Indoor Air Quality describes quality of air within and around buildings, particularly as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding common indoor pollutants and how to control them can help improve the overall health environment of building occupants.

Indoor air pollutants  can cause adverse health effects immediately or years later.

The health effects can range from the uncomfortable to the seriously debilitating.

Many pollutants can be identified and easily removed.  These include such materials as building material like asbestos, some furniture made of certain pressed wood products, new carpet or upholstery, chemical cleaning products and excess moisture.  Where it becomes a little more problematic is the control of air quality.

Managing air quality is a critical facet in ensuring the health and safety of your workers.
Here are some steps you can take to manage the improvement of air quality.

• Assess the current state of air quality and develop plans to address any identified issues.
• Arrange to educate and train staff about air quality issues and develop air pollutant source management strategies where appropriate.
• Pro-actively manage any potential air pollutants including such things as chemical pest control, smoking, remodelling materials and exhaust fumes on loading bays etcetera
• Consider appointing  an in-house air quality rep to be responsible for all indoor air quality issues.
• Manage indoor floor space to ensure regular air flow throughout the building.
• Involve all staff in the monitoring of air quality.

Of course, maintaining a clean safe environment for your workforce requires professional input.  Envy Cleaning Solutions is a Melbourne based Commercial Cleaning company that has a proven track record in providing total cleaning solutions for a variety of commercial cleaning clients.  Call us today to discuss your clean air requirements well as all your cleaning needs.

The Importance of A Clean Meeting Room

Meeting rooms are where big decisions are often made and you need to take every step to ensure that the meeting room environment is going to be as conducive as possible to good decision making. The little things can often make all the difference in a meeting room. The last thing you need is key decision makers to be distracted by annoying traces of dirt or dust or a stale odour that just won’t go away.
Engaging a commercial cleaner will help keep the meeting rooms in a state that will help the meeting environment. Here are some things to consider about the cleanliness of your meeting room.

• When we think clean, we don’t just think about what a room looks like. Often the smell of a room can betray the overall cleanliness of the area. Because meeting rooms may not be used as often as other areas, it is easy to think that they will remain clean. However lack of use can often result in a stale odour emanating from the room and that odour could effectively kill the meeting before it even starts. Thought should be given to installing something that will neutralise such smells.

• Some meetings are longer than others and inevitably it may be necessary to provide food to meeting participants. A clear strategy to deal with leftovers must be in place to ensure that the room remains germ free and free of stale food odours. Removing food quickly from the meeting room will help to prevent vermin from being attracted to the room

• Regular vacuuming and dusting must be maintained regardless of meeting room use. Otherwise, dust will settle and detract from the overall ambience of the room.

• Meeting room furniture should be comfortable but remain easy to clean. Chairs can often harbour crumbs and other detritus. Careful selection of your office furniture will reduce this.

While, viewed in isolation these cleaning considerations may seem self evident, it is easy to overlook these aspects when Meeting Rooms are not used constantly. Ideally, engaging a commercial cleaning company to perform all of your business cleaning is the best strategy to ensure quality cleaning of your premises.

Envy Cleaning Solutions is a Melbourne based commercial cleaning company that has developed a sound reputation for servicing all commercial premises. To discuss your cleaning requirements call 1300201341 today to arrange a consultation at a time suitable to you.

Poor health in the workplace leads to poor performance, reduced profits and maybe some Occupational Health and Safety issues that you would prefer not to deal with.   Maintaining hygiene  in the workplace should create a welcoming comfortable environment with reduced sick leave and greater output.  Your employees health has a massive affect upon your business.  With this in mind here are the most common problems caused by a breakdown in workplace cleanliness.

Allergies: An unhygienic environment, particularly one with circulating air is going to see many allergens triggered by floating dust particles, pollens and other microscopic objects.  This can result in many employees being forced to work in discomfort.

Headaches: This common ailment is more prevalent in unhygienic workplaces.  There are many reasons why people suffer headaches.  However, if you are aware that there is a consistent headache problem at your workplace, it could pay to review your workplace hygiene.

Eye Irritation: Eye infections usually spread through touch.  All employees constantly touch their face.  This results in a risk of infection where a workplace is not cleaned regularly.  Objects within the workplace are likely to be carrying germs and you are putting your employees at constant risk as hands can transfer these germs from the workplace to the face and eyes.

Gastroenteritis: A breakdown in hygiene, particularly in eating areas can lead to some very unpleasant situations.  Gastroenteritis can be debilitating and it is highly communicable.  If a dose spreads through your office, it may significantly reduce your staffing levels.  Furthermore, the OHS consequences for a business that was found to cause an outbreak could be severe.

Dengue: Is one of a number of insect borne diseases that could thrive in the workplace.  This is particularly so if wet areas aren’t cleaned properly.  One particular area that is known to have caused significant problems I the past is  air-conditioning units. When these units aren’t cleaned, bacteria and insects can thrive in the units and cause massive health problems.

The best way to ensure these potential threats to your workforce health are eliminated or minimised is to engage a professional cleaning company to keep your workplace clean and safe for your workers.  Envy Cleaning Solutions has a proven track record of working with businesses of all sizes across Melbourne.  Give us a call today to discuss the most effective hygiene program for your business.

Good cleaners save you time, money and hassles.

What type of Office Cleaning Service Do You Need 

Office cleaning services is a bit of a catch all phrase – and not all office cleaning services are going to be suitable for your business.  It’s important to understand exactly what services are available, so you can match your needs to the services offered.

There are some office cleaning services that would be considered standard requirements for most businesses.

These activities include -:

• daily dusting which will help keep the office looking clean,
• Regular active cleaning of wash room areas.  This would include ensuring that there are enough supplies of paper towels, soap and any appropriate chemicals.
• Regular cleaning of kitchen areas including the removal of any food scraps.
• Floor cleaning which includes sweeping, mopping and vacuuming of carpeted areas.
• General maintenance – this would include the emptying of rubbish bins, the cleaning of kitchen utensils including coffee cups etcetera.

While most cleaning companies will offer these services as a matter of course there are some other activities that you may require that might not necessarily be offered by all cleaning companies.
Envy Cleaning Solutions offer all of the above additional services in addition to the core cleaning services listed above.

• Window cleaning service.  This isn’t an everyday job, but window cleaning should be undertaken on a periodic basis.  The cleaning period will vary depending on a variety of factors.  A discussion with a professional cleaning company will help you establish a regular window cleaning regime that will keep your windows looking good and free from any potential wear.
• Carpet cleaning service.  Can be tailored to office needs.  Not all carpeted areas need t be cleaned on a daily basis, but some will need to be.  Again, a consultation with a commercial cleaner will help you to establish the most effective carpet cleaning program.
• Wall and tile cleaning.  Walls and tiles accumulate dirt, grease and grim over time.  Walls will lose their initial lustre and tiling may become sticky.  A regular cleaning program will help to alleviate these problems.
• Cleaning of External Office Compounds.  Needs to be undertaken on a regular basis to prevent a loss of image.  Pressure washing of areas like these, can assist to effectively clean these areas in an economical fashion.

Envy Cleaning Solutions are ready to help you with all your cleaning needs.  Call us today to discuss your specific cleaning requirements.

Cleaning Up After Flood Damage In Melbourne.

Flooding causes massive logistical problems for businesses but the two primary concerns from day one should be removing the water and then ensuring that the are a is properly sanitised.  In truth, the only viable way to deal with flood damage for commercial premises is to engage a commercial cleaner.

Getting rid of the water is paramount and you can engage  a commercial cleaning contractor to use purpose built pumps to clear the excess water from the building remarkably quickly.  Once the area is cleared of water the next step is to ensure everything is properly dried.  Again, commercial cleaners have the equipment that can help facilitate that process.

Large commercial drying fans can help dry carpet areas – while steamers can be used to dry walls.

It’s vital to realise that there are many nooks and crannies that water can seep into and lie stagnant, causing rot and also providing a breeding ground for germs.  It is recommended that all items that aren’t fixed to the floor be removed from the building to allow the floor areas to dry properly.

Commercial cleaners are able to advise you on drying times, possible areas of concern and generally get your place  back to working order as quickly as possible.

Cleaning up after a flood is not a pleasant task by any means.  You can rely upon Envy Cleaning Solutions to provide yo with expert advice, caring quality workmanship and effective solutions in your time of need,

Naturally, we hope that you are never beset by circumstances that require you to call upon us for flood cleaning services, but in the event that you do, we stand ready and able to help you.

Remember  that our professional team is trained to be mindful of any legal or environmental concerns. We will make every effort to fully restore the damaged area while being mindful of your budget requirements. In some cases, you may be able to arrange for you normal business operations to continue in a temporary space while we fully restore your premises. We are fully aware that every hour we spend cleaning up is an hour lost to your business. So when that unexpected emergency situation happens in your business, all us and we’ll make every effort to be  there quickly with the expert cleaning assistance that we know you need.

Dust is one of those inevitable occupational hazards that every office encounters.  It doesn’t matter how regularly or how well you clean, particles of dust are sure to settle on your office furniture and fittings.  Films of dust not only create an unsightly impression they can also cause allergies and sickness.

With that in mind it is imperative that a regular comprehensive office dusting program be implemented.

While commercial cleaners are your best best to take care of your dusting processes there may be occasions when it is necessary to do some office dusting “on the fly.”  Here are some handy pointers to ensure that dusting is done the right way every time.

1. Start your dusting with a clean cloth or wipe.
2. Dust from the top down. This way dust will fall to lower surfaces, allowing you to clean down as you go.
3. Vacuuming of floors and other surfaces should be down after the  initial top down hand dusting is performed.
4. Care should be taken with the dusting implements to ensure that dust isn;t flicked needlessly from one area to another.
5. A wipe or cloth capable of absorbing dust is the best bet.  Some cleaners use a practice of damp dusting.
6. Its a good idea to where safety gloves if there is a need to access sharp or difficult to reach corners and cavities.
7. Some of the best dusting cloths are microfibre cloths.  These cloths are electro-statically charged which means that they actually attract dust.  These cloths are highly absorbent and will last longer than other alternatives.
8. Ceiling fans and light fixtures can be cleaned with a purpose built bendable duster – removing the need to climb ladders to dust these areas.

Regular dusting is a key component of your office cleaning regime.  While it can be done “in office” the best option is to engage a commercial cleaner who has the knowledge and experience to maintain a quality dusting and cleaning program.

Envy cleaning is ready to help you with all your cleaning requirements.  Call us today to arrange a consultation.

Safety guidance for every commercial cleaning activity

Occupational Health and Safety is one of those non negotiable requirements of every business. When you engage a commercial cleaner for any cleaning task it is important that you have prepared  some safety guidelines for your cleaners as well as  your  business employees. It cant be stressed enough just how important these safety guidelines are as there can be significant risk of injury  occurring while workers are engaged in these activities.

Here are some areas to consider.

When a floor is being mopped and cleaned, there should be appropriate “Wet Floor”  signs displayed, reducing the risk of slippage and falls.  Any fall can result in serious injury – and you should do everything in your power to reduce the risk.

Care should be taken when cleaners are required to use ladders to perform cleaning tasks. Your guidelines should require that someone stand below the ladder  to ensure that  the ladder does not over balance and  cause the cleaner to fall.

In addition to that  the ladders should be of sufficient quality to ensure that self-balancing does not create any threat of slippage.

Heavy lifting is another area that requires some attention. Proper education should be given to all staff likely to be involved in heavy lifting jobs.  The risk here is significant and costly back injuries .  Training should cover the correct  postures to adopt.

Waste disposal and collection within the office requires some thought.  It is essential to separate  combustible waste items and keep them well away from any kind of heat or flame.

Proper material storage is another area where written guidelines should be mandatory. By way of example it has been known  that some cleaning staff have stored ladders in front of  electricity panels – completely hiding the panel. The potential hazards of not being able to locate the electricity panel in a time of fire are obvious.

Safety equipment is also needed while performing many cleaning tasks. Essential equipment like gloves, glasses and aprons can be  useful safety shields and are able to protect workers against dust and chemicals.

If you operate a business within the Melbourne area and you need assistance with any aspect of commercial cleaning then give Envy Cleaning Solutions a call at 1300201341.We will  arrange to make a mutually convenient time to discuss your requirement.

How to Assess The Performance Of Your Commercial Cleaning Company

Maintaining your business premises’ presentation to the highest possible standard should be high on the list of all business owners.  A clean business premises creates a great professional impression, helps with staff morale and importantly maintains a healthy workplace.  It’s money well spent providing that the commercial cleaners are doing their job properly.

Nobody is perfect and mistakes and errors are likely to happen occasionally, but if you notice a consistent level of dissatisfaction with the cleaning of your premise, its a good time to take stock and analyse exactly what the problem is.

To accurately assess the performance of your commercial cleaning company you may want to assess the following key areas.

• Smell.  Is there a pattern of unpleasant odours drifting across the office, particularly from obvious trouble spots like toilets and cafeterias.  The smells may not be directly attributable to poor cleaning, but a good cleaning company should have noticed the problem and alerted you to the fact.  Check that toilets are being cleaned in accordance with agreed specifications and that all food scraps are being removed from the workplace daily.
• Complaints.  Not everything is going to run smoothly.  More often that not, it is the response to concerns rather than the initial problem itself that will identify whether your cleaner is up to scratch or not.  Do they respond to your complaints quickly? Do they seek your feedback that problems have been remedied?  Or does your complaint get filed in a “too hard” basket?
• Are there instances of slipping accidents?  Wet floors can cause serious injury to staff and customers alike.  Cleaners are going to use water to wash and scrub floor surfaces.  Do they mitigate the risk by leaving appropriate signage that is highly visible to all?  Or do they leave things to chance?  There is no room for leeway in this area.  Sloppy OH&S practices can lead to serious injury and hefty bills.
• Are the cleaners taking up your time?  Commercial cleaners are meant to make things easier and more efficient for your business.  If you find that you are spending too much time supervising cleaners then something clearly is not working.  It is a sure sign that issues need to be addressed quickly by the cleaners or you need to begin taking steps to make alternate arrangements.

Envy Cleaning solutions is a professional  commercial cleaning company based in the Melbourne area.  Our team of highly trained cleaners can take care of your cleaning needs in an efficient, friendly and organised manner.  Call us today to discuss your commercial cleaning requirements.

Non Negotiable Requirements of a Commercial Cleaner

Using a commercial cleaning company to take care of your business cleaning requirements should make good  time and resource management sense.  However. Its imperative that you select the right cleaner who you can rely upon to deliver consistent quality cleaning results.

With this in mind, there are a few non negotiable qualities that your commercial cleaners should possess.  These are

1. Well resourced  – the cleaning company should have sufficient staff and equipment to comfortably manage your requirements.
2. Well trained  staff.  The company should have a training regime in place that ensures all cleaners are proficient and aware of what is expected of them.
3. Experience.  The principles of the company should be experienced cleaners with a thorough knowledge of the industry.
4. Flexibility to customise services when required.  With experience comes knowledge and an ability to tailor cleaning solutions to suit the unique requirements of your workplace.
5. Environmentally sustainable cleaning methods.  If a commercial cleaner is not using eco-friendly cleaning products and chemicals in this day and age, not only are they behind the times, they could be putting your staff and customer’s health at risk.  Go clean and green – it really isn’t a hard decision.
6. They’ve got the right tools for the job.  Good commercial cleaning firms have access to more than a couple of brooms, a damp rag, a mop and a bucket.  They’ve got the right equipment to get the job done with a minimum of fuss and expense.  That’s one of the advantages of hiring a professional cleaner.  Make sure your cleaner is equipped with all the gear he needs to do your job properly.
7. A solid reputation.  Testimonials from satisfied clients should not be hard for good cleaning companies to produce.  In fact – a few well spent minutes online should tell you what customers think of the cleaning company.  Not every review will be glowing –  some people are impossible to please, but if you can see a consistent level of satisfied customers then you can have every confidence that the commercial cleaning company will strive to deliver what they promise.

By paying attention to these non negotiable qualities you can quickly narrow your choice of commercial cleaning company.  A company that embraces these principles can be relied upon deliver a reliable service and will prove to be a sound investment in your business operations.

Envy Cleaning Solutions are proud of the service we deliver and the reputation we have cultivated across Melbourne.  We welcome all commercial cleaning enquiries and are ready to discuss your needs.