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A lot of hotels have closed down over the years because of cleanliness and poor service, but it can easily be remedied if there are detailed and reliable steps in avoiding it. Before everything else, safety and cleanliness comes first. It’s important that you invest most of your budget in making sure that your building is sturdy and clean. Hotel works like a businessman to a client – first impression matters, so services and look should be taken seriously.

But why does it have to be super clean? As you might notice, most fancy and fabulous hotels make sure every nook and cranny is clean, well lit, and usually scented in order to market their business more effectively. You can simply focus more on other aspects after mastering the art of effective cleaning operations. Here are a few tips you can rely on whenever you need a new leaf to turn for your hotel business:

• Proper training. You might think that people have a specific instinct in cleaning, but honestly, it requires proper knowledge and skills to clean professionally. They should have a standard of hygienic sanitation as well as knowledge in handling special requests from esteemed guests with different needs. Ideally, hiring a person with a good attitude in terms of work and patience makes it easier to train them. Not only does the clean room bring in positive reviews, but also a good revenue as well.
• Everything is in tip top shape. Items like the floor polisher, vacuum cleaner, and laundry equipment needs to be in good shape and well maintained. Understanding the lifespan of the equipment is also ideal – replacing the item before it actually breaks down to avoid lapses. Besides, newer models these days are quicker and more effective – meaning your staff will have more time to do other things rather than getting frustrated over a broken machine.
• Technology. Face it, hotels with improved and more high end equipment tend to have better reviews than the traditional ones. Put aside your mean prejudice about technology and give it a clear thought – it makes things easier and faster for both the guest and the staff. Contacting the cleaning staff and listing down the things they need is more effective than continually calling someone. There are actually housekeeping technology solutions on the market now, and they are definitely making changes!
• Hiring the best cleaning company. Think about it – getting the best people to do the job is probably the most ideal move ever. They know more about cleanliness and the best techniques to properly clean the room in a cost effective and safe manner. They are also equipped with the best technology and machines to do the job easily. Ideally, they should only be called at least once or twice a month to make sure that the hotel is clean and pristine inside and out. There is still a need for proper cleaning staff in the hotel.

Most successful companies get decent revenues and reports because of their dedicated employees. From the higher ups to the lowest ranking employees, each one complete their tasks everyday and ensure that they’re never late the next day. With the accumulation of their hard work and their dedication for the company, it’s not a shock that the company soars and carves the name for years to come.

But as the company reaps the benefits, they should remember the people behind the success that helped seal the fate of the company. While it’s true that not all employees contributed for the success, it’s important to make those who worked twice as hard to be thanked and rewarded for the service they provided. Because if these performers left, the company will definitely feel the tremor of the change.

Here are examples on how you can thank your employees:

• Gifts. May it be office related gadgets or for their houses, giving them something that they might use and enjoy in their own time. While it doesn’t have to be grandiose, it definitely helps them remember the times they performed well if the item itself is useful. It might even motivate them to perform better for the future as well! You can maybe give them work-related coupons – getting off work early, longer breaks, and the like. Or you can add a few recreational games or a handy new coffee machine that serves better coffee, the gifts can change, but your thanks are forever sealed in their memories.
• Dedicate an event for them. It’s nice when someone surprises you with flowers and a party, imagine what your employees would feel when you throw a party just for them! After sealing an important deal and adding a few zeroes to your revenue, maybe it’s time to plan the best event for the people who worked hard to make that happen. Call up a catering company and maybe add a few fun but challenging games to the mix to de-stress. If you feel extra sappy and thankful for their efforts, maybe you can add in a customised cake to make them feel extra special. You can even have a mini event and give out fun certificates of what they’re known for in the office.
• Acknowledge their efforts. If your company is too busy and tight for schedules, the best you can do is to acknowledge what they have done for the company. It can even be a reward point system that gives them a free lunch, an early pass, or maybe an extra paid leave. Each can require a specific amount of points depending on what they have done for the office. If you want, you can also add in an employee of the month and post their photo on the wall for the entire month. For a more personalised touch, you can even deliver a letter to them which you wrote by hand specially for them.

The boardroom represents professionalism of the company, whether it was shown through a video call or an actual meeting with the clients, it’s a place where deals are made and where important decisions were made. Overall, the appearance of the boardroom reflects the personality of the company as a whole, and it might affect how they will treat or view your company from now on.

Aside from the tacky layout that you might have to change, a mess of a boardroom means you don’t value their presence. Since the longest time, people always prepare the house to receive guests, and this mentality shouldn’t just stay in your house. By making an easy checklist, it’s easier to make it into a habit for employees to do these things after leaving the boardroom.

Here are things you should never forget to do after using the boardroom:

• Make sure that the chairs are pushed back.  As sad as this sounds, a lot of employees tend to leave the boardroom with chairs scattered everywhere. While it should be common sense to do that at least after using, some just leave it be. Remind your employees to shove the chairs back in its place to make the boardroom look presentable and clean.
• Clear out messes. Trash under the seats? Pamphlets left behind after the meeting? Papers on top of the projector? Make sure everything is thrown away and all of the items and gadgets are put away in its proper place after using them. The users of the boardroom should be responsible in cleaning up after their mess and make sure that the new users would feel welcome when they use it. But if there are items, like pens and notebooks, make sure that you store it in a way that it will find its way to their proper owner.
• Wipe the surfaces. Sometimes, meetings have snacks due to the length and odd hours it occupies, and these crumbs and droppings remain on the table after the meeting. While it may not be their task to clear it up, they should make it a habit to clean it while it’s fresh. These debris of food will sooner or later attract ants and any other insects and possibly ruin the wirings on the table. Supplying the room with disposable wet wipes after a spill or a couple of crumbs rolling, it should at least clear up the mess and prevent stains.
• Turn off all the electronics. Make sure the projector, computer, or what gadget is in the boardroom is turned off and neatly put away. Make sure that you keep everything hidden to avoid the accumulation of dust in the long term. With everything put away and neatly stored, it should require less preparation for the next people who will use the room – saving them more time.
• Ensure that the boardroom is cleaned everyday. It might not always be used everyday, but it’s important to keep it clean to ensure the upkeep of the gadgets and the items used in the meeting. There should always be proper vacuuming, dusting, wiping – just to make sure that the layer of dust is gone by the next people who will use it.

Hardwood floors are the common household floors, and they usually get scratched, dented, and faded with everyday traffic and stress. While these are fairly unavoidable, even with the most careful families, it’s easy to restore it back with some handy gadgets and proper tools to maintain the shine. It might be a tedious task with just elbow grease before, but now, you can enjoy the easy cleaning with ease.

But if you’re a family with small kids, it’s almost impossible to clean properly with messes that occurs every now and then (including tantrums and desire for attention). Your dedication to clean these floors eventually deflate into a want to just sit and watch the classic idiot box until time passes. But with these products, your cleaning will definitely be easier and you will have more time to play with your kids!

Ideal products you can get to maintain hardwood floors:

• A decent vacuum. There are the old vacuum models that barely gets into the crevices – so you need a better one. One of the main reasons why there are kids with respiratory problems is because of the dirt and dust particles they inhale from the house. So getting a vacuum doesn’t only make your life easier, but it makes your house healthier for kids.

There are vacuums nowadays you can schedule to clean and let it run around the house gathering hard to reach dust and particles that get stuck in between the cracks of the floor. While it may be an expensive product, it’s definitely a good investment to keep your house clean and spend more time with your family and friends. Besides, who doesn’t want to go home in a clean house?

• A sucking canister and a proper broom. There are products out there that lets you just sweep it in the perimeter of the machine and it sucks the crumbs and dust in. It makes the floor dustless and clean – compared to using a dust pan that needs to be aimed (and honestly, sometimes you miss and it just scatters the dust behind the dust pan).

So by installing this in the corner, you can simply sweep it in its perimeter and let it suck the debris of the daily activities done or the dust accumulated from untouched areas. It’s efficient, cleaner, and definitely more effective than a dust pan.

• A mop with a spinner bucket. There are a ton of products like these around the city, and they are fairly affordable too. This specific mop can never be too damp – it doesn’t leave water stains in the path it went to and it can just leave the floor with a light coat of water.

Before adding chemicals and items in the mix, you need to test it on a small portion of the floor (preferably the spot rarely seen, like under the bed or a furniture) and make sure it doesn’t fade out the gleam and colour. You can apply these cleaning chemicals evenly and even add a few drops of essential oils to make the house smell good.

The moment word spreads that there are mice or rats in the office, the first thing to avoid is the slightest panic. You don’t want everyone acting like sitcom or cartoon characters being up in arms with all manner of pest control products.

Another thing you should avoid is reprimanding anybody immediately, whether it is the cleaning staff or employees you suspect of having the least tidy desks. Your first priority is to weigh your options for exterminating the infestation. It can actually be as simple as calling a professional or setting a particular trap, or as serious as calling the building management and quarantine.

Either way, avoid panic so you can make a sound decision.

That said, the next question is exactly what are the options you should be weighing when dealing with an established pest problem.

1. Snap traps

These include your iconic mouse traps as well as the more sophisticated variety made of plastic or metal. All of them, however, are mainly spring-loaded and designed to effectively kill rodents upon triggering. If you are looking for a method that completely confirms the extermination, then setting up a few of these in strategic areas will do the trick.

Of course, these traps undoubtedly brutal and their use is not recommended if you have employees who are squeamish or uncomfortable with brutal methods of pest control. They also require your cleaning staff to dispose of the dead rodent quickly so as to avoid the spread of deadly viruses.

2. Electric traps

These include both the electric traps for rodents as well as bug zappers. While they are both constructed differently, they are known to be even more effective than brute force traps (like snapping ones).

Their downside though is that they obviously rely on a lot of power and require dedicated cleanup by staff. Still, if you are looking for a pest control system that is consistent and effective, these traps can be worth the price.

3. Sticky traps

These types of traps are arguably the cheapest you can get and are a little more humane in their killing. The simple use of a special adhesive means that you can use these to deal with all kinds different kinds of pests at once.

Take note though, that these cannot be reused and at times even less hygienic than snap or electric traps. There is the chance that the captured pests might still be alive and struggling in the morning. If you plan on using them, then make sure your cleaning personnel checks and disposes of these traps before anyone else comes in.

4. Pesticides

There is no denying that pesticides are a double edged sword. On the one hand, their effective use can decimate entire populations of invasive rodents and insects. But on the other, you have to seriously consider their environmental implications when choosing what chemical to use.

Hence, it is more recommended to just call in an exterminator to deal with the really serious infestations. And if you would really rather use a bit spray to take care of a more minor pest problem, make sure to opt for organic sprays that don’t have a strong smell lingering about.

While television likes to make a joke about exterminating office pests, it is serious business in the real world. Firm protocols are warranted and it is best to stay calm at all times when handling the problem.

Generally, office pets aren’t that bad. Their presence can be a welcome stress relief and it’s always fun to have one as the company mascot.

However, it’s also obvious that cleaning up after them is a must. Employees who are not aware of these responsibilities only end up getting more stressed (which defeats the purpose of having adorable creatures around in the first place).

Before the adopting the policy of a pet-friendly workplace, you need to first discuss the requirements with both your own staff and also whoever performs cleaning duties. Among these include:

1. Set a range of allowable pets

What kind of pets do you and your employees think are most suitable for your particular office? If you have too many climbing edges around, it might not be advisable to include cats. The same goes if your cleaning staff will only have a tougher job with dogs shedding on the carpet.

Allergies and even personal discomfort play a significant role as well. It’s sad to say but not all people are used to having animals walking around.

That is why it is important to have the discussion before a policy is implemented. Make arrangements to ensure that the office is not just mentally prepared but also environmentally equipped to be pet-friendly.

2. Ensure training and care.

Potty training will prove critical, as well as training employees on what they are allowed to do with their pets. The pets should also be trained so as to not create unnecessary noise and distraction during work hours.

And as a side note, it is also not advisable for both the pet’s health and the health of the office to frequently leave them there for several nights at a time. Make sure employees bring the pets home at regular intervals for some quality time there as well.

3. Have considerable food and water around.

If a pet also happens to be the company mascot, then it is only right that a certain amount of food is available to your animal friend. Said food should also be stored properly where all employees can locate it.

If whenever possible, dry food is a bit more preferable than wet food as this will mean less chances of having to store it in the company refrigerator.

4. Be mindful of all spaces that the pet can walk into.

Large or small, pets can be anywhere and even an animal-friendly office can still have areas where unfortunate accidents can happen.

When discussing with employees, review a layout of your office and identify all areas that must have doors closed at all times. These can be the entrance to the main hallway or maybe even the office of a particular higher-up. Make sure cleaning staff are aware of what these places are and can remember to keep the closed while they do their duties.

Just as you would in your own home, office pets need to be trained and treated to a particular environment to keep them and your employees comfortable. Again, they can be a great ‘addition’ to your staff but make sure they are also well cared for!

Among the privileges of being a higher-up, few are as iconic as the personal office (moreso a corner one with a view). However, as nice at is to decorate it with some trophies and personal effects, having your own office comes with its own cleaning responsibilities.

Sure, you might be working in a company that already has a decent cleaning staff. However, this same staff could be working in a dozen other offices and only have a general regimen for each one.

Some might just stick to cleaning the rugs, floors while sofas and steering far away from anything resembling a cabinet. Others might be instructed to clean desks, lamps and other eye-catching decor to keep them spotless but even the best don’t always have the time to polish every little thing inside.

The worst-case scenario is an unspoken policy that keeps them away from your office almost indefinitely, causing all sorts of neglected dirt and dust to accumulate in the corners.

Overall, the most stress-free solution is to have a handful of personal cleaning habits yourself. It might be another addition to an already long list of responsibilities, but it can go a long way in saving you some stress over your personal stuff.

1. Have a set number of valuables.

A good place to start is to be very minimalist when it comes to bringing in personal effects and values to decorate. Having an office is already a badge of honour in of itself, there is no need to over decorate!

Consider allowing yourself only four to five personal items in the room. It helps to also make sure that these are things you see yourself frequently using during those little breaks, like a mug for your coffee or some books to help you think.

2. Create your own little cleaning regimen.

Make a habit to regularly dust off the things on your desk. All you need is a little cloth, maybe a bit of water and just spend a few minutes wiping them clean. This way, you won’t have to worry about the cleaning staff neglecting your desk for fear of displacing anything on it.

You might also want to consider extending this to any computer equipment you have. Get a keyboard and simply do a good sweep at least once a week.

Lastly, maximize whatever storage spaces your office and desk might have. If you don’t want any confidential documentation lying around, then store them away under lock and key.

3. Develop a sense of design.

It also doesn’t hurt to have a little sense of style. When you have fewer items lying about, you can play around with your office’s looks by spacing out your decorations. Try to arrange your office in a way that gives a nice impression as soon as someone walks through the door.

For example, what’s the first thing you want people to see and know about you when you come in? Put it in that spot and make a particular note to always keep it clean. Where are most people going to sit when discussing  matters with you? It might be helpful to have the cleaning staff keep that seat fresh for them as well.

There is no need to stress over this too much but just pay a bit of attention of how things look from the front door.

4. Move things out of the way.

If you have staff that’s pretty rigorous, give them a hand by arranging your office decor in a way that doesn’t create impediments.

Put chairs in their proper place before punching out. Avoid putting anything in the middle of the room. Keep cabinets and shelves as close to the wall as possible. Fragile objects should either be secured in storage or at least kept further from the edge of table.

That way, the staff can go about their duties and you have less reason to worry about them knocking things over or forced to displace your things.

Never forget that privilege also comes with responsibilities and these are not just the responsibilities of your higher position. Have your own set of personal cleaning habits to you keep your beautiful corner office all spick and span!

Office is always a crowded place – filled with busyness, tension, and above all, clutter. It’s always a mess when it’s a busy day, and usually, it’s hard to keep up with the overall look of the office. With the neglect it gets and the pile of dust and clutter that happened over months of busyness, it’s not a shock if there are a lot of locations and places that are left out when cleaning.

Why you should not overlook these places

While it may be something you don’t usually interact with, it’s important to keep them clean like any items and places in the office. The layers of dust that will sooner or later accumulate on neglected surfaces will soon cause a problem for your employees. Not only does it cause them discomfort, it will also be a cause of respiratory disease in the office. While you may vacuum the furniture without fail daily, it also needs to be deep cleaned by cleaning professionals to keep the accumulated dirt and dust in bay.

The commonly missed out areas in the office

• Vents. These keeps the office well ventilated (thus the name) so the circulation of the air is not constricted and it flows without hindering it. But when the weather gets so cold, it gets neglected and it will sooner accumulate dust and allergens that would result in a sneezing and coughing fest in your office. Aside from handing tissue boxes, you can deep clean it at least thrice a year to make sure there is no thick layer of dust blocking the airflow.
• The wall and floors under and behind heavy items. In all honesty, no cleaning staff would regularly move heavy items like the copier machine and the heavy file drawer just to clean the dust and weird accumulations under and behind it. While these places may be least to no interactions, it should still be cleaned to avoid the layering of dust that will make people sick.
• Light fixtures. Have you noticed those tiny dots that accumulate on the centre of the lighting fixture? Those things are bugs. Dead bugs. In order to properly restore the shine and the brightness, you need to have them cleaned and wiped – making sure that it restores the old gleam and brightness it had before. Or you can schedule proper cleaning to ensure that there will be no dust and dead bugs buildup.
• Hanged decor. There are items like paintings and photos that occupy one of the walls in the office, and these are the most ignored items in the list. While it is daunting and tiring to remove the pieces one by one, it should be cleaned properly and carefully wiped to restore the shine and avoid the accumulation of dust.

Ever since Marie Kondo had her first book translated to English in 2014, she became a popular hit that lead to millions of copies around the globe! Her dedication for cleaning started when she was younger, and then eventually became a hobby that gave her popularity. She then had an idea of officially turning it into a business when she helped a CEO in organising her entire space – earning her first paycheck from a hobby she enjoys.

Marie Kondo and her silent success

Eventually she decided to help a couple more and then published three books regarding cleaning, organising, and renewing your vision to ‘joy’. After her silent hit last 2014, she became a favourite topic of discussion by distressed housewives and independent youngsters who needed help in cleaning up their messes. In January 1, 2019, she teamed up with Netflix and hosted her own show that helps people around America live more comfortably and mess free.

While you may not be in America and it’s not impossible to enjoy her iconic ‘Konmari’ style in your everyday life. You may want to apply more of this style in your work by clearing up your desk once and for all, and maybe leave behind items that sparks joy. It may be a small thing, but you will be able to find peace in your life and maybe become more productive at work!

Konmari your desk with these easy steps:

Depending on the status of your desk, you might be either sitting in the corner silently crying about how intolerable your mountain of mess is or start clearing up items on your desk. While it may seem easy at first, as you move on to items that you especially cling to, that’s where the challenge starts.

First of, Marie Kondo suggest that you do it as soon as you are aware that you needed help. “When your office space is organised, it will increase your efficiency because your use of time becomes more productive”, she says. The most important thing you need to do is to get rid of the clutter and the old things and pave way to new and items that actually give you joy.

The desk should only radiate creativity and performance, meaning there should be no excess. Common offices are littered with papers and items that are no longer useful, it only adds to the pile and eventually becomes cluttered. Some papers can be digitalised, and the space the bulk occupies makes it feel more cramped – the best you can do is thank them for their service and let them go. Make sure you shred documents with classified information.

She said that the spark of joy differs in the office – you need to earn money while working. The mantra is different, hold the item in your hands and ask yourself: “Does this contribute to me feeling more positive and also does it contribute to my efficiency?”. Before you discard the items that you want to get rid of, make sure you thank it for their service. It is through cleaning and organising that you begin to clarify your sense of value and what really matters to you. It will not only make your desk cleaner, but improve your overall happiness as well!

With kids and pets around, it’s hard to keep furniture clean and pristine all the time. There will be crayon markings, stinky stains, rips, and crusty blots – it’s almost a challenge to make it stain free! They carry with them snacks, dirty toys, and sometimes muddy shoes – their favourite place to play with shoes on? Couches. While you might be a great parent and you discipline your kids properly, it’s actually not unheard of for them to disobey once or twice and make a mess out of your pristine living room.

Before you even consider tossing out these couches that can’t seem to get any cleaner, here are easy hacks you can do at home to give it a new life and a new identity. You’ll probably be shocked how you can revive a dirty old couch with just elbow grease and a bit of magical solutions!

Easy Tips for Reviving Your Dirty Old Couch:

• The magical DIY solution for stains and marks. Buying high-end chemicals to clean your upholstery may or may not be as effective as you think. Some might even accidentally damage the material before it cleans – so the best thing you can do is to make your own cleaning solution: a combination of alcohol, vinegar, and your choice of essential oils for a long lasting fragrance. You can put it in a spray bottle and start cleaning with a sponge or a microfibre cloth.
• Baking powder power. Aside from baking, there is a special kind of baking powder that works wonders in cleaning. It can remove stains, regain the whiteness of your white sneakers and canvas bags, and even completely remove the odd smell that has been stuck in between the stitches for a long while. You can sprinkle this bad boy on your upholstery and let it stay there for 20-30 minutes. You can then vacuum it off afterwards and enjoy your fresh furniture.
• Creative path. You can get your favourite colours from your nearest hardware store and start making your couch great again! You can paint the entire faux leather couch in your favourite colour or make fun prints on old stained canvas material chair. It will not only give your chairs a new look, but it will also make your house feel like a home.
• Cover it up. If paint is a no go for you, then try out looking for new fabric that would suit your home’s new look. Going for a minimalist design? Or maybe retro? You can go for a durable fabric with a matching print that suits your personality. It might be a nice way to give your house a new aura that makes you feel excited to come home after a long day!
• Hydrogen Peroxide. Before you use this solution, make sure you test it on a small and hidden area of the couch – it might make the colours fade and you don’t want that. If it works, get a gentle hand brush and apply it evenly to make sure all the areas are covered.
• Squeegee the pet hair away. You might love your pet to infinity and beyond, but you can’t deny the fact that you hate it when their hair get stuck in your furniture. Not only that your vacuum can’t seem to remove it, it makes you cringe how your once pristine black couch has white permanent markings from your pet. The best way to do it is to dampen the area and pull it out with a squeegee to vacuum later. You can enjoy lounging on the couch again with your pet on your lap!

In every retail store or establishment, there is always that restroom no one feels like going to. It may not just be because of the poor lighting, it might be the unseen foreign entities that lies in between the tiles and the corners of the room. It might have evolved into something more disgusting – a greenish blackish mold that occupied the corners of the room and cubicles. What’s worse – no one has the heart to eliminate the mold from its corner.

While putting elbow grease on scrubbing floors is enough to make your employees hurl their lunch, there is a way to effectively clean the retail bathroom without having to face this monstrosity again. All you need to do is to follow these easy steps below to ensure the cleanliness of your retail restrooms.

Effective Ways to Maintaining the Cleanliness of Retail Restrooms:

• Furnishing your custodial cart. You need more than just a mop and a bucket of water – there are more items in your restroom that needs wiping and thorough cleaning. Make sure you are stocked with microfibre cloths, safe cleaning chemicals, glass and disinfectant sprays, a wide variety of toilet brushes, and masks for the cleaners. The fumes might make them sick and you wouldn’t want that.
• Train your staff well. You can’t simply let the same person who cleans well clean the entire cycle – train your other cleaning staff and make sure they reach your standards of clean. Ensure that they will keep it up for a long period of time by checking their work after they’re done – it will become a habit for them to put extra elbow grease in their cleaning practices.
• Be consistent. This is vital since your clients or customers will indeed notice right away when you get lax in terms of cleanliness. They will soon comment that you used to be the freshest and cleanest restroom available and now you let it go. Always tell your staff to be consistent with the standards and to make sure that the restroom is clean and fresh for your customers.
• Schedule a deep clean. Simply keeping up with the standards is not hygenic enough – you have to hire the professionals to ensure there is no buildup and serious contamination in any of the items in the restroom. It might be expensive to schedule it as often as four times in a year, but it is worth it. Who doesn’t love a safe and clean restroom whenever they enter it?
• Research the best cleaning chemicals. It may not be your job, but it pays to know what’s best for the cleanliness of your retail restroom and the safety of your staff. There might be ideal chemicals but are harmful for your staff, which will definitely come back to you and bite you in the rear – in form of numerous absences for those who inhaled the fumes. Always check the safest and effective chemicals for cleaning to maintain a safe working environment for your cleaning staff.