Category: Office Cleaning

The Importance of a Vacuum Cleaner

One definite requirement to cleaning the house is and always has been the vacuum cleaner.

Believe it or not, there is a more effective cleaning system than the same vacuum which has been around for so many years. It is the central vacuum cleaner and they are becoming common in a lot of homes. It has a stronger suction that provides a greater cleaning ability.

With the central vacuum, dust and debris is sucked into the unit because it is located in the central position of the house. The bag isn’t being carried around with the unit like the portable vacuum so this means there is no chance that dust will be re-circulated around the house.

You can buy a central vacuum with a Hepa filter so that the tiniest dust particles can be picked up and trapped. With the central vacuum all dust can be removed from the house. It is a fact that dust can be attached to the exterior of the house as well, this can also be removed as part of the process.

There is another system available which with the rotation of air inside the machine separates the dust and dirt and propels it into the bag. This system is called the cyclonic system.

Although this method is not as efficient as the Hepa filter because there is a small percentage of dust will not be picked up. An additional filter on the central vacuum system can help to remove dust that was left over.

Here are a few big differences in the portal vacuum and the central unit: the central unit has the convenience of not needing to be pulled around the house as you clean and it also has the power in which the great suction operates.

For those who may be suffering from an allergic reaction to dust mites, this central vacuum system is the best investment for your household.

Keep Your Workplace Clean and Organized

Ever wondered why companies insist that their employees keep their workplaces clean? Not only is a dirty workplace a terrible place to work in, but it also lowers productivity and efficiency. Cleaning up after a day of work is just as important as what you do for a living.

Japanese companies innovated a productivity philosophy called “5S,” which stands for five Japanese words that refer to a methodology not only for cleaning, but for business. The 5S methodology is all about eliminating waste, speeding up daily tasks, and improving the quality of the workplace. We can use the 5S methodology in Kenya to help us organize your tasks at the end of every working day.

Seiri (Sorting)

Go through everything in your workplace. Check your shelves, desks, and even the file structures in your office computer. Keep only the items you need at work, and discard or store everything else. Sorting and storing reduces the time you spend looking for a particular pencil, a notepad, or a certain file on your computer, which means that you can devote more time to work.

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Seiton (Set in Order)

“Set in order” means that there’s a place for everything, and everything should be in its place. After a day of work, take the time to see if your writing materials, tools, notes, and files are in their correct and proper order. It also means that you can improve the work flow for the next working day.

Seiso (Sweeping)

At the end of each working day, take the time to clean up after your office space. Clean up after any mess you make. Not only should you do this out of courtesy, but “seiso” also means that you know the exact place of everything you need for work. It also means that when you enter a clean office, you should work and leave in a clean office.

Seiketsu (Standardizing)

Almost every company has a standardized manual on company behavior and workplace cleanliness. If your company assigns cleaning tasks, you should know exactly what you should do and stick with that role for the particular task.

Shitsuke (Sustaining)

A systematic and productive workplace is not a one-day-affair just because the boss or some prospective clients are around. Sustaining your cleaning tasks is important to improve productivity and increase employee satisfaction. Remember that if you cannot sustain 5S, you have to start over.

The 5S system may sound simple, but it demands dedication and commitment. With 5S, you can be sure to complete your office cleaning tasks in no time.

How Your Business Can Benefit From Professional Office Cleaning in Kenya

A lot of organizations give importance to cleanliness. Have you thought about yours?

A living space that looks clean could actually be hiding layers of dust, dirt and grime. You believe that an occasional spring clean will do the job for you. But it is not enough; every company needs a deep clean and here are reasons why you need to do it. These reasons could act as an incentive for you. So, take heed.

1. It prolongs the life of office supplies

An office environment is made up of multiple valuable items; there’s electronics, furniture, carpets to name a few. The more regularly they are maintained, longer they will last. Dust buildup can cause computers and printers to malfunction. Stains can ruin the look of carpets. Professional office cleaners can give you a thorough and timely cleanup that will prolong the life of your office supplies.

2. Preserve the health of your employees

Working in a dirty office environment can pose a serious health risk to your employees. In an office, there are a dozens of people sharing equipment and utilities. These surfaces become magnets for dirt and germs, making it very easy to spread infections. Poor indoor air quality can trigger allergic reactions and asthma.

A cleaner workplace will promote better health. To add, a clutter-free (where everything is organized properly) office will prevent the chances of injury caused due to trips, slips and falls.

3. Increase employee productivity

Lower absenteeism is directly linked to increasing employee productivity. The state of the office also affects the morale of the employees. A clean environment, where everything is at hand, motivates them to work and keeps them focused. It is annoying if you have to keep dropping your work and go looking for things you need. The clutter and dirt can become a major distraction. A healthy physical space will reduce the losses caused by sick days and ill employees. If you care for your employees, they will care for you too.

4. A business image

Imagine walking through a door to see papers lying in an untidy pile, a few stains decorating the walls and floors that have collected scum? If you are a client, you will hesitate to do business with this one! A clean and tidy office projects a positive business image;

Yes, it’s important to have a clean office, but there’s not always the time to do it personally. This is where an office cleaning service can step in.

• By outsourcing cleaning and maintenance tasks to an office cleaning company, you will be able to focus on other core jobs increasing productivity.

• You can be assured that the cleaning routines will be performed on a regular basis.

• Also, when you hire an office cleaning service, you are calling in a team of trained and skilled professionals who know the right techniques and cleaning materials to use to create a hygienic environment.

• You will save time and money.

So, hire an office cleaning company today, and ensure that your business premises are spotless, organized and hygienic.

Understanding the dynamics of office cleaning before hiring a professional cleaning company in Kenya

Office cleaning must take place every day to make sure that your visitors will always have a great first impression of your company. Having a messy and dirty office can definitely scare your clients away and if you are not pleased with the way your office looks, it is probably time you hired office cleaning services providers. A clean and organized office will cause a very good impression and it will also enable you to work more efficiently. Furthermore, cleaning services will help you find what you need much faster and at the same time increase your productivity at work.

First of all, you should know that office cleaning services are not easy as they seem because most clients are very demanding. Office buildings have strict guidelines regarding the chemicals and the cleaners that can be used, especially in order to avoid any allergic reactions. Most reputable companies hire cleaning services providers in order to avoid complications due to the fact that their employees are sensitive to certain chemicals. Also, companies who resort to cleaning services are very strict regarding the hours at which the cleaning personnel can come and do the necessary tasks.

Most office workers don’t like having their things touched or their space invaded and this is why companies ask to find the things of the employees untouched, after the cleaning. Hiring office cleaning services is not a luxury, but a necessity at the work place and these are some aspects you should consider before hiring office cleaning services. Most companies offer the following services: restroom cleaning, disinfecting, trash collection and removal, sweeping, mopping and vacuuming, dusting, vent cleaning, window washing, cleaning of light fixtures, etc.

Also, don’t forget about the references and keep in mind that the cleaning services provider you are interested in should offer you a list of companies to contact in order to obtain certain references. Give them a call and see if they confirm if the company is reputable and if it offers excellent services. If the office cleaning services provider can’t put at your disposal such a list, it is probably better that you moved on to another company. If money is a problem, you can select companies that offer daytime cleaning in order to save energy and money, this being a cheaper option. However, you should also keep in mind the fact that the employees might be the disturbed by the cleaning personnel and this might affect their productivity at work.

If you own a larger company, you will need cleaning services on a regular basis and the number of employees as well as the size of the space that needs to be cleaned will help you determine how often you need such services. However, a good solution is asking the office cleaning services provider to come weekly and afterwards you can schedule them more frequently as your business grows. Furthermore, make sure that you trust your cleaning services provider and that things don’t start disappearing from your office with the arrival of the cleaning personnel. Inquire about their supplies and see if they will bring them or if you have to bring the supplies.

10 Useful Office Cleaning Tips

A clean and tidy workplace is essential to any business, no matter what types of industry you are in you need an organised work environment so you and your employees can work in harmony. Offices alike need even greater attention because that is where most of the time you meet clients and prospects.

The state of a workplace in this case can often reflect how organised a business is, not to mention that a tidy office is proved to boost productivity. Who doesn’t like to walk in a workplace that is sparkling clean and tidy ready to start the daily activities, the only animal that likes to work in the dirt is a pig.

With that mind set we compiled a list of 10 office cleaning tips to help you maintain that your office is clean at all times.

1. Establish Priorities

First and foremost it is important to set priorities within the office. If your office produces a lot of paper work, assign someone to be in charge of the filling and organising all the paper work. But you should really try to minimise the amount of paper work produced within the office.

An idea is to keep everything in digitalised files and print them whenever you need them. More to that on tip nº5. If you already keep most of your files digitalised a good idea is to assign your computer savvy employee to organise them within a network so it is easy to access and ask him/her to make backups periodically.

2. Delete the Junk

It may take some time to go through those precious papers but, as you do, it will be easier for you to see how much is duplicated, unnecessary, out-of-date, and just plain rubbish. Throw out the stuff you no longer need. If there’s personal information, financial or other, on some of those sheets you are discarding, be sure to shred them! If you don’t have a shredder, invest in one.

3. Set Aside Time

It’s a good idea to set aside a specific time each day/week/month to handle the housekeeping and tidying that every office needs. Friday afternoons or Monday mornings is the best time to do the housekeeping, no need to explain why, right? Who likes to work on Monday morning and Friday afternoon? I have to be honest I don’t, hope the boss won’t read this.

4. Avoid poor indoor air quality

It is not uncommon for the air inside a home or office to be more toxic than the air outside. This is because of the presence of toxic materials and substances and the fact that homes and buildings are better insulated than ever before (which is a good thing from an energy standpoint). Keeping windows open as often as possible allows fresh air in and keep toxins flowing out. This is especially important when cleaning your home.

5. Go Digital

We are living in a digital era so why keep printing all documents and filling them into cabinets that take enormous amount of space in your office. Keep all your files digitalised and print them whenever you need them. This also applies to other types of files like video and music, no need to have piles of DVDs and CDs stored around the office keep all them in hard disk that can accessed by anyone in the office. If you don’t have it yet, get your IT guy to create a network to link all computers in your office.

6. Pay Great Attention to Computers and Telephone Sets

Have you ever taken anytime to consider how many germs there are lurking in your keyboard or on your telephone dashboard?? If you did, I think you’d find yourself not wanting to touch either again, not to mention that your computers could fry up if you don’t keep them clean. This is because when dust clogs the vents behind your computer, your CPU heats up—and heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers.

But, don’t just go and get your nearest polish or cleaning products!! You need to be careful what use on your electrical equipment because it can be damaged with the wrong products. If in doubt ask for professional cleaning help.

7. Clean your indoor air naturally

Skip the store-bought air fresheners and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you have a fondness for. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma. Also, plants may not make your house smell different but are good for filtering interior air–pretty much any broad green leaf plant will do. Peace Lilies are a favourite choice.

8. Incite Employees to keep their work area organised

Incite all workers to keep their desks clean and well organised at all times, put files away at the end of the day, a well organised work place is a productive workplace. It also gives a good impression to clients or perspective clients.

9. Give common areas a deep clean periodically

Ensure the offices and common areas have a Deep Clean at least once a year. This leads us to our final tip

10. Hire a Professional Office Cleaning Company

To ensure your office is sparkling clean and tidy at all times it is best to leave it to the professionals. Just like you know how to best perform in your job, professional office cleaners have greater knowledge in cleaning; therefore they can deliver a much better job.

Cleaning Stains From Office Chair Fabric – Treatment Tips

There is nothing worse than finding a nasty stain on your office chair fabric, it seems once it’s there it almost appears to grow and magnify each time you look at it. The question is what is the best way to deal with a bad fabric stain? And the answer really depends on what the stain is caused by.

Here are some of the most common stains found on office chairs and how to best deal with them.

Soft Drinks, Tea and Coffee Stains

Fabric stains on office chairs caused by soft drinks, tea and coffee are very common after all it’s just so easy to slop your drink when working in your chair.

As with the majority of fabric stains speedy treatment is vital so it is always best to act quickly. Begin by mopping up any excess fluid with a white paper towel, do this by blotting the stain and don’t start rubbing at it.

Next, mix up a solution of 33% white vinegar (acetic acid) and 66% warm water, dampen the stain with the solution with either a cloth or a misting spray.

Allow it to soak in for a short time and then blot again with a clean paper towel, repeat this process if necessary.

Grease Stains

Again speed is important when dealing with grease stains. Begin by sprinkling the greasy mark with talc or corn starch and let the grease absorb into the powder before brushing it off. This will remove any grease sitting on the surface of the fabric.

Next, use a dry cleaning solvent to damp the stain to dissolve the grease using a white paper towel to blot the affected area and remove the grease. It may well be necessary to repeat the treatment where the stain is particularly bad.

A cautionary note, before using any solvent always test it on an inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn’t adversely react with the fabric color.

Chocolate Stains

Chocolate is a real menace in the office, you’re having a snack and before you know it a lump of chocolate falls on the chair and then you sit on it and the damage is done.

Where it’s a big lump it is worth placing an ice cube in some cling film and pressing it against the chocolate to harden it, then take the back of a pen knife and carefully scrape off the build up of chocolate.

Once you have done this use the dry cleaning solvent procedure suggested for grease stains, remembering to test for color fastness first.

General Office Chair Fabric Maintenance

You may find you will need to clean the remainder of your chair fabric if it is a few years old as spot cleaning can leave the area a lot cleaner than the remaining fabric.

It’s always a good idea to keep your chair fabric in good condition by regular cleaning, left untreated minute grit particles embed themselves and act like sandpaper causing premature wear in your seating upholstery.

Regular vacuuming with a good cleaner as well as light beating to agitate the dirt particles is a good idea and will help prolong the life of your chair’s fabric.

Where the fabric is heavily worn it may be too late to restore its finish and investing in a new chair may be necessary.