Whether you are a property manager or a small building or business owner, determining the best time of day for office cleaning can present some challenges. There are options for affordable day vs. evening cleaning services for the business and minimizing interruption to employees and visitors.
What is a Day Porter?
Day Porters conduct light, intermittent cleaning that keeps a facility looking its best during those high-traffic times. Some of their tasks include the following:
- Refreshing paper products
- Cleaning high-touch areas
- Keeping bathrooms sanitized
- Taking out the trash
- Responding to spills and immediate cleaning concerns
- Day porters can maintain the external appearance of the building, including sweeping debris from parking lots and removing trash from sidewalks and surrounding areas. Light landscaping is also an option.
Day porters can work with little to no staff and facility operations interference. They work efficiently, support more extensive cleaning responsibilities, and help keep a facility clean and aesthetically welcoming at all times.
The Pros of Daytime Cleaning
There are benefits to hiring a daytime cleaning service, and most are centered around efficiency. According to buildings.com,
BOMA Intl., in its Building Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP), suggests utilizing janitorial practices to save energy. BEEP reports that janitorial is often ignored when developing energy-saving strategies. Yet, it typically accounts for almost 25 percent of weekly lighting use, which is equivalent to about 7 percent of total building energy use. Strategies to reduce energy demand include team cleaning, coordination with security, and day cleaning. According to BEEP, these strategies can bring 0.6 percent to 8 percent energy savings annually.
- Energy saving – You don’t have lights and power used when the office/facility is closed.
- Cost saving – Day cleaning rates tend to be cheaper than evening due to the pay differential for 2nd and 3rd shift cleaning staff.
- Observing and interacting with the cleaning team to maximize the quality of work.
- Day cleaning adds to a property’s return on investment by lowering overall operating costs, contributing to tenant retention, and attracting new tenants seeking a green property.
The Pros of Evening Cleaning
Many landlords and property owners prefer evening cleaning, often centered around employee safety.
- Safety – Vacuum cords, wet floors, and aerosols in the air can make cleaning spaces very dangerous, so evening cleaning minimizes/removes those safety concerns when work is conducted when the facility/office is closed.
- Minimize disruptions – It is not easy to take customer calls and move around the office when cleaning teams run noisy vacuums or walk through work areas. Evening cleaning minimizes the disruptions offices/facilities experience during busy workdays.
- Efficient cleaning – Evening cleaning teams are better able to move furniture and conduct thorough, deep cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting that is limited when staff/visitors are occupying the space.
- Harsh chemicals and heavy equipment can be dangerous to employees and guests.
Challenges for Day and Evening Cleaning Services
Property managers and business owners need help selecting a cleaning option that is cost-effective, energy-efficient, and addresses employee and safety concerns.
Security and giving a key or passcode to a cleaning service for daytime entry into secure areas or evening entry to the building or office can present complications. Ensuring doors are properly closed and locked, lights turned off, and mitigating theft is high on the list.
High-traffic businesses and office space in the healthcare arena present unique challenges. COVID altered the standard of cleanliness in these spaces, and experienced cleaning companies, such as Exquisite Property Service, are keenly aware of the challenges.
- Use cleaning agents that are EPA certified as Safer-Choice and/or carry the Design for Environment (DfE) seal.
- Utilize power wash machines that use less water, and our disinfectant sprayers use 65% fewer chemicals per square foot.
- Priority is given to procurement products approved by certifying agencies, including EPA, ISO, Safer Choice, and Green Seal. We replace harsh chemicals and bleaches with natural products like vinegar, baking soda, lemon, essential oils, and other eco-friendly options.
Need help to determine the best time to clean your office?
It is best to consider the unique needs of the facility and staff/visitors/occupants to determine which type of cleaning is best. This includes considering how heavy the traffic is at the facility (very busy or quiet facility with few people entering) and the budget. The post can recommend consulting with an expert like Exquisite to decide on a day, evening, or a hybrid version of a cleaning schedule that includes using Day Porters.
We can help. Contact us to learn more about our janitorial and cleaning for your building, commercial property, or investment property.
We service all commercial and industrial facility types, including but not limited to:
- Retail Space
- Office Buildings
- Schools
- Medical Facilities
- Faith-based Institutions
- Warehouses
- Mechanic Garages
- Event Venues
- Financial Institutions
Resources: buildings.com