It’s January, and in many states, winter can be brutal both outside and inside. Debris, snow, and slush get tracked indoors, windows cake with snow and ice, and a whole host of winter-specific challenges rear their ugly heads at this time of year.
But don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. The right custodial team, properly prepared and equipped, can make winter cleaning fast, affordable, and efficient.
Start With Your Floors
Not only are floors the first thing your employees will notice during peak slush-and-mud season, but they’re also the first defense against a host of other winter menaces. In addition to being just plain dirty, slippery floors are also dangerous, so take some time to evaluate (or re-evaluate) your floor mats. Take special care with the entrance mats. It goes without saying, but your custodial team should pay extra attention to cleaning entrance mats during the winter months.
Pro tip: have spare entrance mats handy. Sub them in while your regular mats are drying.
Special Care for HVAC
A lot of people don’t realize it, but HVAC care is part of a strong custodial strategy in both winter and summer months when usage peaks out. Replace filters and make sure to clean ducts and ventilation areas frequently.
Windows
It’s not just ice and snow — it’s dirt and grime, too. Dirty windows can block sunlight and make it harder to heat your workspace. A solid winter janitorial cleaning program will make time for cleaning windows — both indoors and outdoors.
Pro tip: while you’re there, don’t neglect blinds and curtains. These can be dusted and maintained while you’re implementing your window regiment.
Disinfect Workspaces
As you know, people get sick more often this time of year. Your custodial team can be a front-line defense for making sure employees don’t pass along illness to their co-workers. Remember, it’s important to not only clean, but also disinfect office supplies, keyboards, laptops, door handles, and workstations.
Of course, it’s not just workstations that need extra disinfection. Look for other high-touch areas like bathrooms and break rooms, too.
Adjust Your Mopping for Winter
Going back to our first point about floor care — snow melt, salt, and other elements present new challenges for how you’ll mop and vacuum your floors. There are special winter neutralizing solutions available that can be effective on icy/snowy days when salt and snow melt are being tracked indoors. These solutions are more effective than your usual three-season products and are specifically made for winter months.
And don’t forget to change solution more frequently during these winter months, too. Your janitorial team should increase the frequency of mopping and floor scrubbing on particularly snowy/icy days. Keep an eye on your automatic scrubbers, as debris and residue can accumulate more quickly during these winter months and damage your equipment!
Look Towards Spring
Although it may not feel like it, Spring isn’t too far away now. Keep in mind the preparation your custodial team should be doing for Spring — changing out floor care products, swapping entrance mats for seasonally appropriate materials, and more. We’ll address this preparation in more detail in a future article!