Business establishments tend to be very busy places, especially those in hospitality industry. Of all the areas inside an establishment, the entrance is probably suffering the biggest pressure.
This, of course, means that special attention needs to be paid to maintain it.
Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Business owners focus so much on the parts of building where the actual business takes place that they tend to forget the area which is most exposed to looks of clients and employees.
You have only one chance to leave a good first impression, and this is why you simply need to take care of your establishment’s entrance. This article aims to help you in this endeavor.
The Real Importance Of The Entrance
We already touched upon the topic of the importance of entrance in business. You should consider it “the face” of your company and take care to properly maintain it.
Another reason why the entrance is an important area in a facility is because it can be utilized in keeping a building clean. Using a proper floor mat in the entrance can dramatically reduce the amount of dirt and dust coming into a facility, 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 that you can improve the 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 establishments 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, which 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 and people pick those up from the exterior of a building. 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 would not take away all of the dirt and grime that is out there. Some dirt and dust can still be carried by the traffic, it’s impossible to keep the interior sterile after all.
The next step then is to have entrance mats that would 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 also 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 the people by showing 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 precaution 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 an establishment, 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.
For an establishment that deals with heavy traffic, not using pile lifting vacuum would be a mistake. While the specialized vacuum cleaner that can perform pile lifting can cost more, it is far more cost-effective in the long run.
6. You Want To Clean Everything
One important reason why companies sometimes don’t clean entrances properly is that they are too committed to cleaning the entire building.
In building with more than one floor, this can be an excruciating effort. Instead of focusing on important areas, cleaning staff has to cover the entire building, which leaves them with little time to think about entrances.
So, what are the important areas which need to be cleaned before others? Obviously, places which are not too frequently visited by people 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 cost more to clean an area. Improperly maintained equipment would also have to be replaced sooner than well-maintained ones.
8. You Don’t Clean The Elevators
Elevators are equally 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 the outside world impurities. Another great idea for elevators is to put carpets in them. Carpets are great for retention of dirt and can be easily vacuumed.
Now that you know what are 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 organize 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!
Photo courtesy of Flicker Image by Kim
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