Mastering High-Traffic Area Cleaning in Busy Offices

Office cleanliness is more than just a matter of aesthetics. It’s a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy and productive work environment. High-traffic areas such as lobbies, elevators, pantries, and common corridors have their own share of challenges when it comes to cleanliness.

These spaces are constantly in use throughout the day, so they are prone to rapid dirt accumulation, wear and tear, and potential hygiene issues. This article will help you realise many things about office cleanliness and how to successfully achieve it.

Identifying High-Traffic Areas in Office Spaces

Effective cleaning begins with recognising the areas that need most attention. In a typical office setting, high-traffic zones are not always immediately apparent, but they significantly impact the cleanliness and impression of the working space.

Common High-Traffic Zones

1. Reception Areas serve as the first point of contact for visitors and clients and they also set the tone for your entire office. You should expect that they experience constant foot traffic and are susceptible to outdoor contaminants.
2. Elevators and Stairwells are transition spaces that also see heavy use throughout the workday. They quickly accumulate dirt and germs from multiple users.
3. Pantries and Break Rooms are areas where food is prepared and consumed. They also need rigorous cleaning to maintain hygiene standards and prevent pests from entering and pestering.
4. Because Meeting Rooms are frequently used for client presentations and team gatherings, they also need tender, loving care to maintain a professional appearance at all times.
5. Corridors and Walkways act as the arteries of the office because they connect different rooms and spaces. As you may know, they receive continuous foot traffic and can show wear quickly if they are not maintained properly.
6. Restrooms are being used frequently. What makes these areas challenging to keep clean and sanitary aside from the constant use is the moisture generated. It is important that they are kept clean and dry.

Cleaning Strategies For These Areas

Once you have identified the areas that are high in the priority list, you should think about the strategies you will implement during cleaning. They should be done with thoroughness, efficiency, and without disrupting office operations.

Frequency

1. Your first option is to implement a tiered cleaning schedule. You start with high-traffic areas then to the less-used spaces.
2. Daily cleaning is essential for areas like receptions, pantries and restrooms.
3. Consider twice-daily cleaning for extremely high-use areas during peak business hours. The more people use a facility, the more you have to clean it.
4. Conduct deep cleaning sessions weekly or bi-weekly depending on the specific nerds of your office.

Proper Techniques

• For hard floors like tile and vinyl,
  • Use microfibre mops for removing dust daily
  • Implement a two-bucket system when mopping (to avoid cross-contamination)
  • If you are dealing with stubborn stains, use appropriate cleaning solutions and let them sit for a while before scrubbing
• For carpets,
  • Vacuum daily (focus on high-traffic lanes)
  • Use walk-off mats at entrances to reduce dirt tracked onto carpets
  • Schedule professional deep cleaning quarterly to remove embedded dirt and extend the carpet’s expected lifespan
• For high-touch surfaces like door handles and elevator buttons
  • Sanitise them multiple times daily using disinfectants
  • Pay special attention to these areas during flu seasons and health alerts

Additional Strategies

Here are three useful strategies you can carry out.

1.  Implement a spot-cleaning protocol to immediately address spills and marks.
2. Use signage to alert office occupants of wet floors or ongoing cleaning to prevent accidents.
3. Consider using scent control products in areas prone to odours, such as pantries or waste disposal areas.

Preventive Measures to Reduce Dirt Accumulation

We have compiled top tips for measures to reduce the accumulation of dirt. Of course, cleaning is another thing, but it’s best to have these in place to make cleaning easier.

Entrance Matting Systems

1. Install high-quality entrance mats at all entry points to the office.
2. Use a combination of scraper mats outside and absorbent mats inside.
3. Make sure that the mats are large enough for people to take several steps before entering the main office area.
4. Clean and maintain these mats regularly.

Furniture Placement

1. Arrange furniture in a way to create natural traffic flows and reduce wear on some areas of the flooring.
2. Use chair mats under rolling chairs to protect the carpets and hard floors from excessive wear.
3. Place and organise plants to filter the air and reduce dust.
4. If possible, use modular furniture that’s easy to move.

Employee Education on Cleanliness

1. Develop and communicate clear policies on workplace cleanliness.
2. Encourage a “clean as you go” or CLAYGO mentality, especially in shared spaces like pantries.
3. Provide easily accessible cleaning supplies for minor spills and messes.
4. Conduct periodic cleanliness awareness campaigns to maintain focus on this issue.

Do This For Additional Prevention

1. If it’s culturally appropriate and feasible, you may implement a shoes-off policy in some areas.
2. Use air purifiers in high-traffic areas to bring down the levels of airborne particles.
3. Make sure that the office space is properly ventilated.
4. Don’t forget to maintain your HVAC systems so that dust do not accumulate and circulate within the space.

Scheduled Maintenance

1. Implement a regular schedule for professionally cleaning your carpets and upholstery in the office.
2. Plan for periodic refinishing of hard floors to preserve their protective layers.
3. And schedule regular cleaning of light fixtures and vents.

Sustainable Practices That Can Help

1. Choose easy-to-clean, durable materials when the time comes for office renovation or purchase of furniture.
2. Consider installing sensor-operated taps and soap dispensers.
3. Implement waste sorting systems.

How Can Professional Cleaning Services Reduce This Burden

In-house cleaning efforts are greatly welcomed, but there is value in engaging the services of professional cleaners in achieving immaculate cleanliness and sanitation in your office.

1. They are trained in the proper techniques for different surfaces and can address the different challenges that are unique to these materials.
2. Professional services use commercial-grade cleaning equipment that is more effective and efficient than typical consumer products. Needless to say, they have access to a wide pool of cleaning solutions to tackle various surfaces and materials.
3. Outsourcing the cleaning lets you and your staff focus on core business activities. You don’t have to sacrifice productivity over cleanliness and hygiene. Plus, they can proceed with the cleaning without interrupting your work hours.
4. With their help and efficiency in cleaning, you can expect that your office is always ready for business.
5. Partnering with office cleaning services significantly saves you money as by doing this, you preserve office assets and reduce the need for premature replacements or renovations.
6. Your office will always look its best because of the consistent cleaning standards fulfilled by these service providers.
7. They can also accommodate last-minute requests or special cleaning needs. You just have to tell them.
8. Many services offer quality assurance checks and responsive customer support. When you have concerns regarding the cleaning performance, you can rest assured that they will be addressed.
9. Professional cleaning services do not just clean what needs cleaning. They comply with Singapore’s health and safety regulations for work spaces like proper handling and disposal of cleaning chemicals.
10. Their services are not one-size-fits-all. They tailor their cleaning plans according to the needs of the office space. They can adjust cleaning frequencies and methods accordingly.
11. And when your office needs change, professional services easily adapt their approach so they can achieve the consistently high-standard clean amid the change.

Best Office Practices You Should Follow

Adding these practices to your system will ensure that your office remains clean between professional cleanings. You should note these and implement wherever possible.

First is to implement a “Clean Desk Policy”. You do this by encouraging your employees to always keep their personal workstations tidy and free of clutter. If possible, provide storage solutions to help them organise their belongings.

Next is, you may want to establish a rapid response team. You can train a small group of employees in basic cleaning techniques and equip them so they can handle minor spills and messes immediately.

Leverage technology to manage cleaning. For example, you can implement a digital system for tracking cleaning schedules and tasks or use IoT sensors to monitor high-traffic areas.

Fourth effective practice is to conduct regular cleanliness audits. Use standardised checklists in the audit process to increase awareness and engagement. And then implement a fragrance strategy. Only use subtle & clean scents in highly used areas but be mindful of common allergies and sensitivities.

Finally, do a seasonal deep cleaning. Schedule more intensive cleaning sessions during slower business periods or holidays. Use these opportunities to clean the areas that you may have overlooked.

Conclusion

Maintaining your busy office space can be challenging, especially if you have a big company. You don’t have to do all the cleaning yourselves. Maintain every workstation, implement preventive measures and establish a strict system for keeping the workplace organised. Let the professional office cleaners take care of the general office cleaning and you will soon realise how cost-effective it is to outsource this menial task to the pros.