Yes we know Clean Care Scotland is not yet one of the best known commercial cleaning companies in Scotland or even in Edinburgh (our national capital) but we do have the job of cleaning this special room seven days a week.

That’s right!  We clean the place where the Act of Union between England and Scotland was signed back in 1707.  Well that’s what one of the most famous guide books to Scotland says. According to history books the signing of the Union between the two countries was so unpopular that the people who were supposed to sign the document had to flee the parliament building or risk losing their lives at the hand of protesters.  (Over 300 years later in many areas of the country it is still an unpopular Act of Parliament.)

It is said they actually signed the official Act of Parliament in the safe environment of the cellar of the building opposite where they could not be found easily.  Other historical experts disagree about the location of the actual signing and I must admit I am no historical guru capable of making the decision on that matter. But this guide book to Edinburgh and Scotland was published  two hundred years ago so I can’t even go back and ask the author anymore to clarify it.

The building has no official plague outside so you won’t recognise it but anyone visiting the old Parliament building in Edinburgh only has to walk across the road to the Bella Italia restaurant and ask to be taken to the Ladies toilets to see the plaque on the wall.

Whilst you are there just note how clean and smart Clean Care Scotland Cleaning Staff can keep this famous room.  If at the time of your visit they are not quite perfect please be aware that we clean the toilets thoroughly at the beginning of each day and there could be marks on the mirrors etc left by diners who have enjoyed a very good lunch.

It will seem almost sacrilegious to some people to see the room used in this way but I suppose there will also be others who are still so opposed to the Act of Union they will be pleased to see it being used for this noble purpose and supporting ladies in this way.

Whether this set of toilets are the actual signing room or not you can sure that any area where Clean Care Scotland are responsible for keeping clean are done thoroughly.  In fact we know that all our cleaning jobs are being maintained in as thorough a clean state as possible at all times.  Whether in a historic stately home or the ladies toilet in the basement we keep it it clean.

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You should…  after all your choice of office cleaning supplies can help the environment or damage it if you pick up the wrong office cleaning supplier. One of the latest reports suggests the biggest damage to our environment is not from the big 4 X 4 cars parked outside the office but the “extra soft quilted” and multi-ply toilet papers being used (Mainly in American offices and homes but becoming more common here in the UK as well!).

The issue is not about the three or four seconds the toilet paper is being used for cleaning and then thrown away but the fact that these luxury papers can only be made from “virgin wood” not from recycled paper which would be more friendly to the environment we live in.

I bet you did not know that the fibres made from pure new wood are longer and consequently easier to lay out in straight lines so they can be fluffed up to generate the softer tissue which Americans are screaming out for in response to very heavy advertising by the toilet cleaning manufacturers.

Toilet paper production is also highlighted as a source of major environmental damage because of the the chemicals used to manufacture the pulp and of course the need to cut down large forests.

The American Natural Resources Defence Council Allen Hershkowitz, (a senior scientist) points out that 98% of the toilets rolls sold in North America comes from virgin forests whereas in Europe and Latin America around 40% of the toilet paper is made up of recycled products a major saving for the the environment and global warming.

Kimberly-Clark one of the largest suppliers of toilet paper have forecast that quilted papers (made by pumping air between layers of paper) and papers which incorporate hand lotion (designed to coat the bottom during the 3 second wipe) are the fastest growing brands in the US market.  The New York Times reported a 40% rise in sales of luxury brands of toilet paper in 2008. Not surprising as Kimberly-Clark alone spent 25million dollars in the third quarter of last year solely on on promoting these luxury toilet brands. (Who says the credit crunch is biting the hands that wipe and clean up the profits?)

The Forestry Campaigner for Greenpeace USA Lindsay Allen says he believes that,  “We have this myth in the US that recycled paper is just so low quality, it’s like cardboard and is impossible to use.” The fact is that some recycled toilet papers are harder but looking around it is easy to find the right compromise.  A toilet paper that cleans without scratching but environmentally sound.

We at Clean Care Scotland try to encourage the use of toilet papers made largely of recycled paper when agreeing contracts but also shy away from the cheapest brands which are known to be harder and not so gentle on the skin. It is a case of being balanced in our approach after all most of our customers buy their own cleaning supplies and simply leave us to replace them in the holders.

Let me ask you a simple question if you came in one morning and found that 50-60% of your staff were suddenly off sick with stomach related illnesses what impact would it have on how your business operates that week. if you are running a store, a restaurant or club which is open to the general public then it could be disastrous.

This is where a professional cleaning company becomes more important than ever. Properly trained Clean Care Scotland staff will be working to not only to have your toilets, sinks and floors looking sparkling clean but will have them sanitised for you at the same time. Germs can still hide and breed in areas that look clean! That’s why our cleaners will do both aspects each day.

When I first took over the job of area manager with Clean Care Scotland I visited a fashion store that was just transferring to us. They employed 40 part-time staff each week all sharing two small toilet areas. The previous cleaning company had been cleaning only once a week and it was obvious that no-one else was doing it in between. I spoke with the store managers and rescheduled the toilet cleaning to be done 6 days a week. Within a few weeks my cleaner was getting compliments on how she had boosted the morale of the sales staff as they were not grumbling about working conditions as much.

I must admit I had not considered this area before but it stands to reason if staff feel their areas are not seen as important then they feel they are not seen as important either. It was another win win situation with staff morale going up sales increased. So by tackling little things we boosted the shop profitability. Maybe I should have asked for our cleaning contract price to be linked to shop profitability?

Seriously through when looking at cleaning the toilet areas in your workplace remember it is not just fighting infection and reducing the risk of sickness leading to staff absence increases but looking at how staff feel valued within the workplace.

I know some office building managers have started to think about doing their own office cleaning in Aberdeen in house and drawing up a business proposal for approval by the board. But what are the consequences of doing this? Is it really cost saving in practice?

Firstly you will need to start buying a number of different cleaning chemicals and some equipment on a fairly regular basis and hope you don’t run out if people are using too much. Who is going to take responsibility for going out to buy more cleaning products when levels run low or are all used up? This is a cost implication for time spent and time not doing their normal job! All professional cleaning service in Aberdeen will have their own preferred cleaning chemicals which their staff will have trained in using. This means they will have access to all associated safety data sheets etc from their usual chemical supplier.

You may decide to employ an extra person to do the cleaning thus doing away with some of the savings but if you are considering using your existing staff you need to calculate into the process the lost opportunities for staff doing their “normal job”. Will that suffer if they are asked to do these extras and at what cost to your business?

The job may even need doing twice if the person is not shown exactly the right way to do the task. You also need to consider whether using an existing staff member is the best use of their time. They definitely will not be using the expertise that caused you to initially select them at the interview or spent time since developing their new skills for the job. How much did it cost you to train that person in real terms not just the cost of the training programme?

In addition the potential for damage to your office interiors increases as the person does not understand the use of some materials and the surfaces being cleaned. I recall going into one office complex and seeing that the cleaner (also employed as a book-keeper) had squirted some strong bleach on a floor and it had burnt the floor almost beyond economic repair. Are you aware of the dangers of mixing cleaning chemicals (even household strength cleaning products)? Did you know mixing some domestic toilet cleaners together can give off the poisonous Chlorine gas?

• Have you all the skills in house to develop all the health and safety guidance in-house? Or will you to pay to outsource it?
• Who would do the required risk assessment for each and every cleaning task being performed? Not Necessary… just wait and see what the Health and Safety Inspector has to say after an accident on your premises!
• Can you be certain that you have the required COSSH safety data sheets for every single cleaning product your staff purchase? Your local supermarket or corner store will not be able to supply these legal documents and you will need them on site in case of an safety incident.

If the choice was down to me as an office manager I would be asking myself the following questions

• “Are the extra costs of employing professional office cleaning cheaper than the risk of staff not focusing on my business and losing more money?”
• ” What are the currently unbudgeted costs I will need to add on to cover for time spent cleaning the office twice, additional costs for repairs due to mistakes, increased insurance premiums and cost of compensation for breaches of health and safety including accidents to staff? “

Those issues are dealt with best by hiring a professional cleaning company just as you consult a lawyer, an accountant or any other specialist worker for the business.

I found many of the points below apply to office cleaning in Scotland as well so I thought I would reprint it below for your benefit. It is not copyright theft I have the owners full permission to use the article so think about what they are saying and whether it applies to you as well.

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How Using Professional Cleaning Services Can Profit Your Business

If you or several of your co-workers have been handling the cleaning of your office, chances are that you?re wasting valuable time and resources that could be better spent in service of your business. No one wants to have to clean up their own office, especially after a long day on the job! But if you think that your business can?t afford to outsource to a professional cleaning service, think again: affordable office cleaning businesses have significantly grown in the past few years, which is good news for you ? it no longer costs an arm and a leg to hire quality cleaning professionals!

Need more convincing as to why you should outsource your office cleaning to a professional service? Here are just a few reasons that will make you pick up your phone and call your local cleaning company

There’s no need to hire another worker. When you have your staff keeping their own offices clean, you’re effectively undermining your business, as the time spent on housekeeping can significantly cut into the average workday. But let’s say that you’re a small business owner who is afraid of the costs of adding another staff member exclusively devoted to office cleaning. And why shouldn’t you be? These days, it’s more expensive than ever to hire quality workers, as you not only have to pay another salary; there’s health insurance, sick leave, and other benefits to be provided for! No wonder more businesses are downsizing, as the cost of maintaining employees has been skyrocketing, with no end in sight.

When it comes to a professional cleaning company, you only need to pay the contracted fees – and that’s it! There’s no insurance to pay, no salary, and no benefits; you’re just paying for affordable cleaning services. In fact, it makes more sense to outsource to a professional cleaning service, as you can protect the valuable time and resources of your employees as well as avoid investing more money in hiring another staff member. This is a rule that any savvy business owner knows: if your return is greater than your investment, take the opportunity!

You can protect employee morale. Let’s say you still want to avoid hiring a cleaning service, and have your own employees cleaning up their own offices. While you may think that it’s a smart way to save a few bucks, you’re really wasting the talents and resources of your staff – as well as running the risk of fostering potential grudges in the workplace. It doesn’t take a whole lot of common sense to realize that if your employees are unhappy – and if they’re cleaning their own offices, they probably are – your business is going to suffer.

When you leave your office cleaning on the shoulders of your employees, you’re also raising their stress levels, as the increased unwanted responsibilities will take its toll on office morale – and we all know that raised stress levels lead to more overall sick leave. Let’s face it – you took the time to hire quality employees who offer your company diverse talents and skills, not because of their ability to clean their desks. Hire a professional cleaning service, and you’ll see an increase in your employees’ overall health and happiness.

Protect your own time. As a business owner, it’s often your responsibility to follow-up with employees to clean up around the office – or it’s up to you to do it! If you started your small business without the expectations of having to clean your office, keep it that way. Your time and resources are perhaps the most valuable assets of all to your business, and shouldn’t be sacrificed in order to maintain a clean workplace. Hire cleaning professionals who will be able to offer you flexible pricing options and will perform a far greater cleaning job than you or your employees could ever do.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to convince a savvy business owner of the benefits of outsourcing to a professional cleaning service. Save yourself the unneeded aggravation of having to clean your own office by contacting a local professional – and watch how quickly the morale and productivity of your office improves!

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Did you ever read about the Hawthorne experiment done several decades ago in the Hawthorne General Electric plant? I studied it as part of my Institute of Industrial Management (later becoming part of the BIM – now the Chartered Management Institute) qualification and completed way back in 1978. (Feels like before the beginning of time now)

Essentially staff were being consulted about what the right lighting conditions for their factory and each time the morale of the workers grew because they felt better and managers were asking their advice. It was the start of the modern consultative management techniques many of us use now.

The surprising thing was almost every time staff were “consulted” their production rates increased even if the lighting levels had not actually changed staff thought that managers cared so they worked harder. At a time of recession and belts being tightened in many areas maybe we should be asking staff what they think about their current cleaning service.

We do have a sample survey sheet which we could send you and help you carry out the survey as well if you wish. We would like to quote for your cleaning service contract as well obviously but we can send the survey sheets on their own with no obligation.

The office desk is what most of you are probably thinking right now. But read on! From a bacterial cleanliness point of view it would be safer to eat on the toilet seat. Yes, I did actually just write that! Scientists from Arizona University took samples from 100 offices across the USA and found there were 400 times as much bacteria on your average clean office desk as on the average toilet seat. Does your average Aberdeen office cleaner clean the important part of your office?

Almost certainly right now you will be sitting in front of your computer with a keyboard. That keyboard will probably have around three thousand microbes looking to get onto your hands right now. Scroll down using your computer mouse to read the rest of this article and you will around 1750 microbes per square inch.

Don’t panic simply pick up that telephone to get new office cleaners and you will find you are putting over 25,000 microbes per square inch being placed beside your mouth and ears.

Aberdeen Office Cleaning company visits a number of new companies in Aberdeen area each week. Many of them already have office cleaning contracts with other companies so are no longer shocked to discover the lack of cleaning standards and half done jobs.

I remember hearing from a typist who was complaining that their office cleaners had left the waste paper bin on a chair and how inconvenient that had been for her having to put it on the floor beside the desk. The cleaner had probably lifted the office bin to empty it and ensure the area was vacuumed (believe me I have seen office cleaners who would have vacuumed around it rather than move it for cleaning).

I asked her which was the most important job for the cleaner in the office around the desks. To be told to make sure that the bins were emptied and the floor was cleaned every day but office staff would clear their own desk so papers were not disturbed. My response was to ask her to tip her keyboard upside down over some clean paper and give it a thump with her hand. She was amazed at the amount of crumbs and dirt which came out of it. After speaking about some other cleaning priorities and the stats I quoted above we signed a cleaning contract to provide that office with a regular cleaning contract which included the desk-tops and computer equipment using our own specialist cleaning staff.

It is important that all staff and your visitors to your office get to see clean and tidy surroundings but we need to think not just about visual appearances (which are important) but about the welfare of staff working in offices. Look forward to talking with you soon.

I recently found this interesting article on another website and they granted me permission to reprint it in full.

What it does is talk about why they think you should be hiring them as your office cleaning service company. Personally I think they are taking the wrong angle but let me know what you think

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Maintenance of business premises is a big pain for everyone. It’s the dirty work nobody wants to do, but it has to be done. Not only that, it has to be done well. Anybody who works in a small office knows that once in a while you have to sweep, scrub, mop, dust and vacuum. Unfortunately, for your business premises to be really clean, it has to be done constantly. That’s why many small offices use office cleaning services.

Why Hire Office Cleaning Services?

Office maintenance agencies can do the job for you. This way, you can concentrate on running your business. No more “cleaning days” or opening shop early to get everything in order. No more late nights vacuuming when you’d rather be at home in front of the TV, with your mind off work.

If cleaning isn’t your thing, office maintenance services are perfect. They are experts at what they do, and have years of experience. Using a professional agency guarantees that your business premises will be spotless. They don’t miss anything! They also have the newest tools and technologies to make things shine.

They also offer additional solutions that you can’t do on your own. These range from big jobs that you need the gear for, to extras like handyman service and pest control.

What Office Cleaning Services Have to Offer You?

If you don’t want to get on all-fours and do your floors, an office cleaning service will do it for you. Not only will they sweep and mop, they will wax, buff, deep-clean and do your carpets. These are maintenance tasks that most of us aren’t up do, and few of us have the gear to do ourselves. Some services offer floor stripping and sealing as well.

Window cleaning is another tricky job best left to the professionals. You can start on that first window with gusto, but after you’ve worn yourself out on one, you realize you’ve got to do them all. It’s much better to leave window cleaning to those who do it everyday.

Different companies offer different services, and you can get a whole variety of janitorial agencies as well. These little details are the difference between business premises that are clean enough to sit down in, and one that is simply spotless. They may also offer superintendent services, so you can let them manage all the building needs.

Other goodies like pest control and handyman services are sometimes available. If you are not a Mr. or Ms. Fix-It, then you probably know that tackling repair work yourself means making more repair work for later. Again, it’s better to leave it to the pros.

How To Find An Office Cleaning Service

The first place to look is your local yellow pages. This is an easy way to find a service in your area, and you can call and ask them about pricing and services available.

An even better way to find your maintenance service is to look online. Most services have their own website, and there are directories where you can find companies that are in your area.

Don’t tackle your own maintenance needs unless you’re willing to get your hands dirty. It’s a big job, but somebody’s got to do it. Hire an office cleaning service to take care of it for you, and you can get back to business.

Author: Andrew Stratton

Atlanta office cleaning service has been providing excellent office cleaning services to Atlanta area businesses since 1989. To hire a company that takes pride in the quality and consistency of their work, visit http://www.atlantaofficecleaners.com

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Okay I have to admit we are not competitors in any way so I gain nothing by saying the following. Personally I would have wanted to talk about the advantages of having a clean office environment for your staff to work in rather than about saving you having to do the hard work yourself.

I know some of the customers we have would not have been willing to do the hard work of cleaning the office areas and we have not won their cleaning contract business by saving them that work. Usually we are taking over the work being done by one of more local competitors and the hard work we save our customers is about not having to chase up cleaners who are not doing a good quality clean.

As a cleaning company customer I would like to know your view on the following question.

As aberdeen office cleaning should we aim to find work currently done by your own staff or save your staff the hard work of constantly chasing cleaners who are not doing a good enough job?

You can send a reply using the comments box below.