Decent air quality starts and ends outside. Wouldn’t it be nice if those words were true? Indoor air quality can be influenced by how well your facility is maintained. This quality of indoor air can have a direct impact on all occupants whether you realize it or not. Employees perform their best when they are in a clean environment. This means free of clutter, soil, and dirt on the surfaces of floors, furniture, and fixtures, with quality indoor air which everyone is breathing. Clean Your Office For Better Air Quality
It’s important that your workplace has quality indoor air to prevent aggravating anyone’s allergies who may be susceptible or spreading of bacteria and germs that cause colds and flu.
Read on and learn how to keep your office a healthy place to work.
Air Quality Starts With Clean Surfaces
Improving air quality may sound daunting. Where do you start?
Start with the floor (or at least hire a cleaning service that will). Have all resilient floors (tile, hardwood) vacuumed prior to mopping, rather than swept.
Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter will help ensure dust and dander are pulled out of the facility rather than recirculated. HEPA filters can rehttp://vacuums.reviewed.com/features/do-i-need-a-hepa-filter-for-my-vacuum-cleanermove over 99% of microscopic dust and dirt particles. Over time, this procedure removes the problems contributing to polluted air in the office: dust, dander, and microscopic particles too small to see.
Don’t let the floor get all the attention. Make sure shelves, desks, and other surfaces are dusted and thoroughly cleaned. This is best achieved by:
- Having all items removed from desks and cleaning the full surface
- Ensuring the areas are cleaned on a weekly basis to prevent further build-up
Dusting should be completed with a microfiber cloth to ensure the particles are not recirculated but rather pulled out of the facility.
Consider Plants as Natural Purifiers
While keeping the surfaces clean is the best practice, you may be asking if they are other ways to improve the air quality in your office naturally.
Plants are natural air purifiers. The best choice of plants to absorb pollutants will grow in almost any setting, even if there isn’t much natural sunlight. Some of the best plants for offices that thrive in these conditions are:
- The snake plant aka mother-in-law’s tongue
- Bamboo
- Boston fern
- Spider plants
Keeping plants in an office environment has positive benefits for employees as well. Plants can help to lower blood pressure and provide a calming atmosphere for building occupants. Besides that, they just look pretty, and who doesn’t want an office that looks good?
Use Environmentally Friendly Chemicals When Sanitizing the Office
At work, perhaps you delegate cleaning to an employee or have the help of an outside cleaning service. Either way, make use of cleaning products that are natural. Look for options such as:
- Certified green cleaners
- Natural, cheaper options. Baking soda and lemon juice are two.
A professional cleaning service can offer green cleaning options. One benefit associated with green cleaning is that additional pollutants aren’t introduced to the facility while the office is cleaned. Employees allergies aren’t provoked since the chemicals are hypoallergenic.
Limit Types of Pollutants
In order to maintain air quality, you’ll want to end the use of certain pollutants inside the facility that building occupants can introduce. Even if you switch to green cleaning, make a point to limit or ban:
- Perfumes
- Cigarette smoke or clothing that has a smoke scent
- Air freshers in individual offices or in general common areas of the space
- Scented candles
Avoiding these substances in your office space will make for cleaner air, and allergies and other irritants will no longer be as big a problem in the building space.
Don’t Neglect High Traffic Areas: Kitchens and Bathrooms
Everyone in the office uses the kitchen and bathroom without a second thought. Since each of these rooms is susceptible to germs where folks prepare their food or use the bathroom, they need regular cleaning.
Schedule your cleaning service to come in often enough to properly service these areas. Alternatively, designate an employee to handle these rooms on a regular basis.
Consider adding a plant in the bathroom, where air doesn’t get as much circulation.
Clean spills as soon as possible. Doing so prevents accidents and keeps mold from growing in moist areas.
These preventative measures contribute to a safer and cleaner office, with better air quality.
Change Air Filters in HVAC Units Regularly
Change HVAC Filters to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Modern offices are equipped with HVAC units. This means you’re always able to work in comfort, no matter what the season.
Are your units cleaned on a regular basis for optimal functioning? HVAC units are prone to picking up dust and other particles throughout the year. Because of this, it’s important to change and inspect the filter at least once every three months. Doing so is helpful because:
- It allows the air conditioner to function properly
- It prevents dust and dirt particles from circulating
- The air conditioner does not have to work overtime to produce enough cold air to maintain a certain temperature
While changing the filter may seem like a hassle, the benefits outweigh the time spent doing so. Not only will the office feel cooler with improved air quality, but the overall electric bill is lower and the equipment will last longer.
Assess Humidity Levels in Your Office
Every building is different. To keep the air clean, figure out how humid your office gets. Some of this will vary based on:
- Geographical location
- What floor the office is located (for a high rise)
- If the office is near a body of water
If you have taken steps to reduce containments in the office and still find the air isn’t as pure as you would
like, consider a dehumidifier and an air purifier. You have the option of purchasing one product that offers both features. They take the humidity out of the air and remove dirt and other particles from being circulated.
Help Your “Sick Building” Feel Better Fast
With a professional green cleaning, you’ll notice improved air quality. Illness should not spread as easily, and you’ll feel confident knowing you’ve done everything to make your work area safe and clean
Let us help you makeover your workspace with green cleaning. After seeing the difference green cleaning can make, you and your employees will love the way your office feels and smells (or doesn’t smell).
Having a clean office means a healthy and positive work environment for you and your employees with improved air quality. You’ll notice the difference that a green cleaning service can make vs. a regular cleaning service.
Give us a call today to see how we can improve your indoor air quality- and keep your office clean and sanitary!
