No matter what business you’re in, first impressions matter. You want your facility to look its best, and that includes your custodial closet.
Not only does a clean and organized closet set your janitorial team up for success, but it also shows that you are serious about cleanliness, writes Mike Sawchuk for CMM.
When your closet is dirty, it gives the impression that your facility may not be clean or safe. If it’s disorganized or a mess, it could look like your business is that way, too. Do you have a sign-out sheet or inventory list? Are your products labeled? If not, people might think you aren’t on top of the cleaning protocols or that maybe you lack the supplies to take proper care of your building.
Cleanliness and hygiene are still top of mind for staff and visitors, so you need to be sure people know they are a priority for you, too.
If you think of your closet as a symbol of your business, you want it to be tidy, organized, and professional. Are you eco-friendly or health-conscious? Those qualities should be obvious when an outsider peeks into your custodial closet.
It’s not all about impressions, though, adds Sawchuk. Custodial closets can be a source of pathogen transmission. When airborne germs accumulate and settle to collect on the surface of the floor, there’s a risk of them transferring to hands and surfaces via shoes and equipment resting on the floor.
A study in Cleveland concluded that 57 per cent of contaminated objects in contact with the floor transferred bacteria to the hands, so keep your closet floor clean and disinfected to minimize the risk of spreading germs this way.
RELATED: Cleaning floors for health, instead of for appearance
Between leaving a lasting impression of professionalism, keeping your janitorial team organized, and working on minimizing the spread of pathogens, it’s worth the time and effort it takes to keep your custodial closet clean.
