All businesses have a certain level of daily dirt and grime that accumulates: offices collect dust, workshops have debris, showrooms deal with customer traffic and the trash they inevitably bring in. Up until recently businesses really only had to be concerned with maintaining an extreme level of cleanliness if the business was open to clients/customers OR the promotion of your product includes a showroom that demands a high-level presentation.
That all changed this spring with the onset of Covid-19. Not only do customers need to be reassured that businesses are taking every precaution available to stay clean and disinfected, the safety of your employees and the future of your business demands that necessary steps are taken.
The CDC has been on the forefront of guiding people and business through these challenging times. Their recommendations for healthy business practices include:
- Routine cleaning and disinfecting of frequently used surfaces
- Disinfecting of objects in public places between each use (ex. shopping carts)
- Cleaning THEN disinfecting high touch surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks
- For soft surfaces such as carpets, rugs, drapes, and upholstery, vacuuming alone is NOT an effective form of disinfecting. Disinfecting requires the application of a chemical designed specifically to treat soft surfaces
The realization that a confirmed case of Covid-19 was present in your business requires that you take even more extreme measures to minimize the risk to others in your facility. This includes:
- Waiting 24 hours or as long as practical before beginning cleaning and disinfection
- Closing off areas visited by the ill persons
- Opening outside doors and windows
- Using ventilating fans to increase air circulation in the area
- Cleaning and disinfecting all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment (like tablets, touch screens, keyboards, remote controls, and ATM machines) used by the ill persons, focusing especially on frequently touched surfaces
Regardless of whether your business has experienced a case of Covid-19 or not, it is important that custodial staff approach the cleaning of any space or surface as if it has been infected with a communicable disease. This includes wearing of proper PPE (personal protective equipment) while performing maintenance tasks to minimize the inherent risks involved with contact with contaminated surfaces.
In many cases these new requirements go above-and-beyond what your custodial staff was already doing, stretching thin an already overtaxed part of your business. That is where Braxtons Cleaning Solutions can help. Our team of professionals is ready to properly apply a disinfectant to all parts of your business, ensuring that you, your employees, and your customers stay safe during these uncertain times.