If you own or manage a business then you already know that first impressions are extremely important to attracting and maintaining customers. Like it or not, most customers will make a split-second decision about your business from the minute they walk through your doors. This makes it vital that you keep the entrance area and all areas opened to the public clean and in pristine condition. The good news is that keeping the office or store looking great is not as hard as you may think, as long as you know the right quality cleaning supplies to use.

Hardwood or Tile Floors

If your office has hardwood or tile floors, the best way to keep it shiny and looking great is to use a low-foaming, no-rinse floor cleaner mixed with warm water and mop it on a daily basis. The best time to mop the floor is in the evening after the office has closed. It is especially important to mop the entrance way since it is a high traffic area. You can use a quality steam cleaner on a weekly or monthly basis, depending on how much traffic your floors receive. This will provide a deep clean and remove dirt and grime that is stuck in between the grout and tiles.

Carpeted Flooring

If your office has carpeting instead of hardwood or tile floors, it is important to vacuum the flooring on a daily basis. This will help to regularly remove unwanted dirt and grime from your carpet and keep it from getting deep within your carpet. Be sure to use a mild carpet cleaner and deodorizer to spot clean any stains or soiled spots on the carpet. You can also steam clean your carpets on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Wood Furnishings

Wood furnishings like chairs, desks, tables, coffee tables, and picture frames should be dusted on regular basis. Unfortunately, it only takes a few days for dust to reoccur on your wood furniture and it can make your office space look like it is not taken care of properly. Customers can translate this into thinking that you will not take care of them.

To keep your office in mint condition and your customers happy, dusting should be done in all office areas that are opened to the public on at least a weekly basis, if not several times a week. You can also use a long-handled lambswool duster or Swiffer to dust hard-to-reach spots.

Windows

Your windows, especially any windows located at the entrance way, may be the most important feature that needs to be taken care of on a regular basis. Remember that you windows can be seen from the outside of your office, and if you have windows at the entrance way, this will be the very first thing that your clients see. All of the main office windows located near the entrance way or in the lobby area should be cleaned with an ammonia-based window cleaner every day. Using a quality window squeegee can make this process easier. This will help keep your window sparkling and looking great.

If your office has a special meeting room or conference room, it is equally important that this area be kept in pristine condition, as well. While this room may be used primarily for staff meetings, it is also probably used when having meetings with top clients. Following the tips above can also help keep this room clean, except it would only need to be cleaned on the days the office was used or the day before an important meeting is scheduled.