Through the Looking Glass with a Retail Cleaning Business
In a retail store, customer service is paramount. Clerks greet customers, offer to help, suggest clothing or other items. But there’s another side of customer service customers rarely see, and that is the retail cleaning crew that keeps the store pristine and attractive for the customers.
Getting started
A dirty store can turn away even the most ardent shoppers and send them scurrying to a nearby competitor. No one wants to shop in a dirty store, so here is a list of necessities when it comes to cleaning a retail store: vacuum, dust mop, floor buffer, broom, dustpan, disposable gloves, bucket, mop, antibacterial cleaners, cloths and sponges, trash bags, toilet bowl cleanser and brush, and spray bottle. If there’s a crew to train, there are several instructional videos on the Internet, everything from how to use a dust rag to how to make homemade cleaners. Every retail cleaning company must have these articles.
The Power of a Clean Window
Right in front of a clean retail store is a sparkling window through which to see it. There’s an art to cleaning a window, and it involves more than just elbow grease. Scrubbing a window with glass cleaner and a wad of paper towels just move around the dirt and puts a static charge on the glass, which attracts dust and dirt. The best way to clean a large picture window is with a long cloth head and dishwashing liquid in a bucket of warm water.
To squeegee the soapy water off the window, start at the top left and pull the squeegee in a reverse-S pattern. Wipe the blade clean after each stroke with a lint-free rag. Old linen napkins are perfect for this. Remove any water at the edge of the glass with a damp chamois to soak up the remaining water without leaving streaks. Dry the window sill with a clean cloth. This is one of the lesser known tricks when it comes to retail cleaning.
The Rest of the Store
To finish cleaning the rest of store, vacuum the carpets, moving light-weight furniture to clean as much of the carpet as possible. Use a dust mop to polish wood and tile and a broom or vacuum to get up stubborn dirt. Dust the furniture, fixtures and lights. Wipe down countertops, and disinfect common touch points such as light switches and door handles, places, as every good retail cleaning expert knows, are breeding grounds for germs. Polish mirrors with a vinegar solution that doesn’t leave streak marks.
And when starting a retail cleaning company, consider a Jani-King franchise. Jani-King is the industry leader in commercial and janitorial cleaning services. Its franchisees enjoy unequaled support in starting a cleaning business which includes helping to secure clients and perfecting best cleaning practices. Jani-King is the world’s largest commercial cleaning franchise company with more than 12,000 franchises in 15 different countries.