Some businesses clear out come summer, particularly school systems. Whether the classrooms and hallways have become completely vacant or the season has allowed some breathing room, there’s a few common spaces that are desperate for a deep clean!
First, it’s time to let the sunshine in
There’ve been a number of studies on sunlight increasing positive effects on employee wellbeing and performance. According to one study:
“We need direct and indirect sunlight to maintain physical and mental health — and for stress-free productivity. The sun helps us produce vitamin D, melatonin, and serotonin, besides which bright sunlight just helps us feel more alert.”
Now is the time to scrutinize those dirty windows and dusty blinds! You can mix up a simple, green solution with white vinegar and water, and use a microfiber cloth to give those windows a good scrub.
Did you know that curtains and blinds are magnets for dust… which in turn can bring about dust mites? Take down the cloth curtains and wash them in warm water each month. You can use the solution mentioned above to keep the blinds clean, too.
And hey, with summer being the slower season, you can take those blinds down to give them a good soak in white vinegar + warm water. It’s MUCH easier to get to those hard to reach nooks and spaces.
If you’re worried about UV exposure or privacy while maintaining a healthy office, blinds and curtains can be replaced with allergy-resistant window coverings, or you put HEPA-filtered purifiers near the windows. This way, your employees can enjoy fresh air without all the pollution and dust.
Stop winter mud from triggering summer mold!
For all of fall, winter, and spring, muddy shoes and boots have clomped tirelessly across your carpets. More than likely, keeping up the basic level of cleanliness wasn’t easy throughout the year. Now is the time to get a handle on it — especially because the summer heat and humidity can turn whatever’s lurking in the fibers into mold…
And that can trigger tons of health issues. Also, if left unchecked, this will make an unfun cleaning job more difficult.
All you need to do is schedule a deep extraction carpet cleaning with a company that uses green solutions and methods. It’s best to schedule this in the early morning or late evening… and here’s an extra tip: leave those freshly cleaned windows open which will cut down on the humidity and drying times!
Lastly… what exactly are you sitting on?
Chances are, if you knew… you’d probably feel sick! Upholsterer Jim Santilli makes this clear, and he isn’t just referring to lost bits of candy or spill-stains that have seeped below the cushions… but the nasty stuff that’s made a home in the foam core or batting:
Hair. Dust bunnies. Spider webs. Even rodent droppings!
Keeping up with recurring, green steam cleaning will help you avoid the need to reupholster your whole office or string of classrooms. The temperature involved with steam cleaning is hot enough to kill mites and bed bugs — without ruining the material.
Just like when deep cleaning carpets, you should schedule upholstery cleaning in the early morning or evening — and leave the windows open so that your furniture can dry quickly.
Final notes
Keeping up on routine green cleaning services is the best way to maintain a sparkling, healthy office — but there are things you can do on your own that will benefit the physical health and mental wellbeing of your staff:
Clean windows to remove allergens, dirt, and dust
- Clean blinds and curtains monthly, and remove them for a deep soak periodically
- Consider allergy resistant window coverings to limit harmful UV rays while keeping your staff’s health top priority
- Deep clean all carpets to stop seasonal mud from becoming summertime mold
- Regularly steam clean all fabric-oriented furniture
Remember that Rafco Clean is here to help make sure you’ve got a clean, healthy building at all times. Contact us with any questions!