Spring has finally sprung, and that means Spring Cleaning. While most of us know to thoroughly sweep and mop warehouse and office floors and to do a deep clean in the bathrooms, there are plenty of nooks and crannies that we might overlook where germs and bacteria can hide and then multiply with the increasing humidity. If you follow a few simple tips and tricks, you can make light work of your seasonal spruce up.
A good place to start that is all too often overlooked is your trash cans and recycling bins. Check your existing stock of trash can liners and order ample reserves of the sizes you need to line all the trash receptacles in your facility. Remember to check the restrooms, lunch/breakroom, and offices. For high usage areas with lots of food or potentially liquid waste (like people dropping half finished sandwiches and sodas in the trash can), you should use heavy duty can liners that won’t burst, possibly preventing a sticky, stinky mess on your floors. For warehouses or industrial locations where extra heavy, sharp, or jagged edged waste is being generated, step up your protection to super heavy duty liners. General office waste and bathroom trash that is mostly paper products is easily handled by regular duty liners.
Speaking of trash cans, it’s a good idea to take a minute to inspect your existing trash cans and recycling bins. Over time, cuts and scratches develop in the plastic, and this provides a great place for germs and bacteria to take hold. They really love those little dark, damp places. Take a few minutes to thoroughly sanitize them all. Rinse each one with warm water, spray with a disinfectant solution (like bleach diluted with water or a commercial cleaner), scrub with a brush or sponge, rinse again, and allow it to air dry. If you find deep cuts and gouges or just can get them clean, it may be time to replace your existing trash cans or recycling bins, especially if your people tend to toss unrinsed soda cans into the recycling bins.
Another important part of Spring Cleaning is clearing the clutter out of storerooms, closets, back offices, and getting a bit more organized. From old invoices to catalogs, receipts to customer files, we all have more paperwork than we know what to do with. A simple way to cut down on clutter is to get organized with well labeled file storage boxes. For files and folders that you still need ready access to, a set of cardboard filing cabinets is a great alternative to bulky and expensive metal filing cabinets. Coming in stackable sets of 2 drawers, you get just the storage you need that can grow with you. For longer term storage, classic bankers boxes with lids, string tie top flaps, or interlocking flaps have been a tried and tested solution for decades.
Once your space is neat and tidy, you can get down to business and focus on what really matters to your organization. Happy cleaning, and here’s to a great new year.
