Author: Paige Daley

The purpose of a quality management system in healthcare is to ensure that healthcare organizations provide the best possible care and uphold high standards of patient safety. Typically, a healthcare QMS focuses on the performance of providers and how they interact with patients.

However, it shouldn’t be any secret that hygiene standards are a critical aspect of patient safety. Your providers aren’t the ones mopping the floors. How well your janitorial staff cleans your healthcare facility should be included in your healthcare QMS, alongside provider performance.

If you’re looking to integrate cleanliness into your healthcare quality management system, this article will show you how. We’ll discuss the importance of cleaning practices as part of a healthcare QMS and how you can roll it out as part of yours.

Why Building Hygiene Standards Are Critical in a Healthcare Quality Management System

Chances are, you already have a system in place regarding hand washing at your healthcare facility. Building cleanliness standards have a similar urgency. Your provider may have clean hands, but what they washed off their hands could still be on your floors, desks, or railing. 

If you haven’t already set janitorial and facility cleaning standards in your healthcare QMS, here are a few of the reasons why you should.

Reduce the Risk of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) 

According to the CDC, 1 out of every 31 hospitalized patients contracts an HAI. Historically, lack of adherence to hand washing protocols has been the top reason for this spread. However, this hand washing issue has gradually improved in recent years. 

Still, HAIs continue to be a prevalent problem. This is partially due to improper facility cleaning practices that should be standardized in your QMS.

It’s probably fairly obvious that soiled equipment, bedsheets, and other surfaces should be cleaned. However, not all needed protocols are obvious. For instance, you also need to ensure that staff aren’t using the same cleaning equipment in multiple areas without proper disinfection. Cleaning equipment can, ironically, be what spreads pathogens from one area to another.

Image: WHO suggested cleaning routine for healthcare janitorial services. 

Protect Immunocompromised Patients

Immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, or those with chronic illnesses, are at a higher risk of contracting infections. They’re also at a higher risk of experiencing severe complications as a result of the infection.

As such, there’s no room for hygiene errors when it comes to these patients and there are ethical implications to neglecting cleanliness standards in their presence. Their presence (or potential presence) at your facility stresses the importance of rigorous, standardized cleaning protocols for all janitorial staff.

Reduce the Risk of Onsite Accidents

Proper janitorial practices not only prevent the spread of infections but also reduce the risk of onsite accidents. Wet floors, clutter, and improperly stored equipment can pose a risk to patients, staff, and visitors. 

Furthermore, neglected spills and clutter can damage the surface they are on. This damage makes the surface more difficult to clean in the long-term. Bacteria, fungi, mold, and other biological materials can settle into damaged surfaces and be difficult to clean out.

Increase Staff & Patient Satisfaction

A clean and well-maintained healthcare facility provides a more pleasant environment for both patients and staff. Patients will feel more comfortable and staff will feel more valued and motivated to provide high-quality care and maintain those high cleanliness standards. 

Furthermore, a clean environment boosts your healthcare facility’s reputation. When patients perceive your facility as clean and well-maintained, they are more likely recommend it to friends and family, and leave higher patient satisfaction scores.

Maintain Industry Compliance Standards

Incorporating building cleanliness into your healthcare quality management system can help ensure that your facility is consistently meeting industry compliance standards. Proper documentation of cleaning and disinfection practices can also provide evidence of compliance during regulatory inspections.

Read More About the Importance of a Clean Facility Quality Management in the Cleaning Industry What is a BioRisk Commercial Cleaning Services Certification/ Accreditation? Make Your Intention Infection Prevention

For example, The Joint Commission has specific standards for infection prevention and control that include building cleanliness. Healthcare organizations that are accredited by The Joint Commission are required to comply with these standards and are subject to regular surveys to ensure that they are upholding compliance.

How to Effectively Integrate Cleaning Protocols Into Your Healthcare QMS

Knowing why you should do it is one thing, but it’s another to implement your new standards. Implementing a QMS can take some time, but there are some standard steps you can follow to make it more efficient. 

Roll-Out New Changes Fast With Cloud-Based Technology Book a Demo

Develop Comprehensive Cleaning Protocols

Start by creating detailed cleaning protocols that outline the specific tasks, schedule, and methods for each area of your facility. This should include guidelines for cleaning high-touch surfaces, floors, restrooms, and patient rooms. Ensure that your protocol addresses the unique needs of different areas, such as operating rooms, isolation rooms, and common areas.

Involve Clinical Staff

Encourage collaboration between your cleaning team and clinical staff. Clinical staff can provide valuable insights into the specific cleaning needs of sensitive patient care areas and can help identify potential sources of contamination.

Document Your Cleaning Practices

Maintain detailed records of your cleaning practices, including assessment results. This documentation will serve as evidence of your adherence to cleanliness standards that can be used during regulatory inspections.

Train Your Janitorial Staff

Provide thorough training to your janitorial staff on the cleaning protocol you’ve developed. Ensure that they understand the importance of their role and how these standards will improve patient safety. Regularly update and refresh their training to keep them informed about best practices any time your protocols change.

Monitor and Assess Cleaning Performance

Monitor and assess the effectiveness of your cleaning practices. This could include visual inspections, microbial testing, or the use of surface imaging technology to evaluate the removal of contaminants. Use the results of these assessments to identify if there are areas for improvement and adjust your protocol as needed.

Regularly Review and Update Your Protocols 

Periodically review and update your cleaning protocols to ensure that it reflects current best practices and addresses any new risks. Stay informed about emerging pathogens, compliance updates, and the latest recommendations for infection prevention and control.

How Can Optisolve Help Solve Your Medical Facility Cleaning Challenges? Find Out

Simplify Cleaning Quality Assurance at Your Healthcare Organization Using Technology

Improving quality within your healthcare cleanliness protocols doesn’t have to be complicated. Even if you have a large janitorial staff count, you can roll out your standardized cleaning procedures with ease.

Optisolve SAVI® is designed to help you face this challenge. Our cloud-based technology lets you set specific protocols and roll them out to your whole team in real-time. This also means that if any changes occur, everyone will have access to them immediately. 

SAVI® is also perfect for helping you ensure everyone is following your set standards. Our tool allows real-time onsite assessments to determine the effectiveness of every cleaning job. You can use these assessments to prove your adherence to compliance bodies or enhance your cleaning practices.

Contact Optisolve today to get started with a more tech-SAVI® healthcare cleaning solution.

In simple terms, a quality management system (QMS) is a structured, centralized collection of documents and records that showcase the business processes, procedures, and individual responsibilities required to maintain high quality standards and meet regulatory compliance.

A QMS could be manual, but it’s much easier to manage with a software tool. This is especially true for chains, large businesses, and contractors who have multiple clients. A lot of industries use QMSs to uphold quality control. It’s common for businesses that manufacture medical devices, food, and cosmetics to implement QMS software. 

However, this article is going to examine what quality management systems look like in the cleaning industry. We’ll explain what it is, how cleaning contractors can use it, and how it will greatly improve customer satisfaction for any cleaning company’s clientele.

“You shouldn’t just clean, you should clean with purpose and precision. A high-quality cleaning QMS is exactly the tool you need to help you achieve that.” – Prakash Naganath, CEO, Optisolve

What is a Quality Management System in The Cleaning Industry?

In the cleaning industry, a quality management system tool is a comprehensive software application that helps cleaners plan, conduct, track, and report site assessments regarding cleaning quality, surface cleaning validation, and environmental monitoring.

These insights help facility teams maintain high cleaning standards and ensure compliance with industry regulations. Using Optisolve SAVI® as an example, this is how a cleaning QMS tool works for its user.

1. User Configuration

Once you have your QMS tool, your first step is to configure it to fit your business needs. You can create your own assessments or modify pre-existing templates to fit your needs.

2. Determine Protocols

After the assessment templates are established, facility management would design cleaning protocols, programs, and processes using the software. This would include the cleaning methods, audit schedule, and standards that cleaning staff must follow.

3. Set Performance Benchmarks

Then, you can set performance benchmarks in the software. These benchmarks serve as targets for cleaning staff to achieve and maintain. Consider your pre-determined protocols as you set attainable yet rigorous benchmarks.

4. Conduct Onsite Assessments

Once everything is all set up in the system, staff conduct cleaning and disinfection assessments onsite in real-time after a cleaning job. They would evaluate cleaning quality using the software’s tools and audit it against your pre-determined benchmarks.

5. Collect & Share Data

The data from onsite assessments is collected and shared with stakeholders across the facility. This is done using a cloud-based data capture and analytics platform.

6. Generate Reports

This data is then used to generate reports and dashboards that clearly communicate the results of the assessment. Use them to provide feedback to your team and to demonstrate compliance and cleaning effectiveness.

7. Use Reports to Make Data-Driven Decisions About Future Improvements

One of the biggest advantages of this system is that you can use it to make your cleaning processes even better. If there are noticeable trends surrounding your performance benchmarks, that may indicate that you need to reevaluate your cleaning protocols.

Pair Your QMS Tool With Other Software Solutions For Optimal Precision Cleaning Janitorial Management Software Surface Imaging Technology

How Cleaning Services Can Use QMS Software to Enhance Their Quality Management Standards

Now that you’ve seen how QMS works in the cleaning industry, the next question is how you can use this system to enhance your practices. Here are a few ways you can do that. 

Standardize Your Protocols

QMS software allows cleaning services to standardize cleaning protocols across all locations. This ensures consistency in cleaning practices and compliance with industry regulations whenever necessary.

It also helps preserve your reputation. This is because it ensures that the quality processes a client can expect in one locality will be maintained in every other. 

Enhance Employee Training

Because QMS software lets you monitor the performance of your cleaning staff, it can provide valuable information on how you can enhance your training programs. It may also be a good way to pinpoint staff members who could use additional training.

Improve Communication

Quality management software makes it quick and easy to share information with your staff, facility managers, and any other key stakeholders. You can rapidly make everyone aware of your cleaning protocols and verify that they’re being followed without having to book additional meetings.

Increase Operational Efficiency

By implementing a systematic approach to cleaning and quickly distributing it, you can drastically increase your operational efficiency. This could include reducing the time and resources required for proper cleaning and disinfection. 

Considering that your average commercial cleaning job takes approximately 1 hour per every 1,000 square feet, this increase in efficiency could provide significant time savings. This helps your staff get more jobs done each work day.

Reduce Risks

QMS software allows cleaning services to reduce the risks associated with cleaning and disinfection. This includes reducing the risk of cross-contamination, the spread of infections, and non-compliance with industry regulations.

That’s because the tool will report on poorly performed cleaning jobs in real time. If there are any issues with your protocols or their implementation, these issues can be addressed promptly before they escalate into bigger problems.

Enhance Your Business’s Reputation

The 2022 ACI National Cleaning Survey reports that 44% of people prioritize cleaning effectiveness over other factors. While this survey was focused on cleaning products, this statistic still shows that you need to demonstrate thorough cleaning jobs to stand out.

The comprehensive site assessment reports from your QMS can be a great tool to demonstrate how rigorous your cleaning jobs are. Being able to prove your thoroughness using tangible evidence can really give your cleaning business a competitive edge.

Meet Customer Expectations (And Exceed Them!)

When you enhance your quality management, you enhance your customer satisfaction. As mentioned, cleaning clients place a high value on thoroughness. Not only will a QMS tool help you demonstrate your effectiveness, it can also support continuous improvement as standards change.

How Else is Technology Advancing Cleaning Services? 7 Innovative Ways to Use Janitorial Management Software Building Service Contractors: Tips to Optimize Staff Training Processes with Cleaning Validation Software Moving Ahead With Technology: 3 Tips From Our Tech Expert

Trust a Quality Management System Software Tool With a Focus on Cleaning

There are a lot of QMS software tools on the market. However, these tools are often general and may not perfectly fit the needs of a cleaning business. Your cleaning company can avoid that risk by opting for a QMS tool that was specifically designed for cleaners.

Optisolve SAVI® is that tool. We’ve been in the cleaning industry for 60 years, so we know exactly how quality assurance standards have evolved over the decades. We used this extensive experience alongside data-driven innovations from leading academics and tech experts to create a QMS tool tailored to the needs of the cleaning business. 

Contact us for your free demo to see how SAVI® can help take your cleaning quality objectives to the next level.

It should be no secret that you need to control food safety hazards to keep your staff and patrons healthy. Plus, any food business with a significant health outbreak risks significant reputational damage and customer losses. Establishing a clear-cut food safety quality management system is a surefire way to solidify and implement food safety standards.

If you don’t already have one, now is the time to start. If you do already have one, there’s always room to enhance it. This article is for you no matter which of those two situations you’re in. We’ll examine what food safety systems are and list 7 cleaning strategies they should include. 

What is a Food Safety Management System?

A food safety management system (FSMS) is a strategic system that a food and beverage business uses to ensure that products are safe for consumption. Any business that handles food should have some form of FSMS in place. That includes bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and logistics companies who deliver products through the food supply chain.

High kitchen hygiene standards are necessary to ensure that food is safe. Therefore, cleaning strategies are usually an integral part of a company’s FSMS. 

How to Implement a Food Safety Management System

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a 4-part system for their FSMS.

1. Managerial: outlines the roles, responsibilities, and procedures of the organization
2. Technical: solidifies the steps and procedures for ensuring food safety
3. Conformance: assesses adherence and reports those who don’t follow
4. Training: trains all responsible for food safety on the same set of standards

The CFIA 4-part system is more so geared towards food inspection officers and CFIA itself. However, everyday organizations can make use of this structure. Consider building a smaller system within your business that’s structured similarly. This will help you establish clear standards and efficiently ensure they’re being followed.

To mimic the CFIA, designate your staff as your food safety managers. Establish their responsibilities to uphold safe food practices and determine how they will perform this duty. Anyone who handles food should be listed as someone responsible for safety.

Create a written document that clearly outlines your food safety regulations. Then, create a cadence for regular internal inspections to ensure you’re way ahead of external inspectors. This will help you mimic the conformance standard of assessing adherence and reporting missteps. 

You Can Also Improve Food Safety Management With Software That Detects Possible Food Safety Hazards Learn More

7 Cleaning Strategies That Should Be In Your Food Safety Quality Management System 

1. Schedule Deep Cleaning

Set specific times, whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, for a thorough deep cleaning. This should cover areas that might not receive daily attention, like behind appliances, inside ovens, and under sinks. Most commercial kitchens should opt for a weekly or bi-weekly routine due to the high volume of food production.

It might be helpful to create a checklist for your deep cleaning routine. This way, you can ensure that nothing is overlooked. Over time, you can update the checklist based on what you find works best for your space.

2. Use Colour-Coded Cleaning Tools

Use different coloured cloths, mops, and brushes for different areas of your facility. You should also consider colour-coding equipment that touches high-risk raw ingredients, like poultry or seafood. This prevents cross-contamination and ensures that germs from one area don’t spread to another.

3. Use Approved Cleaning Agents

Ensure that all cleaning agents used in the kitchen are food-safe. Non-food-safe products can leave chemical residue on utensils or countertops, which can transfer to your food. If you’re not sure, you can check the label on the package. 

You can also check the ingredients for non-food-safe chemicals. Eco-friendly products are usually better, but they aren’t guaranteed to be food safe. Be mindful that some chemicals are safe for cleaning other areas of your facility, they just shouldn’t be near food.

Some ingredients found in cleaning products that are ok for other cleaning tasks, but not food-touch areas include:

• Formaldehyde
• 1,4-dioxane
• Chloroform
• Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats)
• Sodium borate (borax) and boric acid
• Phthalates

You should also regularly inspect and replace cleaning products that are past their use-by date (like you would with food). Expired products are less effective and certain chemicals can become hazardous past their expiration date.

4. Sanitize Surfaces Daily

All surfaces, especially those that come into direct contact with food, should be sanitized at the end of each day. This includes countertops, cutting boards, and prep stations. Sanitization isn’t as simple as wiping down the surface with a wet, soapy rag. There’s a process to it.

See How Software Can Improve Safety Standards A Four-Step Approach to Becoming a Best-in-Class Facility Use Data to Drive Effective Performance and Investment Outcomes Health and Safety Cannot Rely On Guesswork Any Longer

1. Remove any food particles or debris. Use soap and water for this initial cleaning.
2. Treat your surface with a food-safe sanitizing agent.
3. Ensure that the sanitizer remains on the surface for the recommended time before wiping or rinsing off.
4. Rinse or wipe off the sanitizer if necessary.

5. Regular Drain Cleaning

Drains can be a hotspot for bacteria and pests. Even if you don’t have an obvious clog, unseen grime could contaminate your dishes as you wash them in your sink. Plus, a dirty drain can produce unpleasant odors, which can permeate throughout your facility and turn off patrons.

The process of unclogging a clogged drain also causes operational disruptions in a busy kitchen. So, it’s best to take preventative actions to stop this disruption from ever occurring. It can be as simple as pouring a mix of hot water and vinegar into your drain daily.

6. Regular Refrigerator Cleaning

Old food residue can become a breeding ground for bacteria if left unchecked. Additionally, this residue is also not always apparent to the naked eye. For this reason, it’s best to regularly clean and sanitize the insides of refrigerators and freezers even if there’s no visual build-up.

7. Proper Storage Area Organization & Cleaning

Ensure dry storage areas are kept tidy and free from dust. Proper organization also allows for better air circulation, which helps keep stored foods at the correct temperature. Another good practice is to organize older items towards the front to ensure they get used before expiration.

Another crucial food safety practice is ensuring any spills or leaks in your storage area are wiped up immediately. Standing liquid is a major attractor for bacteria, mold, and pests, which can quickly spread to your stored food.

Take Your Food Safety Management System to The Next Level With Technology

When it comes to food safety, you can’t rely on guesswork or what you can see with the naked eye. Pathogens and biological residue can be hard to spot, but still dangerous to your patrons’ health and establishment’s reputation. 

Don’t guess, use technology to confirm your cleanliness. 

Optisolve Pathfinder™ is a revolutionary tool designed to transform your food safety standards. Using cutting-edge technology, Pathfinder™ captures detailed surface images, generating contamination density maps. This real-time data eliminates the guesswork, ensuring that every inch of your facility meets the highest cleanliness standards.

Contact us to add Pathfinder™ to your food safety quality management system.

Businesses in the commercial cleaning and janitorial services industry know all to well how tricky it can be to keep your customers happy. Janitorial services are often scheduled for when a facility is relatively empty, so customers don’t always know the level of effort, care, and consideration cleaning teams exert to keep a facility clean and sanitary.

Unfortunately, when customers don’t see professional cleaning being done first-hand they tend to question the validity and thoroughness of their cleaners. This can lead to undeserved scrutiny of cleaning teams by their clients and eventually erode the business relationship.

“The nature of the cleaning industry makes it far too easy for janitorial customers to doubt their cleaning providers’ efforts. Without the right checks and solutions in place to alleviate customer insecurities and justify the amount they’re spending on cleaning services, cleaning professionals will always have an uphill battle to create meaningful client relationships.” 

– Mark Candow, Business Developments, Optisolve®

To avoid this cycle of mistrust from starting in the first place, cleaning businesses can implement processes that allow customers to clearly see the cleaning work being done in their facility. One way is by using software solutions designed for monitoring cleaning efforts and its effectiveness, which we will discuss in this blog.

Reasons Why Customers Become Dissatisfied with Janitorial Services

Before we dig into how new technological solutions can help your cleaning business impress and please your customers better, let’s take a look at why your customers could become unhappy in the first place.

Lack of Visibility of Services

As mentioned before, when clients don’t see the effort and time a team puts into cleaning a facility, it can be easy for them to assume minimal or poor quality services were performed. As a result, they may start having doubts about the service’s value.

Inconsistent Cleaning Standards

Customers want consistent results when it comes to the cleanliness and health of their buildings. If cleaning standards and processes aren’t consistent and staff are following different cleaning protocols, customers may become frustrated and gain a sense of disorganization about their cleaning company.

Lack of Quality Assurance Program

Quality assurance programs give facility operators assurances that their building is being cleaned to the level agreed upon between them and their janitorial provider. If a commercial cleaning company doesn’t have quality assurance protocols in place, it will be difficult to maintain a high-level of trust and confidence from their customers.

Want to know more about cleaning validation and why it’s crucial for your quality assurance program? Read our blog: What is Cleaning Validation? Cleaning Verification vs. Cleaning Validation Cleaning Validation and Workforce Satisfaction

High Employee Turnover

The cleaning industry has a notoriously high employee turnover rate. However, if regular changes in employees leads to low-quality services and long training phases, your customers may choose to find a company with better staff retention rates.

Poor Communication

Communication is key for a business to thrive and the cleaning industry is no exception. Being able to communicate clearly, effectively, and deliver information in real-time can help cleaning teams stay in the good graces of their customers.

High Prices

It costs a lot of money to operate a facility. With the cost of utilities, maintenance needs, capital expenditures, and personnel to consider, it’s easy for a building’s budget to get out of hand. In that case, if a cleaning company isn’t competitively priced, it’s likely their clients will source more cost-effective options.

How Can Software Solutions Improve Customer Service Engagements for Commercial Cleaning Teams?

Improve Communication with Real-Time Reporting and Visibility

Advanced janitorial software gives everyone involved in a project real-time visibility of cleaning efforts, processes, and more. This information can ease tensions between a cleaning company and their clients as it can be used to clearly demonstrate:

• When cleaners were working in a facility 
• What locations were cleaned      
• What cleaning processes were used 
• The effectiveness of their cleaning efforts
• And more

The real-time visibility allows facility managers to access information pertinent to the cleaning efforts happening in their building whenever they want, from wherever they want. Or, for cleaning companies whose customers don’t need such a high-degree of visibility, they can use the software to quickly and easily generate reports that show their efforts if requested.

Optisolve® is enhancing the cleaning processes for a facility with over 750,000 sq.ft of surfaces! How did we do it? Read our case study to learn more. Click Here

Control Prices with Improved Efficiencies

Costs are rising, that’s no secret. However, customers are not interested in paying companies more, even when the price of cleaning supplies and labor costs skyrocket. When push comes to shove, customers are more likely to seek out a different company than pay higher prices. This forces cleaning companies to choose between profit margins or losing business all together.

Software solutions can help make that burden a little easier. Cleaning validation software, such as SAVI™ by Optisolve®, give janitorial companies insight into inefficiencies that are costing them precious time and money each month. Ways that SAVI™ can make operations more streamlined include:

• Identify inefficient cleaning processes
• Shorten on-boarding and new hire training times
• Identify ways to reduce the amount of cleaning products being used
• Minimize the cleaning times without sacrificing quality
• Lower the cost of paper needed for paper record keeping
• Save on the labour time needed to track and record paper checklists into a tangible report

Build Trust with Effective Quality Assurance Program

Being able to prove your team has cleaned a facility is equally as important as the cleaning itself. In order to build trust with your customers, you need a quality assurance program that instills confidence in your company and your team. Janitorial validation software can do just that.

Janitorial validation software gives cleaning professionals an effective way to truly prove to customers that their team’s cleaning efforts are effective. The information gained also gives you insight into what’s working, what isn’t, and helps identify opportunities for improvement. 

A quality assurance program backed by cleaning validation software also makes compliance with customer and industry standards a breeze.

Demonstrate Cleaning Efforts with Surface Imaging Technology

Despite you and your team’s best efforts, your clients may still question how effective your processes are at preventing the spread of harmful pathogens in their buildings. Surface imaging technology solutions can provide the insight you need to calm your clients’ concerns.

Pathfinder™, a GBAC Star registered cleaning solution lets you see exactly how clean a surface is. This tool is key for truly showing customers contamination levels on a surface before and after a cleaning treatment. 

Not only does this give customers visual evidence of your efforts, it gives staff an easy, accurate way to conduct site assessments and evaluate their cleaning efforts.

Impress Your Janitorial Customers with Advanced Digital Assessment Solutions

It’s time to develop customer relationships that take your cleaning business to the next level. With digital solutions at your side that make tracking and evaluating every cleaning effort your team makes, customers will have the insight they need to feel confident in your team’s efforts (and no doubt boost your positive cleaning review scores too!)

At Optisolve®, we’ve been part of the janitorial industry for decades and we know how challenging it can be to keep customers happy while meeting your bottom line. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve leveraged today’s technology to create software solutions that add visibility into cleaning efforts and streamline cleaning validation practices.

To learn more about our products, and how we can help you improve your customer experience delivery practices, connect with our team.

Everyone who works in the food industry has heard how important kitchen hygiene standards are. Yet, commercial kitchen cleaning is neglected more often than you might expect. This typically has more to do with bars, restaurants, and cafés trying to save time than it does with deliberate neglectfulness. 

Still, proper hygiene in a commercial kitchen is crucial to food safety. Harmful bacteria don’t care if you have a full schedule. That’s why it’s absolutely essential to make your cleaning processes efficient without cutting corners.

The question then becomes how you do that. This article intends to help answer that question. We’ll discuss some all too neglected areas of commercial kitchen cleaning, why they’re important and how you can uphold your kitchen’s hygiene standards efficiently.

Our Time-Efficient (Yet Effective) Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Tips 

Don’t Rush Through What You Know You Need to Do

Neglected areas of kitchen cleaning aren’t limited to what people forget. Sometimes, kitchen staff rush through required cleaning tasks which lessens the task’s effectiveness. Here’s a few examples and how you can make it better.

Really Wash Your Hands

We’ve all been hearing it since childhood, but the USDA still shows that 97% of people don’t wash their hands correctly. Although most people in developed Western countries do wash their hands regularly, very few do it well enough to truly be effective. This statistic is better among food service workers, but it’s still important to ensure it’s happening in your kitchen.

The average person washes their hands for 6 seconds, but the CDC recommends 20 seconds. While this is an additional 14 seconds every session, it’s worth the risk prevention. Kitchen staff must wash their hands:

• Before food preparation
• Before and after wearing gloves
• Before and after handling raw meat, seafood, or eggs

Scrub Down Your Chopping Board

Chopping boards for raw ingredients need to be wiped down regularly. However, like hand washing, many people do this but don’t do it well. A good deep cleaning is time-consuming which may be time that a busy restaurant doesn’t have.

One quick fix that can help is using colour-coded boards for different food products. This won’t replace your need to wash and disinfect boards, but it can help prevent cross contamination. As much as time allows, make sure you use soapy hot water to wash and disinfect each board after each use.

Do More Than Quickly Wipe Your Kitchen Counter

Counters come into direct contact with food, making them potential hotspots for bacterial growth. Additionally, cracks or chips can harbor bacteria and mold, making them harder to clean. 

Wiping down your counter space after it comes in contact with food should be part of kitchen staff’s workflows. This is more efficient than stopping to wipe after the food prep process is over. If your counters are made of natural stone, ensure they are sealed regularly to prevent stains and bacterial penetration. You should also avoid abrasive scrubbing to prevent scratches. 

Dust Your Food Storage Shelves More Often

Dusty shelves can impact food safety more than you might think. Dust and dirt that settles on your shelves can seep into products stored on those shelves. It can also attract pests that bring other hazards into your kitchen.

Saying that you need to dust your shelves every day may be unrealistic if you’re busy serving hundreds of customers. However, you should make sure that you do this at least once a week. Make sure you actually remove all items off the shelf and dust beneath the items too instead of simply wiping around them.

Learn More About How You Can Enhance Your Cleaning Standards What’s The Difference Between Cleaning vs. Disinfecting? What Is ATP Surface Testing? What is Meant By Precision Cleaning?

Don’t Neglect These Areas in Your Kitchen

Even professional cleaning services can have a habit of missing certain spots in your kitchen. This isn’t because they’re bad at their job, only that the safety risks associated with these areas are seldom taught. 

This also emphasizes the importance of an effective data-driven cleaning report tool that can help your team improve their processes and reveal unexpected areas of attention. Here are a few spots that affect food safety more than you might expect.

Don’t Wait For Your Drains to Be Clogged

Drains are prone to bacterial growth, which can contaminate dishes and utensils as you wash them in your sink. That means that drain clearing should be a daily exercise, not something you wait until it’s clogged to do.

Chemical drain cleaners can be pricey, but you can achieve similar results with a cost-effective mixture of hot water and vinegar. Vinegar has natural antibacterial properties that can kill some pathogens. It’s also an acid that can help dissolve clog-causing build-up. 

While vinegar makes a great cost-effective, natural cleaner for daily use, it won’t replace heavy duty disinfectants. If your drain has significant build-up or a major clog, you should opt for the stronger alternative.

Clean Your Ceiling & Exhaust Fans More

Accumulated grease and dust can reduce the efficiency of exhaust systems. Not only is this a fire risk, it also can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and other pathogens. When the exhaust system is in use, these contaminants can be circulated in the air, posing health risks to kitchen staff and patrons.

Use a degreaser and damp cloth to wipe down your fan blades quarterly at minimum. You may have to do this more frequently if your system is particularly prone to build-up. For instance, if you serve a lot of deep-fried food, more grease accumulates in the air. Too often, people wait until their fan is broken before they look. This gives pathogens too much time to spread.

Look Behind Your Appliances

In the home and at businesses, people tend to neglect what lurks behind their appliances. This lets dirt, food particles, and grease accumulate, attracting pests and potentially becoming a fire hazard.

Move your appliances and give the area behind them a good vacuum and a good scrub at least once a month. Depending on the appliance, some may need more or less attention than others. Here’s a table with a quick guide on some differences.

Refrigerator	Monthly, pull out the refrigerator, clean the back area, vacuum the coils, and wipe down the storage space.
Oven	Every 2-3 months, move the oven away from the wall, vacuum, and wipe down that area. Check for loose connections while you’re there.
Microwave	Every month, move the microwave, wipe down the back and sides, and ensure proper ventilation.
Dishwasher	Monthly, check for water leaks, clean the backside, and ensure the hose is properly connected.
Deep Fryer	Weekly, drain and clean the fryer. Monthly, move it to clean the space behind and ensure no oil buildup.

Keep an Eye on Your Ice Machines

Believe it or not, regularly cleaning your ice machines is an important way to prevent bacteria from spreading. The wet environment inside the machine fosters mold and bacteria growth, which can contaminate the ice it produces.

Open your ice machine, disinfect it, and treat it with a descaling solution once a month. When you do this, make sure it’s completely dry before you close and refill it. This is to ensure that your cleaning solution doesn’t end up in your ice. 

Enhance Commercial Cleaning With The Help of Technology

Proper cleaning takes time, but that doesn’t mean you can skip these tips. Maintaining kitchen hygiene is a matter of safety for you, your staff, and your patrons. That’s why any busy restaurant kitchen can benefit from janitorial software and imaging technology.

Optisolve’s precision cleaning approach has been shown to improve cleaning productivity by an estimated 30%. This means that you can save time while upholding high cleanliness standards. We also provide high-resolution imaging software so you can pinpoint contaminated areas and prioritize them in your precious cleaning time slots.

Reach out to us today to start using technology to improve your kitchen hygiene.

In a lot of ways, floor cleaning is floor cleaning. Often, what works for taking care of the floors in your home will also work for commercial floor cleaning. However, it’s safe to assume that workplaces and retail establishments get much more foot traffic than the average home. This means that commercial flooring often needs more time and attention to stay clean.

It also means that following best cleaning practices is much more important. Clean environments also promote productivity in workplaces and encourage customers to shop at your store. Dirty floors are often associated with unprofessional or even unsafe buildings, so leaving yours unchecked can leave a bad impression.

So, let’s take a look at 7 commercial floor cleaning tips to help keep your space bright and shiny.

1. Don’t Vacuum Wet Floors

This is less for the sake of your floor and more for the sake of your vacuum cleaner. Vacuums are electronics and mixing water with electronics is never a good idea. Plan your cleaning session to prevent this situation. Try vacuuming before you grab the mop and bucket. 

Also avoid damp spots on carpets. Even if they aren’t soaking wet, water from a damp carpet can still do damage. Check for any damp spots before you run the vacuum. It’s easy to miss when you’re in the middle of the task.

2. Prepare Your Floors For The Winter

Mud, salt, and snow all increase in volume once winter hits. All of these elements make your floor messier and can cause damage if left to build up. You will need to clean a bit more often in the winter, but there are also some pre-winter prep tasks you can do to keep it under control.

Clean and refinish wood floors and deep clean carpets before the first snow. This will ensure that any autumn dust doesn’t add to the problem when winter comes. Make sure you have mats at each entrance, and encourage people not to wear their “outdoor shoes” inside if possible.

3. Use Tile & Grout Protector

Tile and grout protectors are handy for more than one reason. It enhances floor care by keeping stains out and makes your tile floors easier to clean. This is because it adds a barrier to the floor that prevents grime from soaking in. All you have to do is quickly wipe up any messes.

Regularly applying protector to your tile floors is a small task that can significantly extend the life of your floor. On average, you can apply a protector every 6 months, but please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for best results.

4. Damaged Floors Are Dirtier Floors

Cracks and scratches collect dust and dirt. Once dirt is embedded in a scratch, it’s hard to scrub it out. For this reason, preventing floor damage is part of floor cleaning. If you need to move furniture, lift it instead of dragging it as much as you can. This will reduce scuffs and scratches.

Get More Cleaning Tips From Optisolve’s Experts Improving Your Education Facility’s Cleaning Processes Sustainable Cleaning Tools What Is ATP Surface Testing?

Office chairs with rollers are also common culprits when it comes to scratches. If you use them in your office, use mats to prevent the wheels from scraping the floor’s surface. You may also consider placing caster cups or rubber caps on the legs of any furniture to prevent contact.

5. Be Mindful of Your Mopping

Believe it or not, there’s a wrong way to mop. Most people assume that mopping is straightforward enough, but there’s more to it than dragging the mop across the floor. Improper mopping can do more harm than good. Excessive water leads to warping, poor technique causes you to spread grime instead of sweeping it, and too much force causes scratches.

The right way to mop follows these steps:

1. Remove any loose dirt by sweeping or vacuuming.
2. Fill your mop bucket halfway with hot water and add the recommended cleaning solution.
3. Wet and wring the mop, ensure that it’s only slightly damp, not soaking wet.
4. Begin at the farthest point of the room and work your way towards the exit to avoid stepping on freshly mopped areas. Use a figure-eight or an ‘S’ motion to effectively pick up dirt without pushing it around. Be careful not to apply excessive pressure.
5. If your mop bucket water becomes dirty midway through the process, change it.
6. After you’ve finished mopping, rinse the mop with warm water until the water runs clear, then leave it to air dry. Empty and rinse the bucket as well.

6. Stop Using Water on Your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood doesn’t handle water well. Excess water can cause hardwood floors to warp, crack, or discolour. Instead, opt for dry dust mopping or a cleaning solution designed specifically for hardwood.

Also, remember to never leave any liquid standing on your hardwood floor. Spills should be cleaned immediately to prevent it from seeping into the wood. Once you wipe it up, always dry the area thoroughly to ensure no moisture is left behind.

Need Help Keeping Your Cleaning Schedule on Track? There’s Technology to Help

7. Skipping Cleaning Days Based on Looks

Looks can be deceiving. Just because your floor looks spotless doesn’t mean it actually is. Stick to your established cleaning schedule. Resist the urge to skip scheduled cleaning days based on your floor’s looks. 

Technology can also help you see what your naked eye can’t. Surface imaging solutions offer high-resolution pictures of where biological material was left behind. You can use these insights to refine your cleaning process for a cleaner floor after your next scheduled sweep.

Simplify Commercial Floor Maintenance With Tech-Powered Cleaning

Don’t let the cleanliness of your commercial space be a matter of guesswork. Use a data-driven cleaning technology solution to enhance productivity by up to an estimated 30% and spot all the biological contaminants you left behind.

Optisolve offers a comprehensive janitorial management software solution that helps keep your cleaning team on track. Our software makes it easy to improve tracking and reporting, gain visibility into your cleaning quality, and implement effective quality control.

Pair that with Pathfinder™, our surface imaging solution, and you’re well on your way to spotless, beautiful floors. Technology has made work easier across all industries, and now it’s helping cleaning professionals too!
Contact us today to try it out!

Technology is improving efficiency in many industries. Warehouse management solutions enhance inventory control and accounting software makes taxes easier than ever before. However, did you know that janitorial services can also improve efficiency and effectiveness with janitorial software tools?

For most people who work in cleaning jobs, this is excellent news. Cleaning takes a lot of time, even if you’re great at your job. Janitorial software offers a way to help cleaning services save time on cleaning without cutting corners that can impact a cleaning job’s effectiveness.

Still, like any software tool, some options are better than others. To help you make an informed decision about your choice, this article will take a closer look at janitorial software and provide some expert tips to help you pick the right one.

“Technology can truly revolutionize how fast we clean and how thoroughly.” -Sanjaya Abeysinghe, Chief Technology Officer, Optisolve

What is Janitorial Software?

Janitorial software is a comprehensive digital tool used in modern facility management. It meets the cleaning service industry’s needs for efficiency, accuracy, and compliance. Facility managers and cleaning teams use it to improve cleaning and maintenance tasks. 

The best janitorial software includes robust technological features that shape results. These features will help users make informed decisions about their cleaning and maintenance processes.

Using janitorial software can enhance your cleaning business with:

1. Quality control measures
2. Trend analysis and reporting
3. Cost savings
4. Time savings

Not Sure Where to Look For a Janitorial Solution? Try Here

What’s the Difference Between Janitorial Software and Cleaning Software?

Cleaning and janitorial software are often used interchangeably, but they are slightly different. Janitorial software is a type of cleaning software, but not all cleaning software tools are janitorial software solutions. 

Janitorial software is typically designed for commercial cleaning businesses. Whereas, other types of cleaning software may be used for smaller cleaning businesses or individual contractors. For this reason, janitorial software often includes more comprehensive features to handle the complexities of a larger business.

5 Top Tips to Help You Choose The Best Janitorial Software

Now that you’ve got a firm grasp on what janitorial software is, let’s look at some of the top tips to help you choose the best one for your business.

1. Understand Your Business Needs

Before you start looking at different software options, it’s crucial to understand your business needs. This will prevent you from choosing a solution that doesn’t make sense for what you need to get done. 

For example:

• If you clean healthcare facilities you need compliance monitoring features to ensure adherence to strict health and safety regulations.
• If you clean education facilities, you need surface imaging technology to instantly detect bioburden materials on high touch surfaces in classrooms and common areas.
• If you clean restaurants, you need quality assurance features to maintain high cleanliness standards.
• If you clean corporate offices, you need a precision cleaning approach to effectively target high touch areas so you can ensure the efficient use of supplies across multiple locations and reduce absenteeism.

In essence, consider what you do each work day and how the tool could make it faster and better. Drill down into your various tasks and seek features that could streamline any operations.

2. Prioritize User-Friendly Interfaces

An intuitive user interface is essential for any software. It should be easy to navigate and understand, even for those who are not tech-savvy. This will also save you time on retraining new management on the tool whenever you have a new hire. 

3. Look for Advanced Features

Part of what makes janitorial software stand out from other cleaning software tools are its advanced features. Make sure your software choice can handle the size of your business and be able to scale when the time comes. 

If you’re dealing with high health standards, like those in a healthcare or food safety environment, you may also want to look for a tool that can really help you wipe up all bacteria. Seek a tool that integrates advanced surface testing methodologies and provides high-quality images of present biological material. This will help you see how clean a surface really is.

Consider the following diagram of how much bacteria is in a kitchen on average compared to various household surfaces. 

Source: Angi

As you can see, that’s a shocking amount of unseen grime in unexpected places. With biological material imaging features, your team can make the invisible visible so they can leave no contamination undetected. 

4. Consider Compatibility

Like any business, you’re probably using other tools in your workflow. If necessary, you may have to integrate your janitorial software with other platforms. So, it’s important to consider whether or not your tool of choice will be able to support this.

Additionally, many janitorial software tools have a mobile app. This is great to help your team see what needs to be done onsite. It’s also an excellent way to get your software into more hands even if they’re outside your office.

5. Evaluate Customer Support

Good customer support can make a significant difference. While your tool should require minimal support calls, it’s important to have a great support team there when you need them. 

Look for a janitorial software provider that offers robust customer support – including training during the onboarding process, quick response times, and helpful resources. This will ensure that any issues you encounter can be quickly resolved.

Learn More About Keeping Your Building Cleaner With Tech Improving Your Education Facility’s Cleaning Processes The Importance of Security Compliance Sustainable Cleaning Tools

Consider Optisolve For Your Janitorial Solution

If you’re convinced that you can benefit from a janitorial software solution, and know what you’re looking for, you can start shopping here.
Optisolve uses evidence-based technology to enhance cleaning efficiency and identify contamination hotspots. Our advanced Pathfinder™ feature scans surfaces for biological material. So, you can use high-quality images to see if biological contaminants are present and their levels. 

Reach out to Optisolve today and experience the difference in quality, compliance, and support. 

Overseeing a facility’s maintenance program requires dedication for maintaining meticulous records, ensuring cleaning processes are effective, and keeping everything on budget. Not everyone possesses these unique traits. Fortunately though, with janitorial management software you don’t need to be perfect to effectively manage a cleaning team.

Most cleaning companies rely on cleaning software to manage key aspects of their operations  but many don’t fully understand how to get the most out of their software solutions. When used to its full potential, an advanced cleaning software program can improve business processes in addition to ensuring clean, hygienic, and regulation compliant facilities.

As said by Mark Candow, the business development manager at Optisolve,“Simply put, janitorial software boosts potential. Any commercial cleaning professional that knows how to exploit the full power of a high-performing cleaning software solution can easily further their goals and objectives much faster than those who choose to be comfortable with the basics.”

In this article, we’re exploring the full potential of advanced janitorial software programs and sharing unique ways cleaning teams can get the most out of their technology.

What is Janitorial Management Software?

Janitorial management software is a type of software designed to help cleaning professionals manage their business and maintenance tasks more efficiently and effectively. Generally speaking, there are two types of cleaning software on the market today: standard and advanced.

Standard Janitorial Management Software

Standard janitorial management software helps cleaning professionals streamline basic business functions and manage their cleaning operations more effectively. They have a range of capabilities that can be useful for any cleaning team, especially owners of small to mid-size residential cleaning companies.

The software benefits of standard platforms include:

• Manage client bookings
• Track client data and information
• Manage billing tasks
• Oversee staff time tracking
• Manage work orders more easily

Standard cleaning software is useful for handling the business side of a cleaning business. However, they can’t boost productivity or provide insight into the quality of cleaning services a team delivers. For that, teams need a more advanced janitorial management software.

Advanced Janitorial Management Software

Advanced janitorial management software helps advance the core services cleaning teams provide to their clients. They introduce innovative capabilities that can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cleaning operations. 

These capabilities include:

• Cleaning validation system
• Visual contamination detection capabilities
• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Real-time task tracking
• Track performance benchmarks
• Trend analysis 
• Standardized site assessments
• Improve facility cleanliness

By harnessing the power of advanced janitorial management software, cleaning professionals can ensure their operations are not just efficient, but also consistently meet or exceed the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

Keep up to date with today’s leading cleaning innovations. Read our blog: Improve Your School’s Cleaning Processes What is ATP Surface Testing? The Importance of Cloud Security for Cleaning Business Owners

Why Do Cleaning Professionals Need Advanced Cleaning Software?

In an industry where precision, efficiency, and high standards are paramount, advanced cleaning software becomes an indispensable asset. It goes beyond simple calendar management and addresses key pain points building services facilitators encounter every day.

Overcome Cleaning Management Challenges

Advanced cleaning software gives cleaning teams new insight into their cleaning processes and can be used to identify areas of opportunity for improvement. It also streamlines task management and simplifies cleaning validation efforts. This leads to improved efficiency and productivity, saving valuable time and resources.

Furthermore, the software enhances communication within the team. It provides a centralized platform where updates, instructions, and feedback can be shared seamlessly, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Increase Stakeholder Confidence

Advanced cleaning software isn’t just about making operations smoother—it’s also about building trust. By easily demonstrating high standards of cleanliness are continuously met, it boosts the confidence of stakeholders, from clients and customers to regulatory bodies.

Software programs, such as SAVI®, let managers provide detailed reports to clients, stakeholders, auditors, and inspectors, more easily and with real-time data.  This transparency not only builds trust but also enhances the reputation of the cleaning operation.

7 Innovative Capabilities of Advanced Janitorial Software

Knowing the basics and capabilities of an advanced cleaning software solution is interesting enough. However, it doesn’t explain what you can really do with a tool as powerful as this by your side. Let’s look at seven ways an elite software solution can help propel your cleaning team’s goals forward. 

Shorten New Employee Training Time

Onboarding and training new staff members consumes a great deal of a cleaning business’ resources and impacts how well a facility is maintained.  Advanced cleaning software can create consistency within training processes. This shortens the time it takes to properly train a new hire.

Validate Cleaning Efforts

Being able to demonstrate strict cleaning validation efforts is vital for any cleaning business. Facilities want evidence their cleaning investment is keeping their buildings clean and people safe from harmful bacteria and pathogens. Cleaning software with cleaning validation management built into its design streamlines and simplifies this process.

Meet Compliance Standards More Easily

Advanced cleaning software provides a centralized platform for tracking and documenting compliance-related activities. This can help you meet compliance and established client standards more easily. With this information at your fingertips, you can demonstrate compliance at a moment’s notice, making audits and inspections a breeze.

Book More Jobs

In the cleaning industry, the ability to meet high cleaning standards efficiently and effectively can significantly increase your business opportunities. 

Advanced cleaning software can help you achieve these standards in less time and with greater evidence of your cleaning efforts. This not only improves the quality of your service but also provides tangible proof of your work potential clients will appreciate. 

Lower Operating Costs

Software is key for improving efficiency and productivity, which you can turn into reduced labor and cleaning supply costs. Additionally, the software’s data and analytics can provide insights into your operations, helping you identify areas where you can cut costs without compromising service quality.

Embrace Sustainability

One way advanced cleaning software helps you embrace more sustainable measures is by facilitating a paper-free operation. From digital checklists to electronic reporting, the software eliminates the need for paper records, reducing waste and making your operations more eco-friendly.

Unlock Success with Janitorial Solutions from Optisolve

Cleaning companies turn to janitorial management software to overcome operational challenges and further their capabilities. These tools provide a solid foundation for managing tasks, coordinating teams, and maintaining high standards of cleanliness.

However, advanced software from Optisolve goes beyond the basics of cleaning software. It doesn’t just manage scheduling calendars and billing information—it provides innovative features that enhance efficiency, validate cleaning efforts, and boost stakeholder confidence.

To take your cleaning operations to the next level, consider the power of an advanced janitorial management software solution. 

Reach out to Optisolve today and unlock the full potential of your cleaning business.

Effective staff training is a quality cornerstone for any building service contractor. How well a cleaning team performs directly impacts the health, wellness, and safety of any facility. 

However, with high turnover rates, a lack of objectively measured performance feedback, and limited resources being prevalent in the janitorial industry, it’s easy for a team’s training goals to fall to the wayside.

Let’s take a look at how building services teams can overcome common staff training challenges.

8 Staff Training Challenges for Building Services Contractors

Staff training in the cleaning industry comes with its unique set of challenges, all of which can significantly affect productivity and profitability. Here are eight common hurdles:

• High Turnover Rates. The cleaning industry often faces turnover rates well over 75%. Continuously onboarding and training new staff takes immense time and resources.
• Language and Cultural Barriers. Training a diverse workforce can be challenging. Miscommunication or misunderstanding due to language or cultural differences can impact training effectiveness.
• Resistance to New Techniques or Tools. Seasoned staff may resist new cleaning techniques or tools, slowing down the implementation of innovative practices designed to improve efficiency.
• Time Constraints. Finding dedicated time for training in a busy schedule can be tough, often leading to rushed or incomplete training sessions.
• Keeping Up with Regulations. The cleaning industry is highly regulated. Training staff to comply with changing rules and guidelines can be daunting, with non-compliance affecting profitability.
• Training Cost. Training, especially for large teams, can be expensive. From the cost of trainers to the resources and time involved, it can put significant strain on a company’s budget.
• Keeping Training Up-to-Date. With constant advancements in cleaning techniques, equipment and a heightened level of awareness and expectations post  pandemic , it can be challenging to ensure staff are always up-to-date with the latest industry standards and best practices.
• Tracking Training Progress. Keeping track of who has completed which training modules, especially in a large team, can be an administrative challenge. This can lead to gaps in training, with some staff not receiving the necessary education.
• Lack of an objective performance measuring tool. Without adequate performance tracking policies, supported by data-backed evidence, inconsistencies can quickly develop causing employees to easily become frustrated and develop a mistrust of their management team.

Fortunately, cleaning managers don’t have to accept sub-par janitorial skills from their team. Innovative cleaning techniques and technological advancements offer practical solutions that can elevate both staff knowledge and accountability.

4 Benefits of Optimizing Building Cleaning Training Processes

“The cleaning industry is hugely dynamic, teams are constantly facing staffing productivity and training challenges other industries simply don’t have to deal with. However, overcoming those hurdles isn’t impossible. Those that do can quickly propel themselves to new heights of and growth. Today’s cleaning industry mantra is “employee retention is as important as customer retention”. Investments in staff training along with performance measuring tools are critical contributors to a healthy ROI of a cleaning business.” Mark Candow, Business Development Optisolve Ltd

Boost Efficiency

By streamlining training processes, building service contractors can achieve increased operational efficiency. When staff members receive faster and more effective training, they can start delivering services promptly, reducing downtime, leading to improved productivity.

Increase Service Quality

Optimized training processes result in improved service quality. Consistent training leads to consistent performance, which naturally increases the overall cleanliness of a facility. This not only enhances client satisfaction but opens up opportunities for longer contracts and new business.

Enhance Job Satisfaction

Efficient training processes contribute to enhanced job satisfaction among staff members. Employees who feel competent and confident in their roles tend to be more satisfied and committed, leading to lower turnover rates.

Gain a Competitive Edge

Efficient training processes provide a competitive edge for building cleaning businesses. Contractors that guarantee professionally trained staff stand out in the market, attracting more clients and potentially justifying higher service fees.

Cleaning validation software and precision cleaning technology are excellent tools building services teams can use to manage staff training processes more efficiently and effectively.  In this article, we’re focusing on cleaning validation software. For information on precision cleaning, click here.

What is Cleaning Validation Software?

Cleaning validation software is a digital tool that helps make cleaning businesses run smoother. It is designed to help with many parts of a cleaning business, including:

• Cleaning validation
• Lower training costs
• Identify cleaning efficacy
• Minimize human tracking errors
• Identify gaps in cleaning processes
• Streamline communication between staff and management.

Cleaning validation software isn’t just about detecting deficiencies in the quality of delivery of a cleaning business; it’s about improving on them to ultimately reduce the probability of their recurrence as well. Cleaning validation software gives teams new ways to speed up training initiatives and track efforts more effectively. 

Cleaning Software vs. Cleaning Validation Software

While both types of software aim to improve cleaning processes, there’s a crucial difference. Traditional cleaning software focuses on management and organization, like task assignment and scheduling. 

Cleaning validation software, on the other hand, goes a step further by providing real-time feedback and validation of cleaning effectiveness, making it an invaluable tool in staff training and performance enhancement.

Table 1: Cleaning Software vs. Cleaning Validation Software

	Cleaning Software	Cleaning Validation Software
Purpose	Manages and organizes cleaning tasks and processes	Validates and improves cleaning effectiveness
Key Features	Scheduling, task assignment, reporting	Cleaning validation, lower training costs, minimize human tracking errors, identification of gaps in cleaning processes
Training Aspect	Helps streamline training processes	Provides real-time feedback and validation of cleaning effectiveness, helping staff learn and adapt their techniques from data and evidence-backed feedback?
Impact	Increases efficiency and organization of cleaning operations	Enhances the quality and efficacy of cleaning operations and significantly boosts the effectiveness of staff training

How Validation Cleaning Software Optimizes Staff Training

Cleaning validation software revolutionizes the way cleaning businesses train their staff, adding a new dimension to the learning process. It brings invaluable benefits such as:

• Immediate Validation: Provides immediate visual feedback on the effectiveness of cleaning techniques, encouraging staff to perfect their methods.
• Data-Driven Insights: Detects deficiencies while offering data-driven insights to improve cleaning efficacy and adjust training focus.
• Motivation Booster: Seeing the direct impact of their work motivates staff to adhere to cleaning protocols, enhancing overall cleaning performance.
• Performance Tracking: Allows managers to track individual and team performances, identifying areas for further training.

With these powerful features, cleaning validation software not only elevates the cleaning standards of your business but also ensures your staff are trained to the highest standards, effectively turning challenges into opportunities for improvement. 

What to Look For in a Cleaning Validation Software Solution

Ease of Use and Access to Data 

The ideal cleaning software solution should be user-friendly, intuitive, and enable easy access to maintenance and performance tracking data. A system that’s easy to navigate allows your staff to quickly adapt to the software and make full use of its features.

With easy access to data and evidence by decision-makers in real-time is key for effective monitoring and for team’s to take remedial action before becoming a persistent problem.

Surface Testing Technology

In cleaning validation software, surface testing technology is a critical feature. It gives real-time feedback on cleaning efficacy, helping your team refine their cleaning techniques, and ensuring optimal cleanliness.

Comprehensive Features

The software should be feature-rich, covering all aspects of your cleaning operations – including having intelligent and informative report generation capabilities to help with making meaningful decisions for cleaning validation. It should also be flexible enough to adapt to the changing needs of your business.

Reliable Support

Reliable customer support is essential. Opt for a solution that provides not only software training but also prompt troubleshooting and regular software updates. You need a partner in this journey, not just a vendor.

Tips to Implement Cleaning Validation Software in Your Training Process

Cleaning validation software can greatly enhance your training process and overall cleaning operations. Here are some tips to ensure a smooth integration:

• Plan and Communicate. Develop a clear implementation plan and communicate it to your team, ensuring everyone understands the purpose and benefits of the software. Be open to share the data, evidence, and findings to provide honest and transparent feedback so staff can accept and see the value of the training provided to them.
• Training. Provide thorough training on how to use the software effectively. Allow time for familiarization and encourage staff to ask questions.
• Implementation. Start by implementing the software in phases or with a pilot group to identify any challenges and make necessary adjustments before rolling it out to the entire team.
• Ongoing Support and Evaluation. Provide ongoing support to staff as they adapt to the software. Regularly evaluate its effectiveness and gather feedback to continuously improve the training process.

By following these tips, you can successfully integrate cleaning validation software into your training process, maximizing its benefits and enhancing your overall cleaning operations.

Curious to learn more about advanced cleaning validation methods? Read our blog: Cleaning Verification vs. Validation What is Cleaning Validation?

Boost Staff Training with Advanced Cleaning Services Software

Optimizing staff training processes with cleaning validation software is a game-changer for building service contractors. By streamlining and improving training processes, your janitorial company can improve productivity, increase service quality, and gain a competitive edge. 

Investing in comprehensive software solutions, such as SAVI® by Optisolve empowers teams to deliver exceptional cleaning services, setting them apart in a competitive industry and driving long-term success. 

Embrace the power of technology and take your staff training to new heights with user friendly cleaning services management software. Contact us to learn more and book a demo.