Deep cleaning is essential for keeping a commercial space healthy, safe, and professional. Unlike routine cleaning, it focuses on areas that collect dirt, germs, and allergens over time, ensuring a deeper level of cleanliness. This process is critical for maintaining a hygienic environment, especially in spaces where many people work and interact daily.
In addition to improving hygiene, regular deep cleaning also helps prolong the life of office furniture, equipment, and flooring. Over time, dirt and grime can cause wear and tear, but deep cleaning can prevent this, keeping valuable assets in good condition for longer. This not only saves money on replacements but also ensures the office remains visually appealing.
Finding the right balance between how often to schedule deep cleaning and when to do it is important. Too frequent cleaning can disrupt the workflow, while too little may allow dirt and germs to build up. Strategic timing, such as scheduling cleans during off-hours, can increase the benefits of deep cleaning without interfering with daily operations.
In this article, a commercial cleaning services company will cover the importance of deep cleaning in commercial spaces and how it targets areas missed during routine cleaning. They’ll also discuss the health benefits and how businesses can determine the ideal schedule for deep cleaning without disrupting operations.
Understand the purpose of deep cleaning in commercial spaces
Deep cleaning is essential for ensuring a thorough level of cleanliness in commercial spaces. Unlike routine cleaning, it targets areas that often go unnoticed, providing a deeper, more comprehensive clean that helps maintain hygiene, safety, and the longevity of office equipment and furnishings.
Target areas often missed by routine cleaning
The main difference between regular cleaning and deep cleaning is in the level of detail. Regular cleaning includes basic tasks like dusting, vacuuming, wiping desks, and emptying trash bins, which helps maintain daily cleanliness. However, some areas gather dirt, dust, and grime over time that routine cleaning doesn’t fully address, making deep cleaning necessary.
Deep cleaning focuses on hard-to-reach and often overlooked spots, like light switches, door handles, and phone receivers, which can keep bacteria. It also tackles areas behind furniture, baseboards, and corners that regular cleaning misses, as well as carpets and upholstery that trap dust and stains over time.
In addition, deep cleaning goes further by sanitising office equipment, cleaning ventilation systems, and treating floors and tiles with specialised methods. This thorough approach ensures a healthier, more sanitary environment, contributing to the long-term upkeep of a professional workspace.
Prevent health and safety issues
Deep cleaning is essential for preventing the build-up of allergens, mould, and bacteria in commercial spaces, creating a healthier and safer environment for employees and clients. While regular cleaning tackles surface dirt, hidden areas and high-touch surfaces can accumulate dust, allergens, and bacteria over time, leading to allergies, respiratory problems, and poor air quality, which can affect employee health and productivity.
In busy places like offices, retail stores, and shared workspaces, germs spread quickly, especially on high-touch surfaces like door handles, lift buttons, and kitchen areas. Deep cleaning thoroughly sanitises these spots, helping to reduce the spread of illness, which is especially important during flu season or after a health crisis like COVID-19.
Mould is another hidden risk, often developing in damp, poorly ventilated areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Without proper cleaning, mould can cause respiratory issues and allergies. Regular deep cleaning eliminates mould build-up, keeping the environment cleaner and safer.
Determine the ideal frequency for deep cleaning
Establishing the right frequency for deep cleaning is essential to maintaining a hygienic and efficient commercial space. The ideal schedule depends on several factors, including the size of the business, daily activity levels, and industry-specific requirements that may dictate more rigorous cleaning practices.
Assess business size and activity level
The size of a commercial space and its daily activity levels are important factors when deciding how often deep cleaning is needed. Larger offices with many employees or frequent visitors tend to collect more dust, dirt, and germs, requiring more regular deep cleans. For instance, a big corporate office with hundreds of employees may need monthly deep cleans to keep high-traffic areas like meeting rooms and restrooms hygienic.
Similarly, businesses that welcome many external visitors, such as retail stores or customer service centres, may need to focus on deep cleaning high-touch areas more frequently. Areas like door handles, reception desks, and countertops are used often and can become hotspots for germs, requiring regular attention.
On the other hand, smaller offices with fewer employees and lower daily activity may only need deep cleaning every few months. For example, a small legal firm with limited foot traffic could manage with quarterly or bi-annual deep cleans. However, businesses with high-intensity operations, like gyms or food preparation services, will require more frequent deep cleaning than quieter workplaces.
Customising the frequency of deep cleaning to match the size and activity level of a business helps maintain cleanliness without wasting resources, ensuring that cleaning is both efficient and effective.
Consider industry requirements and standards
Certain industries, like healthcare, food service, and hospitality, have strict regulations around cleanliness and hygiene. In these sectors, maintaining a spotless environment isn’t just recommended—it’s a legal requirement to protect the health and safety of clients, patients, and staff.
For example, hospitals, clinics, and medical offices must follow strict health rules to prevent the spread of infections and contaminants. In these settings, deep cleaning needs to happen frequently, often on a daily or weekly basis, to keep high-touch surfaces, patient areas, and medical equipment sanitised.
The thoroughness of deep cleaning in these industries is essential for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and ensuring patient safety, making it a critical part of daily operations.
Identify the best time for deep cleaning
Choosing the right time for deep cleaning is crucial to avoid disruptions in daily business operations. Scheduling deep cleans strategically ensures that the cleaning process is thorough while maintaining a smooth workflow for employees and clients.
Schedule deep cleans outside of business hours
Scheduling deep cleans outside of regular working hours is a smart way to keep a business clean without disrupting daily operations. Early mornings, late evenings, or weekends are ideal times for deep cleaning, especially in busy workplaces where interruptions can be costly. This allows cleaning staff to work efficiently, giving proper attention to high-traffic and high-touch areas like meeting rooms and restrooms.
Cleaning outside normal hours also means cleaners can access all parts of the office without disturbing employees or customers. They can move large furniture, reach difficult spots, and use equipment like carpet cleaners more easily, without having to work around staff.
Additionally, cleaning during off-hours reduces health and safety risks, as there’s no need to use chemicals or heavy machinery when the office is busy, making the process safer and more effective.
Plan around seasonal or special events
Aligning deep cleaning schedules with seasonal changes or special events is crucial for maintaining a pristine and hygienic commercial space. For instance, after a major renovation, deep cleaning becomes necessary to remove dust, debris, and construction residues that accumulate during the project. Similarly, before hosting a corporate event or welcoming important clients, a deep clean ensures the space is fresh, presentable, and reflective of the business’s professionalism.
Seasonal shifts also influence the need for more thorough cleaning. For example, after winter, office spaces can benefit from a deep clean to remove salt, mud, and grime tracked in during colder months. This not only refreshes the space but also helps protect carpets and floors from long-term damage. Likewise, in preparation for flu season, offices may require additional attention to high-touch surfaces like door handles, keyboards, and shared equipment to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses.
Focus on high-impact areas for deep cleaning
In any commercial setting, certain areas require more frequent and intensive attention during deep cleaning. Prioritizing these high-impact zones ensures that the spaces most affected by daily use remain clean and hygienic, contributing to the overall health and appearance of the workplace.
Prioritise high-traffic zones
High-traffic zones in commercial settings, such as entrances, hallways, and communal areas, are prime candidates for more frequent deep cleaning due to the constant footfall they experience. These spaces accumulate dirt, grime, and germs more quickly than less-used areas, making regular attention essential for both hygiene and appearance. Entrances, for example, are the first point of contact for employees and visitors, often bringing in dirt from outside. Keeping these areas clean not only creates a positive first impression but also reduces the spread of dirt into other parts of the office.
Hallways and communal spaces like break rooms, kitchens, and restrooms are also high-risk zones where germs can easily spread. These areas are often used by multiple people throughout the day, making them hotspots for bacteria and viruses. Deep cleaning these zones regularly helps eliminate germs on high-touch surfaces like door handles, countertops, and light switches, contributing to a healthier environment for employees and visitors.
Address equipment and technology
In commercial settings, deep cleaning should extend beyond floors and common areas to include equipment, desks, and technology. These items, which are often used daily but overlooked during routine cleaning, can accumulate dust, fingerprints, and spills, affecting both their appearance and functionality.
Office electronics such as computers, keyboards, phones, and printers are high-touch items that can harbor germs and bacteria if not cleaned regularly. Dust buildup inside and around electronics can also impact their performance, leading to overheating or malfunctioning components over time.
For example, dust accumulation in computer vents can cause overheating, reducing the lifespan of the equipment, while fingerprints on monitors and smudged keyboards can create a less professional appearance. Printers and copiers, which are frequently used by multiple employees, can become breeding grounds for bacteria, contributing to the spread of illnesses in the office.
Including thorough cleaning of office equipment in a deep cleaning plan ensures a healthier and more efficient workspace. By removing dust, dirt, and bacteria from these frequently touched surfaces, you not only maintain a cleaner and more sanitary office but also extend the life of expensive equipment. Employees will also appreciate working in a cleaner environment, leading to improved morale and productivity.
Create a custom deep cleaning schedule
Every commercial space has unique cleaning needs, which is why creating a custom deep cleaning schedule is essential. Tailoring the cleaning plan to the specific requirements of the business ensures all areas are properly maintained, helping to keep the environment clean, safe, and efficient year-round.
Evaluate cleaning needs with a professional
To keep a commercial space clean and hygienic, it’s important to work with a professional cleaning company to create a customised deep cleaning plan. Each business has different needs based on its industry, number of employees, and how the space is used daily. A professional cleaner can assess high-traffic areas, special equipment, and the nature of the business to develop a cleaning schedule that is both efficient and cost-effective.
For instance, an office with hundreds of employees will have different cleaning needs than a small retail store or a healthcare facility. A cleaning expert can identify areas needing frequent attention, like kitchens and restrooms, and consider any industry-specific regulations, such as food safety or healthcare standards.
Adapt to changing business dynamics
As businesses grow and evolve, it’s essential to regularly review and adjust the deep cleaning schedule to meet changing demands. Factors such as increases in staff numbers, shifts in office layout, or expansions in business operations can significantly impact cleaning needs.
For example, if a business hires more employees, common areas like restrooms, break rooms, and shared workspaces will experience higher traffic, necessitating more frequent deep cleaning to maintain hygiene and prevent the spread of germs. Similarly, if a business undergoes an office redesign, certain areas may require different cleaning approaches based on new materials, furniture placement, or foot traffic patterns.
Changes in business operations can also introduce new cleaning requirements. For example, if a company begins hosting more in-office meetings or events, spaces like conference rooms and reception areas will require more frequent deep cleaning to keep them presentable and sanitary. Seasonal changes, such as flu season or colder months, may also increase the need for deeper cleaning of high-touch surfaces to reduce the risk of illness.
Conclusion
Deep cleaning is essential for keeping commercial spaces clean, healthy, and professional. By scheduling it regularly, businesses can maintain a hygienic environment, support employee wellbeing, and enhance their company image.
Regular deep cleans prevent dirt and germs from building up and help protect office equipment. As a cleaning company in London, we help businesses create customised deep cleaning plans to ensure a spotless and efficient workspace all year round.
