The entrance tends to be the busiest area inside any business. This, of course, means that special attention is required to maintain it.
Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Business owners focus so much on parts of the building where the actual business takes place that they tend to forget the area that is most exposed to the view of clients and employees.
You only have one chance to leave a good first impression, and this is why you need to take care of your establishment’s entrance.
This article aims to help you in this endeavour.
The Real Importance Of The Entrance
You should consider the entrance “the face” of your company, and take the time to maintain it properly. Using a proper floor mat in the entrance can dramatically reduce the amount of dirt and dust coming into your business, which in turn reduces cleaning costs.
For a wide range of floor mat options, enquire at Alsco.
Mistakes To Avoid
Are you looking for ways to improve cleanliness in your building? The first place to start is the most obvious one, the entrance. That’s where most of the “action” should take place. By action, we mean cleaning.
Here are some of the more common mistakes made in connection with the entrance. After reading this list, see to it that you are not making any of these wrong moves:
1. You Don’t Clean The Outside Area
A common entrance mistake made by many is not keeping the immediate outside area clean enough. The pavement outside a building, the parking area, and other exterior areas are the places where people can pick up dirt and dust, which can end up inside and in turn can drive up the cost of cleaning your place.
More than 90% of the dirt that ends up in indoor carpets comes from shoes. So it is absolutely crucial to keep the exteriors clean at all times.
2. You Don’t Have The Right Entrance Mats
While keeping the exterior of an establishment clean is a must for any business, it will not remove all of the dirt and grime that is out there. Some dirt and dust can still be carried in by traffic.
The next step then is to have entrance mats that protect your floor and control the dust and dirt due to high foot traffic. A good entrance mat should be at least 20 feet long, so it can capture dust from the soles of the people walking over it. The mat should have been specifically designed to trap moisture and dirt so it goes no further than the entrance.
3. You Use Your Entrance Mat For Too Long
Failure to replace the old and worn out entrance mat is one of the frequent mistakes made by business owners everywhere. The purpose of the entrance mat is, firstly, to provide people who enter with a way to clean their shoes before stepping into the building and, secondly, to greet people by showing off the company’s logo or something similar.
If the entrance mat is worn out, it will fail on both fronts – it won’t retain the dirt properly and the first impression your employees and clients have will not be a good one.
4. You Don’t Perform Daily Vacuuming
No matter how many precautions you take to prevent dust from entering your establishment, some can still get through. This is why there is a need for regular cleaning. The entrance of your business, especially the entrance mat, has to be vacuumed on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, this requirement is often forgotten and many establishments fail to vacuum, not just their entrances but their whole interior daily. This leads to the buildup of dirt and dust which makes it more difficult to clean.
You have to see to it that your entrance gets a daily dose of vacuuming. Focus on those areas that get a great deal of traffic.
5. You Don’t Use Pile Lifting Vacuums
Even if you perform daily vacuuming it is not going to be enough. Experts suggest that for entrance mats and rugs that pile lifting vacuums should be used because regular vacuum cleaners are not adequate.
In order to remove the dry dirt that clings on to the fabric of a mat or a rug, a pile lifting vacuum would be the best to use. In pile lifting the yarns are opened up, lifted, and raised vertically which makes it easier for the dirt to be removed.
While the specialised vacuum cleaner will cost more, it is far more cost-effective in the long run for companies that deal with heavy foot traffic.
6. You Want To Clean Everything
One important reason why some companies don’t clean their entrances properly is that they are too busy cleaning the entire building.
In buildings with more than one floor, this can be an excruciating effort. Instead of focusing on important areas, cleaning staff have to cover the entire building, which leaves them with little time to think about entrances.
So, what are the most important areas to clean? Obviously, places which are not as frequently visited do not require the same treatment as important hubs in the building like meeting rooms, corridors and, yes, entrances.
If you clean the most frequently visited areas regularly, you will prevent a lot of dust and other impurities from spreading further to other areas of your building. The entrance plays a key part here, since it is directly connected with the outside world, which is where the dirt comes from.
7. You Don’t Properly Maintain Your Cleaning Equipment
The equipment used for cleaning should be maintained and cleaned properly at all times. Equipment, like a vacuum, that’s poorly maintained, is not going to be very efficient in cleaning. It means it would take more time and will cost more to clean an area. Improperly maintained equipment will need replacing sooner than well-maintained ones.
8. You Don’t Clean The Elevators
Elevators are equally as important as entrances. They lead to upper floors, and if you manage to keep them clean at all times, you will make sure that a big part of building is safe from outside dirt. Another great idea for elevators is to put carpets in them. Carpets retain dirt and can be vacuumed easily.
Now that you know some of the common mistakes people make in connection with the entrance of their building, all you have to do is try not to repeat them.
If you don’t have time to organise your cleaning staff, the smartest thing to do is to hire professionals to do everything for you.
Get Alsco’s managed floor mat rental system for a safer and cleaner workplace without the hassle. Enquire now!
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