A Simple Guide to Day Cleaning

• By Bill Blumenthal
• 08/01/12

Whether you work in an educational facility or a business trying to make ends meet by keeping expenditures down, day cleaning can make an effective and immediate impact for both cleaning environments. Day cleaning is cleaning performed during daytime working hours while building occupants are present.

Day cleaning is generally used to cut costs, since custodians avoid working night shifts and building operations can power down during the evening. This can be a very beneficial way to cut costs on HVAC and power for big buildings.

Additionally, having your custodial staff cleaning during the day builds camaraderie with other staff members and establishes teamwork. Employees are more likely to voice a concern to a person they see every day as opposed to leaving a note. Having fewer concerns and complaints creates a more positive work atmosphere and, from my experience, happier people mean more productive people.

Day cleaning can present challenges and scheduling is critical; it’s important to bear in mind the presence of employees and ensure chemicals they’re being exposed to are safe. There are meetings, conference calls, luncheons and other events occurring at any given time, so it’s important to properly schedule cleaning activities such as vacuuming, dusting and restroom sanitation so occupants are not disturbed.

Posting a calendar in your employees’ custodial closets/work stations and master calendar in their general meeting area will not only ensure day cleaning does not occur in rooms where meetings are scheduled, but will also ensure events have proper setup if needed. As a supervisor, inspections, follow up and feedback gathering from both occupants and your employees will help you be successful in your daily operations.

While day cleaning, use products that are effective, but also that are gentle for use around employees and building occupants. Products from companies like Clorox Professional Products Company fit perfectly into day cleaning operations. You can contact local distributors to find the best products for your facility. They can offer expert advice and usually free training.

Green cleaning is very important with day cleaning. If you are using chemicals to clean a restroom as opposed to green cleaners, remember it takes one to two hours before the indoor air quality returns to a normal level.

A great way to clean restrooms during the day is to use a spray and vacuum method. This is where you take a cleaning unit and spray down the fixtures, partitions and walls in a restroom, making all the contaminants fall onto the floor. Then you simply vacuum the contaminants off the floor, removing them from the restroom environment.

Using microfiber cloths and microfiber dusters is also an effective method to reduce the amount of debris that gets stirred in the air. Microfibers are excellent for the majority of cleaning applications, easily laundered and are great at trapping bacteria.

Another way to help reduce allergens is to use an approved Carpet and Rug Institute backpack vacuum that has a low-decibel level. Backpack vacuums have proved to be ergonomical, as it allows the user to utilize a variety of muscle groups. To find a vacuum that works best for you, visit the Carpet and Rug Institute website. When purchasing equipment used for cleaning, you should focus on whether it is cost effective, ergonomically practical for employees and whether it is considered to have a low impact on the environment.

Day cleaning can be cost effective and practical in any cleaning environment. As long as you have dedication, a manageable cleaning standard with training and support from upper management, it can be easy as one, two, three. One, work with building occupants to establish a suitable cleaning schedule to keep interruptions down and to maximize your workers’ performance. Two, work with your distributors to find a suitable product that is safe for building occupants and cost effective. And, three, follow up with employees and meet with building occupants on a regular basis to ensure the highest level of cleanliness and customer service. 

Bill Blumenthal is the custodial supervisor for Douglas County School District in Nevada, where he oversees 11 school buildings.