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COVID-19 Cleaning: How Our Janitors Support South Florida Businesses

These are challenging times and janitorial services allow essential businesses to operate. We’re doing everything possible to support South Florida during the COVID-19 crisis. Rest assured, we’ve taken extra precautions to keep our clients and staff safe. This is our top priority.

To decrease the spread and likelihood of a facility outbreak, we’ve taken measures.

Precautions

• All our staff must wear protective gear such as disposable gloves and masks.
• We clean all objects and surfaces in your commercial space daily.
• We use disinfectants that meet the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) criteria.
• We’re using CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommended cleaning procedures.

The Steps

First, our team cleans each area with detergent or soap and water. Second, we disinfect each area with EPA-registered disinfectant specific for combating COVID-19.

Our protocol also includes the following.

• We clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, countertops, desks, etc.
• We clean our hands with soap often and for at least 20 seconds.
• We keep alcohol-based sanitizers on-hand in case of the event that soap is unavailable.
• We maintain a distance of 6-feet from people as recommended by the US government and CDC.
• We require staff to stay home when sick and undergo testing or remain home for 14 days.
• For soft surfaces like rugs or carpets, we clean with EPA-approved cleaners, including soap and water.

How to Successfully Re-Open Your Business

More than 35 states have restrictions on businesses to help fight the spread of COVID-19. The state of Florida is among them. We have 25,492 confirmed cases so far, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Essential businesses are open while nonessential ones remain closed until further notice. Gov. Ron DeSantis is making plans to lift restrictions. Many businesses in South Florida can’t wait to reopen. But you need proper precautions for a successful re-open.

Reopening your business after the COVID-19 lockdown demands better safety measures in place. This is because even after reopening, the pandemic won’t be over. The virus will still be out there so you need to prepare. Make sure your janitorial service vendor knows how to prevent virus outbreaks.

If we want to avoid another wave, we all have to do our part and your business can make a difference. At Sawgrass Cleaning Solutions, our top priority is keeping everyone safe from COVID-19. So we’ve mastered the comprehensive cleaning protocol necessary to fight this disease.

The Importance of Using the Right Cleaning Agents

Improper cleaning agents will not prevent the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a strong virus that requires the utmost of care to deal with. As a result, proper sanitization of commercial spaces is more important than ever. We understand the importance of doing our part to help prevent the spread and know exactly how to do so. We have always cleaned for health and our team is on the front lines of this fight.

We use each EPA-approved cleaning agent or product safely and securely. For example, some cleaning agents recommend that surfaces stay wet for some time. Others need good ventilation for higher effectiveness. Also, alcohol solutions with less than 70 percent of alcohol are ineffective.

Not all cleaning products are effective against COVID-19 so we must take care.

Protecting Yourself and Others

There are three ways to protect yourself and others from getting infected by the virus. These are as follows.

• You must keep surfaces clean. COVID-19 can live on surfaces for hours to days. For example, it can live on metal surfaces for five days and remain on wood for four days.
• Take care of your hygiene. Scientists still don’t understand a whole lot about the virus. But they know how it spreads. COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets produced when we cough or sneeze. The virus also spreads by contact such as when people touch an infected surface. So wash your hands, take baths often, wash clothes, etc.
• Keep practicing social distancing. Maintain your distance from other people. Six feet apart is the recommendation. Social distancing is helping to save lives. So make appropriate plans for serving your customers.

Janitorial Cleaning for Health is Key

This pandemic is a wake-up call. Janitorial service providers that clean for appearance must change their approach. We cannot afford to get blind-sided by another powerful virus in the future. At Sawgrass Cleaning Solutions, we always provide healthful cleaning.

The process of cleaning to prevent COVID-19 or a virus in its class is quite complex but we are here to help. We’ve been serving businesses in South Florida plus neighboring areas for many years. We’ll continue to do so and track the situation surrounding COVID-19.

Contact us today if you need to arrange janitorial services for your South Florida business.

Please note that while we use EPA-approved disinfectants (list N), we make no guarantees that any particular product will kill COVID-2.

Janitorial Services for a Safer Workplace

One dead and 10 fell ill due to a Buffalo Wild Wings cleaning safety incident according to USA Today. Janitorial services prevent incidents such as injuries and the mishandling of cleaning solutions that can cause severe illness.

Many employers in South Florida know the importance of safety in the workplace. Including the potential consequences that can arise when businesses fail to address possible hazards. This is why practically every successful organization provides safety training to employees to avoid incidents. However, precautions like that don’t often address the obscure possible issues even though they can prevent the obvious ones. And something that often goes unaddressed is cleaning safety.

Consider the horrible Buffalo Wild Wings incident that occurred recently in Massachusetts. According to USA Today, one employee died and 10 others got sick after being exposed to harmful chemicals in a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. The substance was “Super 8”, a cleaning solution containing sodium hypochlorite. The cleaning agent was used to clean the restaurant’s floors.

So, What Happened?

Authorities are still investigating the situation. However, current evidence suggests the incident was caused by the mishandling of an unsafe cleaning product. According to the co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center, Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, “Super 8 becomes dangerous when mixed with other chemicals.” Sodium hypochlorite becomes harmful when mixed with ammonia because it begins to emit chloramine, a harmful gas according to Johnson-Arbor.

This unfortunate event brings further attention to the use of potentially hazardous cleaning solutions in the workplace. Employees are not professional cleaners and should not be handling unsafe products, let alone most of your cleaning needs. The mixture of cleaning agents is an unfortunate situation that’s quite common with untrained cleaners. 

Cleaning Safety is Your Duty

Cleaning can become dangerous as evident in the terrible Buffalo Wild Wings incident. You have to keep your customers and employees safe. Doing so prevents unpleasant debacles, keeps everyone happy (customers and staff), and naturally improves employee productivity. The best approach to cleaning safety is to remove employees from potentially hazardous situations.

Janitorial Services Prevent Problems

Working with a reliable janitorial services provider is key to workplace safety. You can prevent workplace illnesses, injuries, and many other unforeseen incidents. Not to mention avoid litigation that typically arises from workplace incidents. Also, a janitorial service company will ensure your organization is compliant with health and safety requirements.

A Bit About Us

Sawgrass Cleaning Solutions provides janitorial cleaning services in South Florida, covering cities like Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and others. We understand the importance of safety and use Eco-friendly cleaning solutions that won’t harm humans, including pets. But that’s not all.

• We use equipment and products correctly. No harm will come to employees or customers.
• Expect your floors to dry up quickly and a thorough cleaning of the establishment. We also mark all slippery areas with safety signs that alert employees and customers to avoid falls.
• We’re green clean certified. That means all our products are safe for adults, children, pets, and the environment.
• We’re bonded and insured, meaning you’re protected against mishaps.

The OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is very clear on its regulations and we follow them to a T. Going above and beyond to ensure standards are met and exceeded because we care. Take the first step towards your peace of mind by contacting us now for a free consultation. You’re in good hands.

6 Things to Look For When Hiring a Janitorial Service

Whether it’s a commercial office space or a retail property, cleaning is an essential part of creating a healthy work environment and establishing a positive reputation. Clean spaces are also linked with increased productivity among employees, and less sick days taken. Smaller businesses might attempt it on their own, but it’s widely acknowledged that commercial cleaning services are the best bet for a hassle-free experience. Yet, it’s not always easy to finding a reliable janitorial service that will get the job right for your South Florida business premises. Firstly, there are many office cleaning services that tout their expertise with no clear evidence of their success rate or service quality. While some may in fact offer a great cleaning, most are unable to deliver on their tall promises.

Here are 6 key aspects to review when looking for a janitorial service for your business requirements in Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, or any of the surrounding areas:

Credibility

What are people saying about the janitorial service you plan to hire? A great way to know more is by checking reviews on verified websites, asking others in your network who have used the service and connecting with employees working there. While anyone can make bold claims about their business, only the credible companies will live up to the expectations they build. It is also a general practice to request the service for unbiased references. If possible, contact those individuals or organizations personally and learn more about their performance, request response time and consistency. See some red flags? Don’t take unnecessary risks, and go ahead with researching other alternatives on the list.

Customer Service Orientated

Outstanding companies go the extra mile when it comes to respecting their customers’ time and providing them the best janitorial service possible. While cleaning should be a priority, cultivating strong relationships is also vital. A sign of a successful company in this industry would be one that continually maintains regular communication, clearly identifies issues and provides speedy solutions. They should also be willing to follow up with you consistently and ensure that you are satisfied with the level of cleaning executed.

Price and Scope of Service

It is best to stay realistic about the budget you intend to allot for professional cleaning services in advance. There are a range of packages provided to suit the needs of every business. However, don’t let pricing be the only criteria for choosing a commercial cleaning service provider. If you see that your shortlisted company is transparent about the rates charged, and has a stellar reputation, shelling out a little extra may be beneficial in the long run. In case you need further clarity, don’t hesitate to ask for more information about their proposal and how they determine pricing. There are certain services that are not required by every company. Usually, a standard janitorial service is willing to be flexible based on the scope of cleaning needed.

License and Insurance

Many companies fail to prioritize this point, but the selected janitorial service must have a business license and provide sufficient insurance documents for the cleaning activities they provide. It is important to verify a cleaning company has workers compensation, general liability, and a surety bond. These are the standard insurance policies reputable  janitorial services maintain.

Who takes care of any accidents on the job? What about theft by a cleaning services staff? While it happens rarely, common complaints include things like a service worker causing damage to office equipment or using cleaning products incorrectly. In such situations, having insurance can be a life-saver for you.

Equipment and Supplies

Established janitorial service providers in South Florida, Boca Raton, or Pompano Beach, will hold a client’s safety paramount. A few things to assess would be whether the office cleaning service is using safe and green cleaning products along with cleaning techniques that are environmentally-friendly, so there’s no negative reaction among their clients. Trustworthy and appropriate cleaning equipment in the industry includes HEPA backpack vacuums, bucket-less microfiber flat mops, color coded microfiber towels and green cleaning chemicals.

There is a lower chance of janitors causing damage to surfaces due to inaccurate application of cleaning products, if they consistently use the products they train with. For instance, understanding that hospital grade disinfectants are used for most surfaces and stainless steel polish, and glass cleaner are used for others. In cases where the client is expected to provide appropriate equipment or supplies, it is extremely inefficient in the long run, and can cost them hundreds of dollars each year.

Professionalism

While maintaining the utmost safety on the client site is one aspect of professionalism that is naturally expected, the other is the overall presentation of the company concerned. One subtle way to observe this is by checking the work of its service staff. If they are sloppy and do not take pride in their tasks, they may be unhappy with their company or do not need to adhere to certain standards in their work.

A lax work ethic indicates the overall lack of quality and professionalism on the company’s part. In addition, employees who wear uniforms distinguish themselves as making a serious investment in their success. Check their website to assess whether the commercial cleaning services company has a clear concept of their brand and focuses on visibility. Truly professional companies give importance to how they are perceived by prospective clients, and often that includes spending resources on developing quality brochures, business cards and flyers.

Keep the above mentioned tips in mind when embarking on a search for the ideal commercial cleaning service in your area, to save time and effort. At the end of the day, you should be happy and completely satisfied with the service provided by the company you choose. Finding an industry leader to execute the task allows for a greater chance of success and results in the assigned space looking as good as new! If you are interested in learning more, get in touch with us today.