Green cleaning services and facilities maintenance are an economical way to match the challenges of rising business costs and customer demand, with socially and ecologically responsible business management.
Green Cleaning Services & Maintenance for Malls and Shopping Centers
Shopping malls represent a significant health risk due to their size and high-footfall traffic, as well as the various horizontal high-contact surfaces the average shopper will encounter in a day--requiring a consistent cleaning and sterilization routine to maintain the health and safety of the establishment, specifically in the areas where food is served.
The three most challenging areas, from a cleaning perspective, is the floor, the food court, and the many horizontal surfaces--each of which represents a considerable health concern.
Additional areas that require constant attention are restrooms, corporate office spaces, security areas, parking lots, high dust areas, windows, and walkways.
Green cleaning products and practices represent an ecologically superior alternative to conventional cleaning methods that, while capable of adequately sanitizing a surface, are devastating to indoor air quality, which can have a profound effect on the health of workers subject to long-term exposure.
Maintaining a Clean and Health Floor
One of the first things a patron will notice about a mall is the cleanliness and presentability of the floor.
A clean surface underscores the businesses professional appearance, while a dirty and sticky floor can turn away potential shoppers and merchants.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of dirt and toxins brought inside are deposited from our shoes.
The number of average shoppers visiting a mall, especially during the holiday season, combined with the hard, non-porous nature of mall floors creates a substantial cleaning challenge, as well as indoor air quality concerns.
Dirt, bacteria, and toxic particles brought in have no carpeting to absorb them, so are easily disturbed and knocked into the air where they are inhaled by passersby.
While the short-term effects of this are typically negligible; long-term exposure to toxins and low-quality air, especially if combined with certain chemical cleaners, can have a severe effect on worker productivity, which decreases the profitability of tenant businesses, making store space at your mall less ideal for high-end vendors and clientele.
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Green Cleaning Tips
The first and most economical step is to ensure the outside of the building is regularly clean and free of debris.
- Sweep and clear the parking lot and walkways of debris nightly.
- Pressure wash walkways at least quarterly.
- Place walkway mats at all entrances and exits--ensure they are vacuumed nightly.
- Use green cleaning chemicals and machines to clean the floors nightly. This will reduce time, water, and cost, as well as eliminate the introduction of toxic VOC's into the air.
Keeping the Food Court Healthy
The food court is, without compare, the single largest health concern in the mall, with the possible exception of very high-traffic public restrooms.
The merchant's duties often end at their counter, with a basic wipe down and sweep service provided for their assigned spaces.
Obviously, the cost of retaining a cleaning company to sterilize every area where food is consumed or served after each major meal is prohibitive.
However, if the vendor's staff were provided with certified green sanitization and cleaning products, the same task could be accomplished in less time, with less risk, with a superior result.
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Green Cleaning Tips
The health and safety of the workers and diners should be your primary concern.
- Switch to green certified cleaning and sanitizing products to eliminate the potential for toxic chemical transfer, inhalation, and ingestion.
- Replace all cotton or cloth cleaning towels and mops with microfiber to reduce water and cleaning chemical use, as well as decrease the amount of time a sweep and wipe task will take, all while providing a superior level of clean compared to conventional practices.
Restrooms and Horizontal Surfaces
Cleaning and sanitizing are great for removing germs and bacteria, but they typically do not kill microbes, allowing for their relatively quick return, especially in a consistently high-contact environment, such as mall bathrooms and below eye level horizontal surfaces.
A potential breakthrough, specific to green cleaning practices, are probiotic cleaners that remove harmful infectious microbes while maintaining neutral bacteria colonies that deprive harmful germs of food, while simultaneously consuming their protective biofilm--resolving the problem of rapid germ regeneration and continuing to clean for, up to, days later.
Implementing probiotic cleaning products has several benefits.
- Reduces the number of times a surface must be cleaned or sanitized throughout the day, thereby reducing the number of resources consumed, as well as associated expenses.
- Eliminates the use of toxic chemicals that have been repeatedly shown in studies to produce severe health issues in sensitive groups in a very short amount of time, as well as significant health problems after long-term exposure.
See Also
- Janitorial Services – Probiotics and the Future of Clean
- Janitorial Services – Restroom Cleaning For Health
Takeaway
A professional appearance and curbside appeal are as crucial to the success of a shopping mall as the health and maintenance of its facilities.
Modern consumers are well-educated in regards to the quality and nature of socially and ecologically responsible, sustainable cleaning and business practices, and have made their preference clear with their purchasing decisions.
As the economy rapidly recovers from the financial drought of the previous years, and with the extreme rise in competition from online merchants, shopping malls will need to compete based on an atmosphere of physical appeal--something impossible with filthy floors, dirty windows, and germ-infested dining areas and bathrooms.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of green cleaning services for your mall or shopping center, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 395-3009
In Fresno CA, call (559) 473-1790
