The 7 Spring Cleaning and Decluttering Tricks For Your Office

Spring cleaning isn’t just for spring. It’s always a good idea to do a deep clean of your office at least once a month. By doing a deep clean of your office once a month, it can help you to keep on top of daily cleaning activities, allowing you to do a little bit of tidying every day, instead of constantly scrambling to dig yourself out from underneath a mountain of clutter. There are many great strategies for office spring cleaning, but below are our top 7 tips and tricks for a thorough office cleaning.

1. Identify Your Office Problem Areas

Before you begin, go ahead and identify which places in your office are the most cluttered or messy. Take note of those areas in order to come up with a system or a solution in order to better maintain those areas in the future.

2. Give Your Office Space “Zones”

You should make a clear distinction between the different parts of your office and which activity should happen where. For example, the desk should be for general work, the closet for storage, shelving for materials etc.

3. Learn to Love Labels

Label things. It will save you time and energy in the long run, especially when you need something specific in a timely manner. To label, you can use a labeler, color coded stickers, or almost anything else to categorize papers, supplies, and more.

4. Bring on the Disinfectant

When you’re doing a true deep clean, the ‘clean’ part is important. Use disinfectant wipes or spray on everything, especially computer keyboards, screens, door and drawer handles, and any other surface you can clean off. For high shelves, take care to use a step stool or ladder instead of a chair for safety.

5. Invest in Storage Boxes

Small storage boxes can make a great alternative to filing cabinets. They an inexpensive, light, and easily stackable. Just make sure not to stack them too high or too heavy so that they become a hazard.

6. Give Documents Expiry Dates

Certain legal documents are required to be kept on file for a specified number of years. After that, you are free to do with them whatever suits your fancy. We advise shredding them. Check how long you need to hang on to important documents before you can part ways with them, and label them with corresponding expiry dates.

7. Go Minimal

Get a piece of paper and jot down things that you can’t live without having in your office. If you’re sitting there stumped after ten or twelve things, those are probably the most important things you need to do your job. Everything else is secondary. If it doesn’t make the list, reconsider whether or not you need it in your office. Of course, you don’t need to strip your office down to the absolute bare minimums, but reducing what you keep on hand can make working a lot tidier and easier.

Call Footprint services today on 1300 988 609 or go to http://footprintservices.com.au/contact-us/

Fridge Cleaning – What lives in your Fridge?

Fridge Cleaning Tips and Facts

Footprint services have been Commercial Cleaning in the Newcastle, Maitland and Hunter Valley region for over a decade, and we have cleaned a lot of offices fridges!

Did you know that dangerous bacteria and fungi can live in your fridge, causing, food to spoil quicker, illness and in extreme cases even death?

Bacteria such as  E.coli, salmonella and listeria are some of the most dangerous found in the fridge, bacteria and mould can be distributed throughout the fridge via the air ducts and will become airborne, resulting a in a face full of bad smells, harmful bacteria and fungi every time you open the fridge!

Here are some useful tips to help prevent the spread and growth of bacteria and fungi in the fridge:

• Make sure your fridges temperature is between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius
• Make sure the seal are not cracked or deteriorated.
• Bacteria and fungi thrive in warm moist area’s will only slow down in the fridge not die, limited the further with correct temperature and reduce the moister content with open containers of bi-carbonate soda.
• Remove spoilt food.
• Keep food covered in an air-tight container.
• separate acidic fruits from non acidic fruits – the acid in lemons, oranges and the like will cause fruits such as banana’s to ripen quicker.
• Foods such as cooked rice and pasta has a very short shelf life of about 2-3 days and cause very serious illness if spoilt.
• If left in the fridge too long can grow mould causing respiratory complications and in some cases respiratory and pulmonary disease, bread can also spoil causing Ropey bread, or rope. Ropey bread is a bacterial spoilage condition of bread caused from Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium and B. pumilus.
• Fridge Cleaning should be done regularly!

Footprint Services love cleaning and sharing our knowledge, Commercial Cleaning companies often refuse to clean the office fridge, Footprint services however include the office fridge as part of our services!

Unfortunately as a Commercial Cleaning company we can’t clean your fridge at home but here are some tip to show you how using cheap eco friendly and safe chemicals.

What you need:

• Vinegar.
• Bi-carbonate soda.
• Warm water in a container.
• dishwashing liquid.
• Soft cloths (Chuxx).
• non-scratch pad.
• distilled alcohol/rubbing alcohol.
• Esky with ice.
• Soft toothbrush.

Method for fridge cleaning:

• Discard spoilt and un-covered food.
• Empty fridge and turn off (Put perishables in esky).
• Remove shelving and any other items such as crisper trays and ice trays (freezer) and soak in your sink with warm soapy water.
• Gently scrub the interior with warm water and Dishwashing liquid, to remove sticky spills use rubbing alcohol and warm water.
• Wipe with damp cloth.
• If you are able to remove your air-filter wash in the sink with warm soapy water, after rinsing wipe down with vinegar before return (Vinegar will help stop mould).
• Wipe down the interior with a soft cloth and vinegar (helps stop mould growth).
• Use a toothbrush to get into those hard to reach places.
• Scrub the shelves and other items with a non-scratch pad rinse and dry.
• Wipe down shelving and other item with vinegar and return to fridge.
• Place an open container of bi-Carbonate soda to the bottom rear of fridge where it will be out of the way.
• Wipe down the seals with vinegar and a soft cloth (use a soft toothbrush to reach those hard to reach areas).
• Check seals for cracks and deterioration.
• If you moved your fridge out from the wall before turning back you will need to let the fridge coolants rest for about 30mins.
• Leave the door open for about 20mins to let it air.
• Turn fridge on and wait about an hour before returning food items.
• Fridge cleaning should be once a month!

Footprints Services hopes you enjoy reading our blogs, if you would like more information on our Commercial Cleaning Services please contact us at 1300 988 609 or visit our website at http://footprintservices.com.au/contact-us/ for a no obligation quote backed by our 5 Powerful Guarantees.

How effective is your Dishwasher Cleaning?

Dishwasher Cleaning tips!

Footprint Services has been Commercial Cleaning for more than 20 years and we love to share our experience with you, so here are some Dishwasher Cleaning tips and facts for you:

A dirty dishwasher can be ineffective when washing  dishes and can also cause illness!  The moist and hot environment in a dishwasher serves as a perfect habitat for two types of dangerous fungi, Both Exophiala species have remarkable tolerance to heat, high salt concentrations, aggressive detergents and to both acid and alkaline water!
Keeping your dishwasher clean and free from build-up is very important so let get on with your Dishwasher Cleaning with minimal effort and fuss.

What You Need:

• Distilled white vinegar
• Baking soda
• Screwdriver, hex wrench, or other tool (check internal dishwasher screws before you start)
• Toothpick, bamboo skewer – something that has a fine point at one end (avoid metal as it will cause scratches)
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloths or soft rags
• Firm and soft Toothbrushes
• Non-scratch cleaning pad

What to do:

1. Run a cycle with nothing in the machine, when finished completely drain the water from your dishwasher.
2. Remove the racks and check the spray holes.
3. Make sure the holes are clear of build-up you can use a toothpick to remove any build-up (be careful not to scratch around the holes as it can cause irregular spray distribution).
4. Wipe down the arms with soft cloth and vinegar once all debris is removed from the holes. use a tooth bush to get into the hard to reach places
5. Scrub (Non scratch cleaning pad)the inside walls, the top and bottom of the machine with warm water and soap, use a tooth bush to get into the hard to reach places.
6. Remove the waste water grate and clean with non scratch pad, soap and warm water around the area removing any build-up and particles, flush the draining hole with baking soda and warm water, use a tooth bush to get into the hard to reach places.
7. Remove and wash the filter by disassembling in your sink, clean with warm water, non-scratch pad and soap, use a tooth bush to get into the hard to reach places.
8. Wipe in the door seals and remove build-up around the edges of the door.
9. Remove the utensil rack and clean with non-scratch pad and warm soap water, use a tooth bush to get into the hard to reach places.
10. Once clean reassemble your machine carefully and run a empty cycle using 3 cups of vinegar poured into the bottom of the machine vinegar in order to remove remaining debris and calcium build-up, stop the machine and let soak for about 30 minutes and then finish cycle.
11. Clean exterior with vinegar and micro fibre cloth be sure to wipe with grain and dry with another cloth, again you can use a soft tooth bush to get into the hard to reach places like buttons.

Footprint Services recommends that you conduct Dishwasher Cleaning at least once a month. If you have any questions or would like us to quote you for Commercial Cleaning at your business give us a call at 1300988609 or contact us via our website http://footprintservices.com.au/contact-us/

Occupational Health and Safety – Computers

Desk-top computers can cause potential physical, visual and psychological damage. When setting up the workstation employees should consider how often they access their desk-top and position it accordingly.

When using Flash drives or USB drives employees should be aware of their reach capacity and position their desk-top appropriately to avoid excessive stretching.

Position keyboards and mouses at an appropriate height so as to avoid excessive strain on the arms and wrists. Excessive strain can lead to complications such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Median Nerve Entrapment, sprains and other strain injuries.  Using ergonomically designed Keyboards and mouses will reduce discomfort.

Notebooks and laptops

Notebook and laptop computers are used in a wide variety of situations and settings where there is limited capacity to adjust the desk. This can result in the work height being unsuitable. Screen and keyboard height can result in the arms being held too high or the neck being strained to view the screen.

Note that if the screen is tilted upwards, reflections can occur with some screens, causing strain on the eyes.

Some these issues can prevented by:

• Docking with a desk-top computer that can be adjusted
• Connecting to another screen, keyboard and mouse
• Transferring information onto a desk-top computer
• Correct posture when using a notebook
• Becoming keyboard literate to avoid constant shift of focus between looking down at the keys and back at the screen, which can contribute to neck discomfort.
• Invest in ergonomic Furniture

Occupational Health & Safety Risk Management

Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management is designed to identify, minimise, eliminate, hazards and the risk of injuries and illness associated with the workplace.

Employers are required by law to provide a safe and risk free environment for their employees.   It should start with proper supervision, training, and information provided to your employees so that they can perform their work in a safe manner.

Training should provide employees and their supervisors with an understanding of:

• Health and safety legal responsibilities
• The nature of the hazards in the workplace
• The process of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control
• The arrangements for reporting
• Circumstances likely to cause hazards
• The reasons for, and safe use of, the risk control measures within the workplace
• Safe work practices.

Employers are also required to keep information and records relating to the health and safety of employees. These include

records for legal requirements – e.g. injury reports

Records of hazard identification,

risk assessment and risk control.

Review of health and safety polices, practices and procedures enables an organisation to determine whether their health and safety management activities are effective.

Policies, procedures, and control measures, require reviewing over time to ensure that their objectives (identify, minimise, eliminate, hazards and the risk of injuries and illness associated with the workplace) are being achieved.

Why is Health and Safety Risk Management important to an organisation?

There is a legal obligation to provide a healthy and safe workplace. In addition, effective management of health and safety hazards makes good business sense.

It can lead to reduced costs, increased productivity, higher morale and better employee relations.

Employers have a duty of care to provide a healthy and safe working environment under Occupational Health and Safety legislation and common law.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 (OHS Act) states that
’employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to protect the health and safety at work of the employer’s employees’ –
-Section 16;(1) of the OHS Act.

Employers should ensure that all managers, supervisors and employees are aware of their occupational health and safety responsibilities.  This should be done through consultation, documenting responsibilities, and ensuring there are processes in place to hold people accountable for occupational health and safety performance.

Employees also have obligations under Section 21 of the OHS Act.