Cleaning is an unavoidable part of any business. And whilst it’s important to make sure that you clean your facilities and equipment regularly, we know you’d rather focus on more productive, interesting and profit-wielding things. So if you want to waste as little time as possible on cleaning, you may wish to avoid these three simple mistakes.
Bad scheduling
Inefficient cleaning is mostly down to bad scheduling. This could in part be down to not cleaning regularly enough. For example, if you run a small bakery, tackling all your display areas, counters and baking equipment daily will ensure that the cleaning process is done swiftly and effectively. Waiting for stains and grime to build up before you clean however will actually make the job a lot harder to tackle. So whilst you might think that cleaning every few days or every week is saving you time, it’s actually costing you time and money.
Another example of bad scheduling is not cleaning at the right times. When it comes to efficient cleaning, it is essential to make the most of the time you have. After all, the less time you spend cleaning, the more time you have to do other more productive things that will ultimately make you more money. For example, if you run a restaurant and the kitchen closes an hour before the restaurant itself actually closes, why wait until all patrons have left before you start cleaning the kitchen? Cleaning only after all patrons have left means keeping your staff on for longer which will cost more money without any additional work actually getting done.
Likewise, if you run a shopping centre and clean the floors every morning, you’re wasting a lot of time waiting for the floors to dry (and paying for your staff to do so). Cleaning your floors right at the end of the day on the other hand will allow them to dry overnight and therefore minimise cleaning downtime.
Wrong equipment
Using the wrong cleaning equipment affects both the effectiveness and the efficiency of your cleaning processes. Many companies avoid investing in industrial cleaning equipment in Australia as they worry about the cost. But, in actual fact, spending more money up front on the industry-appropriate cleaning equipment will save you time, energy and money.
The right cleaning equipment will be able to clean faster and more effectively. You’ll get a higher level of cleanliness in a fraction of the time which will then free up your staff to do more productive things. Commercial or industrial cleaning equipment also use consumables more effectively which could help to lower outgoing cleaning costs. So basically, you’ll be saving and making money just by using the right machines.
Lack of training
Although you may not think it worth training someone to drag a mop and bucket around the floor or wipe down a surface, you’d be surprised how much a little bit of guidance could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the cleaning process. Though it isn’t rocket science, there are certain techniques and best practices which can ensure your staff clean your facilities faster and more thoroughly. So rather than just leave them to it, take the time to show them exactly how it should be done.
Conclusion
Cleaning is indeed an unavoidable part of running any kind of business. But whilst it is essential to maintain a certain level of hygiene and a high standard of cleanliness, you don’t have to waste countless hours on the cleaning process to do so. With a bit of careful planning and by investing in the right equipment, you can get the job done in a fraction of the time and focus your time and energy on more interesting, productive and profitable endeavours.