Fall is here! That means sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, and, while it may not be the thing you most look forward to: Fall Cleaning. Now is an optimal time to do a deep cleaning and prepare for the Winter ahead.
With Winter on its way, as well as cold and flu season and an expected resurgence of COVID-19, now is a crucial time to do a thorough sanitization, disinfecting, and cleaning of your facility. Of course, the question always is: Where to begin? There are many places where you can start, but some areas definitely deserve priority during the Autumn season.
Fear not, because we’re here to help! Below, we’ve provided you with a handy, dandy Fall Cleaning Checklist to aid you in identifying critical areas of need during this time of year.
✅ Exterior
The outside of your facility is where you make your first impression. Don’t let it be a bad one. To ensure your outside reflects the quality of what you offer inside, keep up with an ongoing, scheduled routine of cleaning and maintenance starting with these three areas of importance.
Gutters
The first thing you’ll want to do is clean out your gutters and drainage system. Material such as dirt and grime as well as fallen leaves tend to accumulate in your facility’s gutters. If not addressed regularly, this debris can clog your gutters and prevent rain or snowmelt from draining properly. This could ultimately lead to a blockage, which can cause expensive damage to your property. Inspect your gutters early, often, and diligently. Remove any blockages you notice, such as dead leaves.
Roof
The roof may not be on fire, but that doesn’t mean it’s not full of dirt and debris! When it comes to buildings, unlike people, it’s not only the inside that counts. Roofs are prone to potential hazards such as leaks, mold, and decay. Debris and water on your roof can cause damage to your facility and pose health risks to the occupants. Make sure to have your roof inspected and cleaned this Fall.
Concrete
Concrete surfaces such as walls and walkways accumulate dirt over time, and can eventually become stained with grime. Stained concrete makes your facility look aged and dated, staining your facility’s reputation. Therefore, if you want your facility to look good as new, restore your concrete to its original, pristine condition with a pressure wash.
✅ Entryway
We all know not to judge a book by its cover, but we all do it anyway. Even if your outside looks good, you better believe a customer or potential buyer will be forming a snap judgement about your facility based on how well maintained your entryway looks.
Dirt and debris, such as twigs, mud, water, and other things that may be too unpleasant to mention, can find themselves transported into the entrance of your building. This is where people usually wipe their feet, shake off their umbrellas, or track in leaves and other undesirable material. Not only does a dirty entryway look bad; it can also be hazardous and cost you an unnecessary and easily avoidable lawsuit. That’s why you should make your entryway a priority, not only in the Fall, but in every season.
✅ Sanitize and Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces
Your facility contains many surfaces that receive direct contact with human hands. Things like doorknobs, computer keyboards, phones, reception desks, handrails, and sinks can quickly become hotspots for germs. While it’s always important to sanitize these high-touch surfaces, especially during cold/flu season, the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic demands an even higher degree of sanitization than ever before. Doing anything less than a complete job can put your health at risk and jeopardize the safety of all occupants inside your facility.
A commercial cleaning crew like Quality Facility Solutions can thoroughly sanitize and disinfect your facility, using electrostatic spray and EPA-approved disinfectants.
Inquire about our Coronavirus Deep Disinfecting Cleaning here: https://www.qfs.net/corona-virus-disinfecting-cleaning/
✅ Floor
Floors are meant for one thing and one thing only 𑁋 to be walked on. With people treading on it day and night in shoes which likely touched the ground outside, your floors can quickly become the dirtiest part of your facility. Too often neglected, the floor is also where most slips, trips, and falls take place, making a dirty floor not only unsightly, but a potential liability as well. Floors are a haven for dirt and germs. Make sure to clean, disinfect, sanitize, and vacuum your floors regularly. After your floor is clean and germ-free, administer a floor waxing to give it a professional look that will make your facility shine and sparkle!
✅ Windows
Your windows are what allow you to see the world with a clear, unobstructed view. Don’t let your windows (or your judgement) become cloudy. Avoid making a bad impression on prospective customers, buyers, or talent by getting your windows cleaned regularly. Rainfall, bird droppings, passing cars driving through puddles, and unwanted sprays and spills can accumulate, leaving windows looking grimy and dirty. A janitorial crew can keep your windows looking clear and spotless.
Clean windows enhance your building’s appearance and facilitate a brighter, cheerier work environment. Allowing more natural sunlight to enter your facility is not only pleasant; it increases the health and productivity of those inside. However, cleaning windows can be tricky, and even dangerous. Window cleaning is something best left to the professionals.
It’s OK if you don’t do windows, because we do!
Reach out to us today and we’ll get those windows looking spic and span! Contact Us: https://www.qfs.net/lets-connect/
✅ Bathrooms
Is there anything worse than a nasty, disgusting bathroom?
We think not.
The sight of a dirty bathroom can flush your reputation down the toilet in seconds, not to mention it’s rife with potential health risks. Make sure to properly clean, sanitize, and disinfect your bathroom, particularly high-touch surfaces, such as toilets, sinks, doors, hand dryers, and soap dispensers.
Don’t let your facility go down the drain!
Call QFS today: https://www.qfs.net/lets-connect/
✅ Air ducts and HVAC
Having your air ducts and HVAC system inspected and cleaned regularly can be a breath of fresh air, for you and for everyone who uses your facility. Removing pollutants, mold, and germs, such as viruses from your facility’s air ducts provides a healthier environment, which means less liability and less sick days. Unfortunately the converse is also true. Dirt, debris, allergens, mold, viruses, and other pollutants get stuck in your facility’s air ducts. These pollutants tend to accumulate during the summer months. Now that the weather is cooling down, you will likely be turning on the heat more regularly. If you fail to have your ducts cleaned, your heating system will then circulate the pollutants and germs, which are currently trapped in the ducts, throughout your entire facility, putting everyone inside at risk.
Dirty HVAC systems also make your heating system less efficient, making it harder to keep occupants warm during the cold Winter months. This forces your system to work overtime, using more energy to accomplish the same task up and driving up your electricity costs. Get your HVAC unit inspected and cleaned so that everyone inside your facility can keep warm and breathe in clean air.
✅ Desks
A dirty desk makes for a less productive work environment, and during COVID-19, a dirty desk poses a dangerous threat. Make sure to dust and disinfect entire desk surfaces and office supplies such as staplers, office chairs, and computer keyboards. Throw away any objects which are broken or used up, such as old tape rolls, markers, pens etc. Dust and disinfect filing cabinets as well.
✅ Computers
The only thing worse than a computer getting a virus is a computer spreading a virus to an occupant in your facility. Use a compressed air duster and an electrostatic sprayer to sanitize, disinfect, and clean keyboards, computer vents, mice, trackpads, screens, and monitors. Sanitize and wipe down all of these surfaces carefully.
With COVID-19 still a threat and cold and flu season around the corner, consider hiring a professional commercial cleaning service to help you check off all the items on your Fall Cleaning to-do list.
Remember viruses, such as the flu and Coronavirus, can live up to 72 hours on some surfaces. Make sure to work with a company using the latest cleaning products and methods and cutting edge technology to prepare your facility for Winter, and ensure a safe, healthy, and productive environment for all.
