The Weather is Changing! It’s Time for Your Building’s Cleaning Refresh

It's officially spring or summer.... and you know what that means…time for some spring cleaning!

Spring is the perfect time to deep clean problem areas, refresh landscaping, and assess and address seasonal damage before it gets worse. Here are some items that should definitely be on your facility’s spring-cleaning list.

Start With a Walkthrough

Take a long, critical look at every part of your facility or facilities. Get nitpicky. This is the time to move all those deferred maintenance projects from the back burner to the top of your to-do list. Check for damaged surfaces, scuffed paint, burnt-out lamps, broken fixtures, and everyday wear and tear.

Bring your cleaning crew with you and ask for their input. As experts in the maintenance trenches every day, they can identify a few problem areas before you even start your tour. (Pro Tip: This only works with a professional cleaning service. Your employees may clean as part of their regular duties, but do you trust them to detect potential maintenance issues?)

Assess Flooring

Winter weather happens outside, but it does not stay outside. Extra moisture, grit, and ice melt chemicals tracked in on boots and shoes, will damage expensive hard surface floors and carpeting. Spring is an excellent time to assess the damage, make repairs, and deep clean.

Carpets may require a full, deep clean with a hot-water extraction machine. Or a low-moisture interim maintenance machine that uses encapsulation may be enough. Spring might be a good time to explore options if you don’t have a comprehensive carpet care program.

Check the finish on hard surface flooring. Damage might respond to a simple scrub and recoat or need a complete strip and refinish. Warning: Know your flooring material before assigning this task. Newer materials, like Luxury Vinyl Tile or Luxury Vinyl Plank, have no finish and cannot be scrubbed or stripped.

Take it Outside

Assess your exterior, paying particular attention to heavily used areas like parking lots, walkways, and front entrances. Look for burnt-out lighting and tripping hazards. Patch, power wash, and make repairs as needed (don’t forget the windows!)

Refresh landscaping. Nothing says Spring louder or makes your exterior more inviting than newly planted flowers and freshly trimmed shrubs.

Spring Clean Your Cleaning Strategy

Spring is also a great time to assess your cleaning protocols. Are you happy with the level of maintenance in your buildings? Is there consistency between different sites? What daily cleaning strategies need improvement?

If you are unhappy with the quality of your facilities, look for a new cleaning service. If you ask your employees to clean, it is time to call in the professionals.

Your “in-housecleaning team” cannot deliver the same results as skilled maintenance personnel. When cleaning, your employees are untrained, unmotivated, and too busy to give maintenance jobs their full attention. Also, do you want your employees on a ladder or risk a slip and fall?

Keep your core employees focused on their work and let the professionals handle the cleaning.

At OpenWorks, we are your partners in your facility’s maintenance in the springtime and any time. We align with your needs and keep our standards high. With expertly trained service providers, our work comes with 40 years of experience. Get your free facility management estimate today!

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