5 Tips for Keeping Your Small Business Safe and Clean

There has never been a better time to review your business’ cleaning protocols, so you can welcome customers back to a safe bricks-and-mortar experience. Here’s the lowdown on the cleaning supplies and equipment you’ll need to get your workplace in order, along with expert advice for making the most of it.

1. Keep your standards elevated

By now you’re used to frequently cleaning and sanitizing high-touch points, having hand sanitizer, antibacterial hand soap available and other COVID-related cleaning upgrades. “Businesses of all kinds are paying more attention to being super clean,” says Whitney Ware, owner of Cake Your Way (@cakeyourway) a Toronto-based boutique bakery. “The cleaning and sanitizing measures put in place due to COVID will go beyond the pandemic.”

Keeping high standards protects both your employees and customers. And hold onto those face masks — they may become part of our “new normal” for flu season.

2. Get the essentials you really need

Right-size your maintenance closet with the basics: the cleaning essentials you will use day in and out. According to John Zupan, National Facilities Solutions Sales Trainer at Staples Professional, these consist of the following:

• Disinfectant

• All-purpose cleaner

• Neutral floor cleaner

• Glass and plexiglass cleaner

• Toilet bowl cleaner

• Spot and stain remover for carpet or upholstery

• Floor stripper

• Floor finish

• Trash bags

3. Secure the right cleaning equipment

Having proper tools on hand can optimize the effectiveness of cleaners and disinfectants. Here’s the gear that Zupan says the pros depend on:

• Mop (head and handle) and bucket

• Dry mop

• Reusable or disposable cleaning cloths

• Vacuum (“Due to COVID, a HEPA filter is an essential feature,” says Zupan.)

• Swing machine for buffing and stripping floors

• Scraper (“Use it to scrape gum off the floor, clean the edges of baseboards or toilets — it’s really the tool of tools!” explains Zupan.)

• Cleaning cart for transporting tools, cleaning supplies and trash

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Wall-mounted automatic hand dispenser

4. Keep safety in mind

Frequent cleaning and disinfecting are an important aspect of keeping your team and guests safe, but don’t forget cleaning supplies have their own safety precautions too.

Follow safety protocols: “Gloves should be worn while cleaning, glasses or goggles should be worn when mixing chemicals, and masks must be worn [during COVID] per Safety Data Sheet guidance,” explains Zupan.

Store cleaning supplies securely: “Lock them behind closed doors so children and the general public can’t reach them. A cool, dry place that is out of sunlight is ideal,” says Zupan. Besides keeping potentially hazardous materials out of reach, safe storage protects the integrity of your cleaners, too. Sunlight can heat products, causing them to expand and for caps to loosen over time. Looser caps let in air, causing products to change colour or evaporate, affecting their formulas.

Heed expiration dates: Disinfectants can lose their efficacy over time, so it’s important to pay close attention to the expiration date. While general purpose and glass cleaners can last longer, Zupan adds that they should be replaced immediately if the product loses its colour or the scent changes in a dramatic way.

5. Save time by shopping in one spot

“When running a small business, it’s crucial to always factor in time,” says Ware, who streamlines Cake Your Way’s supply runs to minimize disruptions from her top priority: baking. “If there is a delivery option to gather supplies, that’s even better,” she says.

At Staples Canada, we know small business owners are busier than ever, which is why we aim to provide a destination with the necessary products — from disinfectants to PPE and more —to keep your business clean, safe and well.

Visit your local Staples store or Staples.ca for everything you need or save time with our curbside pickup or free delivery options!