Articles in the issue:
Why Go Green?
Germ Spreading Habits You’re Guilty Of
Reasons to Outsource Your Janitorial
July 2017 Clean Communications
If you’re anything like me, you’ve always thought the smell of bleach and the notion of ‘clean’ were essentially synonymous. My mom would almost asphyxiate us with the smell of bleached bathrooms during her Sunday morning cleaning routine, and because of this, I learned to equate the smell of harsh, chemical cleaners with cleanliness. But it turns out, these harsh, toxic chemicals that we’ve become accustomed to cleaning with are much more detrimental to our health, wallets, and environment than their natural counterparts.
HEALTH
It’s not a surprise that something harsh and flammable isn’t safe for you. While we fear germs, it’s more likely that these toxic chemicals are just as, if not more, harmful to our health. Chemicals such as ammonia and chlorine are completely dangerous when mixed together, and household cleaners are one of the leading reasons that Poison Control is called in the United States. No matter what way you look at it, when using conventional cleaners, you’re absorbing and inhaling toxic chemicals. And in turn, so are your children, pets, employees, and anyone else who occupies the space.
ENVIRONMENT
Going green in any facet has obvious benefits for the environment, but in terms of cleaning, it’s crucial. The same dangerous effects that chemical cleaners have on us and our loved ones, they have on the environment. Traditional cleaning products pollute our waterways and release volatile organic compounds, producing smog. This smog aids in ozone depletion and global climate change. Also, it both triggers and causes asthma.
COST
If the health and environmental benefits aren’t enough of a reason to come to the green side, perhaps the money you’ll save will be. Sometimes healthier can mean more expensive, but it’s the exact opposite case when it comes to cleaners. Most homemade green cleaners cost pennies on the dollar in comparison to their chemical counterparts. Why go out and spend money when so much of what you need is already in your pantry?
And in terms of commercial cleaning, better air quality means less sick days for employees, which means additional savings for you.
JaniTek is proud to be a Green Seal-42 certified company. We not only utilize environmentally friendly cleaning agents, but implement effective environmental stewardship throughout the entire cleaning process.
Germ Spreading Habits You’re Guilty Of
We try to be diligent when it comes to cleaning our homes and offices, washing our fruits and veggies, carrying hand sanitizer, etc.; but chances are, you’re turning a blind eye to habits that spread and expose you to more germs and bacteria than you even want to know! Take a look at these everyday habits that you need to kick ASAP.
Not using soap
Use soap when you wash your hands. Even if you don’t feel like you did anything to warrant the necessity of soap in the bathroom, chances are they’re a cesspool of germs simply from all the things you’ve touched so far that day. And if you’re a ‘rinser’ (rinses hands but doesn’t wash with soap), realize that all you’re doing is wetting the germs, not killing them. Take the extra 20 seconds. Use soap.
Leaving the toilet lid open
An unfortunate and rather disgusting fact that many people don’t think about is the flushing of the toilet. Every time you flush a toilet, a spray of micro-droplets filled with everything that’s in that toilet bowl (yes, everything) gets sprayed around the room like a tiny tornado. So unless you want microscopic fecal matter on your toothbrush, you’re going to want to close the lid every time you flush.
Not using a tissue
Gone are the days where we kept a hanky on-hand (though I question the sanitation of that, also), so there are going to be times where we have to cough or sneeze into our hands. The issue is, however, if not immediately sanitized, our hands become giant germ tools, literally spreading germs to everything that we touch. It’s easy to sneeze or cough mid-task and continue on with your business, but it’s important to train yourself to wash or sanitize your hands each time. And when you wash, use soap. Refer to point #1.
Using your teeth as tools
My grandmother used to yell at us, “TEETH AREN’T TOOLS!!!” and it it became a frightening, yet effective, way to keep me from biting random objects. While the mantra was used to protect our teeth, it also kept us from putting god knows how many germs into our mouths. The next time you go to rip off the packaging like a caveman or use your teeth to pull the clothing tag off your new shirt, think about all that it’s touched and maybe opt for the scissors instead.
Nervous chewing
Pen, fingernails, glasses. Whatever it is you’re unwittingly nibbling on, there’s a very good chance it’s crawling with germs and bacteria. You wouldn’t eat a piece of food or chew on a piece of gum that’s been sitting on your desk, or been handled by a bunch of people, so why would you chew on a pen that was?!
Not sanitizing your phone
I think everyone is guilty of this oversight. These days, our cell phones are like appendages, never leaving our sides for more than a few minutes. But when you stop to think about it, your phone touches just about everything that you do and more. And then we put the phones to our faces without giving it a second thought! A sanitized phone could be the deciding factor in getting a facial breakout or even contracting whatever virus is going around. The biggest question, however, is how do we sanitize our phones without harming them? Here’s how: fill a small spray bottle with ½ bottled water and ½ 70% isopropyl alcohol. Shake the bottle to mix and then very lightly spray it onto a microfiber or lint free cloth ( such as a lens cloth). Wipe down every nook and cranny and you’re good to go! Do this once a week for a significantly cleaner phone. The sun is out and, unfortunately, so are the bugs. Your home isn’t the only place you need to protect from these crawly little critters. Take the necessary precautions in terms of pest control, and as we discussed, keep the kitchen and trashes as clean as possible so the little guys aren’t lured in. The best sort of pest problem is the one that’s stopped before it can start.
Reasons to Outsource Your Janitorial
The decision between keeping janitorial in-house or outsourcing to a professional, commercial cleaning company is one that every business owner must make at some point. Many think that keeping janitorial services in-house saves stress and money for the company, but in reality, the opposite is true.
MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
A huge misconception is that in-house cleaning is more cost efficient, when in actuality, hiring a professional janitorial company is a much better value. When kept in-house, the cleaning must be run like a small business within itself, with funds being allocated to hire and screen employees, purchase products, supplies, and equipment, pay for insurance, salaries, unemployment and benefits, and extra costs just to manage employees and quality assurance. Furthermore, a quality janitorial company will do a better job, in less time. And as we know, time is money.
By outsourcing to a professional company, all of these costs are being incurred by them, and you’re saving yourself from a multitude of unnecessary expenses.
EXPERTISE
Just like you’re an expert in your own field, a janitorial company is an expert in theirs. With their sole focus on cleaning, this means that they’re going to have access to better products, more experience, more comprehensive methods, and knowledge of
RESPONSIVENESS
Reliability is a huge asset, and a quality cleaning company will be dependable, no-hassle, and extremely responsive. Furthermore, with janitorial being a competitive business, most companies work hard to get and maintain your business by making sure that you’re tended to at all times.
SAFETY
Top-quality cleaning of a space, particularly in an industrial setting, oftentimes means ladders, machines, and situations prone to potential accidents. With an experienced commercial cleaning service, these posed risks are significantly decreased. Additionally, any potential liability (and associated insurance costs) are the responsibility of the company you’ve chosen to contract, so you can rest easy.
