How to keep your commercial space clean

As a business owner, you’ll know that the last year has been challenging for many reasons. However, if there’s one thing to take away from the last 12 months, it’s the focus on cleanliness and keeping spaces sanitised.

As parts of the UK opened its doors on 12 April after the third round of restrictions eased, many businesses have shifted their focus to ensuring that every corner of their premises is spotless. From food outlets to retail stores, getting everything in your commercial space clean and in order has been crucial to being able to reopen.

So, what are the best ways to tackle commercial cleaning? Here are some tips to help you get into a routine.

Why cleanliness is important

Before we look at the actions to take to keep on top of cleanliness, it’s important to know why having thorough cleaning processes in place is important.

First, if you are renting a commercial space, you will find that there has always been a legal requirement to keep it clean. In the last year, there has been additional guidance introduced by the government’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to ensure that business owners who use a commercial space know the processes involved in order to keep the building safe.

As well as the legal obligation, there are other reasons to prioritise making the store or restaurant as spotless as possible. One of the main ones is reputation. Whether you’re serving customers or introducing clients to the space, if the workplace appears unclean, it can put people off returning and be potentially damaging to your reputation as people often share their thoughts on the cleanliness of different establishments.

Additionally, if you focus on introducing a robust cleaning regime, you’re more likely to have a happier, healthier team. By keeping the working environment clean, you’re reducing the risk of putting your employees in harm’s way. For instance, an unclean commercial kitchen could lead to staff becoming sick with food-borne illnesses. This can be avoided if there is a focus on cleanliness.

So, how to effectively clean your commercial space? Here are some ideas.

Develop a system

While it’s recommended that you hire a high-quality cleaning team, this might not be something that falls within your budget right now. Therefore, it’s worth creating a system that works for you and your company.

If you run a commercial kitchen, for instance, you’ll need to set aside time for regular cleaning of food preparation surfaces and areas where food is served. Training your staff to do this as they work is a great way to tackle any grime that tends to build up in a kitchen.

Similarly, if you run a retail store, shelving, till areas, and even the doors that staff use to access the warehouse will all need to be kept sanitary.

As well as surfaces that employees and the public regularly come into contact with, you’ll also need to regularly clean the floors and windows. This will need to form part of your cleaning routine.

Whatever the setting, get everyone into the habit of cleaning as they go and then setting aside a day for a deep clean at least once a week.

Use the right tools

To make sure your cleaning regime is working properly, you’ll need the right tools for the job. Invest in heavy-duty cleaning materials, such as disinfectant, cloths, and squeegees that can remove dirt from windows.

Focus on the toilets

Both staff and customer toilets will need to be prioritised throughout the day. Create a schedule for your employees to check these areas regularly and have a tick chart to make sure that each hour, any issues are being addressed. Whether the toilet roll needs to be replaced or the floors need to be mopped, these checks will flag any problems before customers see them.

Wherever your commercial business is based and whatever sector you work in, you’ll find that by making cleanliness a major concern, you are more likely to see returning customers and impressed clients.