Cleaning Preparations: A Mini-Guide for Cleaners

It is always essential for you to prepare when cleaning an office building. By being prepared, you are capable of showing your professionalism to your client. With that, you can impress your client and can potentially be able to gain a raise or reemployment whenever needed. Therefore, before going to the cleaning fraction of the work, it is best to know which preparations you can make.

With an area as ample as a building, preparations should be intricately thought of. From skill preparations to product preparation, it is always essential to keep yourself ready for the possible methods that you will do in the cleaning area. Organizing your materials and creating a plan will help you clean the required area efficiently.

A Cleaner’s Space

Undoubtedly, there are some spaces that you cannot gain access to. For example, there are some rooms in most offices that common people are not allowed to go in. To solve that, you and your client must agree on the spaces you will work on. This arrangement is helpful in order to keep in mind the areas you are allowed to work on and the pieces of furniture that you are allowed to move.

You and your client must agree on the spaces you will work on.

In your agreement, certain conditions need to be laid down for everybody’s clarification:

1. It is best to include the electrical outlets you are allowed to use.
2. It would help if you asked which areas you have access to. Most of the time, the clients will give you spare keys, especially in the locked regions that need to be cleaned.
3. It would help to ask which pieces of furniture you are allowed to move and supposed to clean.

A Cleaner’s Protection and Precaution

Do not start cleaning without the proper cleaning attire. Personal protective equipment helps maintain your safety when coming across spaces that can be dangerous if done barely. These pieces of equipment include goggles, gloves, face masks, and frictional footwear. With all these combined, you can be less susceptible to slips, chemicals touching your skin and eyes, and the strong smell of acidic cleaning solutions.

As a safety precaution, It is also crucial to check your surroundings, especially when electricity is involved. Defective plugs and wires, malfunctioning equipment, and the like should be reported instantly to your client to avoid any harm and damage. Moreover, you can use an “out of order” tag to update people that the machine is faulty.

You can use an “out of order” tag to update people that the machine is faulty

A Cleaner’s Essential

As you are now physically ready and aware of what and how to clean, you can now know which materials are essential for your everyday cleaning. These essentials vary from the chemicals you use, signs to put up, and equipment you will utilize. With adequate knowledge of all these, you can be able to start efficiently cleaning.

#1 Cleaning signs

There will always be people roaming around the workplace in a busy office. Unfortunately, these people waste their hours working on cleaning. As a solution, it is advised to put up cleaning signs to make sure people are aware that you are working on that specific room. These signs will benefit both you and the workers for particular reasons.

There are two types of signs used in cleaning a busy workplace: (1) “closed for cleaning” sign and (2) “slippery when wet” barricade. The closed for cleaning sign is used to avoid people entering the rooms you are working on. This is common, especially when cleaning the office restrooms. The “slippery when wet” barricade is used to inform people that you just mopped the floor. This barricade reduces potential injuries and slips due to wet floors.

Know which materials are essential for your everyday cleaning

#2 Cleaning products

There are various cleaning products available in the market, some products contain harmful acids, but some do not. You can use these products to provide efficient service and quality output on the surfaces you clean. Moreover, these products vary depending on the surface that you are working on. Therefore, it would help if you always remembered to be aware and knowledgeable of the surface material to know which cleaning product is efficient and which can damage the material.

Products you may use in cleaning include prepared solutions to solutions that need to be prepared first. Detergents are primarily basic and safe to apply to most surfaces without damaging them. For example, cleaning products in spray bottles are commonly used for window cleaning. Toilet bowl cleaners are usually acidic to kill all germs and viruses in microbe-prone places like the restroom.

There are also products that you will not use; instead, they will be used by others. Consumables are restocked that you should also carry when cleaning the office. These comprise toilet paper rolls, soap, linings, and more. As a cleaner, it is also your responsibility to keep these in stock, especially as you clean these areas.

#3 Cleaning equipment

Cleaning products go hand-in-hand with cleaning tools and equipment; one cannot work without another. Cleaning equipment can be electrical or non-electrical. From the name itself, electrical devices need a power source for them to generate. On the other hand, non-mechanical equipment does not require an electrical source; it just needs a cleaner to work.

Electrical equipment is a must when cleaning an ample space. It allows you to be more time-efficient than manually doing all the jobs. A vacuum is an example of equipment that needs a power source before use. While it is very beneficial for cleaners, the only problem you may encounter is the lack of power outlets which is why you should ask your client first about the available outlets per floor or room.

Non-electrical pieces of equipment are the standard tools used to clean particular areas. These pieces of equipment encompass mops, microfiber products, brooms, and more. These tools work depending on the cleaner. While they are more time-consuming, cleaners still utilize these because of their efficiency and quality output after cleaning.

#4 Cleaning trolley

As a cleaner, you are given a chance to have your own trolley. This trolley comprises all the materials you need so that you will not waste your effort going back and forth to the cleaning room. Therefore, before proceeding to clean the office, you should always make sure that your trolley contains all the materials you need and products that need to be restocked, just in case.

The trolley comprises all the essentials mentioned above needed for efficient cleaning. From cleaning signs to pieces of equipment, your trolley should be able to contain all these materials. In addition, you should always be ready for possible soils that you will encounter in the process of cleaning.

Final Takeaway

Preparation reflects your passion for your work. Remember that you are working in a huge space, so maximize your skills and equipment to minimize your effort in every task. Make sure that you keep in mind all the things you will use and organize them in your trolley.

Preparation reflects your passion for your work

From self-preparation to equipment preparation, you must be ready to face the building you now call your workplace. Similar to the people there, you talk with the client and are given instructions to follow. Remember to be cautious, especially in handling dangerous things, and prioritize your safety over anything.