One of the dirtiest areas in the office that might harbor bacteria and can pose health risks is the pantry. Even if the office is regularly cleaned, there is no guarantee that the pantry is completely clean and hygienic enough to shield your staff from germs and viruses that may be concealed in obscure areas. Can you imagine what disaster awaits if you let the pantry dirty without any regular cleaning done? Nope!
One of the best ways to maintain a spotless workplace is to have a tea lady who can help to operate your office pantry. They can help not only by preparing snacks or beverages at the office, but they can also be helpful to clean your pantry and maintain its condition.
Though it is also important to note that the cleanliness of the office pantry remains to be the responsibility of all its users. Every person at the office needs to cultivate a clean culture that will give great benefit to all. Follow the advice below to keep your pantry clean and spotless all the time!
Set some rules
Establish rules that all users of the office pantry must abide by. The rules can be such as, putting trash where it belongs, washing their own lunch utensils immediately after use, and cleaning the microwave or coffee machine after usage. You can also establish some punishment for people who repeatedly did not follow the rule. Setting up punishment can help to emphasize to the employees that rules need to be followed.
Stock up on cleaning supplies
Make sure there are always plenty of cleaning products, such as paper towels, kitchen cleaners, trash bags, sponges, dish soap, and others, available in the pantry. This will guarantee that employees have the tools they need to clean up after themselves. Additionally, having cleaning tools within reach will help to avoid putting off cleaning up spills, stains, and grime, which can quickly develop bacteria. It can also motivate staff to dispose of waste properly if the trash cans and recycling containers are easily accessible.
Keep it organized
Whether you use internal employees such as a janitor or tea lady or cleaning services from outside, maintaining the pantry’s cleanliness is imperative. Employees can easily discover what they need and put back all the items they have used in the proper locations after usage if everything is kept organized. You can keep snacks, energy drinks, coffee, team, and other daily necessities in the cabinet which is very accessible to all employees. This will help everyone to easily get a hold of them, without having to ask again and again. You can also put a label on every cabinet door, which lists down what kind of items are stored inside.
Invest in the right equipment
Even if your business uses a corporate office cleaning service, it is also important and can be useful if the office still purchases cleaning equipment. Having appropriate tools will help to maintain higher standards of hygiene in the office, especially in its party. Provide kitchen cleaning equipment, such as rags, cleaning fluid, brooms, trash cans, and tissues. Place the cleaning equipment, where it can be easily seen by everyone who uses the pantry. For example, place a washcloth and cleaning liquid on the kitchen table so that the staff can clean it immediately before leaving the pantry. Make sure to also put a closed-lid trash can in every corner of the office, more importantly in the pantry.
Avoid leaving food lying around
The food left behind without being properly stored in a cabinet or refrigerator can lead to major issues in the pantry. Employees frequently leave crumbs, partially consumed snacks, or packed food on the pantry table, which draws cockroaches, flies, ants, or even rodents to habitat the pantry. The ultimate solution to this issue is by implementing internal office standards that outline the pantry’s dos and don’ts. Establishing punishment for everyone who forgets, will also help ensure that staff members follow the rules. Rules which are accompanied by punishment for negligent staff can make office housekeeping easier to manage.
Hire professional office cleaning services
Let’s face it, it’s not always feasible to rely on your staff to maintain a spotless pantry. After all, they have primary responsibilities to attend to, so cleaning is not their top concern. This is why every business that wishes to provide its employees with an optimal working environment should contract commercial cleaning services in Detroit, MI to keep their office space tidy. Bringing an office cleaner into the picture can definitely help to preserve the health and wellbeing of your employees, as well as maintain the professional appearance of your business.