Your sparkling clean workplace can get into disarray in no time.
The fact is that mess breeds mess. One item out of place is quickly joined by more stuff and before you know it, you have a shambles. This can cost you, so it’s important to get onto it.

4 Ways to encourage your associates to tidy up after themselves

1. Raise awareness

You can do this with a reference to the situation at a staff meeting or send around a memo. Either way, keep it general, not personal. It could be all that’s needed.

2. Measure performance

Okay. You’ve tried the awareness avenue, but the office is still a disaster. So, the message is now accountability. This can be tricky. After all, we’re dealing with adults and it can be a bit insulting to be told that your lunch bag is not where it should be.
The answer to this is self-evaluation.
3 questions to be answered on a scale of 1 – 5 could read:
a) Is the work area in good order?
b) Have you picked up after yourself?
c) Do you have suggestions for streamlining general cleanup?
These questions can again be sent out as a quick survey or posted in various places to raise staff awareness.

3. Training

Make sure that your employees have had the appropriate training.
Whether you are large company with a complete janitorial staff or a small to medium business where the daily chores are done by associates, cleaning duties and how they should be carried out must be clearly outlined.

4. Provide the appropriate cleaning tools and supplies

These can be divided up by area.

Breakroom Supplies

Also called the lunchroom, this is a place where employees can relax, eat or drink away from their workstations. Keep it fresh, safe and attractive by having the following items on hand:

1. Food-safe all-purpose cleaner

Purell food-service surface sanitizer is a cleaner-disinfectant that kills Norovirus, Salmonella and E-coli in 30 seconds.
It’s perfect for the hard surfaces in your breakroom because it’s safe for food contact. No rinse required.

2. Disinfectant cleaner

Formulated for tough cleaning jobs, this Lysol product cleans, shines, disinfects, deodorizes and cuts grease.
It kills Staph, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, E-coli, HIV-1 (AIDS virus) and other germs on hard, non-porous surfaces.
Lysol foam cleaner also eliminates odors and prevents the growth of mold and mildew.

3. Stainless steel cleaner

Mildly acid, bleach-free Bar Keepers Friend could well turn out to be your friend too.
It removes rust, lime, hard water and mineral deposits.
Use it to clean, shine and restore stainless steel, copper, brass, ceramic, porcelain, chrome, fiberglass and other hard, non-stone surfaces.
It’s great for a variety of industrial applications, plus cookware, cutlery and deep-cleaning drained floors and grout.

Bathroom Supplies

1. All Purpose Cleaner

This Spic and Span spray is a glass cleaner, an all-purpose cleaner and a disinfecting cleaner all in one!
A patented dual-solvent formula, it dissolves greasy soils, provides easy wipe-up and then evaporates leaving a streak-free, disinfected surface.
This is a hospital-grade disinfectant and can be used on most surfaces including glass.

2. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Lysol toilet bowl cleaner with hydrogen peroxide will get those toilets gleaming. Rust stains and lime deposits disappear, and it kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses when used as directed.
The bottle has an angled neck for better reach under the rim.
This cleaner has a fresh, clean scent and contains no bleach or phosphates. No need for gloves or mask with this one!

3. Glass cleaner

Enjoy fast, easy cleaning with Windex glass cleaner.
Won’t streak or leave a film.
Works great for glass, plexiglass, stainless, chrome and other hard surfaces.

4. Gloves

Disposable gloves are usually the hands-down winner for cleaning bathrooms.
Nitrile, polyethylene, vinyl or latex?
Powdered or unpowdered?
Blue, purple, white or clear?
It’s really a matter of personal preference, but some companies avoid latex because of the allergy risk.

Deck Cleaning Supplies

1. Deck Brush

Rubbermaid’s scrub brush is ideal for wet-scrubbing in open areas and under equipment.
Its split-brush shape has straight and angled bristles. This makes for easy cleaning in difficult spots.

Floor Cleaning Supplies

1. Neutral Floor Cleaner

This triple-action heavy-duty neutral floor cleaner is great for any floors not harmed by water.
Use it as a general-purpose cleaner, mop-on floor cleaner or automatic scrubber cleaner.
Containing no solvents or harsh alkalis, this is a low-foaming, biodegradable cleaner.
Enjoy its fresh fragrance!

2. Mop

When you upgrade from a cut-end wet-mop, the General Loop is our most economical looped wet mop.
4-ply synthetic end yarn means no break-in period and the mop stays looking new.
Fast-absorbing and mildew-resistant, this is a great choice for supermarkets, food service, schools and hotels.
Commercial laundering is not recommended.

3. Bucket

Choose from a huge selection of pails and wringers.
And don’t forget the caution signs!

Floor machine

Introducing the 1231845 I-mopXL Lithium-Ion Auto Disk Scrubber

This auto disk scrubber with its 18.1” path is about to revolutionize your floor cleaning routine.
It’s about as convenient as it gets, with its removable solution tank, rechargeable batteries, squeegee and 2 brushes.
Your floors never had it so good!

So keep the lines of communication open, catch problems while they’re small, check that your team knows who to ask if they have questions and…

Make sure that the team is well-equipped with supplies!

Don’t have time to do your monthly cleaning supplies order?
Unisan Columbus can help.
We will keep your cleaning and breakroom supplies stocked for you.