How Can Workspace Maintenance Lead to an Organized and Productive Environment?

In light of the COVID-19-induced sanitary crisis, traditional office space maintenance, which ultimately consisted of vacuuming, wiping down surfaces, washing windows, and emptying trash cans, has since been completely overhauled. 

The health of company staff members and clients is now a priority, which in turn makes hygiene a strictly regulated standard. Maintenance routines have been refined and surfaces disinfected to prevent viruses and bacteria from spreading in workspaces and beyond. 

How to Properly Clean a Workspace 

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The Importance of Hygiene in Co-Working Spaces

Nowadays, work shouldn’t come in between quality of life. This fact is all the more true when it comes to professional workspaces. At a time when cleanliness is the nexus of concerns, clean and organized office spaces will influence the perceived value of work, as well as employee performance and motivation. 

Studies have shown that clean workspaces are a contributing factor in improving in-person attendance rates. It has also had a positive impact on how staff members will perceive the company employing them and, in return, how they'll speak of the company. Amongst the people polled, 8 out of 10 individuals asserted that they have, at one time or another, refused to do something in a place where cleanliness didn’t meet their standards. 

This same well-kept workspace can sway an undecided, yet potential hire or a prospective client you’re trying to win over. A brief office tour should result in a positive experience.  

What are the different steps involved in office maintenance?

Whether you hire the services of a commercial cleaning company or decide it should be a shared responsibility within the office, here’s a list of chores that should be done on a regular basis. 

• Thorough floor cleaning and vacuuming, from hallways to conference rooms, and flooring-appropriate maintenance;

• Dusting and cleaning furnishings, décor, and light fixtures;

• Dusting computers and workspaces;

• Cleaning fingerprints off light switches;

• Cleaning door handles;

• Emptying waste paper bins; 

• Cleaning and disinfecting toilets and sinks;

• Cleaning and refilling soap dispensers and restocking handtowels;

• Cleaning windows and mirrors;

• Cleaning office kitchen space and dishes.

Other tasks to complete periodically:

• Clean outdoor windows;

• Clean carpets, rugs, and fabric furnishings.

What office cleaning products and equipment should be used?

Should you be benefiting from the services of a professional cleaning company, you can take a sneak peek at what equipment they’re using. The equipment used can deep clean in record time. The speed at which the task is executed often leads to cleaning service cost savings. 

Equipment Used to Clean Offices 

• The four-in-one ride-on or walk-behind scrubber dryer is fitted with a vacuum to collect dirt, a cleaning product to clean the floor, a scrubbing pad or scrub brush to scrub the floor, and a drying unit. 

• A motor-powered floor machine can clean a large number of surfaces: tile, concrete, linoleum, parquet, stone, and sandstone.  

• Vacuum sweepers collect dust and specks of dirt from floorings. 

• Vacuum cleaners are used to pick up larger debris and can be used on delicate surfaces like carpets and rugs. 

• Mops are used to clean floors manually.

• A stream cleaner is used to disinfect surfaces and eliminate countless bacteria. It suits delicate surfaces since it doesn’t use corrosive additives and doesn’t require rinsing. 

• Pressure washers are used to clean most exterior surfaces. If need be, pair it with a cleaner or treatment product.

Products Used to Clean Office Spaces

• Standard cleaning products ensure floors and surfaces are cleaned.

• Some detergents are formulated to treat stains or specific areas, such as is the case with disinfectants. 

• Cleaning products used daily or weekly must be effective, eco-friendly, and non-toxic for the benefit of the staff.

• Certain companies will turn to eco-friendly/organic cleaning products for a greener approach. 

How much do commercial cleaning services cost?

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For a 2,500-square-foot office space, the average monthly cleaning cost for weekly services can be tricky to pinpoint. It can come out to $300 or upwards of $1,000.

Note that service fees are based on the following 3 factors:

1. Duration (hourly rate)

2. Square footage

3. Workload (fixed-rate service)

HACK: Some companies will save by alternating from one pricing method to another based on the required work and expertise.

Cost-Influencing Factors

• Distance between your office and the cleaning company headquarters

• Reputation of the cleaning company

• Cleaning equipment and products used

• Tasks accomplished or services offered

• State of space (the dirtier or messier the space, the more cleaning time required, therefore rates will be higher)

• Size of building

• Spaces to clean (frequently used areas, kitchens, and bathrooms require a more rigorous cleaning)

• Number of employees (the more staff, the dirtier the space)

• The industry in which your company operates (sanitary standards aren’t the same for a medical clinic as they are for a retail space)

NOTE: An hourly rate is most often established when a fixed amount of time to carry out a task can’t be determined beforehand. The downside of this type of billing is that the cleaning company can see it as a favourable factor and work at their own pace. 

Size of Space

Cleaning services often charge based on square footage. That way, the service fee method is more efficient when it comes to dealing with significant surface areas and their pricing remains fair with their clients across the board.

Plan on spending at least $0.17 per square foot to clean a 12,000-square-foot establishment. Note that the per-square-foot rate will often be higher for smaller buildings compared to bigger ones. 

An average per-room rate can also be established: the total amount of rooms to clean determines the overall cost. Another option would be to determine a room-specific rate (for example, bathroom [$100], 2 offices [$75 x 2], reception area [$50]). 

Service Schedule

The costs can also vary significantly depending on the frequency of services. 

The frequency with which a professional workspace is cleaned depends on several factors: square footage, specific function of space, type of rooms, frequency of use, and profession-specific hygiene level (for example, does the office space need to be disinfected daily?).

Most offices with ten or fewer employees will make do with weekly cleaning services. In bigger office spaces, with thirty or so staff members, it’s best to have a cleaning service come in twice weekly, while offices with fifty employees will benefit from cleaning services every two days. 

HACK: If you don’t care for certain services, make sure the cleaning company offers customizable or company-specific package service rates.

Otherwise, Manage Cleaning Tasks In-House

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This means that workspace maintenance will be carried out with the help of all. Even if you’re hiring the services of an efficient cleaning company, a clean and tidy office starts with everyone doing their part on a daily basis to keep their personal space clean.

Staff’s Involvement in Maintaining Cleanliness

Keeping things clean and tidy calls for each and everyone’s sense of civic duty. Beyond every staff member's well-being, hygiene is first a matter of health and safety. 

Regularly dusting and disinfecting surfaces prevent health issues related to allergies, viruses, and infections. With a bit of goodwill, one can maintain a clean and organized workspace, one where there aren’t a lot of employee absences.  

The best way to go about it is to clearly outline the maintenance-related tasks that need to be done by the company (e.g. emptying trash bins) and those the employees are responsible for (e.g. washing their coffee cups). 

Since the cleaning company won’t come around every day, the employees have daily responsibilities. A few simple actions can make all the difference in the world:

• Clean your personal workspace, and remember to wipe down your phone, desk, keyboard, and mouse with a disinfectant wipe. 

• B.Y.O coffee cup and water bottle; clean and store them.

• Don’t eat at your desk.

• Regularly wash your hands and use the anti-bacterial gel provided by the company.

How to Properly Clean a Computer Keyboard and Monitor

Dust settles everywhere: on furniture, chairs, rugs, screens, and computers. Allowing it to build up over time risks damaging the proper functioning of your devices. External peripherals, keyboards, monitors, and mice must also be cleaned on a regular basis. 

How to Clean a Computer Keyboard

1. Hold your keyboard facedown and gently shake it so bigger particles fall out. 

2. Use an air duster to spray between each key.

3. You can also use a handheld vacuum cleaner to collect any dirt from between the keys.

4. Clean the keys and the underside of the keyboard (and mouse!) with disinfectant wipes.

Hacks: To clean between the keys, run the sticky side of a Post-it note over your keyboard; small specks of dirt will cling on. The keys can also be cleaned with a magic eraser. Scrub each key with the edge of the sponge without scrubbing too hard. 

How to Clean a Computer Monitor

1. Shut off and unplug the monitor. If it’s a plasma screen, wait until it has cooled down prior to cleaning it. 

2. Use a damp rag and a bit of soft soap to clean the frame edging the screen.

3. Delicately clean the buttons, stand, and back of the monitor. To get to hard-to-reach areas, use a toothpick wrapped in a slightly humid rag. 

4. Wipe the dust off the screen with a clean, soft microfibre cloth. If the screen is especially dirty, clean it with a computer screen cleaner using an anti-static cloth. 

5. After unplugging everything, clean the computer cables and plugs. 

TIP: To preserve the anti-reflective coating, avoid spraying the screen with cleaning products. 

Workspace Maintenance: The Key to a Clean and Productive Environment

Office maintenance is a vital part of creating a clean, hygienic, and productive workspace. Cleaning services contribute to:

• maintaining clean workspaces;

• improving air quality; and

• preventing the spreading of germs.

It promotes well-being, reduces the risks of sickness-related absences, and creates a professional setting that’s conducive to heightened focus and creativity. Therefore, it’s important for any company to invest in a cleaning service to optimize its productivity and brand image. By entrusting this responsibility to qualified professionals, you’re guaranteed an ideal setting for your staff and clients. Workspace maintenance is much more than just a chore; it’s investing in your company’s success.