Housekeeping tips for your place of business… The allergy season is upon us, and it’s becoming common to see people in the office with a runny nose, scratchy throat, or watery eyes. This can make it challenging for an employee to make it through the day. It not only significantly reduces focus and productivity but also leaves an employee with a consistent feeling of fatigue and drowsiness.
An average employee suffering from allergies misses one hour per week annually. That’s 52 hours per year. For an employer, it’s a huge concern in terms of man-hours lost. If your employees are falling ill too often, it’s time break the chain.
Housekeeping Tips – Ensure Your Workplace Is Healthy & Allergen-Free
#1 Keep Dust Mites Away
Dust mites are found on carpets, bedding, mattresses, & upholstered furniture curtains. Employees passively carry them along from their homes to the office. To kill dust mites, makes sure your rugs & floor mats are washed with hot water once or twice a week. Remove dust from the work area using a microfiber cloth or a damp mop. This should be done daily. If possible, instead of using wall-to-wall carpets have bare floors (wooden, tiled, or marbled).
#2 Pay Attention to Mold
Allergy through mold is very common in the US & it causes perennial allergic rhinitis. While it’s not possible to remove molds or mold spore completely. It is possible to prevent it from spreading through housekeeping moisture control. If there is any leakage of water, it is suggested to immediately get the leakage fixed. Then extract collected water from affected area. Treat with an antimicrobial agent and quickly dry the area with the use of dehumidifiers.
#3 Keep Air Purifying Plants Around
Poor air quality in office could be a high risk to an employees’ health. Using natural air purifiers such as air cleaning house plants can mitigate air pollutants. Plants absorb particulates from the air and also take in carbon dioxide. Besides air quality, having plants around, also make us feel better. If you are using plants in the workplace. It is best to ensure they are regularly watered by housekeeping.
#4 Avoid Housekeeping VOC Based Products
Cleaning liquids and other products can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. The fumes from these products can irritate lungs, causing respiratory distress and shortness of breath. Avoid using aerosol based sprays like air fresheners and plug-ins. Instead switch to non-toxic air fresheners.
#5 Reduce Animal Allergens
Even if you have a pet-free building, you may be exposed to cat and dog hair. Because people may carry them from their homes on their clothing. To take care of this, have housekeeping make sure chairs cleaned regularly with hair removal rollers. And it is best to have a separate area for hanging coats and jackets in your office.
#6 Say No to Feather Dusters
Janitorial service companies have used feather in offices and commercial buildings for many years. However, these types of dusters that are often used by housekeeping do more harm than good. Instead of cleaning the surface, they often scatter dust off the surface into the air. Instead use microfiber clothes, electrostatic clothes, backpack vacuums, and extendable microfiber dusters.
#7 Regularly Vacuum and Clean Carpets
Having housekeeping regularly vacuum the carpet is needed in an office setting, but the carpet is not the only area that needs vacuuming. Sometimes, cubicles have carpeted walls, which can trap dust particles. These walls must be vacuumed periodically to prevent the inhalation of dust throughout the day. Any curtains, shades or draperies and furniture must also be vacuumed to ensure a completely clean environment.
#8 Cut the Clutter
A workplace can get easily cluttered during busy hours, & clutter is a major dust magnet. The less clutter in your office, the easier it is to keep spaces dust and allergy free.
If you want to ensure higher productivity in your office. You need to make sure is that all your employees have a clean and germ-free environment to work in. Try these housekeeping tips and you are sure to witness an impressive rise in the workplace performance of your employees.