January is a very good month for a cleaning professional and a building manager to review cleaning procedures and start planning for the coming spring and summer. Here are some quick cleaning tips that can really help in commercial cleaning.

1. Focus on the floors: Always scrub entry floors to remove soil and make sure you re-coat them to give the floors added protection. You may also need to increase cleaning and burnishing cycles on entry floors.

2. Focus on the carpet: Do not delay cleaning the carpets before and during the winter months. The carpets may become saturated with contaminants, lowering the quality of the indoor environment. Make sure to clean them thoroughly.

3. Break cleaning routine: Many professional cleaners will clean restrooms, counters, and fixtures in the same way. Breaking this routine once in a while can ensure that the areas that are rarely cleaned get cleaned.

4. Install mats: Though not strictly a cleaning trick, installing 15 feet of matting inside each entrance will help in capturing sand, ice melt, and salt before it is tracked further inside the facility. This will keep the facility cleaner.

5. Repair any floor defects: such as cracks and chips, because this is where the soil and ice melts become trapped.

6. Clean computers and electronics: Dust the outside of all electronic equipment and have a technician clean the inside of equipment as well, preferably with a dry cloth. This keeps such equipment functioning better for longer.

7. Keep desks and counters clean: cleaning and arranging workspaces such as desks and counters remove clutter and help the overall facility to look clean and neat.

8. Sanitise: Sanitise restrooms and floors regularly to prevent the build-up of bacteria. You can also sanitize such workspaces since according to research, the average desk harbors more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

9. Encourage employees to play their part: Employees can add to the cleanliness of an office by wiping their feet before entering the premises, washing coffee mugs and dishes after they have used them, and washing after themselves when they spill something on the floors or desks. This makes the work of the professional cleaners that much easier.

10. Clean the office refrigerator regularly: Placing an opened box of baking soda on the shelf may help eliminate odors and keep it smelling fresh.

11. Organise the power cords properly: Tangled and unorganized electronic equipment can lead to clutter and health hazards.

12. Wipe the surface: including photo frames and bookshelves with a damp cloth to remove accumulated dust and keep them looking clean.

13. Clean interior windows: clean them well using a squeegee and detergent.

14. Try and use ‘green’ cleaning solutions: for example chemicals that are not harmful when inhaled or that do not leave harmful residues on surfaces.

15. Exterior cleaning: not only must the interior of the facility be clean but also the outside as well exterior cleaning will involve removing litter and dirt outside as well as preservation of the building’s architecture.

16. Kitchen cleaning: Ensure cupboards and drawers in the kitchen are cleaned thoroughly as they may become breeding grounds for roaches and pests.

17. Running water: Ensure there is always running water because when water runs out blockages in the drainage system may occur leading to pungent smells and inconveniences.

18. Drainage: While cleaning, ensure no big solid items get into the drainage system, including sinks, because they may cause blockages.

19. Use professional cleaning tools equipment: In order to get good results, the right commercial cleaning equipment must be used, such as vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, and steam cleaners.

20. Ask for help: Always ask for help if you are in doubt about what to do, or how to use the equipment.