4 Things to Know About Winter Cleaning During the Covid-19 Pandemic
By now, you’re probably caught between Covid-19-fatigue and a desire to know what you’ll be facing in the coming months, especially when combining the pandemic with flu season! We get it. We don’t want to fatigue you further. And we don’t have a crystal ball. But we do have strategies and plans in place for cleaning our clients’ facilities during the coming winter months, and we believe it’s important to keep our clients up to date as we continue cleaning for health. With that in mind, here are four things that you should know about cleaning during the winter of…
Meet the Wilburn Company: Kan Smoot
Kan Smoot claims to be a boring person. “I am boring,” insists Mrs. Smoot – or Young, as her coworkers call her. She lists her interests. “I love my home. I love my family. I have a great cat.” “I don’t need to do exciting things,” she says, laughing. Young may view her life as simple, but despite the fact that she doesn’t “do exciting things”, as she claims, there’s no denying that she has a passion for life and for others that shines through in her work. Roxanne Miller, Project Manager at The Wilburn Company, can testify to that. “Young…
3 Cleaning Innovations From the COVID-19 Era
In some ways, COVID-19 has completely transformed the commercial office cleaning industry. Hand sanitizer, masks, and other personal protective equipment are now normative. Disinfecting procedures for the virus are part of standardized training. There’s more communication around cleanliness than there’s been in decades. But, in many ways, this pandemic hasn’t changed what we do. Our employees were already trained to use PPE for hazardous materials. We’ve had reliable disinfecting procedures in place for decades. And we’ve always made client communication a focus. Another way of saying it is that the game hasn’t changed, but the stakes are higher. With that…
What is Deep Office Cleaning?
Deep office cleaning refers to thorough cleaning procedures that sanitize the parts of a facility that aren’t frequently cleaned. It may also include specialized services, like stripping and waxing floors, machine-washing ceramic tiles, or spot cleaning carpets. Essentially, deep cleaning is the kind of approach you might take at home during “spring cleaning.” You pay special attention to getting areas you normally wouldn’t and are extra thorough in everything; your goal is to get your space to its cleanliest. In deep commercial cleaning for offices, the same principles apply. Let’s take a look at what sets deep office cleaning apart…
Are Commercial Janitorial Services Different from Commercial Cleaning?
Who doesn’t love a good Matt Damon movie? One of his most famous is Goodwill Hunting. The movie focuses on a janitor who works at a college for a living. One day after classes are let out, he cracks a mathematical equation that was considered unsolvable. From that point on the movie shifts. Someone who was once viewed as a “lowly janitor” now has a world of opportunities opened in front of him. It’s a great movie, winning several Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice awards. But it’s also a good example of how the public views a commercial…
What Services Does a Commercial Cleaning Company Provide?
A commercial cleaning company does much more than just empty the trashcans and wipe down your kitchen. While these are important pieces of what we do, the Wilburn Company offers much more than just basic custodial services. At the Wilburn Company, we go above and beyond your every day clean and offer customized solutions for every situation. Keep reading to learn more about the full range of commercial cleaning services we provide. Commercial Custodial Services Let’s start with the basics. Our environmental hygienists perform a wide variety of tasks that maintain a sanitary workplace. These include vacuuming carpets, dusting, sweeping,…
How Much Does Commercial Cleaning Cost?
Commercial cleaning services cost from $.05 to $.25 per square foot. Premium services (deep cleaning, add-ons like floor waxing, or specialty services for healthcare or highly secure facilities) may cost $0.50 per square foot. Obviously, these square-footage costs vary widely depending on the size of the facility and the scope of services delivered. Here’s how they translate as cumulative costs at commercial buildings of various sizes and service levels: Sq. Footage Minimum Service High Service Premium Service ($0.05 per square foot) ($0.25 per square foot) ($0.50 per square foot) 8,000 $400 $2,000…
How We Approach Hiring
We believe that the excellence of our employees gives us an advantage in the cleaning services market. Our people are friendly, expert, and helpful. Thanks to them, we can provide premiere services that are more than commodities and play a major role in maintaining buildings and keeping the occupants healthy and safe. We’re grateful for our employees. Accordingly, as we’ve written before, we focus on equipping them to succeed through comprehensive training (both in onboarding and over time). And we intentionally honor our employees with special recognition for jobs done well. These two approaches (training and recognition) are critical in…
What are the Most Common Commercial Cleaning Supplies?
To many people, cleaning products are interchangeable and indistinguishable. But when it comes to commercial cleaning supplies, there are some staples that we just can’t live without. At the Wilburn Company, we do our best to use green cleaning supplies that are good for our employees, clients, and the environment. This allows us to offer high-quality cleaning services while reducing the presence of harmful toxins. Because of this, you’ll notice that our list of commercial cleaning supplies incorporates green or reusable versions of the most common tools. With that in mind, here are a few of the most common commercial…
What Is Commercial Cleaning?
Commercial cleaning is quite different from residential cleaning. The square footage is larger, the stakes are higher, and expectations are quite different from when you’re caring for your own home. If you’re a new building or business owner, commercial cleaning may not be at the top of your mind until you’re the one left to disinfect several thousand square feet. It’s important to understand that commercial cleaning can make a huge difference in tenant satisfaction and ROI. As a building owner, what do you need to know about the process? What is commercial cleaning? Here’s how it’s different from your…
The Benefits of Commercial Vacuuming
Commercial vacuuming is an essential part of every office cleaning routine. Along with deep sanitization of bathrooms, mopping, and more, your office needs commercial vacuuming as part of a successful office cleaning checklist. So, what is commercial vacuuming? And how can it be done effectively? It’s a bit different from vacuuming your home or apartment. Commercial vacuuming uses industrial equipment designed for prolonged and consistent use. They also come with commercial power cords to keep your office safe and prevent sparking. Better for the Environment Commercial vacuuming is better for the environment than the office cleaning staple of wet mopping…
The Power of Transparency in Cleaning
The cleaning industry has traditionally been viewed as a utility in that the outcomes of service have been binary. In the same way that electricity is either on or off, cleaning is either effective or it isn’t; things are either clean or they’re dirty. A lack of transparency has accompanied that perspective, because when the most important factor is whether or not something’s working, there’s no need to see behind the scenes. People complain when the power goes out. Very few people are vocal about optimizing and understanding the power grid. But things are changing. Leaders in today’s cleaning industry…
How Technology is Transforming Cleaning Services
Cleaning services are different today than they were a decade ago. In ten years, cleaning services will be vastly different from their current form. In other words, this isn’t a static industry. The skills that cleaners need are changing. Techniques that cleaners use are changing. The products and tools that enable cleaning service are constantly being innovated. The cleaning industry is dynamic. And it’s being transformed by technology. At The Wilburn Company, we pride ourselves in staying on the cutting edge of cleaning service. Continued growth is part of our commitment to our clients, and it helps us to deliver…
Why Cleaning is More Than a Commodity
Cleaning is more than a commodity. The cleaning industry has always faced a level of stigma, largely on the basis of misconception. Take these commonly held myths, for example: People think that cleaning is a static industry. It’s not. It’s dynamic. Technology and innovations are evolving the cleaning profession just as they’re evolving other professions. People think that cleaning doesn’t require training or skill. It does. Extensive training is required in order to provide high-quality cleaning services (to say nothing of GS-42 certified services). People think that cleaning is for aesthetics. Cleaning is for health. Looking clean is important. But…
How High-Quality Commercial Cleaning Can Save You Money
Picture this. You’re walking into your neighborhood grocery store. You notice dirt on the floor, dust on the packages and there’s a weird smell that probably means it has been quite a while since the trash was emptied. Even if the groceries look great—you probably won’t want to go there unless you absolutely have to. A dirty building means that you’re losing customers. Dirty buildings ruin first impressions and even your reputation. But that’s not all that’s at stake. An unclean environment is costing you money. Here’s how a building cleaning company can save you money. Increase Productivity Have you…
The Best Cleaning Method for Your Commercial Flooring
Too often people underestimate the impact of a building’s flooring material. Picture yourself walking into a high-end commercial building. Natural light floods the room and glints off of marble floors that cover the expanse of the lobby area. Instantly, the commercial building gives its owners added class, prestige, and reputation. But with unique floors comes unique cleaning and care needs. The last thing you want is to ruin your nice marble floors by using an acidic cleaner. Or warping your building’s beautiful hardwood by using too much water. When choosing a commercial cleaner for your building, pay extra attention to…
Are You Making These Office Cleaning Mistakes?
How often does your commercial cleaning provider come to your office? Buildings are cleaned at different intervals, but no matter how often your provider comes, there will likely be times when your team of environmental hygienists isn’t in the building. During these time periods, you may need to perform small office cleaning tasks, such as dealing with spills, replacing the kitchen sponge, and other small chores. Many people don’t realize that when they’re trying to clean, they’re just making it worse. Here are five cleaning mistakes to avoid when your environmental hygienist isn’t there to help. Cleaning Stains Without Stain…
Why You Need Custodial Services for Real Estate Management
As a property owner, you’re proud of your real estate investment. It takes years of hard work, expertise, and grit to invest in real estate. It’s an important investment. With all of those factors included, it’s important to keep your building in good shape. When it comes to maintaining your building, you may first consider choosing the best property management company, landscaper, or picking responsible tenants. But the commercial janitorial services that you choose also play a big role in maintaining your building. Commercial janitorial services increase the longevity of your building, keep your tenants happy, and much more. Reduce…
What It Means for a Cleaning Company to Be Employee-Focused
On the night of January 8th, two Wilburn Company employees were performing their usual cleaning jobs when they noticed that a tenant was standing outside in the cold with her two small children. Realizing that it was late and that the building was closed, the two employees went out to check on her. As it turned out, her car had been broken into. The windows were smashed and there was glass everywhere. The tenant had nowhere to turn, and to make matters worse, when she’d gone outside to check on the situation, she’d inadvertently gotten locked out of the building.…
6 Types of Commercial Cleaning Services
Every business deserves a unique cleaning experience. Each building has a unique layout with different building materials that require a different approach. Does your commercial cleaning service provide you with all the services you need for a clean building? Or do you just receive the same exact service every time? Here at the Wilburn Company we offer a wide variety of commercial cleaning services to meet all of your needs- no matter what. Green Cleaning If you follow our blog, you’ve heard about this particular commercial cleaning service before. Wilburn decided to offer a green commercial cleaning service to provide…