It was a long, cold winter, and after staring at those same office walls for months on end, you probably want a change of scenery. Everyone experiences spring fever this time of year and the cure requires more than simply opening the windows to let in some fresh air. While there are a few things you can do yourself, there are others that should be left up to a professional janitorial service.
There are many ways to spruce things up and improve your office environment inside and out. Check out our top 10 ways to revitalize your workspace and make it feel like new again.
1. Place planters near entryways
Make a good impression from the moment you and others approach the front door by placing planters filled with colorful flowers and foliage. Plants in containers often need more water and fertilizer than those in the ground, so use hardier varieties that can take the heat.
2. Powerwash the exterior
Noticing the exterior walls of your business are looking a little dingy? Grime, mildew, water stains, dust, and environmental pollutants can build upon exterior surfaces over time. Cleaning the exterior can do wonders and make your building look like new. Before using the equipment, however, ensure that the exterior surface can withstand the high PSI force of a pressure washer and that water won’t permeate where it shouldn’t and degrade the surface. It’s often best to call in the pros to do it quickly, safely and efficiently.
3. Deep clean commercial carpets and hard surface flooring
Even if you regularly vacuumed during the winter months, mud, slush, and debris that got tracked in by employees and guests inevitably work its way into the fibers of commercial carpets and floor mats, leaving stains and damaging carpet fibers. In fact, it might be best to replace floor mats if they have permanent staining or are starting to curl on the edges (a definite tripping hazard). Use a commercial steam cleaner and appropriate cleaning agents to lift grime and refresh carpet fibers. Do the same for hard surface flooring. Consider calling in a professional service to ensure the right types of cleaners are used for your kinds of flooring.
4. Clean or replace old plants
No matter how much you nurture it, that half-dead plant in the corner isn’t going to recover anytime soon. Indoor plants are relatively inexpensive and help clean the air, so replace those ragged office plants with new ones. Don’t overlook those old, dusty, cobweb-infested fake plants either. Cleaning them is futile, so toss them out and replace them, or consider using accessories or live plants in their place.
5. Clear away the clutter
If your company has been in business for any length of time, you’ve likely accumulated items that aren’t being used anymore and are taking up valuable space. Get rid of those old desks, chairs, empty file cabinets, outdated office equipment, wall hangings, and other forgotten items that may have taken up permanent residence in a back room or up against a wall. Hold a company-wide rummage sale and give employees first dibs. Then, give the proceeds to charity. Bring whatever doesn’t sell to a nonprofit or thrift shop, recycle it or dispose of it responsibly.
6. Tackle the breakroom
When’s the last time you looked behind your breakroom refrigerator or underneath the microwave, coffee maker or toaster oven? Do a deep clean under these appliances and wash down countertops, floors, baseboards, and walls. Grab the garbage can and clear out the refrigerator and freezer of forgotten leftovers and expired food.
7. Give your walls a fresh coat of paint
It’s time to repair scuff marks, patch holes and get rid of that wallpaper border from 1987 to update the look of your office space. Today’s office environments are using corporate color therapy to help boost moods and productivity. Softer colors in private spaces help workers concentrate, while brighter colors in meeting rooms encourage collaboration and ideas. Painting surfaces allow for more flexibility to change things up in the future, and many finishes are durable enough to withstand commercial use. Hire professionals to remove old wallpaper and apply fresh coats of paint to minimize disruptions among your workforce and get the job done quickly.
8. Clean the windows
Now that the daylight hours are longer, you’ll want to let as much of that sunshine in as possible. The increased intensity of the sunlight exposes smudges, dust and watermarks that likely weren’t noticeable before. If you have window screens, you’ll want to remove them, vacuum behind them and clean off clinging dirt and dust. The windows on some buildings need window cleaning more often depending on the type of structure, location and other factors, and the type of business you run also makes a difference, so hire experienced professionals to get the job done right.
9. Wash the ceiling
Have you looked up lately? Grime doesn’t just accumulate on top of surfaces; it can build up underneath, too. Over time, pollutants in the air, dust and other dirt cling to ceilings and can look unsightly. Vacuum ceilings to remove particulates and cobwebs. If you have acoustic tiles, stains and buildup are common. Replace discolored or damaged ceiling tiles and make sure you use the right kinds of commercial cleaners that won’t damage tile surfaces. Because of the potential dangers of cleaning high ceiling surfaces and cleaning agent considerations, the task is best handled by a commercial cleaning and maintenance provider.
10. Hire some help
Sprucing up your business by tackling some of these jobs yourself makes sense, while others should be left to professionals. Hiring someone to handle the bigger jobs helps ensure that your business experiences fewer disruptions and that workers can continue work as usual. Hiring the pros also removes many of the injury risks associated with cleaning, such as climbing ladders or using cleaning equipment.
Discover the ways a commercial cleaning service can help you bring new life to your work environment. Reach out to Scrubby Corp for a no-cost evaluation and quote today.
