10 Tips for Maintaining a Clean and Hygienic Office in Professional Services

Keeping your office clean is no easy task. Depending on the footfall of your office, dirt, grime, dust and bacteria can all start to pile up. 

Within professional services maintaining a clean and hygienic office is not only important for health and safety, it’s important for your reputation.

Total Clean is the leading office cleaning agency with over 30 years industry experience. We know a thing or two about keeping an office clean.

Here’s our top 10 office cleaning tips for maintaining a clean and hygienic office:

1. Hire an office cleaning agency

An office cleaning agency has the best equipment, expertise and will deliver a consistent clean.

An office cleaning agency will:

• Work around your schedule and tailor to your business needs.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect high touch areas.
• Be more cost effective for your business in the long run.
• Ensure that your office stays consistently clean.
• Use the best cleaning equipment and cleaning products in the industry.
• Be able to perform a deep clean.

2. Disinfect Regularly

Our top office hygiene tip is to disinfect regularly.

Offices see lots of footfall throughout the day so it’s important that high touch areas get disinfected regularly.

Areas to pay attention to:

• Door handles
• Lift buttons
• Office phone
• Computer keyboards
• Ipad screens 
• Light switches
• Staff Kitchens
• Toilets.   

 Hygiene tip: It’s a good idea to have hand sanitiser dotted around the office to encourage good office hygiene.

3. Keep on top of ventilation

Ventilation in your office it’s important to reduce the risk of mould which can be harmful to employees. Adequate ventilation can also help improve focus and decrease the level of bacteria exposure. 

• Open windows regularly to improve airflow through your office.
• Consider using air purifiers in smaller spaces.
• Install a disinfectant system in your HVAC system.
• Ensure filters are changed regularly in HVAC systems.

4. Declutter desks

A simple but effective office cleaning tip- keep desks tidy! 

Not only will keeping desks tidy and clutter free keep your office more hygienic, but a clutter free desk will help to:

•  Improve employee focus
•  Ensure your employees can carry out their work more effectively
•  Ensure your office cleaning agency can easily carry out their cleaning tasks. 

Office hygiene tips:

• Have a no eating at desks policy to reduce the risk of bacteria 
• Ensure no unclean cups are left on desks at the end of the day
• Have communal refuge stations so that desk bins don’t get left

5. Schedule deep cleaning

Office cleaning should be done weekly or even daily depending on the size and footfall of your office but we also recommend that deep cleaning is done at least twice a year. 

Deep cleaning will pay closer attention to areas that are covered by furniture or equipment.

Deep cleaning will usually include:

• Deep cleaning carpets and upholstery.
• Decaling in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Cleaning behind furniture and appliances. 
• Wiping down skirting boards.
• Cleaning light fixtures.
• Window cleaning
• Cleaning door frames

6. Pay attention to toilets

Over 80% of infections come from our hands and touch, with toilets being a breeding ground for bacteria, which is why particular importance should be placed on keeping them clean.

• Ensure soap dispensers are topped up.
• Make sure hand dryers are in working order or that there are plenty of hand towels.
• Display hand washing posters to encourage handwashing.
• Check toilets regularly to ensure they are kept clean- perhaps have a staff rota system where staff have to check toilets twice daily.

7. Encourage sick employees to work from home

A busy office environment can mean that bacteria and germs that cause viruses can easily spread. 

With the rise of remote/hybrid working, it’s much easier for sick employees to carry out their work from home and avoid spreading viruses around the office which could result in more sick days.

8. Organise your waste

Keeping on top of waste management is important to to avoid the risks of odours, mould, bacteria and pests. 

• Have clearly labelled bins keeping food, general waste and recycling separate.
• Encourage employees to bring in their own reusable water bottles to avoid overuse of single-use plastic.
• Clean out bins weekly to reduce odours.
• Make sure bins are changed daily.
• Ensure refuge sacks are topped up.

9. Clean your office equipment

There is up to 400 times more bacteria living on the average desk than a toilet seat and 60% of work-related illnesses are from germs from dirty office equipment.

• Wipe down computer keyboards regularly.
• Wipe away dust from the back of office equipment.
• Wipe down office phones.
• Santise reception areas. 

10. Encourage keeping things clean as part of your culture

One of the most effective ways of keeping your office clean in between professional cleaning is to encourage a clean workspace culture.

• Lead by example- ensure management are modelling behaviour by being seen to clean themselves.
• Establish clear guidelines for employees so they know what’s expected of them.
• Make keeping the office clean convenient for employees by ensuring you have the right tools.
• Encourage personal responsibility- ensure employees are keeping their immediate surroundings like their desk and communal areas clean.
• Acknowledge efforts by employees.
• Invest- hire an office cleaning agency to show you are serous about a clean workspace culture.

Whatever professional services you provide, at Total Clean we understand the pressures your office faces.

Our professional service cleaners are trained to work discreetly and efficiently. We understand that spaces like Law firms and accountancy offices need as little disruption as possible- that’s why we offer a fully bespoke service to suit your business needs.

Contact us for a quote today.