Keeping dirt and grime out of your facility starts with doing a routine cleaning service. Facilities vary depending on the nature of your business. Examples include offices, apartments, medical clinics, hospitals, warehouses, go downs, malls, hotels, guest houses, sports clubs, restaurants, social halls, banking halls, schools, salons and SPA.

Every day, as millions of people walk through the doors of facilities large and small, they all have one thing in common: they’re tracking the level of hygiene and cleanliness. The mess can be anything — from dirt, grease, rain, and mud— and once it comes in, it’s no easy task to get it back out.

According to the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), professional cleaning labor alone accounts for 90% of building maintenance costs. In Kenya cleaning companies charge different rates; with Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu charging an average of Ksh. 18500 per steward depending on the nature of assignment. The rates could reduce further for a cleaning company in Nakuru, Eldoret, Kakamega and other parts of Kenya.

What is facility cleaning maintenance?

Facility cleaning maintenance (also called “preventative maintenance”) is a systematic approach to building operations that aims to maintain the level of hygiene and cleanliness before dirt accumulates.

To perform facility cleaning maintenance, a facilities team will conduct several types of routine check-ups on standards of cleanliness. Procedures may include (but are not limited to) cleaning, inspections, and regular maintenance of traffic areas. These procedures help facilities team stay on top of maintenance and deliver the right type of cleaning when they are needed. Issues that are detected early can be fixed faster within a building.

Advantages of Facility Cleaning

With the right tools and resources, facility cleaners can transform the way they care for their buildings and grounds. Here are five reasons why adopting a cleaning maintenance plan can benefit your facilities department and your organization as a whole.

Advantage #1: You’ll save money and waste less energy.

Costly repairs and replacements occur less often when cleanliness is maintained. While it’s nearly impossible to prevent all reactive maintenance, the likelihood of a major breakdown is minimal when a facilities department employs a cleaning maintenance program. Regular maintenance can also lead to reduced energy bills. Equipment that works as expected is more likely to run efficiently and use less energy than unmaintained equipment.

Advantage #2: You’ll extend the useful life of critical equipment.

Boilers, HVAC systems, plumbing, air handling units and roofing are just a few examples of assets in a building that require consistent cleaning and maintenance for optimal performance. Checking equipment regularly means they’ll last longer, since issues are spotted early and can be dealt with as needed. Equipment also remains in its best shape, therefore extending its useful lifetime.

Advantage #3: You’ll create a safer work environment for your team.

A majority of facility managers would agree that maintaining safety in their buildings is a top priority. A cleaning maintenance plan can keep buildings safer and more secure. Equipment that meets safety standards is less likely to pose risk or cause serious harm to operators. With regular cleaning, dangerous and catastrophic equipment failures are reduced, making your facility a safer place for staff and occupants alike.

Advantage #4: You’ll significantly reduce unexpected disruptions and asset breakdowns.

Regular equipment clean up mean you won’t be caught off guard if something goes wrong or breaks down. A cleaning maintenance plan will indicate when parts need to be replaced. This means that there will be little-to-no unexpected downtime, since you’ll have replacement parts and service technicians on hand for timely repairs. Replacing parts before they are damaged also means there will be less wear-and-tear compared to machines that are serviced using run-to-failure maintenance.

Advantage #5: You’ll be able to plan ahead and budget for upcoming maintenance.

Following a cleaning maintenance schedule means you’ll be better prepared to stick to your department’s allocated budget. Repairs are planned in advance, so all costs associated with replacement parts and repair personnel are factored into the department’s budget. A cleaning maintenance plan will also help you keep track of asset names, parts and contact information for repair personnel. As maintenance is performed throughout the year, you’ll know exactly what annual expenses to calculate for upcoming maintenance.

Free resources on facility cleaning maintenance planning

Many facility managers like the idea of facility cleaning maintenance, but quickly become frustrated by not knowing where to start. The good news is that implementing a proactive process can be painless if building teams develop a solid strategy and use the right tools. Check out the following resources to get your team moving towards a more proactive cleaning strategy.

“Facility Cleaning Inspection Preparation Checklist”

Consider implementing routine asset checks and planned cleaning to avoid costly fixes down the road. Use this Facility Cleaning Inspection Preparation Checklist to determine assets you should regularly inspect.

“Guide to Understanding and Implementing Preventive Maintenance”

When implementing a new or improved facility cleaning maintenance plan for your facility, make sure you have the basics covered. This guide gets you started with the foundation of a proactive strategy, tips and tricks to implement a cleaning plan, and a timeline to fully implement and perfect your program.

“Preventive Maintenance Checklist”

Keep the focus on cleaning maintenance with this step-by-step checklist that covers everything from asset identification and naming conventions to data collection accuracy.

The best way to make facility cleaning maintenance easier

Preventive maintenance plans can suffer if a department doesn’t have a reliable way to organize program information. The fastest, most efficient way to manage Cleaning maintenance is to use a professional facility cleaning company with a good profile.

This will reduce stress, improve departmental efficiency, and support other programs, considering the same cleaning company can do sanitary disposal bins, and fumigation/ pest control services. The right facility cleaning company will ensure placement of reliable team of stewards.

In case you need your facility cleaned by a professional team, contact first class cleaning services on call through 0721867339 or email sales@firstclasscleaning.co.ke