Office spaces are almost a second home to those who work there. After all, your staff spend a large amount of time at work, and therefore it comes as no surprise that the space can become very cluttered and messy over time. While some mess and clutter can be expected in any workplace, what happens if there is so much mess that it becomes impossible for your employees to do their work properly?
While untidiness in the office may not appear to be a major problem, it can have an impact on productivity. Not only can clutter impede tasks and make it harder to find necessary paperwork and files but it can also negatively affect concentration and motivation. Of course, it goes without saying that if customers or clients are entering the workspace they won’t be given a positive impression of the company either.
Luckily, it isn’t too difficult to keep the office environment clean, and here we give you our five essential hacks so your workplace can stay looking good all year round.
Cleaning Crumbs
Many workers these days are eating their lunch at their desks. While this isn’t really something to be encouraged, unfortunately it’s often a necessity. Apart from contributing to high stress levels and a lack of socialization in the workplace, tucking into your sandwiches at your keyboard can lead to crumbs all over your surfaces. If these aren’t cleaned up quickly they can rapidly mount up, causing a hygiene hazard. It’s pretty easy to remove those crumbs, however. Sticky notes are the ultimate solution! Simply use the adhesive strip on the note to dab the crumbs and pick them up. They are especially useful for reaching dust and any loose debris that’s stuck between your keyboard keys.
Protecting The Floors
If your workplace has timber floors, they can easily be scratched by employees constantly scraping their chairs against the surface as they get up and sit down at their desks. Even if you have carpets, there will be certain high traffic areas which are rapidly worn away by employees’ footfall. The solution could be chair mats beneath each office chair. This will ensure the floor areas around desks stay protected and clean.
Handling Trash
Trash can really mount up in any workplace. Paper, food packaging, leftovers and unwanted items are all thrown into garbage bags which can then start to smell or, even worse, begin to leak if some wet items have been added. Taking out the trash every day is one way to guard against potential problems and hygiene issues here, but there are a couple of other things you can do to make sure that nothing unpleasant occurs during the course of the working day. Some wads of paper towel placed in the bottom of each trash bag will soak up any leaks or spills to protect against dampness, while baking soda sprinkled into the trash can will eliminate unpleasant odours.
Freshen Your Washrooms
Office washrooms can become very unpleasant places, with unwanted odours drifting around. While it’s always possible to use an air freshener or harsh cleaning chemicals, this can affect the air quality and cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. A better solution is to add some drops of a pleasantly fragranced essential oil to the inside of each roll of toilet paper. This will ensure that unpleasant odours are effectively warded off.
Keep Microfiber Cloths To Hand
Microfiber cloths are ideal for any quick clean ups in the workplace. Non-abrasive and lint free, they’re perfect for cleaning computer screens, furnishings and desks with no fear of any scratches or damage.
While these office cleaning hacks are very useful, it’s important to remember that the foundation of a tidy and productive office lies in hiring an efficient and effective office cleaning team who will ensure your workspace is a hygienic and spotless place to work.
