Tag Archive for: cleaning

Post Construction Cleaning

Post Construction Cleaning

Post Construction Cleaning Services and Why Your Project Needs It

Let’s face it. Even before the first nail hits the board the construction process can be messy. After the last construction crew leaves the job site, someone needs to deal with the dirt, dust, hazardous waste, and construction debris.

That is why it’s important to hire the right people for post construction cleaning services.

Construction cleaning is a service that requires a special type of equipment. At Mayfair Building Services, our trained professionals can handle any messy industrial cleaning job.  

Why is Post Construction Cleaning So Important?

Whether you are building brand new, or considering remodeling your home or commercial building, it’s important to book thorough construction cleaning for the post construction phase so your new place looks and feels its very best.

Construction cleaning is vital to successfully transitioning to business as usual around your home or commercial building. Leaving unsightly messes can be distracting to visitors at home, and potentially upset employees at work. A messy space can lead to a cluttered mind.

Most importantly, it’s dangerous to leave that sort of debris lying around.

Once your home or commercial building is close to completion, it’s a good idea to have a detailed cleaning after the commercial contractors leave. This is commonplace in the construction business. 

What’s Included in Post Construction Cleaning?

Post construction cleaning should deal with any debris left behind from the commercial contractors. This is so you can start fresh and feel good in your new space.

One of the biggest parts of post construction cleaning is trash pick-up. It’s a good idea to do this after every phase of construction to ensure the area stays clean and organized. Remember, a clean construction site is a safe one.

 

Post Construction CleaningAnother major aspect of post construction cleaning services is the removal of hazardous waste.

A construction contractor may not have the expertise or proper equipment to safely remove hazardous materials. Here at Mayfair Building Services, we have the right equipment to remove hazardous materials safely and efficiently from your construction site for a thorough industrial cleaning.

Interior cleaning is also a big part of post construction cleaning and industrial cleaning. This includes dusting walls, floors, cabinets, ducts, vents, and any other surfaces.

Finally, a good exterior clean is the last part of the post construction cleaning. This involves cleaning walkways, entryways, patios, and more.

Post construction cleaning is a series of different cleaning phases. But how many phases are there, and what exactly does each phase entail? 

Post Construction Cleaning Phases 

There are three phases in industrial cleaning services.

  1. The rough interior clean. This prepares the home or commercial building for its final detailed cleaning. This includes tasks such as removing construction debris (loose boards and scraps), sweeping the floors, preparing the floors for carpet or flooring, window washing, and dusting.
  2. The final interior cleaning. This is a detailed cleaning after construction completely wraps up.
    The final interior cleaning includes:

        • Removing any lingering debris
        • Vacuuming and cleaning carpets
        • Cleaning floors
        • Wall washing
        • Wiping down all kitchen and bathroom surfaces
        • Cleaning window sills
        • Removing adhesive from doors, windows, and appliances
        • Bathroom cleaning
        • Removing dust from vents, ductwork, light fixtures, and ceiling fans

        Remember, a quality construction cleaning company pays attention to every last detail!

    3. The exterior construction cleaning. This involves removing all lumber, trash, and remaining debris from the entire property. This includes soft washing and pressure washing the patios, driveways, and other exterior surfaces.

    How Much Does Post Construction Cleaning Cost?

    Much like construction, pricing can vary depending on the location and city you’re in. This also depends on the type of cleaning you want. A light cleaning can be less expensive than a deep cleaning, but you may not get the level of detailed cleaning that you want. 

    The cost of post construction cleaning services depends on many factors:

    • The size of your residential home or commercial building
    • The type of building
    • Experience of the cleaning company
    • Cost of supplies
    • Geographic location
    • Condition of the property
    • Level of detail required

    When you hire a cleanup crew, they will work with the site manager or superintendent to figure out exactly what they want done. 

    The cleanup crew will need to know what kind of time they have, and whether there is water or electricity available. Having to truck in water or generators will affect pricing. 

    A post-construction cleanup job for a small residential property may cost $300-$600. Larger homes may cost $600-$1000. It’s important to note that these prices vary. 

    Much like construction costs, post construction cleaning pricing deals in square footage. For larger commercial buildings, a rough interior cleanup may cost $0.10-$0.30 per square foot. 

    So, if you have a 25,000-square-foot building, that may cost $2,500-$7,500.

    If it’s a 100,000-square-foot building, that may cost $10,000-$30,000.

    Another small detail that can be overlooked is window cleaning prices may increase when it’s above the second floor.

    Final detailed cleaning can be more expensive, so it’s important to budget accordingly.

    Every Cleaning Phase Is Important

    The main goal of construction cleaning is to pay attention to every detail.

    It’s to make sure every nook and cranny is clean, so all you have to worry about is how you’ll enjoy your brand-new space.

    Presentation is the most important aspect when it comes to new construction or remodeling. Remember, it all depends on how many phases of cleaning you want. 

    Here at Mayfair Building Services, we guarantee a quality construction cleanup so you can focus on craftsmanship. Not the debris. 

    To book a consultation for post construction cleaning services and industrial cleaning services, please contact us by email or call our Burnaby office at (604) 439-0312.

Sanitizing Surface

Cleaning, Sanitizing & Disinfecting

Know the Difference Between Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting for the Deepest Clean

A clean office is a happy office, and healthy employees are happy and productive employees. Cleaning is not a one-step process and there’s a big difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting. Each method has its own place when it comes to doing away with harmful germs and bacteria that can make you sick. At Mayfair Building Services, we’re experts on clean! 

Read on to learn more about how to make your workplace as healthy as possible. 

What is Cleaning

Cleaning gets rid of dust, grime, hair and other debris by washing and rinsing. Cleaning can be done with a mild detergent, a mixture of gentle soap and vinegar, or a prepackaged cleaning product meant for the surface. Basic surface cleaning isn’t enough to wipe out harmful bacteria, so any high-touch areas, like food-prep areas should always be cleaned and then sanitized. Cleaning is most suitable for windows and floors and other low-touch areas with less of a risk of transmission of germs, bacteria and fungi. Cleaning means wiping and washing hard or soft surfaces to make it look cleaner, but it can only kill up to 94% of virus-causing bacteria. 

What is Sanitizing

Difference between Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting

Sanitizing is a term used for reducing up to 99.9% of bacteria on soft surfaces. Upholstery, clothing and other porous surfaces are generally cleaned and then sanitized, to kill the most bacteria possible. Most sanitizers require a “dwell time”, which is a period of time to let the sanitizer sit on the surface before rinsing.

Sanitizing can also be done with very hot water (think dishwasher run on “sanitize” mode, a load of laundry washed in very hot water with sanitizing cleaner and steam cleaning carpets and fabrics. Using a steam cleaner or the hottest setting on an appliance to clean porous materials is an effective way to kill bacteria and viruses when it’s not possible to use a disinfecting solution.

Of course, you’ll want to be sure that the surface can stand up to steam cleaning. Tile floors are an excellent candidate for steam cleaning, while some types of flooring, like laminate and hardwood floors, could become damaged by steam cleaning. 

What is Disinfecting

Disinfecting products are used on non-porous hard surfaces and use chemicals to get rid of all bacteria AND viruses. Surfaces like countertops, doorknobs and keyboards should all be regularly disinfected, especially when shared between colleagues. Disinfecting these types of high-touch surfaces is effective for preventing the spread of illness, like different types of influenza (flu) or rhinovirus (cold). Disinfectant cleaning products (not sanitizers) are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved to destroy bacteria and viruses. 

Combined with a regularly scheduled office / workplace cleaning, disinfecting is a great way to keep your whole office healthy. Between cleanings, it’s always a good idea to wipe down high-touch surfaces, like your desk, with ready-made disinfecting wipes. 

Clean, Sanitize and Disinfect Surfaces for Best Results

As an example, let’s say you’ll be cleaning the microwave in your staff kitchen. These appliances are a haven for bacteria and should be cleaned daily for heavy use and weekly for light use. 

Simply spraying a sanitizing product onto a surface isn’t enough to kill bacteria. The surface must be cleaned well and for best results, all visible dirt and debris must be cleaned thoroughly first. Any debris left behind makes sanitizers and disinfectants less effective and can spread germs around. When using cleaning products, always wear gloves to protect your hands.

  1. Clean and scrub with a mild detergent. Wipe with warm water and a clean microfibre cloth and allow the surface to air dry. Extra dirty surfaces may need extra rounds of cleaning and scrubbing.
  2. Apply (spray or wipe) a sanitizing product, allow the product to dwell for at least 4 minutes or as directed. This is known as dwell or contact time. Wipe the product off with a clean, dry microfibre cloth, unless directed to leave it on.
  3. Finally, apply the disinfectant and allow it to dwell for at least 4 minutes to kill germs. An alcohol-based disinfectant may dry faster than 4 minutes. In this case, apply liberally and leave the surface wet as long as possible. 
  4. Give it a good wipe down with a microfibre cloth if you need to get rid of any residue on the clean surfaces.

Best used as a trio, cleaners, sanitizers and disinfectants all guard against bacteria and viruses. They’re regulated in Canada by Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and the Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD). 

When in doubt, the product label will provide valuable information on where and how to use the cleaning product. Or you can leave it to us. Our team is specifically trained in commercial and industrial cleaning service. As a result, they know exactly which products and which dilutions to use in your workspace, completely eliminating any guesswork.

Trained in commercial and industrial cleaning, our experts at Mayfair Building Services can provide one-time or routine cleaning for your workplace. With over 30 years of experience, our professional, fully trained and certified employees can handle every cleaning task, from floor to ceiling, inside and out. From carpets to windows, you can trust in our expertise to get your workspace as clean and healthy as possible. We serve the entire Greater Vancouver area including Surrey, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Langley and White Rock. Contact our Burnaby office today at (604) 439-0312 to book your first appointment today.

how to clean hardwood floors

How to Clean Hardwood Floors

Cleaning Hardwood Floors and Other Wood Flooring Maintenance Tips

Many higher-end commercial office spaces and heritage buildings feature hardwood floors. Hardwood floors definitely add a timeless beauty to any office or retail setting, but we know it can feel a bit intimidating when it comes time to clean them. Hardwood floors do need to be given a bit more TLC than standard laminate flooring, but it’s relatively easy for you or a professional cleaner like Mayfair Building Services to get and keep your wood floors looking their best. All that’s needed are gentle cleaning and refinishing products, some know-how and a bit of elbow grease.

In this article, we’ll guide you in the best ways to prevent damage, clean, and erase unsightly marks on the natural wood flooring in your workspace.

how to clean hardwood floors

Prevent Wear and Tear of Hardwood Floors

Protect Your Flooring

Taking the proper steps to protect hardwood floors from daily wear and tear will go a long way to preventing scrapes and scuffs.

  • Task chairs should be outfitted with hardwood casters, specially designed to prevent scratching or scuffing.
  • Task chairs can also be used with plastic protective floor pads or low pile floor mats. If you’ve got some carpeting, look at our helpful post on how to clean and maintain the carpeting around your office.
  • Other pieces of furniture like waiting room chairs and coffee tables should always have felt floor protectors applied to the bottoms of the furniture legs, since they get moved around quite a bit.
  • Over time, clients getting up and pushing the chair back and forth could result in quite a bit of scuffing and scratching on hardwood floors. In that same vein, when moving furniture, you’ll want to pick it up and avoid dragging it whenever possible.
  • Add a welcome mat, a heavy-duty rug and a good solid boot tray/shoe tray by the front door. This will help keep dirt, water and mud off the flooring.

Sweep Daily and Vacuum Weekly

A quick daily sweep and a weekly or bi-weekly vacuum will keep your floors looking fresh and prevent damage from dirt and dust.

  • Before vacuuming or sweeping, go over the flooring with a dry mop or Swiffer-type sweeper. This will attract any hair, dust and dirt.
  • Next, vacuum with a floor brush attachment. For wooden floors, you’ll want to avoid using a powerhead or beater bar, which can scratch the wood.
  • Vacuuming should be done weekly or biweekly, depending on the volume of traffic through your business.

Deep Clean Hardwood Floors as Needed

It’s a good idea to do a deep seasonal clean to remove dirt and oil build-up. This grime can dull the finish and durability of the flooring over time.

  • After you vacuum, use a good wood floor cleaner and saturate a mop (sponge or rag) well. Let the cleaner sink into the fibres.
  • Wring out the mop really well so it only feels slightly damp. This is important because you don’t want to have any standing water left on the floor.
  • Damp-mop, working from the back of the office to the front, making sure to get underneath furniture and in corners.
  • Rinse and wring out as often as needed. Depending on the size of your office, you may need to change your water.
  • If the cleaning product recommends a fresh-water rinse, use a second mop rinsed in clean water.
  • To speed the drying process for your newly clean floors, turn on the air conditioner or ceiling fans.

Removing Marks from Hardwood Floors

Despite our best efforts, wood floors do get marked up from time to time. Because wood is so durable, however, this is an easy fix. The key is to know the finish of your floor to be able to safely remove the mark.

  • If the stain is sitting on the surface, the wood likely has a urethane or polyurethane finish, which is a hard finish that stays on top of the wood.
  • If you’re working in an older building or a heritage building, the original flooring is likely to be oil finished. If the stain has spread through to the wood, you can bet it’s a soft oil finish.

Removing Marks from a Hard Urethane Finish

The best choice for removing marks from modern hardwood flooring is a clean microfiber cloth. Avoid using abrasive cleaning solutions, sandpaper, steel wool or any other gritty material, since these will damage the finish. A good, gentle cleaner is all you really need to remove a surface stain.

Removing Marks from a Soft Oil Finish

This is a bit more complex and can involve some staining, waxing and buffing. If you’re really stuck, call us at Mayfair Building Services for advice or to schedule your floor cleaning service.

Heel Marks- Floor wax and very fine steel wool make short work of those pesky heel marks. Use the steel wool to gently rub in the floor wax, and it will gently scrub away the markings.

Oil-based Stains-Use a soft cloth and gentle dishwashing soap to cut the grease. Rinse the soap with a soft cloth dampened with clear water. This might take a couple of applications. Once the damp spot has dried, you’ll see raised grain. Gently buff the raised grain of the wood and finish up with stain if needed.

Pet stains or Dark Spots- Did the office pet have an accident? Just rub the spot with very fine steel wool and floor wax. If you still see a dark spot, let a small bit of vinegar soak into the wood. This should completely lift the stain. If not, try bleach once the vinegar has completely dried. Finish up by rinsing with a clean damp cloth.

Water Marks- Use your trusty steel wool and floor wax here too. If the stain has saturated the floor, you can very lightly sand the floor using a fine grit paper. Clean the rest of the stain with your fine steel wool and mineral spirits.

Professional hardwood floor cleaning, deep office cleaning, pressure washing and more —at Mayfair Building Services, we do it all. Whether you need daily, weekly or monthly office or industrial maintenance and cleaning, our team is expertly trained to handle any mess you can throw our way. Contact us at our Burnaby, BC office via email or by phone at (604) 439-0312 to schedule an initial consultation and join our growing list of happy clients.

happy staff in a clean office environment

Office Cleanliness is Linked to Employee Morale

Clean Workspace = Happy Staff

You know that feeling you get when you’ve just done a deep clean of your home? The air is fresher, the surfaces shine and you feel at ease? That’s the effect a sparkling clean office can have too. Since employees spend 40 hours (minimum) in the workplace each week, it makes sense that a hygienic and healthy workplace is linked to higher employee morale. After all, healthy employees are happy!

How Can Cleanliness Boost Morale?happy staff in a clean office environment

A cluttered desk can make it nearly impossible to find what’s needed to complete a task. Employees end up wasting time searching through drawers and cupboards. Time wasted hunting down basic items and necessary documents is time that can be spent doing their important work. Clutter also has a very real impact on stress levels and the ability to concentrate.

A dank and dusty workplace that’s cluttered and hard to navigate also impacts employee motivation and productivity. In fact, a study done by Harvard University looked at student productivity when working in spaces with various levels of mess and clutter. Interestingly, this study found that the students who worked in a workspace free of clutter were able to work 7.5 minutes longer than those trying to work in a cluttered space. The research concluded that a messy workspace can “undermine people’s persistence in completing tasks.”- i.e. make it hard to concentrate and work effectively.

A similar study on the impact of cleanliness on employee productivity was completed by Horrevorts, Ophem and Terpstra of Wageningen University in the Netherlands. This study goes into detail about the effect of a clean, organized workspace on the influence of employees working in office environments.

Cleanliness Boosts Your Business’ Curb Appeal

Not only is cleanliness essential for happy and productive employees, a tidy office also presents your business in the best light possible. When customers and potential clients walk in, you want them to see a light and airy space that is clean and well organized. This shows them that your business has it together and you’re running a reputable company.

Think about the last time you popped into a store or an office. What was your first impression and how did this affect your feeling about the company overall? If employees were peeking out from behind piles of paperwork, fixtures appeared dusty and carpets stained or torn, you might not have felt particularly comfortable or welcomed. In contrast, you likely feel much more confident visiting a store or office that is clean and organized.

Cleanliness Helps Prevent Illness

In these unprecedented times, cleanliness is essential for keeping our friends and family healthy. Our work family is no different and at Mayfair Building Services, we know that your frontline workers are essential to your businesses’ well-being. Keeping common areas like reception areas, kitchens and bathrooms sparkling clean and germ free is key to preventing illnesses like Covid-19, various strains of the flu, food-borne illnesses or even just the common cold.

Clean carpets and tidy desks not only create a comfortable environment for your employees, they also improve air quality and the ability to focus. Poor air quality can lead to headaches, trigger asthma attacks, spread illness and just really ruin a person’s day.

According to Statistics Canada, workers based in Vancouver, BC were absent 7.9 days out of the year due to common illness. Illnesses picked up at work can be largely preventable with regular cleaning and maintenance. Items like phones, desk surfaces and even the coffee pot handle are all hot spots for germs. For more on this, check out our previous post on the dirtiest places in the office.

Cleanliness Reduces the Risk of Accidents and Injury

Items left on the floor, debris on the carpet or spills in the kitchen can all lead to slips and falls, as well as potential injury to your staff members. As with illness, this can result in unplanned time off, which can end up impacting their income and ability to work (as well as your bottom line). In the end, workplace accidents create stress and anxiety for everyone. To prevent this, any tripping hazards should be cleaned up right away.

How to Maintain a Clean Workspace

Educate your employees on the importance of keeping their desks and workspaces clean. Particularly where employees desk-share, encourage them to wipe off and sanitize their desktop, keyboard, mouse and phone after every shift. Encourage everyone to remove their food from the staff room fridge and if it’s an option, sweep up any messes created between your cleaning appointments. Make sure the coffee pot is washed out, the dishwasher is turned on, any dirty rags are sent to be laundered and countertops are wiped and sanitized.

Your employees can also ensure that any loose documents or folders are filed often, to prevent piles from building up and toppling over. This will all take about 5 minutes to do before everyone heads home. This quick and easy daily refresh will make a big difference and make it so much nicer to come back to the next day.

A Clean Environment Will Generally Stay Clean

When the office is sparkling clean and decluttered, visitors and employees are much more likely to be influenced to keep it that way. Papers will find their way to the recycling bin much quicker, spills will be swept or mopped up when they happen and most people will want to keep the workspace feeling as great as it does right after a thorough cleaning.

Need a clean sweep? At Mayfair Building Services, we’re experts in commercial cleaning and provide everything from floor cleaning to industrial construction cleanup. We focus on making your workplace as healthy and clean as it can be. Whether you need a one-time, daily, weekly or monthly deep clean, we have been experts in the commercial janitorial industry for over 30 years in the Metro Vancouver region. Contact us to book your appointment today.

tips for cleaning tile and grout

Cleaning Tile Floors

Best Way to Clean Tile Floors: Tile & Grout Cleaning Tips

Tile floors can create a higher end look while standing up well to the wear and tear of daily traffic. Unlike carpet, they are easier to clean and much simpler to keep free of dust, germs and allergens. And unlike with laminate flooring, you don’t have to worry about any moisture seeping into the sub core, which can cause warping or discolouration.

No matter what type of flooring is in your workplace, we can help. As professional cleaners, we clean all vinyl, laminate, ceramic tile, hardwood, concrete and engineered hardwood flooring – so you don’t have to worry about the right method or right materials.tips for cleaning tile and grout

Tips for Cleaning Tile Flooring

Cleaning tile floors can be done quickly and easily with all-purpose cleaner or mild dish soap. If you’ve been finding that your tile is holding on to stubborn stains and stuck on debris, that surface debris could be damaging the surface coating of the tiles themselves. If this is the case, it’s important to ensure that dry and wet cleaning of tile flooring is on the cleaning roster for your commercial space.

Sweep or vacuum your floors 3-4 times per week, especially in high traffic areas like the entryway or staff kitchen. This keeps the floors clean and helps prevent stuck-on-staining that can be tough to remove, leading to dingy-looking floors. Mop the floor at least once a week as well.

The cleaning process for each type of tile varies, so it’s important to note what type of tiles you have in your space, well before you bring out the mop.

How to Clean Your Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tile floors do best when cleaned with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. You can also use your favourite all-purpose cleaner, or even a bit of white vinegar to help dissolve staining on the tiles or grout.

Step 1: Move any furniture and rugs off the floor and carefully sweep each section of the floor with a broom. You can vacuum with a soft brush attachment afterwards, to pick up anything that may have been left behind.

Step 2: Grab two buckets (one for rinsing and one for the cleaner). Have you ever seen someone use the same mop and bucket and spread dirty water around over and over? It doesn’t get anything cleaner and it doesn’t remove germs or bacteria. For the best results and a reliable clean, make sure you use two buckets and refill your cleaning bucket when the water starts to look muddy or grey.

Step 3: Choose your cleaner. Ceramic tiles can withstand the acidity of white vinegar, which is quite useful for stain removal when mixed with warm water.

To make a great stain remover, try this solution:

In a clean spray bottle, mix 2.5 Tbsp of mild dish soap with 1 C of white vinegar. Fill a bucket with warm water.

With your spray bottle, spray the stains with the mixture of vinegar and dish soap. Let it sit for just a minute and then use your clean, damp mop to scrub the tile. For dirty grout, you may want to use a stiff brush to really get into the crevices.

Step 4: If using regular all-purpose cleaner, simply let the cleaner sit for 2 minutes and then use your damp, clean mop to scrub the floors. If you have a textured floor, a string mop will work best. For a smooth floor, a sponge mop or mop with a microfibre pad will be more effective.

Step 5: Rinse your clean mop and make another pass over the floor, working section by section. Here it’s important to note that no matter how good your cleaner is, it can sometimes leave a filmy residue behind. After you’ve mopped each section, take the time to dry and buff the tiles with a soft cloth. Drying the tiles will help bring out their natural sheen and help them stay cleaner longer.

Step 6: Rinse out both buckets and let your mop dry thoroughly. You’re done!

How to Steam Clean Tile Floors

Tile flooring can be easily steam cleaned for in-between maintenance.

For smaller spaces, you might be able to get away with a steam mop designed for home use, but it shouldn’t be used in place of a mop if you have a very dirty, stained tile floor.

To use a steam mop on tile flooring, follow these steps:

Step 1: Move furniture and any floor coverings off the floor.

Step 2: Sweep or vacuum with a soft-brush attachment. Steam mops do their best work when the floor has no debris left behind.

Step 3: Keep several clean mop pads on hand to avoid having any dirt or debris smeared around as you steam mop.

Step 4: Keep the steam mop moving as you wash, taking care not to let it idle on any one spot. If you need to leave the room, make sure to turn off the mop, just for safety’s sake.

Step 5: For a more thorough cleaning, make multiple passes across the floor, working section by section.

Step 6: When you’re done, pop the steam mop pads into the wash. Generally, they are just washed with other white and light-coloured items. Hang them to dry to prevent any shrinkage, and they’ll be ready to go for next time.

*Tile floors can be incredibly slick when wet, so always be sure to put a wet floor sign down or block access to any wet flooring.

The routine maintenance of your office flooring is relatively simple, but you might quickly find that it makes more sense to bring in a professional, with commercial quality equipment. This way, you no longer have to worry about scrubbing grout and removing pesky stains from tile flooring, or getting the carpets perfectly clean and sanitized. Our certified cleaning professionals can create a commercial cleaning plan and schedule that perfectly suits your needs and leaves your workspace sparkling. Contact Mayfair and our expert cleaning team today to discover how we can help.

carpet cleaning vancouver area

10 Easy Carpet Care Tips and Tricks

Why Office Carpet Care and Maintenance Matters

Just like the paint colours, furnishings, textiles and lighting that you’ve so carefully chosen, the flooring in an office can go a long way towards creating a great first impression. Carpeted flooring can add warmth while also add a feeling of luxury, fun or comfort to your office space.

As the most used piece of décor in the office, the carpet and rugs in the space take a beating. Floor coverings are walked on almost constantly, particularly in very high-traffic entrance areas. All this daily wear and tear combined with office pets, spilled coffee, forgotten crumbs and mystery stains from that office party can all add up to one ugly carpet. A discoloured and flattened carpet affects the look and feel of your office space and can even turn off potential clients and visitors.

Clean Carpets Protect Employee Healthcarpet cleaning vancouver area

More than that, dirty carpets harbour dust and problem-causing allergens. Because office workers generally don’t kick their shoes off at the door, carpets in commercial buildings can be havens for germs, dust mites, and even the flu virus.

Employees who are sniffling, sneezing and suffering with poor air quality are also likely to be much less productive. Did you know that according to Stats Canada, in 2019, Vancouver-based workers were absent 7.9 days out of the year due to illnesses? Even if they are in the office, employees suffering from poor air quality likely can’t function at their best. Considering employees spent 40+ hours in the office every week and about 90% of their time indoors overall, indoor air quality is very important.

Thankfully, as well as creating a fresh, hygienic environment, regular carpet care can contribute to a healthier workplace overall.

10 Easy DIY Solutions Using Basic Products

If you’re between full carpet cleanings or just have a small stain to take care of, try these tips:

What you’ll need:

  • Lint roller
  • Squeegee
  • Vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Ice cubes
  • Spoon
  • Clean white towel
  • Spray bottle

 

  1. Use a lint roller or a damp squeegee to pick up extra crumbs and hairs from carpet. This works great for office upholstery like waiting room chairs and sofas in the lounge areas.
  2. Vacuum slowly. If your office has a vacuum for quick jobs, pass slowly over each area 5-6 times to ensure you get as much of the ground in dirt and debris out as possible.
  3. Pre-treat stains with water and vinegar. Mix 3 parts water and 1-part vinegar then lightly spray onto the stain. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  4. Always blot instead of rubbing. Blot a stain from the outside in, making sure to remove any solids before pre-treating the stain. This will keep the stain from spreading.
  5. Office pet had an accident? Baking soda can help. Sprinkle plenty of baking soda over the urine to absorb the smell. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then blot before vacuuming.
  6. Use a 1:1 water/vinegar mixture to help fluff up flattened areas of carpet. Just spray onto the carpet and run a spoon sideways on the carpet to help bring the carpet fibers back to life.
  7. If you’ve moved the office furniture and are now looking at impressions in the carpet from where the chairs and desks once sat, try an ice cube. Put an ice cube on the dents and let them melt. Blot the water and once dry, use the spoon trick above to fluff up the fibers.
  8. For solid spills, scrape off as much of the solids as you can before adding any kind of cleaning product.
  9. Gum in the carpet? An ice cube can help with this one too. Hold an ice cube over the gum for a minute or so, or until the gum has hardened. Once it’s hard, you should be able to scrape most of it off the carpet.
  10. Mist lightly when spot-cleaning and always blot moisture from the carpet afterwards. Leaving damp spots can lead to mildew and mold growth in the carpet, carpet pad and flooring.

Commercial Carpets Require Commercial Cleaning Solutions

Regular cleaning and vacuuming are the best ways to extend the life of your carpets, particularly in high traffic areas like entrances. Choosing when and how often to clean your carpet is an individual decision, but there are some basic things to keep in mind, such as the colour, density, material and pile of the carpet.

Protect your investment. Regular carpet cleaning will keep the air free of allergens and toxins, creating a fresh, clean working environment. Remember that proper deep carpet cleaning requires the specialized equipment and training of a pro. Mayfair Building Service’s reliable and professional carpet cleaners are fully trained and have years of experience, certification and first-hand knowledge of our industrial equipment and solutions.

Looking for professional carpet care in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver, Langley, White Rock, Surrey, Burnaby & Coquitlam)? We will work with you to create a convenient cleaning schedule. You can choose carpet cleaning as a standalone service or as part of a regularly scheduled cleaning package. As well as commercial carpet cleaning, we offer commercial floor cleaning, full office cleaning, window cleaning and more. Contact Mayfair Building Services today for a free quote on any of these services.

Washing Hands. Cleaning during a pandemic

Cleaning During a Pandemic

Cleaning and Disinfecting- Preventative Measures During a Pandemic

When COVID-19 hit British Columbia in the spring of 2020, those who couldn’t get disinfectant wipes or bleach (or toilet paper!) stocked up on hydrogen peroxide to wipe down their doorknobs, groceries, and even their shoes. Cleaning became paramount and we questioned the safety of everything around us.

Now, as the pandemic wears on, it’s become commonplace to see a bottle of sanitizer or a wash station near the entrances of every commercial and retail building. Consumers are urged to wear masks, and stick to social distancing and other measures of prevention.Washing Hands. Cleaning during a pandemic

These measures help, but cleaning and disinfecting commercial buildings goes far beyond ensuring everyone who enters has a mask and clean hands. This is where Mayfair Building Services comes in.

Effective cleaning, disinfecting, proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), using approved products, and following stringent procedures are key in the fight against the virus.

 

Cleaning Services Workers are Key

Cleaning services workers are now classified as front-line employees. Our experienced cleaning staff are working more diligently than ever to keep you and your staff safe and healthy.

We highly recommend that you hire a professional cleaner for your commercial space for regular deep cleaning and disinfecting. This will make it easier for you and your staff to focus on the business without worrying about reducing business hours to spend more time cleaning.

In the meantime, this guide to cleaning and disinfecting during the pandemic will help to safeguard your workplace.

 

Cleaning

Cleaning refers to the cleaning of dust, dirt and debris from hard and soft surfaces. Vacuuming, sweeping and mopping will clean a floor, but only a proper disinfectant will eliminate harmful microbes.

According to CTV news, Health Canada has approved 222 cleaning products that are effective against COVID-19. If you absolutely cannot find cleaning products, you can make your own. The most basic cleaning product out there is a mixture of two parts water with one-part dish soap, and an antibacterial oil, such as tea tree oil.

Cleaning soft surfaces can be a little more challenging. Communal couches, carpeting and padded task chairs all need to be regularly cleaned and disinfected. Refer to the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions or use a gentle soap and water solution on soiled areas. Removable textiles like cushion covers or cleaning cloths can easily be washed in a hot water cycle with regular detergent or bleach.

 

Disinfecting

Cleaning reduces germs and disinfecting takes care of the remainder of germs by using chemicals.

Disinfecting and cleaning go hand-in-hand. You can’t really clean without disinfecting nor disinfect without cleaning first. In fact, spraying a disinfectant on a messy surface can deactivate the disinfectant and actually spread more bacteria around. And cleaning without disinfecting can encourage the spread of bacteria.

Accepted disinfectants include bleach, hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol and store-bought disinfectant solutions. Note that things like lemon juice or vinegar do not work to stop COVID-19 and are not approved by Health Canada, the EPA, or the CDC. A full list of EPA approved disinfectants can be found here.

Disinfectants are used after cleaning a surface and should be used frequently on high-touch surfaces like countertops, doorknobs, light switches, keyboards, and phones.

It’s important to ensure that the disinfectant is wet for the entire contact time listed on the product’s package. For instance, hydrogen peroxide should be left wet on the surface for 1 full minute before wiping with a clean paper towel.

 

Organizing Your Cleaning Efforts

For best results, time cleaning and disinfecting for less busy periods during the day, and after the store or business is closed for the night. Traditionally, this is when we come in to do a thorough clean.

It can also help to designate specific employees to take care of the cleaning during a shift. This lets them clean effectively while other employees take care of other aspects of the job, like serving customers. This reduces the risk of any cross-contamination, especially in the food service or hospitality industry. Always try to time cleaning to limit custom and staff exposure to cleaning products and potential fumes.

  • For high-touch surfaces, regular cleaning and disinfecting at least twice a day is ideal.
  • Frequently used items like debit machines should be cleaned and disinfected after every customer
  • Doorknobs, counter-tops and any shared equipment (ie. Point of Sale systems) should be cleaned and disinfected as frequently as possible
  • Washroom facilities should be cleaned more often

 

Important Safety Tips for Using Cleaning Products and Disinfectants

  • Never mix your own disinfectants
  • Never use high concentration alcohols near sources of ignition
  • If using bleach, mix 3 Tablespoons of bleach with 1 Litre of water *Never mix bleach with another substance. This can create harmful fumes.
  • Use all cleaning products and disinfectants in a well-ventilated area
  • After cleaning, throw away any disposable items like gloves or masks
  • Keep lids on containers closed to prevent spills
  • Wash your hands after using cleaners and disinfectants

 

Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

The number one way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to practice good hygiene. Clean hands that touch surfaces have very few germs to spread around, and surfaces that are thoroughly and frequently cleaned and disinfected won’t support any germs that might have transferred.

  • Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
  • Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
  • Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  • Stay home if you feel unwell.
  • If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.

 

At Mayfair Building Services, we have a loyal client base throughout the Burnaby, Coquitlam, Langley, Surrey and White Rock areas. We know these times can be challenging and overwhelming. When you book cleaning services with us, we take just one more task off your plate, providing peace of mind and the knowledge that your workplace is the healthiest it can be. Whether your business needs a deep clean or you’d like to explore a continual cleaning schedule, contact us today for a free service quote.