How to deep clean your workspace before reopening after lockdown?
Returning to offices post lockdown is intimidating and also comes with significant changes in your daily practices. Cleaning and disinfecting will become the centre of attention for everyone. For easy and effective tips on how to update your offices cleaning regime keep reading.
People would understandably have several apprehensions as they venture back to their workplaces. However, keeping the place clean and healthy is easily achievable. You can create and develop a safe and clean working space with three basic components-a detailed plan, the right equipment, and an efficient team.
- Pick the right procedure
Out of apprehensions and over cautiousness during the COVID-19 era, people tend to disinfect everything all the time. However, this can be tedious and impractical in everyday work. It also creates a sense of fear and vulnerability among employees. For that reason, you should wisely choose when and where to clean and disinfect.
Disinfection is killing the germs using chemicals, which is needed in risky situations. In your daily routine, you can wash the surfaces with a simple soap-water solution and a green cleaner. This not only removes the dirt but also safely eliminates the germs as they are picked up in the wipes.
- Acquire the right tools
In the present day, office cleaning must be done more frequently than ever. Along with daily simple cleaning, you also need deep cleaning and disinfection at regular intervals. You need to have the right tools to clean effectively.
- Gloves, preferably nitrile to avoid the possibility of latex allergy.
- Paper towels. You can also get microfiber cloths which must be sanitized after every use.
- Green sprays for cleaning.
- Sprays and wipes for disinfection. You can also use a bleach solution with correct concentration.
- Dust bins and rubbish bags.
- Protective gowns and well-rated masks for disinfection.
- Establish a detailed cleaning plan
During the COVID-19 era and even in the post-pandemic world, cleaning will have the highest priority in all offices. You need to lay down a detailed plan to ensure thorough cleaning and deep cleaning of the critical places. For that purpose, you should monitor the traffic to identify hot spots. Some common infection transmission areas are:
- Desks, chair backs, armrests, and tables
- Countertops
- Door knobs and cabinet handles
- Light switches
Other high-touched areas that need your attention for cleaning include the following.
- Front desk
- Phone, desktop keyboard, and mouse.
- Pen cups, tape dispensers, staplers, etc
- Touch screens and elevator buttons
- Break rooms/pantry
- Controls of appliances and fixtures
- The coffee station and serving items
- Washrooms
- Waste bins and fixtures
- Doorknobs and handles
- Changing stations, item dispensers
- Conference rooms
- Controls such as remotes, buttons, etc.
- Touchscreens and projectors
- Boards and board accessories
- Resource rooms
- Scales and meter for postage and dedicated computer
- Packaging tools like a letter opener, box-cutter, etc
- Rolling carts, trolley, etc.
- Promote hygiene among staff
It is also of utmost importance to develop a clean hygienic working culture in the office. Encourage your employees to wash hands frequently and use sanitizers and keep cleaning tools withinreach. You should also implement technology such as motion sensors for lights and doors to avoid contamination. Working from home should also be encouraged, keeping people out of the working area.