Winter doesn’t need an invitation to make itself at home in your workplace. In Canada, all it takes is one weather system to send snow, slush, salt, and dirt through the front door. Before the season officially begins, your floors can become a daily battleground, with slippery surfaces threatening safety and gritty buildup taking a toll on carpets and hard flooring.
What gets tracked inside is only part of the challenge. Winter also brings a higher risk of flu and other transmissible illnesses. Consistent cleaning and sanitizing help protect staff and visitors while reducing absenteeism.
You can’t control the forecast, but you can prepare for what it brings through your doors. A few smart precautions can keep your facility cleaner, safer, and healthier all season. Get ahead of winter with these expert cleaning tips.
Winter Weather Cleaning Guide
Focus on Entrances and Lobby Areas
Much of the moisture and debris tracked indoors throughout winter originates at entranceways and lobby areas, so it makes sense to focus on these locations first. The winter weather checklist for keeping doorways and reception areas clean and safe includes:
- Floor Mats: The key to preventing slip-and-fall accidents and protecting your floors from winter damage is to place an adequate number of heavy-duty, anti-slip, waterproof mats at entrances to trap debris and moisture. Rotate mats as needed, keeping dry replacements at hand. A reliable commercial mat rental and exchange service can provide scheduled swaps plus extra mats for extreme weather days when frequent changes are needed.
- Caution Signs: Place appropriate and clearly visible warning signs for wet and slippery floors at strategic locations to help prevent accidents.
- Storage Areas for Boots: If appropriate for your workplace layout, have an area equipped with moisture-wicking mats and boot trays for staff and visitors to store their winter boots throughout the day.
- Designated Mops and Buckets: Store designated mops and buckets close to entrances and lobbies to efficiently address excess moisture as it occurs throughout the day during winter weather.
- Remove Salt Buildup: Crusty salt deposits and grimy residue from sand and other ice-melting products can build up on floors in winter, causing deterioration to hard-floor surfaces and damaging carpet fibres and backing. Ensure your floor cleaning specialists use salt-neutralizing cleaners recommended by manufacturers to dissolve salt and grime safely and effectively.
- Snow Shovels and Salt at Outdoor Entrances: Some winter weather days are worse than others. Place snow shovels and containers of salt, sand or other ice-melting products close to all doorways to make it easier to remove ice, snow, and slush buildup before it gets tracked inside or causes accidents.
- Clear Parking Lots and Walkways: Keep the outdoor parking areas, paths, and sidewalks outside your facility clear of ice and snow to protect against slip-and-fall accidents and to prevent excess slush and dirt from being tracked indoors.
Frequent Cleaning and Sanitizing
Increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing during winter is key to keeping your workplace safe, healthy, and looking professional.
- Vacuum often using equipment fitted with HEPA filters to remove dust, dander and airborne allergens.
- Partner with a reliable commercial cleaning company to provide high-quality, regular commercial cleaning services.
- Schedule regular deep cleaning to reduce buildup of dust, grime, and bacteria that can accumulate during the cold weather season.
- Increase the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing restrooms and break areas and high touch areas to reduce the spread of germs, and ensure these areas are well-stocked with soap and hand sanitizer.
Combat Poor Air Quality
Indoor air becomes drier during cold weather and, as a result, airborne dust and allergens can cause or exacerbate respiratory health issues. To effectively address poor indoor air quality during the winter months:
- Make sure your HVAC systems are regularly maintained and cleaned, and that the filters are changed as often as required.
- Place potted plants in your work environments as certain plants can act as natural air cleaners.
- Install air humidifiers in strategic locations throughout your work facility.
Don’t let the challenges of winter weather affect the safety and cleanliness of your workplace. ServiceMaster Clean has been a trusted leader in the commercial cleaning industry for more than 70 years. We can work with you to create a winter cleaning program tailored to your company’s needs and budget. Contact one of our local representatives for a free consultation or to request an estimate.