With the year to year ever-increasing costs that it takes to keep a business viable, a business owner needs to continually be on the lookout for any manner of saving money in their operations, as well as increasing workplace efficiency.

Many business owners, especially newer ones, are of the assumption that by cutting corners here and there, in the long run, will save them money.  However, the truth is just the opposite, especially when those cut corners involve janitorial services.  By the outsourcing of your cleaning service needs, you will actually save money each and every year.  Here are three examples as to how:

Happy Customers and Clients

One of the most crucial areas of any successful business is that of making a great first impression.  In order to achieve this, the company must vigilantly maintain a fresh, clean, and tidy atmosphere.  This means the floors should shine, the desks much remain well organized and need we say the restrooms must remain spotless.

Whether business owners want to admit it or not, customers talk to each other.  And now, in this modern-day of the internet, they can post their review on their first impression of your business, and it will be seen by thousands more than would have seen it just ten to twenty years ago.  That very review can actually go towards the making or the breaking of your business to such a degree, the impact on your bottom line would be massive.

Morale And Productivity

Even though a clean and tidy workspace in business will go a long way to impress your clients and customers, it can also be a great advantage when it comes to your employees and their morale and productivity.  Your employees, next to yourself, spend the most amount of time in your business workspace.  As a result, it can have a significant impact on their morale, not to mention productivity, when the environment is one of being messy, dirty, and outright unkempt.

Employees may suffer from a loss of focus, impacting their productivity.  Others, due to the inevitable spreading of germs, will begin calling in sick more and more often.  If some of these employees are delegated to cleaning duties, then your business will feel the pinch.

Heading Off Bigger Problems

One thing most business owners agree on is the fact that they are in business to make money, not to lose it.  And, let’s face it, a lot of money can be lost when things in the workplace begin breaking down.  Amongst those areas that can quickly drain your finances are mold, pests, leaks, plumbing issues—the list goes on and on.

Although issues such as these may indeed come out of the blue, in most cases, the problem will build up over the course of time.  This being due to both poor maintenance and ineffective cleaning.  If your business is going to thrive and grow, these types of problems need to be prevented in the first place. 

Sure, a business needs to look and feel clean and tidy, but it should also be maintained in a manner to which there will be no problems descending out of the blue in an attempt to drain finances. 

Through the outsourcing of your janitorial services, you will be able to make sure your business is always putting its best foot forward.

The post Ways Janitorial Services Can Save You Money appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

When deciding to outsource your office cleaning needs to a professional service, communication is of the utmost importance.  The contracted service and the business that is doing the contracting need to be on the same page from the beginning in order for there not to be any misunderstandings or problems.

 One method to make sure that both parties are on the same page is the use of a pre-agreed upon office cleaning checklist.  By using a checklist, you are sure to know what is and is not being done when it comes to the services you are paying for.  The top four areas that you might want to include on this list are:

1. Bathrooms

Believe it or not, but more often than not, a client or customer will base their opinion on how you operate your business by how clean your bathrooms appear.  That is why this area mustn’t be overlooked when hiring an office cleaning service.

Make sure that all trash cans are emptied and properly disinfected before replacing the liners.  Sinks, hand dryers, and paper towel dispensers all need to be wiped down and disinfected.  The same goes for all toilet seats and related paper dispensers.  Use the proper type of cleaner to brush and clean all toilet bowls.  Refill all necessary dispensers, such as toilet paper, paper town, and soap.  Test all hand dryers to make sure they are functioning correctly and putting out warm air.  Do not forget to clean the mirrors over all the sinks until they sparkle and shine.  Finally, using the proper type of disinfectant, make sure to mop all the tile and floor areas.

• Breakrooms

The breakroom is a vital area of your business, as it allows employees a place to relax and enjoy some downtime.  They can partake of a meal, or a cup of coffee, or just the chance to relax and rest.  For this reason, the breakroom needs to be kept as clean and organized as possible.  This is another area of your business that, if not attended to, can have a significant effect on your employee’s production and moral.

The first area to make sure is taken care of is the refrigerator.  Items tend to accumulate and, after time, not only take up a lot of space but can begin to smell as well.  Make sure to empty the refrigerator regularly, discarding items that have not been claimed.  You will then need to wipe down and disinfect the entire refrigerator from top to bottom, including the bins, shelves, and cubbies.  The countertops in the breakroom will need to be wiped down and disinfected daily, as will the coffee maker.  Make sure to clean and put away any stray dishes or coffee mugs left in the sink, and then wipe down and disinfect the sink and surrounding areas.  Finally, sweep and mop the floors of the room.

• Office Spaces

This area is the heart of your business, and as such, should be maintained in a clean and tidy fashion.  No one likes to work in a mess, and when forced to, studies have shown that morale and production can be significantly affected.

Make sure to dust and clean all hard surfaces daily.  Keep all trash cans empty, and do not allow to overflow onto the floor.  Dust and wipe down all computer equipment, making sure to include the monitors and the keyboards.  Wipe down and disinfect all surfaces that are used regularly, such as desks and telephones.  Make sure no stray dishes or kitchenware are left lying around. Clean any and all glass surfaces, wiping them down until they sparkle. Finally, make sure to sweep, vacuum, and mop all floors as well.

• Lobby/Reception Area

The reception area, or lobby, of your business, is undeniably the most crucial area of them all.  This is what your clients or customers see first, and as such, will be what determines how they view your business.  It is the area that establishes their first impression, and must always put forth a tidy appearance.

The floor needs to remain swept and mopped at all times, if possible.  The doors, if they are glass, need to be clean and sparkling as the client passes through them.  All trash cans need to be kept empty and not left to overflow.  Any tables, lamps, or chairs in this area need to be dusted and wiped down regularly.  And finally, all of this needs to be done more than once a day, if possible.

With taking the time to develop a checklist, you are assured that both your business and the office cleaning service are on the same page.  And by knowing what you are wanting to be done, and are expecting of them, the possibilities of misunderstandings or confusion will be kept at a minimum.

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There is a lot involved in the day to day running of any business, no matter what type it may be.  For this reason, many have found it necessary and beneficial to outsource their facility management needs.  Although there are many areas to consider in the decision, many have realized that the move to outsource is much more logical, rather than that of keeping an in-house team for their maintenance needs.

A contracted cleaning company will provide its own staff to handle any needs you have.  They will be responsible for vetting and hiring staff members, and as such, this will save you considerable time and energy.  Their staff members will come to your facility adequately trained, and as such, you will not have to worry about being put out for the time and expense of their training.  The staff will hit the ground running, and there will be little to no time needed to get them up to speed on your needs.

The cleaning staff will come with their own equipment and supplies to make sure the maintenance job at hand will be completed professionally.  You and your company will not be required to purchase any type of supplies or equipment to be used, nor will you have to make room for the storage of such equipment.  As a result, the fees you will be assessed will apply for the actual cleaning service, as the contracted company will handle any additional items needed.

There is also the extra added advantage that the cleaning staff are hired employees of the contracted company, not of your company.  This means you will not have the extra added expense of paperwork that is involved when hiring new employees.  You will not have to set time aside from your busy schedule to perform interviews or manage the process involved in hiring staff.  Added is the convenience that you will not have to worry about providing insurance or benefits, which usually come with employment.  These areas will all be taken care of by the contractors under which the cleaning staff will be hired and employed by.

Facility maintenance is a varied and broad form of work.  And as such, the cleaning staff will need to be both up to date and well trained in all the requirements that go along with the proper cleaning of your facility.  For this reason, by way of outsourcing your cleaning needs, you will be able to rest assured that the job is not only being done but in a professional and efficient manner each and every time.  The contracted cleaning companies staff will arrive at your facility and complete the task at hand, as they are trained and contracted to do.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, when you decide to hire out your facility maintenance, you will be relieving yourself of a considerable amount of unwanted stress.  You will be afforded the peace of mind that the cleaning staff will show up, will get to work, and not only get your cleaning needs met but do so in both a professional and courteous manner.  You will also be relieved of the worry of issues arising that might require finding replacement workers or hiring new staff.

There are many advantages to outsourcing your facility management needs, but what it all boils down to is that when contracting out your cleaning needs, you will be able to allow yourself to focus your attention on more important areas—such as the running of your business.

The post Advantages Of Using A Contracted Facility Management Company appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

Anyone who has been in business for very long can tell you that no one gets a second chance at a first impression.  It is also well known that word of mouth from current, as well as past, clients can make or break a business.  That is why is it so vital that your office or business presents with an appealing, welcoming appearance.

Some of the areas discussed below are simple to institute yourself.  However, if the more hands-on, cleaning areas, are ones you would rather not delegate to your current work staff, then you are best served by outsourcing the duties to a local commercial cleaning service.  For now, let’s take a look at a few methods that will offer a more appealing office atmosphere for your clients.

1. Keeping it Clean and Tidy

An office or business space that is not kept clean and tidy says a lot to a current or possible new client.  The primary impression it gives is one of laziness and just really not caring about the establishment’s appearance.  The areas that stand out the most are those of trash cans that are flowing over with trash, floors that are grimy and haven’t been maintained, and lastly, grimy filthy bathrooms.  If these areas prove to be sore spots for your business, and you do not want to task your current workforce with maintaining them, then you would serve yourself well to outsource your commercial cleaning and janitorial needs to a local professional.

2. Stashing the Clutter

Clients realize that when it comes to running a business, specific everyday tools are needed.  These include brooms, mops, and buckets.  However, even though clients know that they are put to use, that does not mean that they want to see them sitting scattered all about.  When not in use, it is suggested that you store any cleaning products—out of sight out of mind.  A broom closet is a good idea.  However, if this is not a viable choice, store them in the bathroom.  You may place them under the sink, and going a step further fashion a small curtain to keep them out of sight.

3. Coffee Cart

Everyone, from time to time, will suffer from the cranks, especially when we are either thirsty or hungry.  This is why it would do an excellent service for you and your clients for you to offer a coffee/snack station on the premises.  The area does not have to be a big one, and can even be tucked away in a small corner of your office or waiting room.  Include such choices as bottled water, coffee, or tea.  The addition of little cakes, cookies, and crackers snacks will serve your clients well when they feel those cranky moods arising.

4.  A Friendly Face

It is no secret that we as humans are spending more and more time each day online immersed in the digital internet world.  And as such, we are just a blip in the data stream, almost as if we are invisible.  That is why, when we interact in the real world, we do not want to feel like that online blip.  Make it a policy that your employees—from your receptionist to your salespersons, to even your security detail—to not only greet your clients but to do it with a warm, friendly smile.  You would be surprised just how it can turn a person’s day around for the better.

5.  Score with Décor

It may sound strange to some, but clients will judge you by not only by those areas listed above, but by the décor, or lack thereof, on your walls.  Blank walls make a room feel sterile and lifeless, devoid of personality.  Spruce up your walls with some décor that is both welcoming and tells something about your company.  Take a step back, and think of what type of impression you want your company to make on your clients.  From there, decorate appropriately.  It doesn’t have to be anything major and grand—sometimes just a few vases of flowers setting here and there, along with some art pieces on the wall can get the job done.

Cleanliness does play a major role in your business’s overall impression, but there are the other areas we have touched on above are just as important.  If you outsource the commercial cleaning of your business, then all you are left with are a few small areas to address, and your office will be more appealing in no time.

The post Tips To Make Your Office More Visually Appealing appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

There are few words that can heighten stress and anxiety as that of – mold!  When a business leaves areas of the facility in a damp and wet state, whether from uncleanliness or neglect, they are doing nothing more than setting themselves up for a major headache. In some cases, a good carpet cleaning can sufficiently handle the situation.  However, there are varieties of mold than most know of, and as such, they each present in a much different manner.

Unfortunately, the treatment of mold is not a “one cleaner fit’s all” type of situation.  The entire case is significantly compounded by the fact that you have to figure out which kind of mold you are treating in order to know the proper treatment to use. 

Trichoderma

This mold, of the four on this list, is admittedly one of the trickier forms, as it has five individual species.  There is also the fact that it is difficult to differentiate between the species, as they are very similar in their nature.  They all have the distinction of growing in clusters and presenting with a somewhat wooly texture.  When dealing with and inspecting for Trichoderma, you will most commonly look in the areas of your business that tend to present as very wet—such as the wallpaper and the carpet.

Another feature that all five species share is that they are known, to a certain extent, to flare up an individual’s allergies.  The mold has shown, through prolonged exposure, to be somewhat toxic in nature as well.  Liver and pulmonary systems are greatly affected as well, causing adverse health effects.

Acremonium

This type of mold most often presents in the form of either a moist growth, to the appearance of a somewhat fine powdery substance.  This mold type proves to be more of a problem in localizing, in that the act of walking and disturbing the air around the powdery form will cause it to go airborne quickly.

This type of mold is found in areas that are prone to condensation, such as in building appliances.  One specific example of where you would find this type of mold would be around the air conditioning units of buildings and such structures.  Subsequently, the mold will most generally also prove to be present in the ductwork that service the unit.

Penicillium

Not to be confused with the form of mold that is commonly grown in a controlled environment for medical purposes, this mold is in no way a good type.  The widely used form of mold, penicillin, may be highly effective in battling infections that are bacterial in nature is a very different type.

Penicillium is a very harmful type of mold found in the areas of a building where dampness is present.  Such areas as the basement or even the bathrooms.  However, do not think that penicillium will not take the opportunity if presented to form in other areas.  Penicillium can lurk in areas that do not commonly come to mind, those such as carpets, chairs, and even behind your wallpaper.

Cladosporium

Mold is commonly a lover of moist, warm climates as a rule.  However, when dealing with Cladosporium, this mold stands out as a little bit of an oddball.  The mold can be found in not only warm temperatures but in those temperatures that are colder as well.  With its loves of both types of climates result in the fact that you will have to stay on your toes pretty much year-round.

If the fact that this type of mold is one that can prove to be a problem pretty much all year, then adding in the fact that it is very good at hiding makes it a pretty tricky type of mold to battle.  Cladosporium has the knack of hiding in such areas as underneath your floor-boards, adding to its difficulty level.

If a mold problem is suspected, the sooner you get an expert on the case, the better.  If left unchecked, mold can grow at an exponential rate, and as a result, can become a huge problem really fast.  In most cases, a good carpet cleaning is all that I needed.  However, it is best to contact an expert to make sure that you have a handle on the situation.

The post 4 Types Of Mold That Are Bad For Business appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

For as long as most can remember, their mothers and grandmothers always did a thorough spring cleaning.  However, never do most of us remember hearing of a similar type of cleaning only in the winter months.  A good commercial cleaning in the winter months can have all the advantages and benefits that a spring commercial cleaning can—especially for an office or business.

Three main areas that should be kept mind during just such a cleaning are listed below.

1. Windows

We all hate to do windows. It is almost hardwired into our DNA.  However, the appearance of businesses or offices windows says a lot to customers—both potential and just passing by.  With the maintaining of your windows in a sparkling and clean appearance, you are creating a more professional appearance for your business.  As many of us know, during the brutal winter months, your windows are at the mercy of mother nature.  They are pelted with snow, exposed to driving rain, and let us not forget the blustery cold winds. 

Those businesses located at street level are the ones that can most benefit from keeping clean and tidy windows.  This being that foot traffic in front of your business will often base their first impression and whether or not they will do business with you by the cleanliness of your windows.  Other than customer appeal, routine window cleaning will prevent the build-up of dirt and grime in the corners of the windows, as well as on the window panes themselves, lessening the chance of a murky, cloudy appearance.

2. Surface Areas

Winter weather brings the spreading of germs, such as the flu and viruses.  During the cold and flu season, we as people are becoming more and more conscious of preventing illness.  This is why is it crucial to step up your cleaning game, and include all the surface areas in your business or office when performing your winter cleaning.

Several areas are best to be placed at the top of the list to include in your routine, such as:

• Desks
• Doorknobs
• Handles
• Computers
• Flat Surfaces

The rule of thumb is, the more highly used the area is, the more likely the spreading germs and illness.  Also, it is crucial to keep in mind that the clothes and tools used in your cleaning are kept separate.  The reason being that by keeping them separate, you are drastically cutting down on any possibility of cross-contamination that will only aid in the spreading of the nasty germs you are trying to prevent.  Be aware of any chance of cross-contamination between such areas as break rooms and restrooms, as these are some of the favorite breeding grounds of germs and bacteria.

3. Floors, Carpet, and Tile

Winter weather is very hard on the floors of any building.  When customers, clients, or employees enter the establishment, they are most assuredly tracking in snow, residual salt, as well as dirt and grime.  Filth is tracked onto any floor any time of the year, but during the winter months, the tracked in mess is quite a bit more damaging.

In an effort to minimize the damage, you need to cut down on the amount of slush and grime that gets tracked in.  The best way to do this is to make sure you have a rug or mat at the door.  When a customer or client enters your business, they will be able to wipe their feet, and leave most of the damaging materials on the mat, and not on your floor.

The post The Best Winter Cleaning Tips For Your Business appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

When it comes to outsourcing your facility’s commercial cleaning and janitorial needs, there is more to consider than just the quality of cleaning.  What many business owners overlook is the many risks and liabilities of cleaning your own business.  Injuries can occur anywhere and unfortunately at any time, and as such, can make or break a business.  Making sure you consider all the possible risks, and their resulting liabilities is an essential task.

Studies have been conducted that show one of the most common forms of injury in the workplace is that of slip and falls.  This is credited to the fact that most custodian and janitorial workers commonly work around wet floors, are required to climb ladders, and are required to lift on heavy objects several times a day.

They are also prone to recurring back problems due to their bending and twisting multiple times a day, several days each week.  Data has been gathered that shows that those in the custodial field are more likely to report injuries twice as often than those working in the private industries.

Before making a move to have your usual employees take on your business’s cleaning tasks, you need to consider that it could very well put them, and your business, at risk.

Liability Insurance

No matter whether the cleaning of your business is relegated to an employee, or you decide to choose to outsource to a commercial cleaning and janitorial service, there is the consideration of risks and liability in play.  The same risks and liabilities that apply to your employees also apply to any visitor and customers that may frequent your business.  By outsourcing your cleaning, you will have the peace of mind that protocols are in place and that any possible risks will indeed be addressed.  This is made possible by the fact that the cleaning service will come complete with its own proper liability coverage in place from the first day.  If an incident should present itself, such as a customer slip and fall, the liability coverage of the cleaning service will kick in and provide the necessary coverage.

Worker’s Comp Insurance

If you are still not convinced that outsourcing your cleaning service is the logical step, and still feel that hiring your own custodial individual is the way to go, consider the area of worker’s compensation insurance.  If the custodial individual, or even an employee you have assigned to cleaning duties, becomes injured performing those duties your worker’s compensation insurance will be required by law to cover the injuries sustained.  At one time or another, we have all heard the horror stories of how a worker’s compensation claim has pretty much destroyed businesses.  This is because a claim can have a massive impact on not only your company’s morale and productivity, but it can also cause your insurance premiums to skyrocket.

OSHA

Anyone who is operating a business is required by law to follow the OSHA codes.  These are requirements that The Occupational Safety and Health Administration—OSHA—have established and that companies are required to maintain.  Such codes as the requirement to operate their facilities in a clean, sanitary, and serviceable manner.  The code also requires business owners to establish and maintain a schedule for ensuring that the facility is cleaned, serviced, and has a proper amount of supplies.  OSHA also oversees and mandates that all facilities stay up to the code with the appropriate storage, and use, of any type of cleaning chemicals and materials.

As you can see, the cleaning of your facility is just part of what needs to be considered this day in age.  If you choose the route of having your employees provide your cleaning services, make sure to do your homework.  Covering all your bases in regards to the possible risks and liabilities your business could possibly face may seem an arduous task now, but in the long run, it can be a business saver.

The post The Real Risks and Liability Concerns Of Cleaning Your Own Business appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the dreaded cold and flu season is starting and before we know if we will be knee-deep in coughing and sneezing fits.  Now is the time to make sure that you have a reliable cleaning service in place.  Even though most are well aware of the fact that our office keyboards and bathroom door handles are germy areas, there are other areas that do not immediately pop to mind.  These areas can prove as nasty, if not nastier when it comes to germs and viruses.

Okay, so we already know and admit that the keyboard, and even the mouse, of a computer, is pretty much a germ breeding ground.  However, have you ever thought about your desk itself?  Charles Gerba conducted a series of research that netted some pretty eyeopening data.  IT would seem that the area by our computer keyboard, that we tend to rest our hands on, can contain instances of bacteria up to the 10 million range.  During his research, Gerba discovered some additional interesting tidbits.  It seems that the germiest desks belonged to accountants, while on the other hand, the least germy desks were those of lawyers.

According to cleaning experts, the dirtiest place hands down in any office is that of the kitchen faucet.  Kimberly-Clark Professional is often-cited due to a study they conducted showed that the sink faucet handles in 75 percent of breakrooms are covered with bacteria.  In fact, the amount of bacteria has proven to be 300 percent more than a clean surface would have.  And it’s not just the handle in most cases that contains these germs.  The sink, as well as the sink drain, can play host to the little nasties.  Many experts agree that the kitchen sink is the dirtiest shared location within most offices.

This last one may surprise most, as it is the office coffee mugs.  A microbiologist from the University of Arizona conducted a study of office cups in relation to bacteria count present.  What they found was that 20 percent of the “clean” office mugs presented with coliform bacteria—also known as fecal matter.  What made this study all the more illuminating is that once the mugs were then cleaned, with a shared sponge, this percentage quickly jumped up to 100 percent.  After having been wiped with the sponge, further testing showed E. coli tested as positive on 20 percent of the mugs.

Germs and viruses are unavoidable—however, a reliable cleaning service can make sure to keep their numbers at a minimum.  Taking the proper steps to cleanliness can go a long way to keeping your employees healthy and your business running at top efficiency.

The post Top 3 Germiest Places In Your Office appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

In today’s ever-changing world, more and more schools are choosing to outsource their facilities janitorial services.  Although one of the man benefits is the reduction in costs, there are other benefits inherent in the decision for your school’s cleaning. 

One of the most convincing reasons to outsource your educational facilities cleaning is quite simply the fact that it will make your school a better place for both working and learning.  With the outsourcing to a professional cleaning service for your facilities janitorial needs, your teaching staff can concentrate on what they are there for—to teach.

1.  Cost Reduction

The first of many benefits is that of reductions in costs, as the professional service is expertly trained to handle all the possible incidents that may occur and that go along with the work of custodians.  The service can also take on the responsibility of making sure that an inventory of proper cleaning supplies is always maintained and may even be able to take on the role of managing your custodian payrolls.  The money that your school will save from outsourcing to a cleaning service may then be shifted and used within the classrooms.

2.  Reliability

Not to mention the quick response time that goes along with the service being on campus.  As any who have worked with, or around, children can tell you—the only reliable prediction is that the unpredictable can and will happen.  With the speedy response time of a campus-based school cleaning service, you are assured the peace of mind that when an incident arises, the janitorial service will quickly take on the situation and get it rectified.

3.  Knowledgable

It is essential to keep in mind that school cleaning is just like any other business based cleaning, and as such, should be tackled in the same manner.  A genuinely professional outsourced service will conduct the necessary background checks, and if needed drug screenings, that would go along with those who would work in and around children.  They will also be well-trained, usually in-house, in the field, and will present themselves as both trustworthy and dependable.

4.  Adjustability

Last but not least, there is the convenience of adjustability.  By outsourcing your school cleaning, you will have the convenience of adjusting the number of staff that you have on duty at any given day or time of that day.  When a significant event occurs on the school’s campus, you will have the ability to schedule extra help to make sure that the school is sufficiently cleaned, such as in the aftermath of graduation.  Even during those first few weeks of cleaning and organizing takes place before the school doors open to a new school year. As you can see, it doesn’t take a genius, or a large amount of homework to see that the outsourcing of a professional janitorial service for your school’s cleaning is a no brainer.  Let’s face it, you have a large facility, and a lot of kids relying on you to keep it healthy and clean for them throughout the school year so that they can concentrate on what they are there for—learning.

The post Top 4 Benefits of Commercial Cleaning for Schools appeared first on System4 Central Colorado.

Anyone who has been in business can attest to the fact that you only get one first impression with customers and clients, so you need to make it count.  On the same account, that crucial first impression will go a long way to determining if those very same customers and clients will continue to do business with you. 

What many business owners don’t realize is that the moment a customer or client walks through the door, they are already sizing your business up.  And included in this evaluation, believe it or not, are the floors.  That is why when wanting to make sure your business puts its best foot forward, it is suggested that you outsource your floor care to a commercial floor cleaning service.

Sweeping and mopping are admittedly vital to the day to day hygiene needs of your floor.  And in all honesty, both should be performed on a daily, consistent basis.  However, there is more to it than performing day to day cleaning.  If you genuinely want floors that will ‘wow’ your visitors, then a more in-depth cleaning is needed.

Strip and Wax

When outsourcing your floor care to a commercial floor cleaning service, you will have the guarantee that not only the service knows what it is doing, but it knows how to get it done right the first time.  Any floor care professional will tell you that the best method for keeping your waxable floor at its best is with the initial step of a strip and wax.

The process itself is pretty simple in that a chemical is used to strip off the current worn and dingy floor.  The chemical is applied and is permitted to “rest” for a few minutes.  Next, a machine is used to scrub the old wax and any residue that the chemical has worked at releasing.  Not only is the grimy residue that has built up over time from foot traffic removed, but and finishes or sealers that were also in place.

Once scrubbed, a new coating of wax is applied, usually over the course of multiple applications.  The process takes a while, as when each coat is applied, sufficient drying time must be allowed for the best results.  Usually, the desired depth of shine is achieved after three layers are applied.

Burnishing

After stripping the old off, and applying a new, fresh coat of wax, the process doesn’t end there.  For a gleaming and pristine looking floor, you will also need to put them through the process of burnishing.  Basically, once you have achieved the level of shine desired with the stripping and waxing, and according to the amount of foot traffic your floors are prone to, burnishing will aid in keeping them sparkling.  When burnishing your floors, it is essential to make sure that all of the surface grime is removed, that you use the proper type of coarseness, and that your machine is appropriately RPM rated for the task.

Auto Scrub and Floor Scrub

Once you are done stripping, waxing, and burnishing, you will then frequently scrub the floors to keep them shiny and looking their absolute best.  To achieve this step, a machine floor scrubber is your best choice.  A machine floor scrubber combines the use of cleaning agents, along with a rotating scrubber pad and a water suction vacuum to complete the cleaning in one single, easy pass.  The scrubber is used in much the same fashion as one would use a lawnmower, working forward and back in separate passes.  This type of process is best used on those surfaces that have proven to be minimally porous, such as concrete, vinyl, and tile.  It is highly recommended that one steers clear of those surfaces that show to be overly porous by nature, as well as unsealed natural wooden floors.

A business is prone to foot traffic, and it pretty much goes along with the territory.  However, that does not mean that your floors have to show the effects.  Day to day floor maintenance, such as sweeping and mopping, can be delegated to the on-site cleaning staff. However, when it comes time to perform an in-depth cleaning, your best bet is to outsource to a commercial floor cleaning service. 

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