Singapore businesses are opening once again to accommodate their clients physically. As such, it’s important to keep offices clean and sanitised to create a safe and healthy environment to welcome employees, clients, and guests. 

When preparing to clean your offices, there are three basic rules you need to remember: find the right solutions, create a solid plan, and form a cleaning team. Whether for maintenance or disinfection purposes, as advised by the Ministry of Health, following these three fundamental steps is crucial to thoroughly clean your workplace.

To give you a better idea, here are some tips you can follow to keep your workplace free from COVID-19:

Know the Difference Between Cleaning and Disinfecting

While the immediate response is to “disinfect everything” in order to keep the workplace properly sanitised, it’s not the most efficient approach. Rather, the CDC recommends focusing on cleaning first before disinfecting. Here’s why.

• General cleaning refers to the routine cling tasks to remove dust and dirt on surfaces. This involves sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, and wiping different areas in the office. Cleaning surfaces with an eco-friendly cleaning solution or soap and water can effectively get rid of germs.
• Disinfecting, on the other hand, destroys bacteria through chemical processes. According to CDC, disinfection is only necessary when an office space has been contaminated due to exposure to viruses. For this reason, this service is not required as regularly as general cleaning.

Because disinfection requires handling of chemical solutions, business owners should strictly follow the CDC guidelines, from the materials to be used to the overall proper disinfection process.

Use the Right Tools and Disinfectants

Before disinfecting surfaces, you need to gather the essential materials such as:

• Nitrile gloves
• Microfibre cloths
• Eco-friendly cleaning spray
• Disinfecting wipes or properly-diluted bleach solution
• Protective gown and respirator
• Trash bags

Wearing protective gear such as gloves, a gown, and a respirator is important to keeping you safe throughout the disinfecting process. Once properly geared up, you can start to wipe down surfaces with effective disinfectants.

In Singapore, the NEA has provided a full list of recommended disinfection products that effectively combats the COVID-19 virus. Make sure to choose a cleaning solution with a high concentration of active ingredients to ensure maximum efficacy. 

Focus on High-touch Surfaces

Although it’s true that you need to cover all corners of your office while cleaning and disinfecting, you also need to pay close attention to high-touch surfaces as they are considered the most susceptible to bacteria build-up. These include:

• Desks and tables
• Countertops
• Chair backs
• Light switches
• Doorknobs
• Computer and other electronic gadgets (including the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and desk phone)
• Desk accessories
• Cabinet and drawer handles
• Elevator buttons
• Touchscreen devices
• Personal items (cell phones, water bottles, pens, etc.)

Because these surfaces have the most contact, they are likely to spread bacteria quickly. Wiping them with a gentle cleaning solution can eliminate surface bacteria while preventing equipment damage. 

Enforce Stricter Cleaning Guidelines in Common Areas

Besides high-touch surfaces, a critical step to keep your offices safe is to enforce stricter guidelines in common areas like pantries and break rooms, toilets, and conference and meeting rooms.

As these areas are used by many people, they can likewise spread viruses easily. Therefore, office administration should require employees to practice safety measures like social distancing, no sharing of sponges or utensils, and disposing of trash properly. 

In addition, these areas should be cleaned by professional cleaners multiple times a day. Cleaning them frequently will not only improve the appearance of your office but, more importantly, provide a healthy environment for your employees and customers. 

Follow Safety Precautions

While cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces as well as common areas are key to preventing the spread of COVID-19, these can be enhanced further by following safety precautions.

• Promote good air ventilation

Good ventilation can keep your indoor environment healthy and germ-free. As such, be sure to open your windows at least an hour each day or install a ventilation system in your office to improve indoor air quality.

• Hire office cleaning services regularly

Another great way to keep the workplace safe from viruses is to get professional cleaning services regularly. 

Conclusion

Day&Night Services offers comprehensive office cleaning and disinfecting services to create a healthy office environment all year-round. To know more about how we can assist you in developing an effective cleaning plan, contact us today.