5 Great Cleaning Tips on How London Businesses Can Protect Staff

Keeping staff safe should be one of the top priorities of any business at this time. Preventing the spread of the virus within the workplace is crucial to employee safety and slowing down COVID-19 so we can return to normality as soon as possible.

The capital is one of the worst-hit locations in England but it is also the business hub of the UK and companies are wanting to continue trade as much as possible. One way this can be achieved is with the help of commercial cleaning London services. Recently, the importance of cleaning has become more apparent than ever and we are here to help with the top 5 cleaning tips to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria, not just for COVID-19 but all manner of illness.

Stop Germs Spreading

We all know how crucial it is to keep surfaces clean and not share office equipment without washing our hands. However, other elements are often overlooked that could be harbouring the most amount of bacteria in the office.

Light switches, door handles and lift buttons should be addressed daily, if not more often, with an antibacterial spray or wipes.

The office kitchen hosts the most traffic of any building during the working week, while most employees are great at cleaning up and crumbs left on surfaces and putting used mugs in the dishwasher, there are unseen dangers.

Fridge door handles, microwave buttons, coffee machines and water dispenser taps are constantly touched by many hands. Giving these the once over throughout the day can make a huge difference and stop bacteria from spreading.

Keep Stocked Up

It’s unlikely that staff will feel obliged to do their part with keeping the office clean and sanitised if the right products and equipment aren’t readily available.

Weekly stock takes and orders will aid greatly in ensuring that everything needed is at hand for the next working week. If possible, keep items close by to high traffic areas in an obvious position. Antibacterial wipes, hand sanitiser and other convenient products are most likely to be used frequently so keeping these close will help.

For other products that need to be stored away, such as bleach, make it clear to staff where these are kept. Signage or regular email reminders will lead to these being used more often.

Empty Bins Daily

Not ever bin fills to the brim every day, but this doesn’t mean it should be neglected when taking the rubbish out.

Tissues, disposable coffee cups and anything else that comes into contact with mouths and noses needs to be removed as quickly as possible to stop germs lingering in the office air and spreading anything nasty to others.

Don’t just empty these bins daily, remove and change the bin liners as well, it may seem like a waste of plastic but this is essential to everyone’s health.

Go Disposable

We are always encouraged to use reusable items for cleaning but during the pandemic, a temporary switch to disposable items is a must.

Store away washable hand towels and opt for disposable ones. Sponges and cleaning cloths should be changed regularly and if they are washable, they should go through a machine wash of at least 60 degrees and add antibacterial laundry detergent to the wash.

Coffee cups can pose a hazard if not properly washed up, if the office doesn’t have a dishwasher, invest in disposable ones instead. Make sure these are recyclable or biodegradable.

Clean Air

Heating systems and air conditioners are a great modern commodity to make sure working life is as comfortable as possible. However, if they are not properly attended to, they can not only harbour germs but also push pathogens throughout every floor of the building.

Regular cleaning and maintenance of these can drastically improve air quality and stop bacteria from spreading. Get the experts in one a month for a proper deep clean and clean vents and filters weekly.

Don’t turn these systems on unless they are needed, unnecessarily blowing air throughout the office will not only increase the spread but also is a waste of energy, opening a window is always a better option.

The pandemic is highlighting the true importance of office cleaning. With the investing of commercial cleaning, office managers can feel safe in the knowledge that the experts are handling all the hard work.

However, this is a team effort. Take the time to train staff on how to quickly and efficiently wipe down their work stations. Allocating some time at the end of the day will help encourage employees to do this.

Regular reminders via email or in the morning meetings can go a long way, the more often staff perform their cleaning duties, the quicker it will become a habit and be ingrained in the daily working routine.