Business

If you don’t take measures to prepare your floors for winter, they’ll end up enduring a battle between salt, dirt, and moisture. Depending on your workplaces floor type, the end result will be distorted and warped hardwood floors, broken tiles, stained floors, and/or heavily stained carpets. Here’s how you can go about protecting your workplace for winter:

Guard Against Moisture

During winter, moisture is one of the biggest risks you should guard against. For laminate flooring, if the moisture in the tile assembly freezes, it can stress various tiles components, causing them to crack.  Hardwood floors, when exposed to moisture seepage, end up warping and eventually, they lift. As winter approaches, making sure your drainage system is in tip-top condition will prevent waterlogging that can cause seepage into the floors.

Floor Mats

As winter approaches, you can never have too many floor mats. During winter, our shoes drag moisture and water indoors, and  the longer water and salt sit on the floor, the more likely they are to damage them. To protect your floors you need to make sure mats are placed at all entrances. The water, dirt and grime will stay on the mat while your building stays dry and safe, all the while, decreasing the chances of slips and falls. The entranceway of your office will also be safeguarded from scuffs or scratches. The best mats to purchase are those that can be laundered or those that can be hosed off within minutes.

Increase Vacuuming

In winter, carpets soak up moisture, dust, and allergens. If your workplace floor is carpeted you need to increase vacuuming to prevent salt damage. A carpet that has already soaked up moisture will begin to smell bad if not vacuumed regularly. Unattended wet carpet is also prone to mould and mildew. Apart from causing allergies, mould and mildew can cause discolouration. Rather than waiting for the moisture and mould to permeate the carpet, call a cleaning company before the carpet becomes too damaged to restore.

Guard Against Temperatures

Fluctuations in temperature can adversely affect hardwood and laminate flooring. During winter we tend to shut all the doors and windows and increase the indoor temperatures, turning heaters on. This ends up reducing the indoor moisture levels. As a result, if your flooring is hardwood tiles, they suddenly begin to shrink and gaps appear between the tiles. On the other hand, if yours is laminate flooring, fluctuations in temperatures may result in tile curling, peeling, and other forms of damage. The solution is to try and maintain a consistent indoor temperature. To increase humidity in the air, you can install a humidifier. As long as you can maintain a humidity of between 40%-60%, your floors will survive well through the winters.

Regular Mopping

With winter’s  wet weather, footwear carries a lot of dirt which ends up on the office floor. The build-up of mud dulls hardwood floors and salt debris will scratch polished floors leaving marks. This is where commercial cleaning services in Winnipeg come in handy. Professional cleaning will clear the sand and salt and keep the moisture at low levels to prevent people from slipping and falling. To remove all the salt and debris, a professional company will clean all the areas around your office including the most neglected areas like under the desks.

Floor maintenance before and during winter doesn’t just protect the floors against wear and tear but also promotes employee safety.

Cleanliness plays a pivotal role in many industries, so diligence in choosing a janitorial company is essential. A tidy and organized business environment creates a lively and healthy ambiance. The maintenance of a germ and dust-free office is critical for the well-being of staff and clients.

Hiring cleaning services from a janitorial company is easy but you should consider several factors when choosing a janitorial firm. Here are a few relevant tips that will guide you in determining which janitorial company will be ideal for your business:

Insured & Bonded

A good janitorial company should have valid general liability insurance and janitorial bonding. General liability insurance protects the business, its staff, and its clients from claims that could result from damages to the property.

Janitorial bonding offers protection to the customers in cases where the company’s employees have damaged belongings. Bonding is vital for janitorial enterprises since the majority of cleaning services are performed after office hours. With insurance and a bond, both the cleaning company and your company will be protected in case something happens.

Professional Employees

Ask how the company vets its employees. Make sure that the management and the cleaners are professional to work with. Of course, you’ll only want to work with the best, and then you can expect excellent results.

Hire a janitorial company that has testimonials about their incredible customer service, particularly that of the account manager and the cleaners. They should be accommodating and friendly so that harmonious communication gets established. It is essential that the cleaners are dedicated to their jobs, or you won’t be able to expect a fast and efficient cleaning service.

Transparent Pricing

Budget is one of the relevant factors that any business considers when choosing a janitorial company. As a wise business owner, you want to get the best deals and value of your trust, time, and money. Here are the common questions that you can raise while shopping for the best janitorial company in your area:

• Are we charged per cleaning session or per month?
• Are the cleaning supplies and equipment included in the billing?
• Are there hidden charges and unexpected fees?
• Do I pay by cash, cheque, or credit card?
• What are the terms and conditions?
• Do I get discounts if I buy a certain amount of cleaning sessions?

Health & Safety

With the rise of cases of coronavirus and the flu, you want to ensure that your cleaning company takes your concerns seriously. They should prioritize the health and safety not just of their workers but of the staff you employ in your office. Look for a company that knows and understands how to effectively clean hot spots to minimize the transmission of germs and bacteria across your workspace. 

Part of adhering to safety standards is letting others know when and where the cleaning is taking place. For example, they should put up wet floor signs when they are busy mopping. If it could pose a risk to your staff or customers, there should be a notice to prevent any physical harm from occurring.

Clear Communication

How easy is it to get your questions answered when you contact your cleaning services provider? You should know exactly how to get in touch with them during business hours. Every aspect of your communication should be clear and to the point. 

Just as you want transparent pricing for your services, you should also be very clear about what exactly is covered for that price. Make sure the janitorial service knows exactly what your needs and goals are and that they should communicate with you should something change. They need to have all the necessary contact information for you or another person in charge of the facilities, just in case any questions arise. 

Look For Well-Trained Workers

Unfortunately, there are no real qualifications for someone to be hired as a cleaner. Much of the task work is learned on the job, but you will still want to search for well-trained workers who have some experience. What type of in-house training do cleaners receive before they are allowed to clean companies on their own? 

This ties back into the health and safety aspect of your cleaning. You want a professional janitorial service that values education for its employees. Ask about what standards the company upholds for their workers and what you can reasonably expect them to adhere to. This is important because a janitorial service that uses improper cleaning tools or techniques can cause damage. 

Ask About Technology

You want to keep your office space or retail location as clean as possible. It can be a challenge for your janitorial team to do so if they are stuck using old or outdated equipment. Consider asking about what technology they use and any innovations that have come up in the cleaning industry. This should give you some insight as to whether they have invested in the equipment necessary to do a thorough cleaning of your workspace. 

The right technology is not only easier on the janitorial staff, but it is also far more effective at cleaning your area quickly. Overall, the right technology and innovation within the industry can be a win-win situation for everyone involved. If you notice that your cleaners are using very old equipment, it might be a sign that you need to switch your service provider. 

Companies Looking For Cleaning Services

Offices and commercial businesses are the familiar clients of cleaning services. Hotels, gyms, and schools are only a few of the many industries that patronize the services of janitorial companies.  The cleaning services for these companies require teams of expert cleaners and the most advanced tools and equipment.

As these industries are required to maintain cleanliness at all times for the pleasant experience and health of their customers, the cleaning companies should perform their jobs with utmost professionalism and accuracy.

With all these questions in mind contact Anago of Manitoba and click here to let us answer them for you.

As with any medical clinic, your vet practice is an area in which you turn health crises and problems into recovery and healing.

Keeping the exam rooms, clinic, and public spaces clean often can be more of a challenge than with a physician’s office.

How is it possible to increase cleanliness at your vet office? Below we list five tips any vet may use.

Use a Service

Your team members are professional and trained animal caretakers; however, they likely are not expert cleaners. For best results, use an outside service at least one time a week to provide your office a proper cleaning and sanitization.

Create a Checklist

Write written directions for important tasks like disinfecting examination rooms and operating rooms after and before use, tool and handwashing sanitization, and complete kennel cleaning. Go over the directions with all staff members and post them in simple to spot locations.

Checklists are an essential tool even if they seem as if they are overkill. You might want to get a closing and opening checklist ready, and lists for cleaning rooms after patient usage. Have staff members initial tasks as completed.

Add Ventilation

Focusing on the surfaces and floors in the clinic might cause you to forget about the invisible cleaning aids inside your clinic. One of those includes the ventilation system.

Sometimes vet practices develop a smell because of an animal’s condition, and customers might notice its as soon as they get inside the reception space. Properly circulating air out of the examination rooms, restrooms, and kennels aids in preventing germs from settling and producing smells.

Work with a skilled ventilation service to figure out how best to recirculate and filter air in those critical areas. Air from specific rooms, like the kennels or any isolation wards, shouldn’t mix with the remainder of the office’s circulation.

Remove Clutter

The less objects you have along walls and on the floors, the fewer places debris and dust will accumulate. Taking away unneeded clutter assists the cleaning service in being thorough and makes emergency clean-ups more convenient for your team.

Many practices may cut down on clutter in a couple of ways. One includes working to digitize paperwork and records using electronic documentation, online portals for patients and cloud storage services. Digitizing paperwork decreases mountains of papers, clutter on desks, and client files.

Also, do a complete spring cleaning at least one time a year and think about storing unutilized documentation or equipment at a safe place offsite.

Select Good Products

Be certain to select quality disinfecting products and teach everyone how to properly use them.

For instance, you ought to dilute most products. But, over diluting them makes them less efficient as a sanitizer and not diluting them enough may cause skin damage or inhalation risks for animals and humans alike.

Work with the cleaning service to figure out efficient alternatives to harsh chemicals, as well as animal-friendly varieties in which chemicals are needed.

To get your vet office on the path to thorough sanitation and cleanliness, call us at Anago.

For more information on our Winnipeg janitorial services contact Anago today!

With your hectic work schedule never letting up on you, having your commercial windows cleaned is likely at the bottom of your list of priorities. While dealing with your dirty windows seems like an easy option, it’s vital that you know the negative impact that debris and dirt may have on the general lifespan of commercial windows.

Clean Windows: Why are they important?

Having commercial windows cleaned on an annual basis plays a big part in your window’s lifespan. Over a period of time, debris in the environment gathers on the windows, which may lead to a loss of transparency and make the glass more fragile. Clean ones prevent frame weathering which might reduce the lifespan of the window. In addition, clean windows permit more natural lighting into a workspace, and decreases the number of overhead lighting and lamps required, which will potentially lower your utility bills. Also remember that the credibility of your company is crucial, and clean windows may make a difference regarding how consumers perceive your business.

How Often to Have your Windows Cleaned

Here are some general guidelines for commercial window cleaning:

• Office Buildings: One or two times a year
• Lobbies inside Office Buildings: Every 4 – 8 weeks
• Low Traffic Retail Stores/ Offices: Every 4 – 8 weeks
• Healthcare Centers: Every 4 weeks
• High Traffic Retailors: Every 2 – 4 weeks
• Restaurants: Every 1 – 2 weeks

While the above suggested guidelines are an excellent starting point, there are several factors to take into consideration as you decide how often to clean the commercial windows. Below, we list 4 factors to take into account:

Kind of business

Restaurant windows ought to be cleaned every 2 weeks because of the buildup of grease and moisture circulating in the air, from heavy foot traffic and food. Retail store and healthcare facility windows ought to be cleaned one time per month to keep clean facilities for customers. While windows inside office buildings just have to be cleaned two times per year, business owners might choose more frequent window cleanings in order to sustain professional and clean appearing windows.

Location

Companies which are situated close to busy highways or streets usually become dirty faster than roads that have light traffic and might have to be cleaned more frequently.

Weather and season

During the spring seasons, we oftentimes see a lot of rain, as well as heavy pollen from blooming flowers. The particles in the air and rain leave mineral deposits that may deplete the windows after a prolonged time period. To sustain the appearance and quality of your windows, make certain that you frequently clean them.

Landscaping

The landscaping that surrounds your company also plays a critical role in determining how often to have the windows cleaned. If the building is surrounded by mulched trees or flowerbeds, or is against a parking lot, you might have to get the windows cleaned more often because of the debris from surrounding landscape.

For more information on our commercial facilities cleaning services contact Anago today!

If you manage or own a restaurant, lax hygiene standards, and poor cleanliness are a recipe for failure. Guests do not want to dine in an unclean dining space or purchase food prepared inside an unsanitary kitchen. With substandard cleaning practices, you may count on an abundance of 1-star reviews and have problems getting repeat business.

In most restaurants, within restaurant cleaning, bathrooms are one of the main problem areas. Bathrooms are the least sanitary spaces. They also are the main cause of cleanliness complaints from patrons. Those complaints, whether unexpressed or expressed, have a huge effect on patron behavior, driving customers to restaurants that have cleaner facilities.

Why Bathrooms Matter in Cleaning

A few restaurateurs underestimate the effect of unsanitary bathrooms on their business. Food is not prepared inside a restroom. It is not consumed in a restroom. If the dining and kitchen areas are clean, why should patrons care that your bathrooms are not clean?

Setting aside whether patrons should care, the truth remains that unsanitary bathrooms are a big turnoff for patrons. It has been confirmed by several studies of patron behaviors.

One study found that 95 percent of patrons wouldn’t go back to a restaurant in which they had a poor restroom experience. One other survey discovered that 80 percent of folks wouldn’t dine at a restaurant in which they had been told the bathrooms were dirty. In the most damning study, they found that 88 percent of patrons assumed that an unclean bathroom meant an equally unclean kitchen.

The bottom line is that restrooms must be a priority in your plan for restaurant cleaning.

Bathroom Cleaning for Restaurants

It is simple to say that your dining establishment needs clean bathrooms. It is a bit more difficult to craft a cost-effective cleaning plan which keeps your bathrooms as hygienic and clean as they should be.

That process may be easier with assistance from a cleaning service. A janitorial service may help to develop an efficient bathroom cleaning routine, which includes an in-depth checklist of cleaning chores. Most importantly, expert cleaners are going to have the tools and training to give the restrooms a higher-quality, healthier, and deeper clean.

Anago’s janitorial services are an excellent example. Below, we list some of the products, strategies, and technologies used to ensure a deeper clean within restaurant bathrooms:

• We pay close attention to spaces in which bacteria pose the highest risk. They include constantly touched surfaces such as door handles, flush handles, and faucet handles, as well as dark, damp areas in which bacteria easily can breed.
• We utilize mop pads and microfiber cloths, which are shown to trap about 99 percent of bacteria while utilized on hard surfaces.
• We equip our crew with some of the most effective and safest disinfectants and sanitizers in the market.
• We provide odor removal and disinfection treatments, an eco-friendly and non-toxic disinfection technique which eliminates over 99.99 percent of bathroom bacteria, while additionally neutralizing bathroom odors.

For more information on our Winnipeg janitorial services contact Anago today!

The floors of your commercial space say a lot about your environment. Not only can a shiny, smooth surface leave a long-lasting good impression on clients, customers, and employees, but it also provides a professional and sleek appearance for your business overall. To restore your commercial floors to their former glory, you’ll need a process you can rely on. 

Floor buffing and polishing are two go-to methods that ensure your commercial flooring receives the gloss and luster these processes can create. Both methods require specialized equipment to get the floors nice and shiny, but they also have their own functions as well. 

You may be thinking to yourself, “What is the difference between buffing and polishing a floor?” While these methods can be used interchangeably, they also share similar features and key differences in their results. 

Floor Buffing

Floor buffing is a process of cleaning in which polishing pads are used to restore the smooth appearance of your commercial floors. A buffing machine has rotating pads attached to its bottom that remove dirt, scratches, and nicks from the floor’s surface. The floor buffing machine strips away the top layer of flooring to create an even and smooth appearance. 

Buffing can be done in one of two ways: Spray or dry. Spray buffing uses a specialized liquid that buffs away dirt, scuffs, and nicks. These buffers can go up to 1000 rpm and are the most common floor buffing option used. Dry buffers work at a higher speed and are fast enough to smooth out the flooring and remove scuffs. Unlike spray buffing, these machines can go over 1000 rpm and are often used by professional cleaning experts.

You can buff hard surfaces, such as tile, stone, and concrete floors. While floor buffing machines can give your commercial floor a nice shine, they won’t get the same level of gloss that polishing provides. 

Floor Polishing 

The difference between buffing and polishing is that when you’re looking to achieve maximum gloss and shine, you’ll need the force of a high-speed floor polishing machine. Floor polishing, also known as burnishing, is a floor-care method that’s typically done after floor buffing.

While it’s a harsher process, burnishing/polishing machines work at a much higher speed to achieve a polished and glossy surface that is popular in most commercial spaces. A burnishing machine can spin at a much higher 1500-2000 rpm. The quickness and weight of the machine create more pressure that’s useful in smoothing out uneven surfaces by removing bumps, chips, or dents on your floor. 

Much like buffing, you’ll find the benefits of floor polishing/burnishing work well with stone, tile, and concrete floors. However, most customers will agree that its high-gloss features work even better with marble and laminate surfaces. 

Buffing and Polishing Uses

Longevity

While buffing and polishing services are best known for bringing out the shine on your floors, they can also contribute to their overall longevity. You can extend the lifespan of your floors by removing dirt and grime and smoothing out the wear and tear of your flooring.  

The Overall Differences 

The biggest difference between buffing and polishing is that floor polishing is more effective at getting rid of scratches or dents on your commercial flooring. Both methods use similar machines, but a floor burnishing/polishing machine uses rotating pads that move at a much faster pace. However, either option is reliable for deep cleaning your floor and improving the appearance of your business. 

Knowing how to operate a floor buffing or polishing machine takes a lot of practice. These services require the skill and experience of knowledgeable professionals. That’s why Anago Cleaning Systems’ franchisees specialize in floor care for commercial spaces. If you’re looking for dependable buffing and polishing that make a difference, contact the high-quality janitorial services of Anago today. 

There are several reasons to keep the office clean. Not just do your employees, fellow co-workers, and clients deserve to come to work in a clean, friendly environment, the office’s filthiness or cleanliness reflects on the business and its overall image. Business owners and managers have several obligations outside the office setting of running a business. Most people, unfortunately, don’t know the behind-the-scenes requirements and tasks a business owner does to make sure the company is thriving and successful. Here are the leading 5 reasons to hire a professional cleaning business:

Professionalism and Skills

Expert commercial cleaning businesses are skilled in correctly cleaning office spaces. They’re in business to assist your organization in shining and sparkling. Their specialized expertise and skills include sanitizing, dusting, and office cleaning. There’s so much more to keeping the office clean than merely ensuring that everything is organized and orderly. Commercial cleaning professionals know precisely what your company needs to ensure a healthy and clean workspace.

Keep Up Staff Morale and Motivation

Company owners sometimes delegate cleaning tasks and duties to office staff. But, this isn’t recommended because it may cause a lowering of employee morale and motivation. Office workers don’t want to empty the trash, clean bathrooms, dust, etc. Delegating cleaning tasks to office workers also keeps them from finishing company activities requiring their complete attention. Permit your staff to concentrate on what they do best and then leave all of the cleanings to the professionals.

Prevention of Respiratory Hazards

Not dusting the office causes dust to build-up, which easily can turn into a respiratory hazard for everyone involved. Expert commercial cleaning businesses have trained eyes to search for dust in spaces in which most folks wouldn’t think to look. An expert complete dusting may help guarantee that your office has minimal allergens in order for you, your staff, and clients to breathe easy.

Supply of Cleaning Products

Commercial cleaning businesses can make sure that specific cleaning agents are always available such as paper towels inside the office kitchen, as well as toilet tissue in the bathrooms. Office cleaning supplies often can go overlooked by employees and company owners because of their other responsibilities. But, it’s critical that toilet paper and additional necessary products always are thoroughly stocked because customers, office employees, and clients deserve to have everything needed in the bathroom.

Prevention of Office Illnesses

Having a workplace that’s completely sanitized and cleaned by an expert cleaning company assists in reducing the likelihood that the ones working inside the office will become sick. Bacteria will easily spread in office settings because of frequently shared appliances and equipment. When staff is out sick, there’s a loss in office output or production which hinders the company’s overall success. Employing a professional cleaning provider to routinely sanitize the office restrooms, break room, and desks assists in preventing the spread of sicknesses.

For more reasons on why your business should hire a professional cleaning company, contact the commercial facilities cleaning of Anago today!

Healthcare centers have to handle infectious diseases on a daily basis in the course of the treatment of patients. Unfortunately, almost 1.7M folks catch infections after going to a healthcare center. Worse yet, the CDC reports that of these individuals, almost 10,000 instances result in death. As frightening as those statistics are, it is possible to prevent a few of these illnesses. An effective method of fighting infectious disease is through expert medical cleaning services. Healthcare cleaning services are made to sanitize a hospital or additional medical facility. Anago’s team has comprehensive training that provides medical-cleaning services for all kinds of healthcare centers located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Medical facilities are full of sick folks who want to get better; therefore, having the most sanitary surroundings possible is critical. Germs and sickness feed off one another. Keeping common areas and hospital rooms sanitary with routine janitorial services is healthy for hospital staff, visitors, and patients.

Infectious Diseases

A handful of diseases may spread like wildfire. Janitorial services in a medical facility assist in controlling the spread of such diseases. Bacteria is hearty and is able to survive in almost every location. Bacteria may be found on curtains, call buttons, bedrails, etc. And bacteria can survive for a long period of time. If someone comes into contact with these surfaces and does not wash her or his hands, bacteria spreads to each area she or he touches. As a matter of fact, antibiotic-resistant bacteria or “superbugs,” are able to survive for months on surfaces. Such potentially fatal pests also have found their way inside hospitals.

Prevention Is Key

To keep a medical environment like a hospital that is free from infections, sanitation is crucial. Having a cleaning services crew working along with other patients and staff will keep infections out. Cleaners play a key role in the overall health of a medical facility.

Disinfecting vs. Cleaning

Disinfecting and cleaning are not quite the same. Cleaning ought to happen before you disinfect. As a housekeeping crew cleans, they use water, soap, enzymes, and scrubbing action to eliminate foreign matters, dust, and dirt from objects.

Disinfection will not be enough if the cleaning is not up to par. As a general rule of thumb, medical housekeeping services typically use this formula while cleaning: No spots, no odors, no dust, no smudges equals clean. Disinfectants are utilized to sanitize clean spaces. Sanitizers usually are phenol, chlorine, or iodine based and generally are used in food prep spaces such as kitchens in which levels of food-borne pathogens have to be at safe levels.

Infection Prevention and Housekeeping Services

Recently, patients and healthcare professionals have witnessed a higher risk of diseases such as hepatitis B, cholera, and typhoid. Infection prevention with these and additional diseases is critical in a hospital. A housekeeping service team realizes such threats are greater if the environment in the hospital is not kept as sanitized and as clean as possible.

For more information on why cleaning services are essential for hospitals, contact the professional janitorial services of Anago today!