Working with the wrong commercial disinfection service provider is extremely detrimental to your commercial property, and it is the fear of most facility managers.
When it comes to a disinfecting service, even a one-time mistake is not acceptable, as it can close down your place of business.
Many companies on the market refuse to invest in their equipment, specialists, latest technologies, and tools. The reasons vary, from lack of expertise to cutting any additional cost.
Why is disinfection important?
Whether fighting mold, pathogenic bacteria, parasites, or viruses, disinfecting facilities regularly is recommended to restrict their spread, which can lead to serious health threats.
No matter the industry – from schools to commercial properties, retail stores, or healthcare facilities, all are subjected to the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Businesses must do all they can to protect their employees and communities, now more than ever.
Commercial disinfection services are a facility manager’s first line of defense. The easiest strategy to limit and prevent the spread of dangerous viruses such as COVID-19 in your building is to work with a reliable and skilled cleaning firm that takes pride in the services provided.
Unfortunately, not all cleaning and disinfection services rise to the standards and refuse to switch to newer, better technology and solutions.
There are many cases when they also do not follow the Center for Disease Control guidelines and EPA regulations, putting their clients, including you, at risk.
How can you tell if your current company is doing effective work?
Signs you should consider A new disinfection company
As a facility manager, if you feel something is off with the disinfection services provided at your facility, then you’re probably right.
Here are clear indicators that your professional sanitizing and disinfection company is cutting costs and no longer prioritizes you:
1. Your employees are complaining more than usual
Your cleaning crew is supposed to make your job easier. You can expect a few phone calls or emails here and there, but you shouldn’t be plagued by routine cleaning service issues.
Employees are the first point of contact with the effectiveness of the disinfection service.
If they complain of unusual odors in the office space, health symptoms such as headaches and colds, and require more sick days than usual, it may be a sign your cleaning company is no longer dedicated to your account.
A working office should be comforting and feel as safe as a home. The last thing you want is to have your team stress about the safety of the place.
2. Visibly old and worn-out equipment
You don’t need to pay special attention to clearly see if your cleaning crew is working with outdated or damaged equipment.
The cleaning business as a whole has come a long way in recent years. Equipment is more efficient, products are more effective against germs and infectious diseases, and there are more ecologically responsible ways to get the same high-quality outcomes.
Efficient equipment, on the other hand, is frequently more expensive. Many businesses refuse to invest in new supplies or equipment, which has an impact on the quality of their job.
A professional company will also provide personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks to their staff when dealing with harsh chemicals and high-traffic businesses.
A service provider that doesn’t periodically invest in new technologies and improves its services at any given opportunity is a red flag and you should start looking for better options.
3. Taking a long time to respond
Things are sometimes overlooked. It happens all the time. However, you should expect your contractor to respond immediately if you have a problem.
If you call today and they respond in a week, you should start asking yourself if they’re the right company for you.
When you don’t get a timely response to your phone calls or emails, it could mean that the technicians are overworked or have just lost interest in your account.
Lack of attention to detail, vague responses to your questions, and overlooked safety protocols are red flags as well.
4. No quality control
Cleaning businesses should have a quality control mechanism in place in order to ensure that their workers are completing the jobs correctly each and every time.
One form of quality control is for management or leadership to double-check staff work.
A cleaning business should examine its own performance on a regular basis using fluorescent marking spray in every room, high-toughness point tracking, and weekly monitoring and evaluation.
5. Lack of staff training
You’ll notice if you hire a firm that delivers poor or insufficient training. For example, each
broad-spectrum disinfectant has different dilution rates, shelf life, contact times, and safety measures that affect how they function.
An untrained technician won’t know how to use them correctly and could cause even more damage than good.
You want a business that offers continuing training and employs efficient cleaning methods.
Outdated disinfection methods and how to spot them
There’s more to disinfecting than spraying and wiping. Let’s go over some of the most typical mistakes that cleaning services make, as well as what you can do to avoid them.
1. Mixing substances
In the management of commercial facilities, information is power, and without a knowledgeable sanitizing service and partner, you can’t meet your goals and achieve the best results.
Disinfection errors are frequently caused by a combination of circumstances, such as a lack of training, safety concerns that reduce compliance, or simply not reading the product label.
Aside from the dangers of chemical interactions, there’s a chance that mixing one chemical with another will cause the disinfection process to fail, and produce allergens that will put risk your business space and employees.
For example, if you add a scented product to the disinfectant just because you prefer the aroma, the chemical mixture may not be as effective as it should be.
As a result, pathogens might not be eliminated from surfaces, increasing the risk of transmission to your employees and customers.
The biggest risk, by far, is to human health and safety when cleaners use improper cleaning products.
Many cleaning products contain poisonous, flammable, or caustic components that can be harmful if misused.
Furthermore, if commercial cleaners use the incorrect product in the first place, there’s a significant probability they’re doing so in a dangerous manner.
2. Not enough disinfection
Disinfecting your workspace is a great method to give yourself and your staff peace of mind. However, disinfection does not last indefinitely.
When someone enters your area they carry many microorganisms, increasing your risk of infection. Disinfecting on a daily basis is the best way to keep a healthy environment.
How often you do it is determined by the size of your space, the number of people who will come into contact with it, and your level of comfort.
A professional team will also focus on the daily disinfection of high-touch surfaces. According to CDC, these areas include:
- counters and tables
- door handles
- light switches
- stair rails
- elevator buttons
- desktops and keyboards
- toilets, faucets, and sinks
In the case of COVID-19 cleaning, the disinfectant solution used must also be on the List N of Disinfectants approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. They will ensure effective infection control and will stop the spread of coronavirus.
3. Only wiping without using disinfectants
Wiping down surfaces is a good place to start when it comes to disinfection. But it’s only the beginning. While wiping down surfaces can eliminate accumulated dirt, dust, and grime, it does not remove bacteria, and cleaning professionals know the difference.
Flu-causing germs and viruses can be found on floors, walls, and ceilings. When there are a lot of high-touch surfaces, it’s enough to miss one to risk the safety of the entire commercial space.
The spread of the virus can vary depending on the material: porous surfaces host much more grime and dirt than hard surfaces.
A deep cleaning routine performed by commercial cleaning services will reach every corner in your facility and keep everything as good as new, following the right procedures for the right material type.
Find the right disinfection company
Whether you are managing office buildings, hospitals, restaurants, gyms, warehouses, or any essential businesses, making commercial cleaning mistakes will cost you money and much more in the long run.
If you’re ready to make the change from a poorly performing company to an expert in the field of professional cleaning services, we at Servi-Tek are here for you.
We not only follow industry best practices and CDC recommendations, but we excel at them. We understand the science of surface disinfection and how to keep you, your employees, and your customers safe.
Contact us today and let’s chat about how we can meet your goals, support your projects, and put to work the years of experience we have in the disinfection business.
