If you own or operate a commercial office space, the time and cost of cleaning a large number of offices can add up significantly over time. In addition, extensive exposure to the chemicals in many modern cleaning products can be damaging to the skin and eyes of your cleaning staff.
Therefore, some trendy investments should be made in order to increase the efficiency of your office cleaning and sanitizing process. While these steps may or may not cause you to have some elevated up-front expenses, they will save you money in the long run by limiting cleaning costs and future repairs and replacements.
Use Nonporous Materials for Desk and Counter Spaces
Just as a cup of coffee is a staple of the morning work routine, so are coffee spills a staple of the office cleanup routine.
Unfortunately, coffee has strong staining properties and when allowed to sit for more than a few seconds, will often leave a permanent mark on most office surfaces. Attempts to remove coffee stains from permeable desks and countertops involve strong chemicals, abrasive tools, and aggressive, extensive scrubbing that can not only be harmful to employees but lead to rapid wear and tear that will cause the surfaces to be frequently refinished and/or replaced.
By using durable, nonporous materials such as solid surface, office managers can optimize the cleaning and sanitation process of office spaces, as a complete cleanup is possible with a simple sweep run of a disinfectant rag.
In addition, while white is a great color choice for the office due to its ability to reflect natural light, which in turn leads to energy savings and a more inviting atmosphere, some are afraid it will quickly get dirty in the face of heavy use. Fear not, as the sturdy, one-piece design used in solid surface fabrication allows you to keep white countertops and desks as sparkling clean as any other color choice.
Don’t Let Dirt and Debris Slip in Through the Crack
In conditions of high wind, flurrying dust and debris have to go somewhere. If your windows and doors are cracked and weathered, these particles will follow the path of least resistance and make the interior of your office feel like the wrong side of your car’s cabin air filter.
Furthermore, the dust and dirt particles that enter from the outside often settle in places that are either overlooked and/or difficult to clean. Before you know it, small buildups turn into full-blown stains that cannot be removed. If mixed with moisture, this debris can lead to rot and mold, making cleanup impossible and a replacement the only recourse.
Sealing doors and windows is an excellent way to ensure that dust and dirt does not take a shortcut into the office, lowering the need for cleaning capital and decreasing the likelihood that repairs or replacements to your office’s interior will be necessary.
Replace the Carpet with a More Eco-Friendly Option
Carpet is “warm and cozy” and used as flooring in many offices, but the reality is that it is exceptionally inefficient to care for and maintain when compared to the more innovative flooring options on the market today.
Carpet requires vacuuming to clean up the daily debris and regular shampooing to clear more tricky stains. Not only is this maintenance time consuming, but it can lead to elevated electric costs in your office.
Instead of carpet, consider using a material such as polished concrete. While concrete floors get a bad rap for being drab and industrial, there are a number of classy polished concrete designs that can help your office floors look modern and inviting. In addition, they are non-staining, do not trap any dust particles, and can be easily cleaned with the push of a broom.Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.