The weather is changing, the days are longer, moods are better. Suddenly there is more sunlight, exposing all of the dust on your desk, stains from winter-cold coffee stand out, and the floors just look dull! Sending out a spring cleaning office memo is great, but often not enough to make sure the job gets done. Take advice for cleaning on a smaller scale from those who clean on a larger scale. Corvus asked teammates from around the country to share their insights and spring cleaning office space tips to assist your organization’s efforts.
1. Teamwork makes the dirty-work, clean:
“It is something that must be done, why not make it fun?” remarks Jonathan Frias – Corvus of Denver Regional Director. “Whether it’s in our own regional office at Corvus of Denver or in a client facility, we often perform “Spring cleaning impact cleans” and pull additional crews in to knockout the job. It is important to set aside an actual window so those responsible are held accountable and the spring cleaning gets done. Turn it into a treat, such as a happy hour at the end of the day, or a company wide donuts and coffee morning. The energy will be contagious, and this will ensure the cleaning actually happens”.
2. Declutter by keeping what you need at arm’s length:
Getting to the edges, ledgers and hard to reach spots for dusting and disinfecting is high on the list of spring cleaning tasks, noted Corvus of New Orleans Senior Account Rep, Reed Warren. The old coffee cups must go, essentials only! Corvus recommends making organization a priority. Dedicate a corner or a drawer for the personal and sentimental items. The tools you use daily such as the pen, highlighter, stapler, etc. should be the most accessible. The clutter is distracting!
3. Give back:
Provide a few boxes for the Goodwill or donation boxes! This will encourage declutter of unnecessary items and turn a problem for you into a profit for someone else (submitted by Corvus of New Orleans).
4. Time to Care for Carpets:
During the long Midwest winter, client employees understandably quaff a disproportionately large amount of hot beverages to keep them warm and restored…problem is those liquids often end up staining carpets, traffic areas, and can get pressed into the floor by office chair wheels. Corvus of St. Louis Director of Operations, Louis Kline, makes a habit of checking with all customers during the spring to schedule an array of carpet cleaning work – from bonnet cleaning, to high-traffic area hot water extraction, to dry method carpet cleaning, to complete extraction carpet cleaning. “It’s a good time to knock out carpet cleaning because we’re finally comfortable that the weather is turning, and the work won’t have to be re-performed. Plus, most of our customers have been with us an average of five years, and it’s just become part of our routine to not only clean the carpets, but to ensure the client doesn’t have to spend on replacing that material as a result of lack of care”.
5. Dust busting:
Corvus of Jacksonville recommends replacing all air vents and filters from high and low intake and outtake ventilation systems. Regardless of whether your battling Midwest winters or on the verge of confronting blistering Florida or Louisiana summer heat, facilities put their HVAC units into overdrive which in turn pushes dust, particles and dander through those hard working ducts. And while high and low dusting and vacuuming of intake vents needs to be part of a regular cleaning schedule, the fact remains that filters and vents need replacing, decluttering and cleaning. The combination of high and low dusting and mechanical / filter changes greatly reduces distribution of dust particles and dander, which leads to a healthier, cleaner and more productive workplace.
Corvus is a firm believer that what you do on a small scale spreads to the larger scale. A clean workspace makes for a clean head-space. As a business owner, you lead by example and by education. Share these tips with your staff!
Contributors: Corvus of New Orleans, Corvus of Jacksonville, Corvus of Denver, Corvus of St. Louis, Jonathan Frias, Louis Kline
