Covid-19 has taught us the importance of cleaning, and not just cleaning but cleaning like a maniac, and on a daily basis. Till now, many commercial spaces have been skipping daily cleaning thinking it to be a waste of time, and also to save on the labor cost. It has to change now, and is supposed to become a sustained, daily practice. The wholesale cleaning supplies experts are going to see upsurge in demand owing to this; another change bought by Covid-19!
Tips to Keep Your Office Sanitized During COVID-19
Anyway, coming back to how to keep the offices clean & sanitized, we enlist here the list of must-dos:
a. Do spring cleaning on a daily basis
Furniture, upholstery, carpets, exposed surfaces like desks, doors, windows, office supplies, etc. should be on the daily cleaning list. The cleaners devote extra time daily to do all the cleaning and wiping surfaces with sanitizing substances. The important pointers pertaining to cleaning process include:
- Vacuum cleaning of the carpets
- Mopping and brooming of floors twice a day
- Cleaning the countertops, equipment, door panels with sanitizers every three hours
- Daily cleaning of windows
- Frequent cleaning of washrooms, faucets, etc. with disinfectants
- Fumigation with germ-killer liquids twice a day
Once these cleaning practices are made a norm, it becomes easier for the office owners to provide the workers the added peace of mind. The workers who are coming to office after a hiatus can work with better mood and relaxed mind when they are sure that the place of working is amply cleaned and sanitized.
b. Bring some changes in the aesthetics of the office too
Offices can maintain better hygiene by bringing in some changes in the aesthetics. For example, the office owners can choose to keep maximum doors open, like that of the boardroom, entrances to cabins, etc. so that the employees need not touch surfaces too often. Other changes:
c. Inclusion of motion sensor doors and faucets in washroom
The frequently used doors can either be kept open or these can be operated through motion sensors. The doors will detect the person’s proximity and will open or close accordingly. Similarly, the faucets in the bathroom can be made sensor-based in functioning. The more touch-free solutions are used in the office, lesser will be the probability of catching infection. So, moving to contactless solutions can be the good approach for keeping the offices clean and sanitized.
d. Switch to self-cleaning equipment
The work goes on at certain places despite the Covid situation lurking around. Therefore, when moving to a new set-up or upgrading the existing equipment, it is advisable to search for a self-cleaning facility. Thus, it can reduce the exposure to dirt, allergens or sources of infection that develop in the equipment in want of cleanliness.
e. Promote BYOD or non-sharable work equipment
The main requirement of coming back to offices without making it threatening to health is to avoid human contact as much as possible. The offices can promote BYOD policies and guide the workers to come with well-sanitized personal equipment like mobile phones and laptops. Touching of desktops and keyboards can create situations for infections. The use of personal equipment can help avoid this possibility.
f. Create wipe stations and install hand sanitizers
The sanitizer booths are going to be the real guards in newly opened and re-opened offices. Cleaning managers can install sanitizer bottles on every entrance and make it mandatory to use them before touching the door knobs wherever applicable. Also, the wipe stations can also prove to be a great idea. These stations equipped with wiping tissues can help have readymade solutions for keeping the frequently used spaces clean. One can also signal others to use them to maintain a cleanliness-friendly atmosphere in the office space.
g. Guide and educate employees
There are various cleanliness-promoting messages developed in recent times by advertisers. The office owners can use their internal messaging systems to run the guide once or twice a day for everyone to hear. Any door opened can be preceded with running a message to use a sanitizer. Also, regular briefing about the cleanliness activities is necessary to ensure that the workers are well-versed with the guidelines.
h. Keep all cleaning supplies handy and updated
Only knowledge and guidance will not work if the janitorial supplies position is not up-to-date. The office managers should keep the supply of cleanliness materials, sanitizers, disinfectants and garbage bags updated. They must ensure that the supplies are placed in a handy manner in the premises so that there is no excuse left for maintaining cleanliness.
Some important don’ts to ensure safer cleaning
Cleanliness is required, but what more is required is intelligent cleaning. Some important don’ts are:
- Do not overuse disinfectant: The overusing of disinfectants can pose problems to the people allergic to strong odor. The CDC also mandates that the cleaning with disinfectant is not to be done on a daily basis. Twice in a week will be satisfactory.
- Do not mix various disinfectants: The users of disinfectants thinking the combinations to be effective may tend to mix various kinds. This can sometimes lead to emitting of poisonous vapors or creation of explosive material.
Pay attention to important highly frequent touch points of the area
We have enlisted here the high touch points areas in any office. So, make a cleaning plan that involves more frequent washing and drying of these points:
- Doorknobs
- Desktop keyboards
- Chairbacks
- Digital touch screens
- Cabinet pulls and handles
- Desk accessories such as staplers, etc.
Conclusion
Though work from home has become new normal, still the offices belonging to various departments need to prepare to welcome their employees back. All the above pointers can help in keeping the office fully cleaned and sanitized in Covid.
