3 Simple Steps to Refresh Your Cleaning Approach

Your business focuses on offering a great product or reliable service (maybe both), but what about cleanliness? A clean store, office space or warehouse is more than just sweeping the floors and cleaning the restrooms. It’s about representing your brand, fostering pride in your employees and building loyalty among customers.

 “A clean and sanitized workspace signifies a level of professionalism and tells potential customers that you care about your brand and your employees. A happy employee is a productive employee, and as such, leaves a far better impression than a worker who has to deal with a messy workplace and unhealthy work environment,” says Zippia.com.

Researchers also found that people in a study were more likely to stick with a challenging task longer if they were in a tidy workspace. 

In addition to helping workers stay focused, a clean business can also:

• Increase productivity. According to Stanford University, “When your environment is cluttered, the chaos restricts your ability to focus. The clutter also limits your brain’s ability to process information. Clutter makes you distracted and unable to process information as well as you do in an uncluttered, organized, and serene environment.” 


• Reduce sick days. Illness causes 1.5 billion days of lost productivity every year. In fact, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases reports flu alone costs businesses and employers more than $11 billion annually in direct and indirect costs. Likewise, employees incur costs in unpaid leave, healthcare and other related expenses. Not to mention — no one enjoys being sick. Regular, hygienic cleaning helps kill germs on high-touch and common areas to help reduce the spread of illness.


• Build employee morale. Workers take pride in a clean, well-kept office. That pride can translate into higher concentration and motivation during work, and an overall positive attitude.

According to the Harvard Business Review, “The physical environment of the workplace has a significant effect on the way that we work. When our space is a mess, so are we.”

3 Easy Steps to Refresh Your Approach to Cleaning
With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why you should regularly evaluate your cleaning program. Here are a few simple steps to ensure your program keeps your spaces sparkling and shining. 

Step 1: Take Inventory
Do you have the tools you need to tackle cleaning tasks at your place of work? Is your supply closet overflowing with certain cleaning materials but lacking others? Ditch the broken mops and brooms or torn and stained rags. Spending time checking your supply of cleaning chemicals and products can paint a picture of what you need — and what you don’t. Plus, you’ll be able to:

• Make space for the supplies your team needs and wants.
• Find what you want quickly and efficiently.
• Cut down on waste that ends up in landfills.
• Avoid spending money on supplies you don’t need.

Make managing inventory simple. A managed cleaning program delivers the cleaning supplies and chemicals you need when you need them. Work with a trusted partner like Cintas who can provide reliable delivery and just-right stocked levels of proven products, helping to save you time and money.  

Step 2: Get the Right Tools for the Job
You’ve made sure you have enough supplies, but do you have the right supplies on hand? Not all towels, mops and cleaning chemicals are created equal. Microfiber cloths and mops clean thoroughly and more efficiently, removing 99.9% of microbes with just water. Cut down on cross-contamination with a color-coded system, like the ones from Cintas. After all, no one wants the cloth used in the restroom to be used wiping down kitchen counters or door handles.

It's also key to ensure you have the right cleaning chemicals on hand for common spills and messes at your place of work. Neutral cleaners can be used every day, while a tough degreaser may only be needed in certain situations – like in kitchens and industrial work areas. Disinfectant chemicals can also be formulated to tackle the places they’re needed — be it restrooms, equipment or common areas.

Step 3: Go Green
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to employees, customers and businesses. While there are many ways to improve a business’ impact on the environment, using green cleaning supplies and chemicals is a simple step in the right direction. A managed program delivers reusable products, such as microfiber cloths and mop heads, and offers carefully selected cleaning chemicals that meet stringent environmental standards.

Instead of tossing items in the trash, companies like Cintas will pick up dirty items and professionally launder them to remove chemicals safely and effectively. Then, clean items are delivered back to your business. 

Cintas is dedicated to creating a more sustainable future for all. Since 2019, the organization has reduced its emissions intensity by 27%, well on its path to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 

Are you ready™ to refresh your cleaning program? Contact Cintas Facility Services today to learn how a managed program can be right for your business.