Office Cleaning Tips: Reducing Paper Clutter

February 9, 2010 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning Tips , add a comment

Anyone who has ever visited a company’s head office to find their office looking like it’s been annihilated by adverse weather conditions, will probably admit that their opinion of the company went down as a result.

In the same way that you can’t help but judge the author of an email littered with spelling and grammatical errors, you invariably judge a company whose employees’ work at desks piled with seemingly random papers.

It all comes back to that age old rule: your first impression counts – mess that up, and you’re facing an uphill battle that could’ve been easily avoidable. Whether we like to acknowledge it, a cluttered, untidy and – worst of all – unhygienic office is likely to scare off new clients. In fact, never mind about new clients, you want your current partners to hold you with high esteem, right? If so, undoubtedly the best way for that to happen is creating a clean, organised environment and sometimes the best way to do that is by hiring a professional office cleaning company.

As a business manager, the key is to shift the company’s attitude to creating clutter. This is significant for two reasons.

First is because the overall efficiency and productivity of a business can increase when employers spend just a minute a day less searching for documents etc. By itself a minute doesn’t sound like much of course, but accumulatively – over the space of weeks, months and years – it can make profound difference to your business’ growth.

Secondly, cleaning gets harder the worse mess becomes. It’s human nature to put off chores like cleaning until tomorrow. Problem is; tomorrow comes and the mess is worse, making tidying up even more of a chore. It’s a vicious (and ultimately messy) cycle!

So how can you sort this? In today’s office cleaning tips we will bring you a wise and environmentally friendly  idea to help you reduce paper clutter in your office. The tidiest offices are generally those that simply have less material clutter to begin with. And how do they manage this? By bringing in a digital filing system…

It’s likely your business already has a network, and that’s a great starting point. Next comes a complete overhaul of the network’s file structure. This will take some time and careful consideration. A general rule-of-thumb is that an effective digital file system – when compartmentalized – reflects exactly how the business is organised and leaves room for future amendment and likely change.

Of course, there will always be a need for hard copies. However, to discourage printing unnecessary hard copies, some organisations have avoided giving each employee their own filing cabinets, and instead, opt for a communal filing station that of course means getting up, walking over and finding the appropriate file.

Although simple, making this change and gathering your troops for a inspiring talk about the reasons behind, is a sure fire way to instal greater productivity and the priceless benefit of your employees and clients enjoying spending time at the office – the value of which barely needs our endorsement!

Eco Friendly Cleaning, Telling the Real From the Fake

January 19, 2010 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning News, Cleaning Tips, environment , 1 comment so far

Eco-friendly is the big buzzword right now in the cleaning industry and manufacturers of cleaning and maintenance products have caught on to this trend, introducing eco friendly cleaning solutions to their products lines.

The main criticism with eco-friendly cleaning services and producs is that it’s a higher expense for something that has the same outcome as traditional cleaning solutions. Overall, it’s easy to wonder if you’re getting bang for that extra buck.

Now, you will see a lot of terms thrown around such as “green” “eco friendly” and “biodegradable” when looking at cleaning products or services. The truth is that companies will grossly exaggerate their green credentials in order to convince you that their products are non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-carcinogenic.

If this is the case, then how do you tell apart the real from the fabricated?

Well, for a start, the Environmental Protection Agency offers an eco-friendly certification called Design for the Environment – which essentially validates any claims to being eco-friendly.

Another way is to look for “Green Seal” certification which, again, will appear on a product’s packaging and identifies the product as fulfilling eco-friendly standards. That said, such certifications are voluntary, meaning that not all products without these certifications are not eco-friendly.

In our experience, super-slick branding and packaging for products that profess to being eco-friendly often turn out to contain ingredients that are chemical-based as opposed to citrus-based solvents, vinegar, natural abrasives and essential oils.

This is mainly down to its parent company responding to the demand without wanting to invest in new product development. We’d suggest that, when all else fails, look for minimal packaging or cleaners that can be refilled from concentrate to cut down on packaging waste – as they often turn out to be the most effective and genuinely eco friendly cleaning solutions.

Now for cleaning companies a way to certify that their cleaning services are eco-friendly is to ask for their green accreditations and for their environmental cleaning policy.

Winter Cleaning Tips

September 1, 2009 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Tips, Total Clean Services, environment , 2 comments

As upsetting as it is the summer is almost over and the winter months are upon us. So as you prepare to put away the barbecue for another year it maybe a good idea to get your home ready for the winter months.

Here are some cleaning tips to help you on your way:

-  Get your carpets professionally cleaned. Think of all the sand and grass clippings that have been walked in on your flip-flops this summer.

-  Clean your windows, inside and out, including in between the sills.

-  Cleaning your house from top to bottom, focusing on public rooms such as the living room, family room, hallway and bathroom.

-  Get out the vacuum. Vacuum the drapes, window treatments, baseboards and in the corners. Move furniture and vacuum beneath and behind it. Vacuum upholstered furniture, or have it professionally cleaned if necessary.

If you are looking for a professional contract cleaning company with a difference please visit the Total Clean Services website.

Carpet Cleaning Tips: Removing Stains

August 18, 2009 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning Tips, Floor Treatments, Office Cleaning , 4 comments

Be it a home or an office, keeping carpets clean is by far the hardest cleaning task, no matter who you ask, your house cleaner or office cleaning company, I’m sure they will agree with me.

All carpets require a periodic carpet cleaning scheme, be it a residence or an office, bacteria, soil and grit are the major causes of wear and tear and this will reduce the carpet’s life.

For offices and other workplaces, a regular carpet cleaning program will increase the carpet’s life, but without a doubt carpet’s biggest enemies are stains, here are a few tips to remove them without damaging your carpet.

Beer Stains

Not very common in a workspace, but whoever hasn’t spilled beer on a carpet can throw the first can! Mop up the stain with a paper towel and sponge with warm water or soda water.

Wine Stains

You probably have heard this one before, to remove red wine stains simply pour white wine over fresh red wine stains or squirt with soda water. For white wine simply squirt with soda water.

Chewing Gum Stains

No doubt the most feared of all carpet stains, do it wrong and you damaged your carpet for good. So get a blunt knife and scrape up as much as you can, if the gum is still sticky place ice in a plastic bag around the gum to harden it and keep scrapping as much as possible. Apply carpet shampoo to the area and clean, wait until it’s dried them vacuum it off.

Coffee Stains

Very common both in an office or at home, blot with kitchen towel or similar, sponge with soda water, blot dry and repeat until the stain has gone.

Ink Stains

Another great enemy of carpets. Removing ink stains will depend on the type of ink. For ballpoint ink stains dry it up as quickly as possible. Dab with menthylated spirits or use a stain remover.

Fountain pen ink stains need to be diluted with soda water then mop up as much as possible. Make a hot solution of soapflakes and apply on the stain and leave it for 15 minutes then blot. Repeat the process until the stain disappears.

Fat, Oil, Grease or Candle Stains

Lay blotting paper or brown paper over the stain, place a cloth over the paper and apply a medium iron to draw the grease into the paper. You may need to follow this up with a good quality carpet shampoo. If the grease has penetrated into the pile, the stain may reappear weeks later as it seeps upwards, requiring further treatment.

Tar Stains

Another nasty carpet stain that if incorrectly removed can damage the carpet for good. First, scrape the excess tar off, make a solution of equal parts of glycerine and water, apply and leave it for an hour then rinse it with water. Again repeat the process till the stain in completely gone.

There are other types of carpet stains, but to cover them all would turn this post into a book! If you have a better technique to remove the above carpet stains, or would like to share another carpet stain removing tip, please don’t hesitate to share them with us and our readers.

How to Make Sure Cleaning Products Are Eco-Friendly

August 11, 2009 Posted by Katie in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning Tips, Total Clean Services, environment , 1 comment so far

It is no longer so easy to find non-toxic and natural cleaning products as advertisers can be tricky.

- The first rule in making sure a cleaning products are really non toxic is read the ingredient list.

- Avoid petroleum-based solvents, chlorine, ammonia and phosphates and avoid products that have “danger,” “poison” or “warning” on the label.

- Look for cleaning products that have particular information regarding biodegradability.

- If a product is marketed as “natural,” read the label more closely (petroleum is also classed as “natural”).

- If you need a scented product, choose one that uses essential oils. Avoid products with synthetic fragrances.

Now you have all the information needed to ensure your cleaning is eco-friendly. However, if what you really require is a contract cleaning company to provide a bespoke service please visit the Total Clean website.

Keeping Your Computers & Telephones Clean is Essential

July 29, 2009 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Tips, Office Cleaning, Total Clean Services, computer cleaning , 1 comment so far

Have you ever taken anytime to consider how many germs there are lurking in your keyboard or on your telephone dashboard?? If you did I think you’d find yourself not wanting to touch either again.

Not only is it hygenic to maintain a clean computer, but you could also prevent so many illnesses that could occur due to the germs lying in the machines.

It could also add years to the life of your computers and telephones, as not cleaning it could lead to it getting damaged.

Jonathon Millman, chief technology officer for Hooplah Interactive says:
“Your computer could fry if you don’t keep it clean.”

According to Microsoft at home, this is because when dust clogs the vents behind your computer, your CPU heats up—and heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers.

But, don’t just go and get your nearest polish or cleaning products!! You need to be careful what use on your electrical equipment beacuse it can be damaged with the wrong products.

If you are not sure what to use, Total Clean Services Ltd offers bespoke computer and telephone equipment cleaning, for more information please contact us.

Summer Cleaning Tips

July 7, 2009 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning Tips, environment , add a comment

With the sunny weather actually arriving in the UK this summer, it is time to get your home clean and ready for the many barbecues and evenings spent outside.

Cleaning Windows

Each summer, you should clean your outside windows and screens.

Always use a broom to remove spider webs and dirt before using water. Be careful of possible bee, wasp, or hornet nests.

Driveway and Deck Cleaning

The start of summer is a great time to do these once-a-year cleaning jobs. Our first tip is to not use a power washer! They are very dangerous to you, and can destroy your deck and driveway.

For outdoor decks, you can use a diluted mixture of TSP or deck cleaner, and then use a push broom or stiff brush to scrub the deck clean. Be sure to rinse well.

Grease stains can be treated with kitty litter or dry cement left to absorb the stain and then swept away.

Luggage Cleaning

It is the time for summer holidays, so chances are you’ll be dusting of your old suitcase and bags, with this you will probably notice how dirty it has gotten since you used it last year.

So here are some tips on how to clean your luggage without ruining it. Firstly, clean the outside with a diluted mild cleanser (leather should be cleaned with a commercial leather cleaner).

If the inside has developed a musty smell, clean it with a vinegar-water solution. Then let it air dry for several days.

After your holiday and before putting the luggage away for storage, toss a fabric softener dryer sheet into the closed bag, especially if you don’t use the luggage often to keep it fresh.

So now you’re set with our cleaning tips you can get your house prepared. But if you have a larger invironment that needs cleaning like an office, Total Clean Services could be just the company you are looking for.

We offer bepoke contract cleaning for businesses, for more information please click here.

Games to Make Cleaning Fun for Kids

June 17, 2009 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning News, Cleaning Tips, News, Office Cleaning, Total Clean Services , add a comment

There is no doubt that littering is a constant problem around the streets of Britain and that one of the reasons for this could be because a parents tend to clean up for their children.

This is the normal thing to do, but not making our kids clean up for themselves could lead to them littering in the future.

But the question is how do we get children to clean for themselves without seeing it as a chore? Well below I have suggested two games that could help make cleaning seem more fun.

Pacman cleaning game – The child is challenged to collect all the rubbish in the park or environment they are in including papers, plastics, cans and bottles. They then throw them on the right rubbish bins separating biodegradable from non-biodegradable and then teach their friend or sibling to recycle. This is a simple game but teaches your child to dispose of rubbish properly.

Cleaning marathon game – There are two teams involved in this game, each member of the team must is to accomplish a certain chore while running around a pole, like a mop or brush – this can help to see cleaning objects as something fun.

Cleaning games can help introduce children to cleaning in a positive way rather than just a chore they have to do. They are then able to see it as fun as well as rewarding.

However, when you are not able to get the children helping out with all the cleaning duties or simply need a contract cleaning service, you’ll need to contact Total Clean Services Ltd.

We offer bespoke cleaning services from office cleaning London to waste removal. 

Cleaning Tips for Reducing Allergies

May 26, 2009 Posted by Katie in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning Tips, environment , add a comment

Chemical fumes from cleaning products are among the most common allergens in the home, according to the Asthma Society of Canada.

Here are a some cleaning tips for reducing asthma and allergies, using natural products:

Avoid using commercial air fresheners, as they release chemicals into the air. To create your own natural air freshener, add 10 drops of your favourite essential oil to water in a spray bottle.

Toilet cleaners contain strong chemicals, so for a safer cleaner, use undiluted vinegar. Or even pour a can of fizz into your toilet to bubble away grunge and dirt.

Vinegar is a great cleaning product and a natural disinfectant. You can dull down the strong smell using a few squeezes of lemon or a few drops of essential oil.

Baking soda is a natural odour-absorber. To scrub dirt and clean away stains, use a microfibre cloth with a mixture of baking soda and water.

Vacuum all carpets and even curtains and your bath mat regularly. If someone in your household has allergies or asthma.

For more details about our services, please visit our office cleaning page.

A Clean Office Boosts Worker’s Productivity

May 18, 2009 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning Advice, Cleaning News, Cleaning Tips, News, Office Cleaning, Total Clean Services , add a comment

It has been proved many times over that a clean and well organised office helps boost your employee’s productivity. Maintaining a clean office should be left to a professional office cleaning company, but to get the office really clean the cleaners require access to the surfaces, this requires a clutter-free office which is not always easy, but there are a few things that can be done to maintain a clean, clutter free and organised workplace on a daily basis.

Here at Total Clean Office Cleaning Services, our professional office cleaners created a list of ideas for employees to maintain an efficient, clean and well organised office.

1 – Send all Unwanted Paper to the Recycle Bin

Once a week, organise a paper recycle day. First find or buy a big bin to dump all the unwanted paper and start the paper-hunting spree, get everybody to eliminate all the unwanted paper from their drawers, cabinets and files.

Nominate a person to go through the office’s main files and cabinets and get rid of all unnecessary or duplicate paper work. Collect newspapers, junk mail and outdated documents and send them to recycle bin.

You will be amazed how much paper can be accumulated in just one week.

2 – Incite all workers to keep their desks clean and well organised at all times, put files away at the end of the day, a well organised work place is a productive workplace. It also gives a good impression to clients or perspective clients.

3 – Organise a rubbish recycling system and encourage everyone to use it, put different bins for different types of re-cycling, e.g.: Plastic, Aluminium, Organic, etc. At the end of the week or at the end of each day, depending on the size of your office, have a rota or nominate one person to take the recyclable material to the local neighbourhood recycle centre.

4 – Ensure the offices and common areas have a Deep Clean at least once a year and that can be left to the professionals; carpet cleaning, washrooms, janitorial supplies and floor treatment services require specialist cleaning tools and chemicals, so employ a professional office cleaning company to manage and make sure cleaning is undertaken thoroughly, with knowledgeable, competent staff.

There are many office cleaning companies to choose from but not all offer rigorous quality control, health and safety, full training for their employees and operate an environmental policy so you know your company is doing all it can to reduce its carbon foot print.

Here at Total Clean Office Cleaning Services, we offer all of the above with the peace of mind that you are provided with the best office cleaning services in London and surrounding areas.

older posts »