Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Commercial Business: What You Need to Know

Spring cleaning is not just for homes. Commercial properties work hard every day to keep their businesses in pristine condition as they put their best foot forward to the public. This is especially wise in springtime, one of the most volatile seasons of the year.

But why is spring so active? Here are some spring cleaning tips from SERVPRO^® to help get your business ready for customers.

How Did Spring Cleaning Start?

The history of spring cleaning can be traced to ancient times, according to an article by Medium. As winter ended each year, families worked hard to make sure their homes were in “healthy” and clean condition. Ultimately, they hoped for promising and favorable weather, conducive to a robust harvest.

While spring cleaning involves various traditions and practices across cultures, it generally began to pick up steam and transfer to the Western world in the 19^th and 20th centuries. This is because homes were closed off from the cold in winter months; people used wood, oil, and coal to heat their living spaces. This led to lots of dust, soot, and ash collecting inside homes, so spring cleaning became the natural next step, as warmer weather arrived, and families thoroughly cleaned inside to herald the new season.

While updated technology and heating solutions makes indoor pollution less prevalent, spring cleaning has stuck around. Did you know that, based on the Gregorian calendar, spring starts meteorologically on March 1? Whenever you decide to start spring cleaning, know you are part of a long history and tradition.

Why Spring is the Most Dynamic Weather Season

The Weather Channel offers the following five reasons why spring is the most volatile weather season:

• Winter Storms. The Rockies, Plains Region, Midwest, and Northeast often experience snowy and cold conditions through March and even April.
• Tornadoes. These potentially violent storms are most common from March to June, and often associated with springtime. Tornadoes tend to occur in the Great Plains region of the central United States, according to the UCAR Center for Science Education.
• Floods. As snow melts across the nation, flooding often increases in the springtime, filling up rivers and other tributaries. Flash floods are also a concern, and may occur with persistent rain from thunderstorms, and ground that is already saturated from previous rain or snow.
• Temperature Changes. Spring is especially vulnerable to significant swings in temperature, particularly in March and April. During this period, low-pressure systems tend to move through central and eastern America, bringing warm air to these parts of the country, only to dissipate and cause temperatures to drop again.
• High Winds. Thunderstorms usually bring heavy winds and possible threats of tornadoes. Early spring is especially potent for high winds, with March historically one of the windiest months for cities from the Plains Region to the East Coast.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Commercial Property

So, how exactly should you go about cleaning your commercial property each spring? AmTrust Financial Insurance recommends the following spring cleaning tips for your commercial property:

• Clear Clutter. It is no secret that a clean workspace can help contribute to employee morale, not to mention health and safety. By clearing bags, boxes, equipment, paper, or more from common walking areas, staircases, and gathering places, you can lower the risks of slips, falls, and other injuries to customers and employees.
• Remove Potential Fire Hazards. Make sure items like boxes and piles of paper are placed in designated areas, away from sources of ignition. This is especially important if the items are flammable. Read our companion articles about commercial fire safety and warehouse fire safety for more information.
• Properly Store Items, taking care to prevent injuries or accidents. For example, make sure items are stacked properly to help minimize the chance of items falling onto employees or customers. You should also make sure heavy equipment is generally placed on waist-high shelves or in areas where minimal bending or reaching is required to access them.
• Clean Your Floors. With proprietary chemicals and elite equipment, backed by over five decades of experience, SERVPRO is prepared to assist with any type of floor, ceiling, and wall cleaning.
• Evaluate and Restock First Aid Kits. While this should be done year-round, spring is the perfect time to double-check what you have in stock and immediately reorder first aid items if needed.
• Create a Cleaning Schedule. Ultimately, a clean workspace can contribute to employee and customer health, safety, and mood, and reduce the risk for accidents and injuries. Posting cleaning rules, delegating tasks, providing thorough instructions to staff, and continuously walking through and evaluating the property will help maintain a clean work environment throughout the year.

SERVPRO is Here to Help^® with Commercial Spring Cleaning

From general cleaning services to specialty cleaning services, there are 2270 SERVPRO locations in the United States and Canada, ready and supplied with elite tools, equipment, and knowledge to assist with any size cleanup job.

Whether you need full-scale carpet cleaning, HVAC and air duct cleaning, or odor removal, SERVPRO is available around the clock to assist with your commercial spring cleaning needs. SERVPRO, the #1 choice in fire and water cleanup and restoration*, offers 24-hour emergency services to everyone.

Find your local SERVPRO today and reach out anytime. We will clean, restore, and reconstruct any type of commercial property, including retail and store locations, schools and universities, apartments and condominiums, hospitals and other medical facilities, restaurants, government facilities, and more. We offer a full line of commercial cleaning and restoration services any time of the year.

To find out more, visit our FAQ and Glossary.