped odors
- Refreshes appearance and makes your facility look newer
- Removes deep-set stains
2. Wash Windows
Washing windows:
- Removes stubborn smudges and dried-on substances
- Clears away dust built-up dust that dull your windows
- Makes windows look bright and inviting
3. Clean Vents, Ceiling Fans, and Lights
One task that’s always pushed to the bottom of the list is cleaning vents, ceiling fans, and lights. Don’t skip this step while spring cleaning though, because here’s what can happen:
- These items are prone to accumulating dust and can blow them into the air, triggering allergies, and breathing problems
- Dust and dirt build-up can give the impression of laziness and uncleanliness to customers
- Caked up dirt in between vents and in the crevices of fans and lights can cause operational problems
4. Deep Clean Your Kitchen
Deep cleaning your kitchen will be worth it when:
- Your refrigerator is free of lingering bacteria. Do this by removing all food from the fridge and disinfecting shelves and drawers with a disinfectant wipe or liquid disinfectant to kill germs that could cause foodborne illness
- You notice any items that are cracked, broken, or need to be repaired. Discard broken dishes or cooking/ serving ware that could harbor hidden bacteria that could cause sickness
- Stains and debris are removed from appliances and surfaces to make your kitchen space healthy and clean. Be sure to pay attention to sinks, microwaves, toasters, grills, counters, tables, utensils, cabinets and handles
5. Show Your Restrooms Some Love
Deep cleaning your bathroom will:
- Remove dangerous pathogens that hide in hard-to-clean grooves and crevices in toilets, on stall handles, sinks, and floors
- Kill infections and sicknesses that spread via bodily fluids
- Refresh tile and grout
- Make mirrors sparkle
6. Disinfect Desks and Office Equipment
Keeping high touch surfaces in offices disinfected can:
- Cut down on sick days employees use
- Keep employees safe from germs that can make them ill
- Minimize the chance of your office suffering an outbreak
7. Don’t Forget About Machinery
After investing huge sums of money in the best equipment that your facility can provide, it’s important to maintain it with routine repairs/updates and cleaning. Protect your investments by:
- Using disinfectant wipes from 2XL to remove germs from gym equipment, food processing equipment, and office equipment
- Getting equipment serviced to keep them in good repair so they remain functional
8. Clean and Disinfect Electronics
Electronic devices like touchscreens, phones, tablets, TVs, and more can be difficult to keep clean. But disinfecting them daily is important because they touch so many hands.
9. Don’t forget the Floors
You probably have your floors swept or mopped several times each week. But deep cleaning and disinfecting your floors is important not just for appearance but because of the potential for germ spread. 2XL’s revolutionary Windup Floor Cleaning System is a powerful device with an innovative one touch-revolving roll and versatile spray system. Clean and disinfect your facility’s floors with ease!
10. Wrap Up Repairs and Maintenance
It’s easy to put small things on a to-do list. You’ll change that light bulb next week. You’ll have that cracked screen replaced soon. You’ll make a note to call someone to repaint the wall where a small hole was knocked in. Taking care of these items is what spring cleaning week is for. Wrapping up repairs and maintenance during your spring cleaning is a way to ensure:
- You don’t forget about any critical repairs that need to be done for client or employee safety
- Clients see your facility positively and as a place that is cared for
HAPPY SPRING CLEANING!
Use the above list as a guide to make sure surfaces, areas/spaces, and equipment in your facility are polished up for the upcoming spring and summer seasons! Here are a few additional tips…
- Don’t forget to disinfect.
- Make spring cleaning easier by getting your staff involved.
- Use checklists and assign tasks to ensure that they get done.
- Use chemicals that won’t harm your surfaces. It’s worth doing the extra research.
- Make cleaning easy by using easy-to-use products such as cleaning and disinfecting wipes from 2XL.
Happy Spring Cleaning!