It is time to take note of the cleanliness of your business or establishment, the labour you utilize for it, and the products and equipment required to get the job done. There are so many other facets of business operations requiring our attention. So, who oversees a clean workplace for your staff, and a sanitary environment for clients and customers? Business cleanliness is more important than ever since the advent of COVID-19, and it’s time to take stock.
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Are you using the right cleaning chemicals, in the right areas, for your business?
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Are you maintaining cleanliness in the most effective and cost-efficient ways possible?
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Is your workplace clean?
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How much are you spending to keep your workplace clean?
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If you surveyed your staff and customers, how do you think they’d rate your business in terms of cleanliness?
Audit your cleaning operations to ensure efficiency
Be smart about your cleaning or the employment of cleaning services. Identify non-essential areas of your business where cleaning can be staggered and define those areas that require hourly, daily, or weekly attention. A clearly defined cleaning plan will help you reduce costs without cost to your reputation.
Four key questions to address in this process are:
1. Are there more efficient ways to do each cleaning activity?
2. Do we have the right products and equipment for effective and efficient cleaning?
3. What are we doing that makes sense and what can be done less frequently?
4. Are we paying the best price for our cleaning service, products, and equipment?
Does outsourcing cleaning for my business save me money?
A great reason to outsource your commercial cleaning is to give away the responsibility of ensuring it is done right. Cleaning companies are in abundance now due to the advent of franchising businesses as well as the Aussie dream of working for yourself.
The advantage of large commercial cleaning companies is their ability to absorb costs with bulk purchases of products and equipment. In saying that, independent cleaners offer flexibility and are hungry for the long-term contract you may be able to afford them. Shop around for a local cleaner, or cleaning business, that suits your needs.
Source your products and equipment for your cleaning contractors.
If you would like to decrease cleaning costs a little further, it may be ideal to invest in the appropriate chemicals and equipment yourself. This will give you the added power of managing these costs while negotiating the labour investment. If your cleaner has everything at their fingertips supplied by your business, there’s room for negotiation. Corporations with a reputation for providing the best cleaning facilities have the pick of the crop when it comes to outsourcing their cleaning contracts.
Have regular meetings with your cleaning contractors.
A quick catch-up to identify gaps in efficiency and equipment, as well as praise for a good job, is recommended. Nurturing the relationship with your cleaning contractors will ensure they’re always giving 110%. They are also able to keep tabs on their industry and may have ideas to improve cleaning operations or trial new products to enhance their efficiency. If you’re an amazing business to work with, and you have the right cleaning contractor, they’ll be a valuable source of advice about decreasing your expenses while they get on with the job no one wants to do.
Tips to reducing cleaning supply expenses
1. Cheap chemicals can cost you more in the long term.
It’s difficult to reason the outlay for cleaning chemicals and equipment. There is one rule of thumb though – ‘You get what you pay for.’ A lot of research is invested into the quality of cleaning supplies and this is often overlooked when weighing out the pros and cons. One thing to consider when purchasing cleaning supplies is the cost, not by unit, but the cost over an extended period such as a month or year. Buying quality chemicals and equipment in bulk will save you money in the long term compared to cheap materials requiring regular replacement or restocking.
2. Buying in bulk cuts down delivery costs.
This one is a no-brainer. The less you need something resupplied, the less you pay in delivery fees. For example, you can pay a $10 delivery fee for your weekly supply of toilet cleaners from your local grocer. Or, you can invest in quality toilet cleaning chemicals purchased in bulk. The result will be a free delivery every quarter (or twice a year depending on the size of your business) with free delivery due to the purchase amount.
3. Product quality and product life expectancy
Using the appropriate products is necessary for hygiene, cleanliness, and the reputation management of every business. Your reputation not only rests with your clients and customers but it’s also measured by your staff’s satisfaction as well.
Ensure you have the appropriate products for the job. High-traffic areas require cleaning products of high quality with an extended life expectancy to ensure they do the job.
Safety Data Sheets for cleaning chemicals
Effective commercial businesses understand how touchpoints and hotspots work. Green cleaning isn’t just a trend, it’s a style of cleaning backed by scientific research. Touchpoints and hot spots are common areas that experience a lot of foot traffic. They are the most likely to collect and transmit pathogens. By targeting phones, door handles, light switches, and toilet seats with gusto, your green cleaning efforts can effectively reduce illness and absenteeism which impacts productivity and profits.
When cleaning heavy traffic equipment or areas, it is important to pay attention to the manufacturer's recommended usage times for chemical cleaners. If the cleaners aren’t allowed to sit on surfaces for long (or they have a short lifespan) they’ll be ineffective in eradicating and reducing germs.
Important Information about the yield of cleaning products
The yield data of cleaning chemicals play a major role in maximising productivity, and subsequently – cost savings. Yield data is important in understanding the value of the cleaning product vs investment. At the simplest level, a household-grade product has a moderate amount of capability and dilution. However, a commercial-grade product is more advanced in these fields. It gets the job done optimally while saving money in the long run because a little goes a long way in comparison to other products.
If a product uses inferior chemistry or has poor dilution, your business will face the costs of re-cleaning which don’t just mean using more product but water, energy and labour. Investing in the right product over time will result in paying less each time it is used. You won’t need to purchase the product as often which will save you money over time.
The key is to invest in the right product for the job. While it may seem like an expensive endeavour, you’ll find you save money in the long term. Cheaper products don’t relate to saving costs when it comes to investing in cleaning chemicals. When you throw in additional factors like superior chemistry in producing the cleaning agent, water, energy, labour, waste, monthly servicing, and so on – you must invest wisely in products that will yield you savings based on their quality.
Audit your cleaning processes for efficiency
Be smart about your cleaning, or the employment of cleaning services. Identify non-essential areas of your business where cleaning can be staggered and define those areas that require hourly, daily, or weekly attention. A clearly defined cleaning plan will help you reduce costs without cost to your reputation. Four key questions to address in this process are:
1. Are there more efficient ways to do each cleaning activity?
2. Do we have the right products and equipment for effective and efficient cleaning?
3. What are we doing that makes sense and what can be done less frequently?
4. Are we paying the best price for our cleaning service, products, and equipment?
Cleaning chemicals every business needs
Antibacterial sanitisers are a must for every business, especially in this day and age with the presence of COVID-19. Disinfectant cleaners typically contain a solution of >10% of sodium hypochlorite which is effective against most common forms of bacteria. Hospital-grade disinfectants generally contain a high percentage of hypochlorite or quaternary ammoniums (QACs) popular for use in the food industry.
QACs are stable and unaffected by pH levels, able to remain on food-contact surfaces for an extended time. They bind themselves to most microbes and are very effective for the use of food preparation surfaces as they are super-effective against bacterial biofilms. An example of a QAC is benzalkonium chloride which is frequently used as a cleaner and sanitiser on food services due to its pH-neutral formula rendering it food safe. Cleaning agents containing benzalkonium chloride should never be used on electrical equipment.
The most vital aspect of a quality floor cleaning agent is its ability to break down grease (reducing slips and falls) while eliminating contamination risks carried via foot traffic. Due to advanced research on these products, many can be applied diluted in cold water (not hot as assumed), saving in utility costs and productivity.
Most floor cleaners contain propylene glycol (aka rubbing alcohol) derived from petroleum, natural gas, or vegetable sources. It is effective against organisms such as E. coli with some antibacterial properties.
Nothing screams cleanliness in a business like a super clean and shiny bathroom. Quality sanitisers with anti-bacterial agents are necessary for cleaning any bathroom or toilet. Products designated for use in bathrooms remove rust, scale and uric acid deposits while being gentle enough to use on concrete, tiles, grout, and stainless-steel surfaces such as urinals.
Avoid the urge to use harsh chemicals which are not specifically designed for bathrooms and don’t, under any circumstances mix products. This can cause advanced wear and tear on your floors, walls, or bathroom equipment causing you great expense in the future. Stick to designated products developed specifically their intended use.
Examples of products suitable for bathrooms and toilets include:
The Cleantec Toilet and Urinal Cleaner will reduce the need for hand polishing stainless steel (because – who wants to polish a urinal?) while providing a fresh fragrance with no toxic fumes.
Public bathrooms can be uncomfortable places due to the build-up of uric acid over time. It’s unavoidable as it seeps into grout and coats plumbing over time. Check out the Urinal Deodoriser Mats designed to be placed in urinals. The mat will mask odours for up to 30 days and each pack comes with a single-use glove for hygienic disposal.
Give your bathrooms a deep clean for odour removal with these specialist products designed specifically to counteract urine odour. The stale scent associated with public bathrooms is due to the build-up of uric acid over time. It seeps into floors, grout, and walls. As the uric acid settles and decomposes, it emits carbonic acid which is a stale scent like ammonia. No amount of bleaching or scrubbing will eliminate uric acid. The best solution is one designed to target and counteract uric acid such as these products.
Your comprehensive cleaning program
It’s time to spruce up your business with these suggested products and a comprehensive cleaning plan. Once you’ve completed an audit of your cleaning operations, put together a list of all the chemicals and cleaning equipment your business needs to get the job done. This will double as a checklist for future stock control and ordering.
Reward Hospitality New Zealand stocks a full range of cleaning chemicals to suit a myriad of purposes. We also stock cleaning accessories like spray bottles, scourers and sponges, dusters, brooms, mops and accessories.
Check out the Cleaning & Maintenance catalogue on our website where you’ll find every product imaginable as well as inspiration for items you may not realise you need.