The True Cost of Cleaning

By Tom Richter
JAN-PRO Utah

Is cleaning done for health reasons or appearance only? In these tough economic times this is a question that building owners, facility managers and executives must ask themselves. What are we trying to achieve when we have our building cleaned? What is the cost of cleaning? What is the cost if we don't have it cleaned properly?

Cleaning for health has been around for many years. Cleaning for health helps reduce Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). SBS can include respiratory problems, infections, headaches, nausea all caused by poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Good indoor air quality produces a healthy environment that is more comfortable for its occupants. It is also good for business contributing to increased worker productivity, reduced absenteeism and reduced medical and insurance costs.

According to one analysis, United States businesses could realize a productivity gain of $30 to $150 billion annually. So properly cleaning a building can benefit the occupants of a building, the employees that are now required to clean and the business owner. Programs that increase indoorenvironmental quality are proven to reduce absenteeism by as much as 23%, increase employee retention by as much as 12% and improve productivity by as much as 6%.(Source - Univerity of Virginia Building Services)

So what is the right answer? What can be done to effectively clean a building? Below find some ideas and tips that will help make all of our buildings healthier thus reducing absenteeism and improving employee morale and productivity.

1.) Reduce the spread of germs by having your cleaning contractor or in-house staff use an EPA registered disinfectant on any touch surface. This includes desks, phones, door handles, office equipment, faucets and file drawers.

2.) Encourage employees to wash their hands frequently with high quality soap. Purchase hand sanitizer bottles and have them available throughout the office.

3.) Make sure that your cleaning contractor or in-house staff is using Micro-fiber cleaning cloths /mops,as well as, color-coded equipment. This will minimize the cross-contamination that occurs in the cleaning process.

4.) Meet with your HVAC contractor and incorporate a good filter maintenance program. This will help ensure good IAQ with consistent filter changes.

5.) Schedule a meeting with your cleaning contractor to evaluate the cleaning schedule. It maybe time to increase your service in certain areas.

Be aware of the cost of cleaning your facility and the cost of not having it cleaned properly. You maybe surprised at the benefits you'll enjoy from a clean building and how easy it is to achieve.

Some Fact About Germs and Disease

• Germs can enter our bodies through the mouth, nose, eyes and breaks in the skin without knowing we've been infected.
• Some germs can live on dry surfaces for several hours and moist surfaces (like bathroom sinks) for up to three days.
• An estimated 60 million days of school and 50 million days of work are lost annually because of the common cold.
• Some 5.5 million visits to doctors' offices each year are due to skin infections.
• Salmonella can survive freezing and can survive on dry surfaces for at least 24 hours.
• Americans spend about $5 billion each year on their colds - about $3 billion on doctors' visits and $2 billion on treatments.