5 Benefits of a Clean Working Environment:

 If you could spend 10 minutes out of the day doing something that would increase productivity while improving health and making savings in the long term, would you do it? Obviously, you would! I’m talking of course about the benefits of a clean working environment. Taking this time out each day could save hours in the long run as well as making it a haven for productivity. Here are 5 benefits of a clean working environment:

1.      Higher Productivity and Less Stress

If your workstation is clean and free from clutter, the more productive and less stressed you will be. There will be fewer distractions in your eye line meaning that you can concentrate on the important tasks. Clutter is a killer when it comes to focus. A clear space gives rise to a clear mind, not to mention it’s a space that is then easily cleaned gaining the added benefit of not finding little creatures living in your work space!

2.      Better Health and Safety

Allergens and pathogens thrive in an unclean environment, and especially since the arrival of COVID-19, companies have been taking greater care to provide clean and safe working environments for their employees. Lack of regular cleaning services could potentially be putting your health at risk. In a clean working environment, viruses and infections are less likely to spread, leaving the workforce fit and healthy.

3.      Better Organisation

If you’ve ever found yourself unable to find something that you swear you’d just seen, you know how infuriating that can be. You spend more time looking for the items than actually doing productive work. By having a more organised workspace you can easily eliminate that frustration. Setting aside just a few minutes a day to properly organise your space can save hours of frantic searching for something that might be buried at the bottom of a mountain of paperwork.

4.      Inspires Confidence and Gives Good Impression

We all know that your company’s image is one of the most important aspects of running a business. No one wants to go for a meeting only to turn up and the office looks like a bomb’s hit it! By ensuring that you maintain a clean and tidy environment it will inspire confidence in you and your brand and make a good impression on potential clients that visit, as well as boosting morale in your employees. You want to portray an image of reliance and organisation, not disorder and unreliability.

5.      Long Term Savings

Work environments that are regularly cleaned need less maintenance in the long term. The costs of having to repair or replace fixtures and fittings can run up a hefty bill when all that would have been required in the first place was just a consistent cleaning routine. By taking the time and care to clean equipment and appliances that are frequently used, it can extend their shelf lives and save money overall.

Sustainable Cleaning Practices (and their impact on health and the environment):

Cleaning agents can have a damaging impact on the environment, from the chemicals themselves to the packaging that they are shipped in. Commercial cleaning is undergoing a sustainability revolution by adopting greener practices and using more eco-friendly cleaning products. So, wouldn’t it be great if you could maintain a consistent cleaning routine without having to worry if your actions are harming the environment? Below are some ways that you can reduce your impact without compromising on cleanliness:

1.      Eco Friendly Cleaning Products

Trying to get your hands on eco-friendly cleaning products might seem like an impossible challenge, but today it’s easier than ever to find them! “Organic” or “all natural” products are bait for the environment conscious cleaner and are rarely regulated. Instead, look for products that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These cleaning products don’t contain VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) such as benzene, xylene and formaldehyde. The products work just as well as the more harmful chemical cleaners and will give you peace of mind that they won’t cause harm to the ecosystem if they end up flushed into waterways.

2.      Water Conservation

Commercial cleaning can be a water-intensive industry and therefore water wastage forms a large part of their environmental impact. But fear not! By adopting new methods and technologies it is possible to get that high standard of cleaning whilst also reducing your water wastage. Investing in low-moisture vacuum systems, adopting flat mopping methods, or simply using less water are great ways to reduce your water waste. Why fill a mop bucket to the top, when a fraction of the water would produce the same outstanding results?

3.      Using Microfiber Cloths

Using paper towels is a convenient way of cleaning due to the ability to wipe down surfaces and then discard them, taking the dirt with it. But dependency on this method is not sustainable or eco-friendly due to the amount of paper wasted. So, what’s the alternative? Microfibre cloths. These cloths are better than recycled rags at cleaning due to their unique fabric structure which is super effective at picking up and trapping dirt and dust. By stopping dust flying into the air every time you clean, you reduce the possibility of allergens making their way into people’s airways and potentially giving them a nasty allergic reaction. Then the cloth can be easily cleaned ready to be used again and again, cutting down on wastage.

4.      Recycling

Recycling is a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Every year, tons of recyclable material ends up in landfill when it could have been broken down and re-used. We all know we should do it, but sometimes the rules on what and can’t be recycled can be overwhelming. By keeping up to date with your local authorities’ guidelines and providing suitable (and easily accessible) recycling bins, it can take the headache out of sorting rubbish from recyclables.

5.      Indoor Air Quality

As more and more people are working inside offices, it’s important that the air quality is not compromised. If harsh cleaning chemicals are used or the air filters aren’t regularly cleaned, it could have a detrimental impact on those in the work place environment. The simplest ways to ensure high indoor air quality is to use cleaning products that are free of toxic chemicals, ensuring that air filters are maintained, or simply opening the windows to improve fresh air flow.  You could also consider including plants into the work space as they are an effective way to improve air quality, and as an added bonus, being around plants has been shown to boost mental health!