With summer just on the horizon, and many homeowners turning their attention to spring cleaning, many businesses are also considering giving their premises a spruce-up.
Studies have shown that as many as 93% of shoppers will not return to a retailer if they encounter an issue with cleanliness. Whether that be a bad odour (78%), dirty bathrooms (66%), dusty surfaces (65%), or an unkempt, neglected exterior (60%), the hygiene of your premises can have a direct impact on your business’s bottom line. The same is true of staff – that’s why so many companies insist on standardized uniforms and their workers maintaining a smart appearance.
Ultimately, it all comes down to customer perception. A dirty, grimy, or untidy store will reflect poorly on the products on sale, regardless of their quality or value. On the other hand, a well put-together premises will result in a better customer experience, which encourages repeat visits, while a spotless level of hygiene will add value, and sway customers into spending more than they anticipated. This is not limited to retail either. Whether your business is industrial, hospitality, corporate, or educational – the same principle applies everywhere, making potential clients and patrons more open to business deals if they see that your premises is pristine.
In Vanguard Cleaning’s latest article, we’ll discuss the benefits of spring cleaning for businesses, and how a high level of cleanliness can enhance your brand and reputation. We’ll present a comprehensive guide of all the areas that need your attention during a spring clean, and provide some cleaning best practice knowledge to set you off. Finally, we’ll explore how Vanguard, as a professional cleaning company, can help you spring clean your business.
The benefits of business spring cleaning are numerous. It offers a chance for your company to reset – to reassess your property and make improvements to the overall hygiene or organisation of your site. Whether that means conducting a deep clean of the interior, clearing out your stockroom, shifting around the layout of your store, or investing in landscaping – having that yearly period of renewal is vital to keeping on top of your property’s hygiene.
As mentioned above, improvements to cleanliness and appearance will have a financial benefit, attracting custom and helping close business deals. There are additional benefits to be enjoyed, though. A clean workplace will do wonders for staff, not only preventing workplace sickness or injury (responsible for 185.6 million lost working days in 2022), but also improving your employee’s mental health and increasing morale around the office.
For these reasons, spring cleaning your premises can lead to a happier, healthier, more productive, and more profitable business, and is well-worth the investment. However, it can be difficult for owners and managers to know which areas and what parts of your business need that TLC. Run through our comprehensive checklist below to make sure you make the most out of your business spring clean.
When conducting a thorough sweep of your premises, certain areas and key problem spots may need extra attention.
Often serving as the first impression of your business, reception areas have a great deal of influence over how visitors perceive your premises. Depending on the size of your company, your entryway may have a dedicated receptionist employed, and a desk with computers and office equipment. It’s crucial that these are dusted regularly, whereas furniture such as chairs or sofas should be cleaned and polished often. Carpets are one of the first things a visitor will notice, so regular vacuuming and even professional floor cleaning will be needed to keep your floors presentable.
As one of the highest traffic areas in your business, your hallways will need a deep clean to stay hygeinic. The best way to do this is from top to bottom, making sure your flooring is cleaned last to avoid debris/dust falling on freshly cleaned carpets. Don’t forget to clean areas that are often forgotten – such as blinds, light switches, notice boards, water coolers, walls, and ceilings. Finally, be sure to give the floors a good sweep, mop, and brush to get rid of any ingrained grime from mud or spillages.
Surveys have found that 94% of workers feel more productive in a clean working environment, whereas 77% claim they will produce a higher quality of work. This also influences morale, with workers having greater job satisfaction and feeling more motivated. For these reasons, it is vital that office spaces are kept clean for productivity and wellbeing.
Offices will usually contain the bulk of fixtures and furniture in a building, and with workers spending the majority of their time in this area, it will require comprehensive cleaning to maintain. Desktops, monitors, keyboards, mouses, and mouse pads will all need to be dusted. Keyboards are especially problematic, with crumbs and debris finding their way into the gaps between keys. For hacks on how to keep your office desk clean, including troublesome keyboards, see our handy article here.
Just like how you cleaned your reception and hallways, start from top to bottom. Dust tables, chairs, desks, and filing cabinets, before wiping with cleaning product and finishing by tending to your floors.
Any spring cleaning for your business must deal with bacterial breeding grounds like kitchens and bathroom. With so much food being reheated, stored, and eaten close to each other, it’s only natural that there will be some cross-contamination. Additionally, common kitchen items are often riddled with bacteria. Studies have found that 60% of dish cloths are contaminated with E.coli, while most kitchen countertops and chopping boards harbour more bacteria than bathroom taps and even toilet seats.
A thorough deep clean will be necessary, especially for those pieces of equipment that are often overlooked. Ovens, microwaves, hobs, sinks, fridges, dishwashers, and countertops should all be cleaned until they are sparkling. For the best way to tackle cleaning these items, see our comprehensive article including kitchen appliances here.
Bathrooms are used by many customers and workers in any given day, and as a result, can collect bacteria quickly. Depending on the room’s footfall, bathrooms will need to be cleaned daily and sometimes multiple times in the same day. When it comes to spring cleaning, however, a much more comprehensive clean will be required.
Obvious problem areas like toilets, sinks, floors, and sanitary bins should be tended to, but a deep clean must address all other parts, such as toilet roll holders, toilet brushes, hand dryers, and all surfaces. Any mould or mildew that has grown must be removed – read our mould article here to find out how – and any piping or maintenance issues resolved.
For a retail premises, the layout and structure of your premises is essential. Wider and tidier aisles will prevent congestion and ensure a smoother customer experience, whereas the placing of shelving can increase product visibility and encourage consumers to spend more. According to studies, over 70% of purchasing decisions are made in-store, while appealing displays can boost impulse buying by 62%. This means hygiene and orderliness has a strong influence on how much money a store will rake in.
When spring cleaning comes round, it serves as a great opportunity to reconsider the layout of your store. Is there anything that can be improved to smoothen a customer’s journey from the store? Are there any displays that can be moved around to boost sales? How about cleaning and tidiness – can staff easily spot and resolve anything that might hamper the store’s overall appearance to customers? These are important considerations to think about when revamping your premises.
One of the hallmarks of spring cleaning is having a clear out of anything that is unnecessary, usually to make room for more items. While many homeowners practice this, it’s easy to see how a clear out session can benefit your business. Many retail or hospitality premises will have a selection of products that have been crammed into storage and forgotten about, or poor selling items that have been left to age in a corner of the store. These will take up space, collect dirt, and most crucially, clutter your storage.
To deal with this forgotten stock, either throw the items away or hold a fire sale to make room for additional summer stock. This will not only drive custom to your store and increase revenue, but it helps declutter your storage space and make way for a more prosperous summer.
Research has shown that 95% of customers see a store’s outside appearance as important to deciding where to shop, and more than half will avoid a location if it appears to poorly maintained. Considering this, the exterior of your premises, whether it be in retail or any other sector, is of great importance.
First and foremost, a path cluttered with debris and rubbish will give off a terrible impression of your business. Simply getting rid of this around your business is a cheap and effective way of convincing customers you care about your premises. Polishing your exterior and planting flowers and seeds is also a great way of renewing your property. For more complex solutions, invest in gardening and landscaping to improve the natural look of your environment and the lead-up to your entryway.
As for your building itself, consider professional window cleaning services to enhance both your interior and exterior. This will make use of pressure washers and other specialist equipment to ensure your windows remain grime-free and look sparkling to anyone passing by, while also improving visibility and allowing sunlight in the interior of your premises. In short, a win-win.
With so much to think about in such a busy period, spring cleaning can pose an intimidating challenge. Despite our checklist, businesses may want to invest in a professional cleaning company to take the burden off their hands.
Vanguard Cleaning are industry leaders when it comes to cleanliness standards, and we can deploy our exceptional staff and equipment across the UK to resolve any hygiene headaches. Whether that means a one-off deep clean, regular daily cleaning, or advanced services such as window washing or professional floor cleaning – Vanguard are more than able to assist.
All our cleaners are highly trained, with procedures endorsed by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc). This equips them with all the necessary expertise and experience to clean a diverse array of environments and appliances, including sensitive or vulnerable areas. With monthly ‘toolbox talks’ to keep our staff up to date with the latest infection control and HSE guidance, rest assured that we will provide a safe and comprehensive cleaning service.
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To receive a quick and complimentary quote, please feel free to reach out to our professional team.
