Blog: Office Cleaning Melbourne

A commercial cleaning service is a perfect solution for keeping any size office space in North Melbourne clean and inviting. However, any building where people are spending a large part of their day is bound to experience messes that need to be dealt with immediately by a day to day cleaning crew. To make sure these don’t derail the workday, make sure you have the following five items on hand.

A Vacuum Cleaner

If you hire a commercial cleaning service, they usually come equipped with their own vacuum cleaners. However, there will always be crumbs, dust and other visible dirt that need to be removed. Vacuum cleaners are more effective than brooms, so get one just in case.

Wet Floor Sign

A wet floor sign provides a valuable service – it’s a warning to be careful. You don’t want an employee with a broken bone as this could end with a medical bill and a lawsuit. Make sure that when floors are wet, the sign is there for employees, clients and visitors.

Mop

Speaking of wet floors, a mop is also vital. When there is a significant spill a kitchen cloth won’t cut it and using paper towels is wasteful. Your cleaning service might come once or twice a week, but it’s best to deal with a mess as it happens to prevent a sticky spot that attracts even more dirt.

Multiple Surface Sprays

Germs spread quickly, especially in open-plan offices. If you want to stay hygienic, keep anti-bacterial sprays handy for when the surfaces could do with a wipe.

Cleaning Cloths

And plenty of them! Keeping cleaning cloths handy for when there are minor spills or if the kitchen counters are grimy will help maintain a clean workplace. Wash or recycle them often as bacteria grows in the fibres and folds if they’ve been used for too long. Have separate cloths for separate areas – don’t use the same cloth in the kitchen AND the bathroom.

Think ahead and stock a cupboard with a vacuum, mop, wet floor sign, anti-bacterial surface sprays and cleaning cloths. This will ensure that your office remains pleasant to work with between visits from your commercial cleaning service of choice. If you don’t have one currently, you can always contact Ankars Commercial Cleaning in North Melbourne for assistance.

Ask any manager and he will tell you how challenging it is to enforce cleanliness and orderliness inside the office. Perhaps one reason is that employees expect the cleaning custodians to the “menial” work for them. But when it comes to office cleaning in Melbourne, there are many ways in which the Human Resource department can encourage employees to be proactive. One can agree that productivity at work is more feasible and successful when everything is in order and systematic.

Tips to Encourage Your Office Staff to Keep it Clean

Here are five tips you can follow namely, enforce general-cleaning days, encourage safety through cleanliness, enhance cleaning supplies visibility, engage cleaning monitors, and express approval and disapproval.

Establish General-cleaning Days

Just like what we do at home, we often schedule special days wherein we get to do some general cleaning on a regular basis. This is very important in establishing an efficient system wherein everyone is expected to participate in. You can do this by dedicating a day or two each year to do some deep cleaning at the office, and that means every nook and cranny, including the common areas, storage cabinets, pantry, etc.

Enforce Safety through Cleanliness

There is an adage which goes, “cleanliness is next to godliness.” I say that cleanliness precedes safety. If you live in a place where natural calamities are common, you will make it a top priority to maintain cleanliness and tidiness at home and at the office, knowing that disorderly cable wires and other office clutters can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Enhance Cleaning Supplies’ Visibility

When cleaning supplies are visible and easily accessible for employees to use, this will help increase the chances and frequency for them to tidy up and maintain a sweet-smelling, clean-feeling work environment.

Engage Cleaning Monitors

In addition to making cleaning supplies visible for everyone to use, engaging cleaning monitors can help check work stations and aisles more efficiently and quickly. You can also adopt a rewards system, wherein the monitor earns a dollar or two for every trash or unwashed mug or plate at someone’s work station. Although some may argue against this, (given the presence of cleaning custodians) this might motivate employees more to keep their work stations spic-and-span, and encourage others to do so.

Express Disapproval

Finally, nothing beats the old game of shaming those who are as stubborn as pigs when it comes to playing in the mud! In this strategy, you can place a public advisory board where everyone can see those who are deliberately disregarding the cleanliness rule at the office. Once their names are shown, you can bank on it that these offenders will not waste time to clean their messy areas right away to avoid the embarrassment from other colleagues, visitors, and especially the top executives!

Summary

These are all suggestions you may or may not follow or you may also re-invent your own system. The greater principle to consider is that the working environment is a place where brilliant, talented and hard-working people work together to achieve individual and corporate goals as a diverse yet integrated team. And it will definitely motivate your employees to work harder when they understand the principle of the biological ecosystem wherein their individual action impacts the whole system either positively or negatively.

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A clean office is an important and often neglected aspect of the success of your business. Cleanliness affects your productivity, health and hygiene, moral, and reputation.Take the time to set some protocols for your employees to maintain the general cleanliness of your office. Everyone will benefit.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Keep Supplies Handy
Make sure you have a closet or basket filled with office cleaning essentials. Some things to include are paper towels, multi-purpose and glass cleaner, dusting spray, microfiber wipes, a broom, and a vacuum.

Everything In Its Place
Take inventory of all of the business-related items. Next, decide where those items belong and make an effort to keep them there. For more seldom-used or bulky materials, invest in storage containers. Be sure you label them accordingly and keep an inventory list as well.

Clutter-free Desks
Make it a rule that employees should keep their desks free from clutter. Invest in desks with drawers and cabinet space so that there is a place to store items necessary for work. A clean workspace will make everyone more productive and is easier to sanitise when necessary.

Spotless Keyboards
Have a supply of keyboard wipes easily accessible for all. Make it a habit of wiping down your keyboard at the end of every day and after eating at your desk.

Phone Service
If you often use your office phone, make sure that you are regularly cleaning it. Try using a spray cleaner on the receiver and wiping down the dial pad with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Break Room Maintenance
This tends to be an area that gets dirty quickly. Here are some specific steps to keep it clean:

• Empty the trash regularly or at least remove it to another area.
• Vacuum food crumbs as soon as they appear.
• Require all employees to label their food in the refrigerator.
• Designate a weekly or monthly clean-out day. All food left behind will be tossed if not claimed.
• Wash dishes immediately after use.
• Wipe down the microwave if a mess is made.

Plant Life
Have a designated person in charge of the communal office plants. Water them regularly, remove dead leaves, and look for signs of decay. If live plants cannot be kept alive and healthy-looking, consider investing in artificial ones (and be sure to dust them).

Visualise
Take a moment and Imagine that you are a client entering the office. Walk around,following the same path a client might take. Stop often to examine your surroundings. If you look at the space from a new perspective you may find areas to clean and issues to address.

Turn To A Professional
While these tips can help keep your office clean on the surface, it is important to employ a professional cleaning service to do routine cleaning as well. Only a professional can do a deep and thorough cleaning of all parts of your office to ensure complete sanitisation.

The team at Ankars cleaning has extensive experience in office cleaning around Melbourne. Contact us for a quote to keep your office clean.

Photo credit: chrisjagers via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND

If your office utilises carpet as it’s main form of flooring, it is important to keep it clean. There are many steps you can take to help maintain the cleanliness of your carpets. Here are a few to keep you on track:

Invest in High Quality Mats

In order to prevent soil, dirt, or other rubbish from being tracked into your office, place mats at all entrances. Of course, it is important to vacuum and clean these mats regularly. Failure to do so will greatly reduce their effectiveness.

Vacuum Regularly

Make it a practice to frequently vacuum your carpet using a good quality vacuum.Manufacturers of carpets recommend that, in high traffic areas, you vacuum two times a week. When you vacuum, it helps eliminate soil that can be abrasive on carpet fibers and cause premature wear and tear. Even if you can’t see the soil, it can still cause damage to your carpets. It’s also important to keep your vacuum in good working condition. Maintain all working parts and be sure to replace bags frequently.

Treat Spots and Spills Immediately

One key to a clean carpet is immediately removing any spots or spills.You must take care in your method of removal, though. For new carpets, or those that have been treated with a protectant, plain water can remove most spots. If water is not doing the trick, you should use a specially designed solution. A good source for this type of cleaner is your hired office cleaning professional. They may be able to provide you with an emergency supply to take care of problems as they arise. Bear in mind that the longer a spot or spill remains on the carpet, the more likely it is to permanently stain.

It is important to use a good quality cleaner and not one purchased at your local grocery or home improvement store. Those types of cleaners tend to leave sticky residue and can lead to discoloration or even rapid re-soiling.

For a proper technique to clean spills, follow these steps:

• Blot up the excess spill.
• Apply a small amount of spot cleaner sparingly to white cotton towel
• Gently massage the spot with the towel (never pour spot cleaner directly on carpet).
• Blot area with water.
• If the spot persists, contact your professional office cleaner.

Professional Office Cleaning

A professional office cleaner will be equipped with the proper tools and equipment to provide a thorough and deep cleaning to your carpets. The frequency of deep carpet cleaning will depend on the amount of foot traffic on the carpet, budget, and other environmental factors.

The professionals at Ankars are here and available to perform all office cleaning for Melbourne based businesses. Let us do the dirty work for you!

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Contact Ankars today for a free quote.

Running a business is a large undertaking for anyone. It can extremely stressful; managing your employees, trying to boost revenue, basic day to day operations, financial planning for your company, as well as keeping your facility up and running. With so much to worry about, making sure that your facility is a clean and healthy environment shouldn’t have to be a burden.

The Benefits of a Clean Space

There are many benefits to having a clean and tidy space in and around your business. Cleanliness and sanitisation are some of the most important components of a business; while it may be a bit of a “behind the scenes” factor in your business, it is of very high importance, and is noticed when it is not done correctly.

Clean Equals Healthy

On a very basic level, it’s easy to see that it would be much easier to operate in a neat area. When you’re trying to run a business in a space that isn’t well maintained, it is easy to be distracted and lose focus on the task at hand. Cleanliness is also important in the perspective of health. If your employees are constantly calling in sick on account of the poor quality of the environment, then reaching your goals within the company will be a lot more difficult. Presenting a well kept, clean, and safe space will definitely be important to your clients. Office cleaning in Melbourne is a foregone conclusion, expected of any respectable business in the area.

The Consequences

Not being able to provide a healthy and safe space could have really terrible consequences for your business, employees, as well as your clients.

Safety First

Whether it is slipping hazards, unclean surfaces, or bacteria and germs in the air in your facility, they could all spell disaster for you and your livelihood. Nobody wants to work in a place that isn’t safe on a very basic level, no one wants to put themselves in danger for any wage. This would be cumbersome for retention as well as potential employee recruitment.

Avoid a Bad Reputation

Word of mouth is often the number one way that business attract customers. Having an unclean or unsafe working environment would only lead to a bad reputation and the wrong kind of word being spread about your business.

It’s All About the Money

In addition to negative feelings being spread about your company or facility, there could also be financial and legal consequences. When a workplace is unhealthy or unsafe -employees may be completely within their rights to come back and sue your business for health damages or lost wages due. This would also further decrease your revenues, as it would be very difficult to attract new business to a place where not even it’s own employees are willing to show up.

Choose Wisely

Whether you make the choice to make the cleaning of your office a priority for want of all the possible benefits, fear of the consequences, or any reasons in between, just be sure you’re making this essential factor a priority one way or another. The safety and health of yourself, your employees, and patrons should be at the top of your list. If you can’t provide those basic needs, all your other goals will fall short as well, keep your priorities in order and utilise one of the many organisations which offer office cleaning in Melbourne today.

This may seem like common sense, but it’s one of those tips that can often be overlooked in the seemingly never ending battle against the common cold, the flu, and other illnesses. Which mind numbingly easy, so often forgotten, practice is this you may be asking? It is hand washing! You know what your mum taught you how to do ages ago and what you just kind of go through the motions of now, as an adult? Yeah, that one. This is especially important in the workplace and around your office, as it is such a high traffic area. As an owner, or manager of an office building, it is not only your own hand washing that should concern you, but also that of your staff and patrons. Ankars Office Cleaning in Melbourne wants to be sure you’re ready to combat these illnesses and do so efficiently and easily. Knowledge is power; knowing, understanding and being able to communicate the importance of properly washing hands can improve office morale and health without much effort at all.

Why?

Experts cite many different practices to follow to combat disease and illness, however the easiest and certainly most immediately effective is washing your hands. When you fail to wash your hands, it not only puts yourself at risk of becoming a host to a harmful bacteria, disease, or germ, but others as well. This is especially true in the workplace, where many spaces are communal and there is lots of hand to hand interaction with your coworkers. Simply not properly washing your hands can be detrimental to your entire office’s health; when you aren’t 100% the work isn’t done at 100% and the combination of poor quality work, along with not feeling your best can lead to a low morale in the office and inefficiency within the office.

When?

Handwashing, in general terms, should be utilised as often as possible. There is no such thing as too much hand washing. In fact, when in doubt, wash; it is always best to err on the side of caution. However, of course, there are a few essential times that handwashing should be utilised.

-Anytime your hands are visibly dirty

-After Toilet Use

-Post Sneeze/Nose Cleaning

-Anytime you’re around food

-After consuming alcohol or smoking

-After handling rubbish

-When handling animals or pets

-When in contact with the ill

How?

At Ankars, we know that life is fast paced and there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day at times. So taking time out of your busy day to show your hands some attention may seem trivial at times, however a proper thorough hand-washing can save you time and money in the future, while you continue to live a healthy efficient life, instead of wasting time getting over illnesses that a lack of handwashing can cause. So, to really get those germs off of you, follow these easy steps.

1. Wet your hands with preferably warm water.
2. Squeeze a generous amount of soap in your hand
3. Rub hands together until they are lathered
4. Scrub lathered hands together, making sure to scrub the backs of palms and between fingers
5. Rinse hands thoroughly
6. Turn off faucet with paper towel, rather than freshly washed hands
7. Dry hands with air dryer, or paper towel

And there you have it! Keeping your office healthy and happy really is as simple as though 7 steps. So be sure to constantly remind your staff to continue to practice good and frequent hand washing habits, as well as post signs as extra reminders. Ankars Office Cleaning of Melbourne can clean your office time and time again, however it is important for the inhabitants of any office to practice as much cleanliness as possible as well.

Ankars Office Cleaning of Melbourne would love to come in and help you to keep your office a clean, healthy, and safe place and we are more than willing to help you achieve that goal. However, office cleanliness cannot be achieved solely through semi-regular deep cleanings, in order to be maintained, office cleanliness requires some help from you and your staff.

There are several ways to help make your office a safe environment, many of them are quite common knowledge, such as washing hands regularly, sanitising surfaces, and keeping work areas clutter free. However, one very important practice that often goes under the radar when planning a safe workplace. This would be keeping entrance mats at each and every entrance into your building.

While it may seem a little “much”, or even unnecessary to utilise this practice, there are many advantages to this practice, and using it can save you a lot of time and energy in the future. We’ve compiled a list of just a few reasons investing in entrance mats is worth your while.

Cleaning your shoes

According to a leading industry study, more than 80% of bacteria and contaminants are brought in through the soles of people’s’ shoes. Staff, patrons, everyone who enters your building brings everywhere they’ve been with them. Unfortunately, it is not a common practice to request for your patrons or staff to remove their shoes, so making that request may be off putting and possibly drive away customers and potential employees. Utilising an entrance mat can significantly decrease the number of contaminants that make it past the threshold.

Keep out mud and dirt

While it’s virtually impossible to stop all dust and dirt from entering your building, it doesn’t hurt to try and curb how much does actually make it in. Having an entrance mat can help to encourage people to clean off their shoes before entering, and lessen the amount of dirt in your building. For all the rest that does make it in, there are services like Ankars to help you out!

Rain, rain, go away!

This is a big one. When it’s raining outside, patrons and staff alike will likely be looking for an entrance mat, as their soles, umbrellas, and clothing even, will be wet. So keeping all that mud and water off of your clean floors, and on the entrance mat is ideal.

Give your entrance a personality

Yes, your entrance mat is there primarily to keep your floors clean, your staff safe, and your environment healthy -there’s no reason it shouldn’t be fun as well! Using an entrance mat can be fun, you can theme your mats according to the season, or write a friendly message on your mats welcoming your customers and staff. Small touches such as these, can go a long way with morale and customer loyalty.

No slips!

Whether it be ice, water from the rain, dust, or any other slippery agent on your entrants’ shoes, an entrance mat can help avoid your patrons slipping and falling upon entering your building. Using an entrance mat is not only a courtesy, but also a safety concern. Having someone slip and hurt themselves on your property can not only be costly, but be detrimental as far as PR goes as well.

Minimize wear and tear on your floors

Patrons tracking in rocks, dirt, or grime unchecked can really have an adverse affect on your flooring. Using an entrance mat can decrease the amount of rocks and dirt coming in, which in turn, preserving your floors as long as possible!

Regulate incoming bacteria

Technology has come a long way; it’s even made its way into entrance mats. Yes, nowadays you can find entrance mats that actually have microbe-killing agents infused right into them. This will keep your floors visually pleasing, as well as clean on a microscopic level. Having this type of protection will also help to keep your staff and clients healthy.

Related Tags: Office Cleaning In Melbourne

For many of us most of our time is spent at the office. Because of this it is an important spot that should be kept clean and organized. By doing so you can stay productive as well as keep things hygienic. Major businesses know this which is why a good part of their budgets goes to maintaining cleanliness in their workspaces. The following is a look at a set of standards that should be followed when cleaning your work area.

The Main Strategy

Expert cleaners divide an office into different areas and tailor their approach to each of them. Depending on the type of business that’s done in an office or the success of the company some places see more clients than others. This means that plans differ from one office to another and if yours is one of those that receives more foot traffic then you should be very attentive to keeping it clean. Besides hiring a professional office cleaning service there are things that every employee can and should do to make sure that the area is clean during business hours. While professional cleaners normally perform their duties in the off hours some offices operate 24/7 which means special guidelines should be follow to ensure everyone’s safety.

Cleaning the General Area

The set ups for modern office can actually be more difficult to clean than they appear. There are a number of details that need to be handle in order for the area to be cleaned to a high standard. Trashcans and dust bins should be routinely emptied and every nook and corner should be wiped for dust. Many people overlook walls and doors but if a guest notices dirt on them if could give a bad impression. Equipment like telephones, computers, and printers should be cleaned regularly as should desks even if they aren’t viewed by the clients. By keeping them clean you can also keep things orderly which helps productively. Also, windows should be wiped regularly to avoid spots and help let in the sunshine.

Cleaning the Floors

Depending on the part of the office floors are either carpeted or left bare. To clean carpets vacuum them while being careful to avoid electric shock or other types of accidents. By keeping your carpets clean you can add an elegant touch to your work area. Bare floors should be swept and mopped. This treatment can keep them looking fresh.

Cleaning the Toilets

It is been said that you can judge the cleanliness of an office or household by looking at its toilets. To keep this area clean toilets and urinals should be cleaned at regular intervals and the surrounding areas should be wiped. If the bathroom is not kept clean then bacteria can build up which can pose a health risk.

Cleaning the Kitchens

Because this is where food is stored and prepared it is also important to keep this area clean. Sinks should be kept clear of dishes as well as regularly cleaned. Benches and refrigerators should be routinely cleaned out and treated with a disinfectant. Leaving food out can lead to it becoming spoiled and should be avoided.

Keeping your office or place of business clean is important. With the help of a professional office cleaning company you can find the way to do this that works best with your situation. Every part of the area needs its own special attention. By keeping your work area clean you present a professional appearance and keep conditions sanitary. To help do these things a professional office cleaning service has the knowledge, training, and experience to do the job right.

If you need office cleaning in Melbourne, contact Ankars for a free quote today.

As a business owner, one of your most important assets may just be having a clean and attractive office. Clients, customers, investors, and even potential employees, equate cleanliness with success. When you present a clean environment, you offer a comfortable space to conduct business. It will also encourage repeat visits to your establishment without hesitation. Unfortunately, you likely do not have the time to clean your office yourself. In that case, hiring professional office cleaners is one of the simplest and smartest investments you can make.

In-house cleaners are cost prohibitive

Time is money. That old adage is most definitely true. If you employ your own office cleaner, you are paying for every minute that that person is on the clock. That includes wages, benefits, insurance, and taxes. You’ll be paying for a full day of work whether they are spending that entire time cleaning or not. Chances are good they aren’t cleaning 100% of the time. Also, they are probably not using the most efficient or even the most effective methods to keep your office clean. In addition to the regular costs of employing your cleaner, you will likely have some start-up costs to hire those employees. You could possibly need to spend money on advertising, training, supervising staff, and materials. Isn’t that money better spent elsewhere?

Benefits of professional office cleaning services

When you choose to hire a professional cleaning company to handle your office cleaning needs, you will save both time and money. You will also be saving energy and resources. Initially, a professional office cleaning company will have already incurred the costs of hiring and training cleaners. Also, a quality cleaning company will be well versed in efficient cleaning processes and methods. Beyond that, a professional cleaning company has knowledge of health and safety regulations and will ensure that your office is in compliance.

In addition to saving energy and resources by hiring a professional office cleaning company, you will also save yourself the burden of materials and equipment. If you choose to keep your office cleaning in-house, you would have to make expensive investments. For example, you would need a commercial vacuum cleaner, commercial carpet cleaner, commercial floor waxer/buffer, commercial window cleaning equipment, and the necessary materials to accompany all. All of this equipment could easily cost you thousands of dollars. Beyond that, you would need to ensure you have a space to store these machines and supplies.

Another consideration is the due-diligence required of professional office cleaning. In-house staff would need to be trained on the use and upkeep of professional cleaning equipment. Additionally, steps would need to be taken to properly and safely store the chemicals used for cleaning. There may also be rules and regulations regarding the disposal of cleaning waste and debris. A professional office cleaning company will already be armed with all of this information.

Make the smart choice when it comes to office cleaning

Why go to so much trouble when you could turn to a professional office cleaning company to handle all of your cleaning needs? Presumably you are in the business you are in because you are an expert in your particular field. Well, a professional office cleaner is an expert in their field, too. The field of office cleaning. Hire someone who can use their knowledge and expertise to keep your office clean, safe, and healthy for your employees and clients.

A professional office cleaning service will also protect your bottom line. A cleaning company will service your office on the days and during times that you specify, as opposed to an in-house employee. You also have control over which services you want performed and when. Do you and your business a favor and invest in a professional office cleaning service today.

Are you a Melbourne business owner or manager? Are you looking for quality office cleaning services?

Contact the professionals at Ankars for a free quote.