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A Deep Clean Checklist for Your Business
4 min read
Keep your business safe and clean for customers and employees.
Slowly but surely, many states are reopening. What does that mean for your business?
You could see more foot traffic if you’ve been open. Or, you’ll finally return after being shut down for the past few weeks.
In either case, you’ll need to prepare your facilities with some good, old-fashioned scrubbing. Dive into this deep clean checklist to get your business ready.
Decide Between Employees and a Cleaning Service
First, decide if the deep cleaning will be done by your employees or a cleaning service.
If you need a recommendation for a cleaning service, reach out to other business owners. You can find a lot of leads by posting a quick question on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Let’s say you find the right cleaning service. You call to set up an appointment, but they can't help you for the next few weeks. Their schedule is packed!
Now what? You can search for another cleaning business or take on the task with your employees.
Gather Cleaning Supplies
You decide to cut out the middleman and do the work in-house.
Gather these supplies if you don't already have them:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and disposable rubber gloves
- Rags
- Garbage bags
- Spray bottles
- Soap or diluted bleach
- Mop and bucket
- Any disinfectants the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19
This isn’t a “one size fits all” list. You might need more cleaning supplies based on the kind of business you own.
Something else to keep in mind: wear long sleeves and pants if you use harsher chemicals that could damage your eyes or skin.
Find Areas of Focus for Cleaning
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends focusing on high-touch areas like:
- Doorknobs and handles
- Keypads (like the ones in card readers)
- Phones
- Keyboards
- Countertops
- Light switches
- Sinks
- Faucets
- Shopping carts
After you clean these frequently touched surfaces, disinfect them using an EPA-approved disinfectant. You won't need to disinfect areas or surfaces that don't get used much, so you can stop at using soap and water there.
Throw away your gloves and wash your hands after finishing deep cleaning tasks. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t readily available.
Turn a "Chore" Into a Reward
Attitude affects how your employees approach cleaning. Over the next few months (maybe longer), they’ll have to do a lot more of it. If you’ve stayed open through the COVID-19 outbreak, your people might be getting tired of scrubbing, washing, and disinfecting.
Recognition goes a long way in defeating the monotony. Praise employees who are thorough in their work, and remind them they’re playing a critical role in keeping the public safe.
Think about giving bonuses to employees, especially if they volunteer to help you with after-hours cleaning.
Take Care of Spring Cleaning
As things hopefully get closer to normal, now is a perfect time to take care of spring cleaning tasks like:
- Purging old or unneeded items from your stockroom
- Checking employee records to make sure they’re up to date
- Cleaning neglected areas like air vents, light fixtures, windowsills, and floor mats
No matter what’s going on in the world, customers appreciate a spotless business. Take this opportunity to impress them!
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Here's one more bit of spring cleaning to do. We promise you won't need mops or brooms for this.
Talk to your local, licensed Pekin Insurance agent about your business insurance. Make sure your coverage fits your business plan and protects your people, property, and profits.
