10 Ways to Grow Your Cleaning Business

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

Running a successful cleaning company is extremely rewarding and this is a great service business to own.  Typically you have repeat business, minimal inventory and little overhead when running a cleaning business.  Today you have more households that both spouses are employed and an increasing demographic of 55+ communities, making the opportunities great for owning a cleaning company.  The initial start-up investment is also relatively small as you can start the business from your home, do some low-cost advertising and the necessary cleaning supplies can be purchased if you don’t already own them for under $250. 

The financial reward for growing a cleaning business is great.  Individuals that are committed to great customer service, have good management skills and are goal oriented can be very successful.  Owning a cleaning business that is focused on strictly the residential community also offers a great lifestyle business as your work schedule is typically Monday – Friday, with weekends off for your family                                                                           

To enjoy the opportunities that owning a cleaning business offers, you need to be able to grow your business. How to grow your cleaning business is a question that is most frequently asked by both new and seasoned cleaning professionals next to what are the best cleaning supplies.  The following are 10 ways to grow your cleaning business. 

  1. Have a website that you can drive your local community to with online advertising, press advertising and any other means you use to help your local community get to know the services you offer.  Having a website is crucial today as online is typically the first place your customer goes to find your service. On your website include customer testimonials, the services you offer, a lead capture area so you can market to prospects via email, your cleaning process along with the cleaning supplies you use and your contact information. Folks the yellow pages are a dinosaur and you need to be online. Once your website is up, make sure to have your website have links to it from free local directories here. These are a few free one’s to consider and also sign up for www.manta.com Make sure to also set-up your Google Places page as its free and drives additional traffic. Learn how to set up your Google Places Page here!

  2. Create a business profile page on your Facebook account and get all your friends to participate in conversations. Get customers to communicate on your page to show your involvement in your local community and be engaging. Share cleaning tips, cleaning ideas and be active.

  3. Participate in local networking events. Consider joining your local BNI group and/or your local Chamber of Commerce.  Many successful cleaning companies have gained tremendous amounts of business by being involved in networking events and received large amounts of referrals from this avenue. 

  4. Advertise in your local community paper and have a good call to action to drive appointments to meet with prospects. The more prospects you get the opportunity to meet with the more customers you’ll eventually have. 

  5. Ask your existing customers for referrals. Ask for referrals after each clean and ask for testimonials from your customers. Be specific when asking for referrals by asking what friends are currently using a cleaning company and offer to do something crazy to attract their business. Consider cleaning them for 50% of what they’re currently paying which should cover your labor cost just to try your service out.  Let your customer know that if their friend signs on for service that they’ll be rewarded with a referral program you should establish.

  6. Door Hangers on neighbors of homes you’re cleaning and do this often to let your customer’s neighbors knowing you’re in the neighborhood. Do this continuously as it does work with repetition.

  7. Quality cleaning with consistent employee inspections.  Retaining existing customers is crucial and this is only achieved by consistently inspecting the quality of the cleaning your cleaners are performing.  It makes no sense to sign on a few new customers a week if your loosing a few existing customers. Cleaning inspections drives quality and shows your customers you care. 

  8. Community involvement is highly important to get your companies brand out in front of potential customers. Participate by sponsoring a local kids sports team, donate to a local school fundraiser, help a family in need, sign-up for http://cleaningforareason.org/ to help women undergoing cancer treatment, sign-up for http://www.cleaningforheroes.org/ to help our veterans and sponsor a local cause. Community involvement is personally rewarding and has great positives for your business.

  9. Network with local realtor offices as they can be a great referral source as can property managers. They can refer large amounts of new customers and one time cleaning opportunities. This is a realtor referral program you can try here for free!

  10. Branding your company. Have your company information with you at all times. Hand out business cards, have logos with company information on your vehicle and employees vehicles if possible and always wear your company logo on your clothing. Growing your cleaning business starts by building a good brand.

About Author Discount Cleaning Products: Discount Cleaning Products is a leading supplier of cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies to businesses throughout the country. Over 200,000 top brand name supplies are available at discounted pricing.  Discount Cleaning Products has over 30 warehouses throughout the country making next day delivery possible because they are fully supplied with many of the top cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies that are needed to run your business. Discount Cleaning Products receives great reviews as customer service is highly important along with low pricing. Visit Discount Cleaning Products today or call 888-233-0851 to speak with them directly.

Posted in Cleaning, Did you know!, Marketing Your Cleaning Business | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Evidence How a Clean Home Reduces Stress

Posted on April 3, 2012 by admin

A home that is clean and has less clutter is shown to reduce stress in most people.  A dirty and cluttered home or work environment is proven to reduce energy in people and cause unnecessary stress.  Clutter and dirt have also been shown to cause weight gain, illnesses and fatigue.  Dust alone is known to cause sinus problems, allergies, headaches and fatigue.  Evidence has shown that pleasant smells can improve your mood, help you concentrate better and help you have an over-all better well being.

One option to achieving a clean home to reduce stress is by hiring a cleaning company.  Hiring a maid service provides you extra time in your life, reduces stress, saves you money on cleaning supplies and really is in many homeowners budgets.  Molly Maids recently listed in their great blog a comparison of what a maid service truly cost:

  • Cost of a Couple Nights Out = Bi-Weekly Cleaning Service

  • Pro Basketball Game = Weekly Cleaning Service

  • Family Golf Outing = Monthly Cleaning Service

  • Theme Park Vacation = Yearly Cleaning Service

Nicely mentioned in their blog would you rather scrub a toilet or would you rather have some free time?  If you decide to tackle cleaning your home yourself to reduce stress here are 4 ways to make cleaning easier:

  1. Have everyone pitch in. Children and “significant others” should all chip in to reduce household clutter.  Dusting, vacuuming and scrubbing a toilet is much worse when you have to first clean the clutter.

  2. Have a cleaning products tote that has your favorite cleaning tools.  Having the best cleaning supplies can greatly reduce the amount of time needed to clean. Cleaning services are able to clean much faster than homeowners because they have the right cleaning products, chemicals, a cleaning process and aren’t stopping to do other household duties when cleaning. Set an hour aside twice a week and tackle the cleaning chores without interruption.

  3. Put on your favorite music in the background as it will put you in a better mood to help make the cleaning less stressful.

  4. Keep your Cleaning equipment like your Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Canister Vacuum Cleaner and even your cleaning brushes in top shape to allow for good performance. A dirty scrub brush or poor sucking vacuum cleaner only adds to the stress of cleaning.

In summary a clean home will dramatically reduce stress and make for a much happier home and healthier you! So happy cleaning or enjoy your cleaning service, you deserve it!

About Author Discount Cleaning Products: Discount Cleaning Products is a leading supplier of cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies to businesses throughout the country. Over 200,000 top brand name supplies are available at discounted pricing.  Discount Cleaning Products has over 30 warehouses throughout the country making next day delivery possible because they are fully supplied with many of the top cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies that are needed to run your business. Discount Cleaning Products receives great reviews as customer service is highly important along with low pricing. Visit Discount Cleaning Products today or call 888-233-0851 to speak with them directly.

Posted in Cleaning, Did you know! | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cleaning Companies See Growth in 2012 & Are Very Optimistic

Posted on April 2, 2012 by admin

 

Cleaning companies are optimistic about the outlook for 2012.  After 3 years of a poor economy some are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It has been a terrible 3 years and many companies have had a tough time surviving in a very challenging economy.  BUT WAIT, 2012 is starting off to a very robust start!

Discount Cleaning Products has had a very strong first quarter and attributed a good portion of the increase to cleaning companies who purchase cleaning products, facility supplies and office supplies.  Many manufactures were experiencing back-orders on products as they were not overstocking due to uncertainty of when the economy would turn around. As the first quarter of 2012 was coming to a close Discount Cleaning Products reached out to over 1000 cleaning companies who purchase supplies to ask 6 questions about 2012!

  1. How is Business YTD 2012 compared to 2011 the same time? 100% of those who responded were experiencing better growth in 2012 compared to 2011.  Growth ranged from 5% to some companies experiencing over 20% growth.  On average most cleaning companies saw a significant increase compared to last year.

  2. What Marketing Methods are Driving the Most Sales in 2012? Direct Mail was the number one method of growth in 2012 followed by a close second the internet.  Many cleaning companies customers are finding them by searching online and companies not currently marketing in one form or another online are missing out. Social Media such as Pinterest, Linkedin and Facebook were also mentioned. The final most popular method cleaning companies mentioned as driving business was Referrals.  A funny observation after all the responses was that not one cleaning company mentioned the yellow pages, the phone book is becoming obsolete.

  3. What is your #1 Employee issue YTD? Difficulty attracting new employees compared to 2011 was number one biggest employee issue, followed by employee tardiness and lastly retaining employees as turn-over was higher with an improving economy.

  4. Number one difference in 2012 compared to 2011 in your business? Revenue was number one answer by far as being up, followed by many cleaning companies seeing much more consumer estimates.

  5. Outlook on 2012 compared to 2011? Overwhelmingly the response was Positive and Outlook very bullish as more companies were seeing and expecting much more growth.

  6. The final survey question was merely a question on favorite cleaning supplies from favorite vacuum, favorite bathroom cleaner, favorite all-purpose cleaner to must have cleaning tools.  Many different brands were mentioned like ProTeam Vacuums, Hoover Vacuums, Oreck Vacuums, 3M Cleaning Products, Mr. Clean and the number one must have cleaning tool was the Magic Eraser!

About Author Discount Cleaning Products: Discount Cleaning Products is a leading supplier of cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies to businesses throughout the country. Over 200,000 top brand name supplies are available at discounted pricing.  Discount Cleaning Products has over 30 warehouses throughout the country making next day delivery possible because they are fully supplied with many of the top cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies that are needed to run your business. Discount Cleaning Products receives great reviews as customer service is highly important along with low pricing. Visit Discount Cleaning Products today or call 888-233-0851 to speak with them directly.

Posted in Did you know! | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to Clean the Toilet

Posted on March 27, 2012 by admin

The best cleaning supplies, cleaning products or cleaning chemicals doesn’t make cleaning the toilet any easier.  Cleaning the toilet isn’t just about the appearance but it is also about disinfecting the toilet and surrounding areas appropriately.  Janitorial cleaning companies typically are very good at cleaning the toilet for appearance, though it is highly important that they also properly clean the toilet for health reasons.

There is a proper way to clean a toilet and the wrong way can cause the spread of harmful bacteria or viruses.  It is important when cleaning the toilet to wear disposable gloves for hand safety and also to wear eye protection if using harmful chemicals.  Never use a cleaning sponge when cleaning a toilet as sponges hold in bacteria and don’t use just one rag that will cross contaminate other areas.  Before you begin cleaning the toilet gather all your cleaning products, remove all objects on and surrounding the toilet and flush the toilet.  The following are 6 Steps on How to Clean the Toilet.

  1. Begin first by adding the appropriate cleaning chemicals to the toilet and around the toilet.  Never use bleach with other cleaning chemicals as if they have ammonia this will cause an invisible toxic gas that unfortunately causes many ER visits.  Spray the top, sides and bottom of the bowl.  Clean the toilet paper holder area with a good cleaning disinfectant cleaner.

  2. Take a toilet bowl cleaning brush and clean the inside of the toilet to remove any stains.  For dirtier toilets cleaning with a Pumice Stone will help safely remove the toughest stains and get the bowl the cleanest.  Toilets with terrible mineral build ups may sometimes decide to use a Phosphoric Acid cleaning chemical though this should really only be performed by janitorial or cleaning professionals. Typically Pumice Stone will remove any stain in a residential home.  Make sure when cleaning the inside of the toilet to clean well under the rim of the toilet.

  3. Now that you’ve cleaned the stains inside the toilet begin cleaning the top of the toilet.  Remember to clean the toilet bowl handle and clean both behind and the sides of the toilet. 

  4. Use a new towel to clean the toilet seat, the back of the toilet lid, under the seat and around the rim of the toilet. Periodically use a tooth brush or other cleaning brush to clean around the seat fixtures to remove built in debris.

  5. Now clean the base of the toilet. Make sure to clean the front, sides and behind the toilet. 

  6. Clean the floor around the toilet, behind the toilet and don’t forget to clean the walls.

About Author Discount Cleaning Products: Discount Cleaning Products is a leading supplier of cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies to businesses throughout the country. Over 200,000 top brand name supplies are available at discounted pricing.  Discount Cleaning Products has over 30 warehouses throughout the country making next day delivery possible because they are fully supplied with many of the top cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies that are needed to run your business. Discount Cleaning Products receives great reviews as customer service is highly important along with low pricing. Visit Discount Cleaning Products today or call 888-233-0851 to speak with them directly.

Posted in Cleaning | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

10 Must-Do Spring Cleaning Chores Often Overlooked!

Posted on March 25, 2012 by admin

Spring has quickly arrived and with that so has Spring Cleaning.  Spring cleaning is a great time of the year to truly get into those corners that aren’t part of your regular cleaning schedule and really get that area clean. If you have a cleaning company or are a regular daily cleaner there are still spring cleaning tasks you should consider that are often overlooked even if you have the best cleaning supplies.  These are 10 Must-Do Spring Cleaning tasks everyone should perform:

  1. Clean vents: There are several thousand dryer fires each year causing serious destruction to homes, deaths and injuries.  Typically the number one cause to Dryer fires is dirty vents that haven’t been cleaned.  Vents need to be checked often and when performing your annual spring cleaning make sure this is one of the tasks.  If your clothes ever begin to take longer to dry, a clogged vent could be the reason and this is also a great time to check.  There are many cleaning services available that will clean dryer vents for $50-$100.  Lastly clean all air vents in your home, change the filters and also clean microwave or oven vents. Microwave and oven vents are often overlooked and should be cleaned often. Consider placing in you Dishwasher when extra room.
  2. Water Filters: Water filters should be replaced every six months and performing this task during your spring cleaning ritual is a perfect time.  Water filters are inexpensive and remembering to change your filter is important as they are only effective for a certain time period.  
  3. Vacuum your Mattress: Mattresses should be vacuumed with a canister vacuum at-least a few times a year, though defiantly once a year. Mattresses collected large amounts of dust that can greatly impact your nightly sleeping. Many canister vacuums come with various vacuum accessories and try to use an upholstery tool to effectively vacuum the mattress. You should also consider vacuuming all upholstery in your home.  Lastly flip your mattress over when vacuuming to do all sides.
  4. Clean the Tops of Cabinets: Many individuals will clean their kitchen cabinets monthly, though getting on a step tool and cleaning the tops of the cabinets is also important. Tops of cabinets can get very sticky in a kitchen and dust will attract to that area.  Once the tops of cabinets are cleaned try to lay down some plastic wrap to keep that area covered or lay down paper towels and replace each time you spring clean. This will make cleaning much easier.
  5. Clean out your Medicine Cabinet: Medicine has an expiration date and each spring cleaning checking your cabinet is important. Check expiration dates and properly dispose of any expired medicines. 
  6. Refrigerator Cleaning: Pull your refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum behind. You should also wipe down your refrigerator coils as this will preserve your refrigerator and make it run more efficiently. Many vacuums have dust brushes that can be used for this area. You should also clean out your freezer, ice trays and dispose of all meats and other produce that has expired.
  7. Clean insides of cabinets: Consider draws in bathrooms where brushes are kept or your toothbrushes. How often are you cleaning that area? Clean out your utensil draws, dish cabinets and any area that is often overlooked in weekly cleaning.
  8. Coffee Maker: Coffee pots are often cleaned after each use, though it’s also important to clean the inside of your coffee maker. Consider using apple cider vinegar and letting it soak for a bit. 
  9. Cleaning your Computer: Your computer is typically an item that many cleaning companies won’t clean unless asked to avoid any damaging. You should definitely wipe down your mouse, computer keyboard and monitor. Pause from reading this article and take a look now at your keyboard, is it clean?
  10. Clean Faucet Heads: You should definitely add cleaning shower heads, bathroom faucets and kitchen faucets to your Spring Cleaning Tasks. Faucets are a haven for bacteria growth and should be cleaned often, though definitely during your spring cleaning.  Vinegar or apple cider vinegar is good to use and will help in removing any lime deposits also.

About Author Discount Cleaning Products: Discount Cleaning Products is a leading supplier of cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies to businesses throughout the country. Over 200,000 top brand names supplies are available at discounted pricing.  Discount Cleaning Products has over 30 warehouses throughout the country making next day delivery possible because they are fully supplied with many of the top cleaning supplies, facility supplies and office supplies that are needed to run your business. Discount Cleaning Products receives great reviews as customer service is highly important along with low pricing. Visit Discount Cleaning Products today or call 888-233-0851 to speak with them directly. 

Posted in Cleaning | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Growing your Cleaning Business with a Blog

Posted on March 13, 2012 by admin

Having a blog for your janitorial or cleaning company is not only a great way to communicate with your customer, but it is a great way to generate leads.  Having a blog that has consistent fresh content about your local community and the services you offer is a great way to drive traffic to your website.  Google and the other search engines love fresh content and the more you have, the higher you’ll show in natural search.  Wouldn’t you love to always show near the top of the page when your prospects search for a cleaning service? 

Recently I read a great article from Joseph Manna over at Infusionsoft titled, “How to Use Blogging to Generate Leads”. Real fast though, if you don’t know who Infusionsoft is and you’re in need of a great CRM that can grow your business, email your customers and manage your prospects, check them out at www.infusionsoft.com  

The article shares 5 steps that will help you generate more leads from your blog.  Here are the 5 steps and how to apply them to your cleaning business.

1)      Produce Interesting Content: Some may say this is easy, though really not everyone follows this.  Look at these 2 Great Cleaning Companies Blog titles and you’ll see Interesting Content.  Debra Pasek Kesap Clean Professional Cleaning wrote “10 Important things you should consider before hiring a Housekeeper”. http://homecleanermagazine.com/commercial-janitorial-to-hire-30-new-employees-as-part-of-expansion/  or Melinda Grant at Brite Touch Cleaning wrote “Time Saving Laundry Tips” http://www.britetouchcleaning.com/  

2)      Don’t Talk about Yourself: No one is interested in reading about you, just like you don’t like hearing someone talk only about them.  Discuss useful tips, local events, good causes like Cleaning For A Reason or Cleaning for a Soldier or talk about your employee of the month. 

3)      Don’t be afraid to ask for the business: It’s ok to ask for the opportunity to provide an estimate or add the lead to your customer contact list, though its all about timing.  Bring the customer to your landing page, have them friend you on your company Facebook, but just make sure your getting the prospect to take next steps to interact with you.

4)      Track You Leads: Infusionsoft really helps you keep track of what’s working and what needs to improve based on your prospects actions on your site.  But you can also do this easily. If  your asking for referrals provide a unique coupon code to track it back or if your asking for a “Like” on your company Facebook page you can watch which articles drive more actions. 

5)      Publish Often: The more you publish new content the more you’ll show up throughout local search engines.  Try to use good keywords inside your blog that your customers would be searching. Like for Discount Cleaning Products we’ll discuss Cleaning Supplies, Commercial Vacuums, Janitorial Supplies and we’ll link back to our site. Cleaning companies can use Residential Cleaning, House Cleaners or Maids. 

Taking these 5 steps above will help your cleaning business generate more traffic to your website, more prospects and more customers.  Happy Blogging and if Discount Cleaning Products can help with any cleaning supplies, blog ideas or topics just visit our website or feel free to call.

Posted in Marketing Your Cleaning Business | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

5 Tips to Reduce Back Pain at Work

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

Mom was right to tell you to stop slouching and sit up straight. Not only does good posture make you look taller and more confident, it also increases energy, improves breathing and keeps your back pain free. Good posture ensures that you're placing the least amount of strain on muscles and tendons. Whether sitting in front of the computer, standing, walking or lifting, always practice good posture.

1. Standing. Keep your feet a comfortable distance apart, typically no more than the breadth of your shoulders with equal weight distributed on each leg. Imagine a vertical line drawn from the center of your head through your shoulders and down to your pelvis. This is your perfect standing posture.

If your job requires you to stand for prolonged periods of time, consider using a foot rest to ease strain. If you need additional back support, steady yourself with a table or countertop, remembering to keep your head raised and spine straight. Individuals standing in the same spot all day should use a rubber mat on the floor to improve comfort.

2. Walking. Notice how people walk and you'll see that many of us lean forward, creating stress on the back. Walk without tensing neck muscles, while keeping your pelvis straight and head level. With good posture, your head should almost feel weightless. Avoid flat-footed, "stomping," but instead land softly on the heel, transferring weight onto the ball of the foot and finally the toes. Use purses, bags and backpacks designed to minimize back strain.

3. Sitting. With so many of us sitting at a desk all day, it's natural to get tired and start slouching without even noticing it. To counter that, take full advantage of the chair's features with your buttocks pushed all the way to the back of the seat. Once your pelvis supports your weight, you'll notice how much easier it is to maintain good posture. Your knees should bend at a right angle and be about the same level as your hips. Use a small foot rest under your feet to achieve proper position if needed. Avoid unbalanced postures such as crossing legs unevenly, leaning to one side, hunching the shoulders or tilting the head. Give your shoulders and back muscles a break by using the arm rests.

4. Lifting. Incorrect lifting can contribute to severe, long-term debilitation. With that in mind, always plan before you lift. Keep objects close to your body rather than carried with outstretched arms. Even with light objects, maintain a straight back and use knee-bending actions not back-bending actions. Tighten your abdominal muscles for extra support. If lifting is part of your regular daily routine, invest in a back support or other related equipment.

5. Working at the Computer. In addition to practicing good sitting posture as previously discussed, working at a computer requires you to keep your arms and wrists aligned as well. Unnecessary strain is placed on the spine unless your chair, keyboard, mouse, and computer screen are all correctly positioned.

Place your monitor away from glare and at a distance of about an arm's length when seated comfortably in front of it. Position the screen to your natural, resting eye position and avoid tilting your head forward. Use a book or stand to raise it if needed. Adjust your monitor's brightness, contrast and font size to comfortable levels. When typing, keep your arms parallel to your legs with good support under your wrists. Relax your upper arms and shoulders. If possible, place your documents directly in front of you. Unfortunately, poor posture can easily become a habit, causing chronic discomfort. The good news is, the main factors affecting posture and ergonomics are completely under your control. By following the advice above you can prevent the problems associated with poor posture and stay healthy, productive, and most importantly, pain free all day long.

For Office Supplies, Ergonomic Work Stations, Facility or Cleaning Supplies visit Discount Cleaning Products.

Posted in Office Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

6 SPRING Cleaning Tips for Your Office

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

The arrival of spring often motivates us to clean our homes and spruce up the yard. Why not do the same for your office? With long hours and hectic workdays, cleaning your office is typically not a top priority, but the resulting clutter and disorganization can definitely slow you down. Follow these SPRING cleaning tips for a fresher environment and a new outlook. These are all great cleaning tips that aren't available from the janitorial supply kit each clean, but great to get done!

S – Schedule your clean-up advance. Even if your cleaning staff regularly wipes down desks, shelves and equipment, it's your responsibility to keep your drawers and work area neat and tidy. Don't worry. It needn't be a daunting task if you schedule time in advance for a department-wide clean-up. The day before, have large waste receptacles and recycling bins delivered and encourage everyone to cull through old files and remove unused desk items. Make it fun with a casual day and a pizza lunch. While taking a few hours to clean will likely interrupt the work flow for the day, in the long run it will make you all much more efficient.

P – Pick up all the cleaning supplies and equipment you'll need. Cleaning will go much smoother if you don't need to search for rags and trash bags. Have everything at your fingertips with enough supplies for your entire department. Besides cleaning solutions and glass sprays, be sure to purchase any special monitor cleaners, canned air, and antibacterial wipes. And don't forget a shredder for sensitive items like receipts, bank statements, or confidential client information.

R – Recycle or Donate. That old monitor and printer stored in the copy room for the last two years is taking up prime real estate. Go through the office and collect old electronics and extra still-usable supplies like tape dispensers, staplers, and task lights. If items are salvageable, donate them to a local non-profit, otherwise recycle them along with appropriate paper products.

I – Invest in new supplies. Now that drawers and cabinets are free of clutter, it's time to restock. Make a department list of the frequently used items and be sure to include organizers for drawers and desktops as well. Having the right supplies at your fingertips will keep you focused on your work, not wasting time tracking down incidentals.

N – Neaten up your computer. Starting with the outside, wipe down the case and monitor using a soft cloth and recommended cleaner. We're all guilty of eating at our desk, so remove grime and crumbs from your keyboard and mouse with a cotton swab. Finish off with a few puffs of canned air. Don't forget the area around, under and behind your equipment where dust bunnies gather.

Next, clean the inside. Sift through emails, deleting unneeded files and organizing those you want to keep. Turn a critical eye to documents, photos, and files on your desktop. If you haven't used or looked at them in a year, do you really need them front and center? Delete them or refile.

G – Get organized. Start with your filing system. While we each have our own way of organizing, in general it's helpful to set up a system that includes four components:
1) An Inbox such as a letter tray for random items
2) A Review File for magazine articles or potential projects
3) A Tickler File for future action items
4) A Current Projects File often kept handy in a wire filing rack on the desktop

Next, think about your overall practices and procedures. Are there any new or simpler ways of doing things? This is a good time to re-evaluate and update. Maybe there's a more efficient way to set up your office, conference room, copy room, or supply closet. Is your chair bothering your back? Replacing it needn't be expensive. Sturdy, comfortable chairs can be found in all price ranges. If your office is large enough, sometimes all it takes is a rearrangement of furniture to help you retool.

Start spring with a fresh slate! A thorough cleaning always brings a renewed sense of optimism and freshness to your life. Boost your outlook and your productivity by sprucing up your office today! For cleaning or office supplies visit Discount Cleaning Products online!

Posted in Cleaning | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

5 Ways to Reduce Facilities Restroom Supply Cost

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin

Facilities can reduce restroom supply cost by implementing a few simple changes without having to sacrifice cleanliness.  Having a clean restroom keeps customers happy and studies have shown employees more productive.  Cost can be reduced with new technology in common required restroom supplies and these supplies are actually better than before.  Restroom supplies like toilet paper, hand soaps, sanitizer, tissues and even chemical choices can all be tweaked to provide better facilities at a lower cost.  The following are 5 ways to consider reducing your restroom facility cost:
 

Foam Soap | Foam soap is said to last 50% longer saving your facility a lot of money compared to liquid soap.  Foam soap has a lot of air allowing for less to be used and actually also saves on water cost as it washes faster.  Foam soaps are also much better for your facilities plumbing reducing plumbing expenses.


Concentrated Cleaning Chemicals | Consider switching to purchasing concentrated cleaning solutions that can be made at your facility and stored in your janitorial closet.  Concentrated cleaning chemicals cost less to ship and are much better for the environment.  Your facility can get 10 times or more cleaning chemicals for the same cost of non-concentrated chemicals.  This is a great way to save on cost while helping the environment.


Converting to Automatic Towel Dispensers | Automatic towel dispensers can greatly reduce your towel expenses.  Towel dispensers have adjustable settings allowing you to set the sheet length and the delay between each use.  This can greatly reduce cost and this is much better for hand hygiene as a touch-less system is much better allowing for less chance of cross contamination.  

Trash Bags | Purchasing the accurate trash bag size for the garbage can and the necessary thickness of the bag can help facilities reduce cost.  Many facilities use larger bags than are necessary or too thick of a bag for garbage that is typically not heavy.  

Tissue Cost | When purchasing toilet paper or towels for your facility check the quantity your purchasing.  It is common for some folks who provide contracts to manage facilities supply cost to reduce the quantity being received while not increasing the cost.  This reduces the amount of product your receiving requiring more frequent purchases, thus increasing cost.
 

Posted in Restroom Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cleaning Supplies | Cleaning your Cleaning Tools

Posted on December 15, 2011 by admin

Having the right cleaning supplies makes such a tremendous difference when cleaning.  The right cleaning product can make any cleaning task more productive and less stressful.  Your janitorial supply closet may be fully stocked with the best cleaning tools, though how clean are those actual supplies you’re cleaning with?

It may seem like an oxymoron to clean your cleaning tools, though these are the supplies you’re using to clean your home or facility.  Think about cleaning your kitchen counter or break room with a dirty sponge, mopping your floor with a dirty mop, vacuuming your carpets with a dirty brush roll and the list goes on. If the cleaning supplies you clean with aren’t clean, then it really defeats the purpose of cleaning, doesn’t it?

Cleaning tools need replacing or cleaning when:

  • The color of the product fades
  • The cleaning supply has an odor
  • When cleaning contaminated, infectious or soiled areas
  • Check the expiration date, as some cleaning chemicals actually have an expiration date

The Following are common cleaning tools that need to be checked often:

  • Cleaning Scrub Brush
  • Sponges
  • Cleaning Towels and today many facilities are using Microfiber towels that are colored and will only use one color in different areas to avoid cross contamination
  • Vacuums | Check the bag to assure it has no holes, check the brush roll to assure its clean as it touches your carpets first and check filters on your vacuum.  Vacuums should also be wiped down often to clean.
  • Mops | Check that they are not fraying and wash often
  • Cleaning Buckets | These should be disinfected and are overlooked
  • Dusters | These accumulate dirt and should be replaced or cleaned
  • Brooms | Sweeping with a dirty broom only makes your floors dirtier wash under water, hang to dry.
  • Floor Scrubbers | Pads and brushes should be cleaned or replaced
Posted in Cleaning | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment