by OHIO JANITORIAL SOLUTIONS LLC

Cleaning is something we all have to do. At home, at work, out and about - it seems we can't escape cleaning. I'm not sure about you, but I love learning new things - especially if it's going to save me time and energy. This segment is all about quick tips that you can use at work, at home, or wherever!

1. Kitchenettes & Breakrooms. First thing's first. Raise of hands: Who avoids cleaning the inside of their microwave? ("100% Judgement-Free Zone," here.) Well, I'll make this one easy for you... Dampen a paper towel and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Wait another 30 seconds, then take a dry paper towel (to avoid the heat from the wet towel) and simply wipe out the inside of the microwave; and don't forget the ceiling! This heat and moisture from the wet paper towel loosens up the contents & food particles, and makes this job much easier to tackle. While you're waiting for the wet paper towel to heat up, work on wiping down the counters, cabinet doors, and exteriors of your appliances. In a matter of a few minutes - you can have the whole kitchen cleaned up, including the all-avoidable interior of your microwave. :)

2. Desks & Cubicles. Always work top-to-bottom. If it's a full cleaning, make sure you prep your workspace. Remove any papers, files or other items that get in the way. Take a dry cloth or duster to the back of your computer monitor and start dusting the cords and wiping the debris toward the side or front of the desk. Wet a new rag with your favorite disinfectant product - like Clorox® Disinfecting All-Purpose Cleaner - and wipe the top of your cubicle dividers. When cleaning your computer monitor, be sure to hit areas like the top of your monitor, the backside, and base. Continue cleaning the tabletop of your desk and work your way out and off the desk. This will ensure you've swept your mess onto the floor (which you always should dust-mop/vacuum, then wet-mop {if applicable}, last.). This way, you didn't create extra mess and don't have to go back over areas you've already cleaned. You should be able to accomplish cleaning a cubicle desk anywhere from 2-3 minutes efficiently, by employing this tactic.

3. Vents. These are the #1 most-neglected item in a business or home. They're a pain for most people because they're up on the ceiling, and sometimes they can be difficult to get down. However, most vents are pretty easy to take down and clean, and will make a noticeable difference in your space. Part A.) For the ones that are easy to uninstall, simply take a screw driver to all 4 corners of the vent and remove the cover. Take a dry brush and wipe out the visible debris from the inside of the vent. Wash the vent cover in the sink, and reinstall by tightening the 4 screws at the corners. Part B.) The ones that can't be taken down without further analysis, you will need smaller tools. We like using a toothbrush and small painter's brushes for the small details, and a wet sponge or cloth for the rest. Wipe out the visible debris with your small detail brushes, and scrub the exterior of the vent clean with a damp sponge or cloth. Simple cleaning these vents, perhaps once a month or so, will make your restroom appear visibly cleaner and will make the users of the restroom feel more confident with the cleaning habits and practices of your company.

4. Windows. Invest in a squeegee. Period. The squeegee method is the easiest, most-effective way of cleaning your windows. Don't spend extra time hand-drying with cloths that smear. Work your way from the corners out and around. Or straight down from the top. If there are a few lines of water at the end, take a dry cloth and catch those little droplets. You will have sparkling windows and it won't take any extra effort to keep them that way.

5. Stainless Steel. Whether you have stainless steel appliances, stainless steel restroom containers (toilet paper, paper towel, hand soap, etc.), or drinking fountains - stainless steel can be an OCD-nightmare to keep clean. The trick is all in the cleaning product. For everything except drinking fountains, we recommend using Sprayway Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish. This will create a nice even shine/glow on your stainless steel items and won't leave a streaky residue. However, cleaning drinking fountains are another task... All Stainless Steel Cleaners leave behind a polish residue that keeps the stainless steel looking shiny and protected. That residue does not mix well with water, and we've seen it time & time again - where cleaning companies or janitors who don't experiment with these products use SS cleaner on drinking fountains and it creates this gunky slime effect on the surface after mixing with water. If regular Disinfectant products aren't doing the trick on your drinking fountain; what we recommend for your drinking fountains may seem insane, you're going to say no way, but it works. A little bit of The Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner (on your brush, not applied directly to the surface) keeps the shine of your drinking fountain, and will not cause a gunky slime effect when mixed with water, because there is no residue left over like stainless steel cleaner.

And that concludes today's 5 Quick Cleaning Tips from Ohio Janitorial Solutions LLC. As always, if you're interested in coming up with janitorial solutions for your business, we would love to chat with you. Click the button below to open up a chat. Or click the link here to learn more about us.