Preparing Commercial Spaces for Valentine's Day: Tips and Tricks

Valentine's Day is traditionally a day of flowers, chocolates, greeting cards, and romantic gestures. It’s when you let your “special someone” know how much they matter to you. Why not use Valentine’s Day to recognize what your staff, clients, and customers mean to your business? What better way to accomplish this than creating a clean, welcoming environment? Prepare for Valentine’s by going beyond the usual chores (wiping desktops/countertops, sanitizing bathrooms, vacuuming/mopping floors). Dig in and clean the less visible, less obvious places where dust, dirt, and debris build up. Not only will your employees/clients feel appreciated, but you’ll also increase productivity, reduce illness, boost your image, increase equipment life, diminish distractions, and protect your company from the possibility of litigation. The following are some tips, tricks, and locations for deep cleaning for Valentine’s Day. 

• Small spaces are often overlooked when cleaning a workplace; behind/under machines, under desks, under chairs, behind cabinets, in corners, and under tables. Properly sanitizing and cleaning these spaces improves the cleanliness of the whole office.  

• The microwave in the breakroom can be a disaster! Funky smells, dried-on food, and disgusting bacteria hide within, making this machine less efficient and turning it into a source of illness and infection. Thorough cleaning is needed to remove the build-up. 

• Walls are often forgotten in the cleaning itinerary, becoming covered with dust, dirt, fingerprints, grime, and stains. This is particularly true if they’re covered with wallpaper or textured. Wipe walls with a 1/4 cup mild liquid laundry detergent in one quart of warm water.  Use a soft bristle brush. Dust and/or vacuum textured walls. 

• Picture frames: Check the artwork in your office and you’ll probably find fingerprints and/or a grimy film. Dust all frames to remove dust, dander, and dirt. 

• The baseboards are likely covered in scuff marks and dirt, worn down and uncared for. Vacuum them when you’re vacuuming carpets and floors. Wipe them with warm water and mild soap. 

• Ceiling Tiles collect dust! Use a long-handled duster or vacuum to keep them clean. Pay special attention to those tiles near vents. 

• Ceiling fan blades accumulate dust and dirt quickly and easily! When the fan is turned on, this debris spreads, making it difficult to maintain a clean workplace. Use a cloth and an all-purpose cleaner or a solution of dish soap and water to gently clean the blades and grill.

• Light fixtures are like a magnet for dust and bugs! Clean the lights with a microfiber cloth. Dust the bulb and cover, cleaning inside and out.

• Vents and ducts become covered in dust, creating poor air quality and affecting the health of employees. Vacuum ducts and vents to prevent dust, mildew, and mould, from blowing into the office space.

• Curtains and blinds are often forgotten on the cleaning schedule. Open the blinds and wipe them (from top to bottom) with a microfiber duster or lambswool cloth. Vacuum any dust that drifts to the floor. Shake the duster out between cleanings. Wash curtains on a gentle cycle, using a mild detergent and cool or lukewarm water. Hang them to dry or dry on a delicate/no heat setting.

• Plants and foliage (artificial or live) collect cobwebs and dust. Remove dying/dead leaves, then gently wipe with water and a soft cloth. 

• Furniture (conference tables, chairs, end tables, couches, coffee tables,) become dingy and stained. Steam cleaning and/or wiping with mild soap and warm water improves them greatly. 

• Door handles harbour germs, frequently hosting microorganisms and bacteria. Clean with a mild disinfectant, to stop the spread of germs.

• Office equipment (printers, computers, copiers, keyboards) are frequent touchpoints, harbouring bacteria, and germs. Rubbing alcohol and disinfectant wipes are great for cleaning these surfaces. 

• Telephones are magnets for dirt, germs, grime, grease, and viruses spread from coughing and sneezing. Wipe and disinfect telephone systems.

• Light switch plates and switches require regular attention to reduce the spread of illness. Use disinfectant (wipes or spray) to clean these surfaces. 

As a gift to your staff on Valentine’s Day, hire a commercial cleaner to tackle every nook and cranny of your office. They’ll know where to look and what to clean to ensure your workplace sparkles! They have the knowledge, experience, and expertise to sanitize and clean even the forgotten areas of your space. 

Need a commercial cleaner to sanitize and freshen your office for Valentine’s Day? Looking for a trustworthy, reputable professional cleaning company that’ll meet your specific requirements? Contact Strathcona Cleaners. We are a Calgary-based business that provides janitorial services to many industries. We tailor our maintenance and cleaning plans to suit your specific needs.