Most people do not enjoy cleaning, for a variety of reasons – whether it’s because it’s messy, it takes too long, there’s not enough time or it can wait until another day. Whatever the reason, cleaning still needs to get done in order to maintain a good work environment and a clean place for customers.
Here are four things that can be done to make cleaning easier:
- Clean As You Go & When You Can
When you are working in an area and you finish what you’re doing, clean up immediately after. Don’t wait until later. It’s easier to clean soils when they are fresh than when they have time to sit. Additionally, if you put it off, it may become an inconvenience to other people when they need to work in that area and it’s dirty. There are also times throughout the day when things slow down. Take those times to wipe areas down, sweep the floor and tidy up. - Create a Cleaning Schedule
You can’t clean everything every day. So, create a cleaning chart that lists what needs to be cleaned, how often it needs to be cleaned, what you need to clean it and who is responsible for cleaning it. Knowing ahead of time what things are scheduled to be cleaned makes the tasks less daunting, allows everyone to set aside the time to do the tasks and ensures everyone has everything they need. - Presoak & Pretreat
There are just some things that are tough to get clean easily. Baked-on food, heavy build-up on equipment, soil on fabric, etc. Let time and the proper product help you out. Soaking flatware or baked-on cookware in the correct solution for even 5-10 minutes, for instance, will loosen soils and make them easier to remove. - Use the Right Tools
Cleaners are designed to be used for different soils and different surfaces. Using the correct product on the correct surface can make the cleaning job go easier and quicker. Make sure to always read the directions before using a product…and never mix chemicals! Using the wrong thing on the wrong surface can cause damage, and mixing chemicals can be extremely dangerous – even fatal!
I know, you were probably hoping for some secret tools or products to make cleaning a snap. Honestly, though, cleaning hasn’t changed much for hundreds of years. Yes, products and tools have been developed to be more effective and safer to use, but the human element and behavior of cleaning is as important as ever.
