Spring Preparation Tips for Facility Managers

For facility managers, spring represents a time of addressing any winter damage and preparing for a wet spring season ahead. Warmer weather means there is no better time for facility managers to spruce up their buildings with improvements to the property and building after harsh winter months.

With so many things to address, you may want to rely on the commercial cleaning experts at ServiceMaster Twin Cities. However, we’ve provided a brief list of tips to bring your facility up to compliance and prevent any damage:

Assess the Property

Before getting down to spring cleaning, you’ll want to assess your entire facility for any damage and prioritize what is urgent vs. what can wait. It’s important to remember that small problems can turn into big ones if they’re not immediately addressed. Use the following as a general checklist:

• Ceilings
• Roofing
• Walls
• Corner guards
• Doors
• Cabinets
• Flooring tiles
• Gutters
• Storm drains
• Sump pumps
• Sewage systems
• Sinks and faucets
• Hardware
• Light switches
• Power outlets
• Storage shelves
• Tiles and grout
• Carpeting
• Appliances
• HVAC systems and air ducts
• Fire extinguishers
• Sprinklers systems

Deep Clean the Flooring

After assessing the property, it’s time to start cleaning. The best place to start is the problem spots that are immediately visible and pose the greatest risk to the property. You’ll most likely start with the flooring due to high traffic during winter weather. Be sure to address the following:

• Shampoo/steam-clean the carpets
• Clean hardwood, tile, and concrete flooring
• Make sure all entranceways have no air leaks and weatherproofing measures are still secure
• Remove any salt, dirt, and sand that’s tracked into the facility
• Patch any concrete walkways
• Flatten or raise any brick walkways that have dislodged or settled unevenly

Spruce up the Exterior

The exterior is one of the areas of your facility that’s bound to take a beating due to the snow, rain, sleet, and high winds. Take some time to examine these areas around your facility:

• Clean out the gutters
• Install gutter guards
• Repaint any chipped exterior paint
• Caulk any exposed or cracked surfaces
• Spray down windows and coat with water-resistant chemicals
• Replace any shingles in the roof and seal accordingly from both the inside and outside
• Swap out storm windows for screens
• Repair or replace any damaged screens
• Thoroughly clean any boot cleaners or floor mats that may be caked with salt or mud
• Prevent pests from nesting along the exterior of your property. Consider spraying the perimeter of your property along cracks or visible signs of infestation.
• Address any issues that come with your landscaping. Clean up any leftover leaves, plant new patches of grass where it has turned brown, trim bushes, weed plants, add new mulch, and chop down any dead branches or remove dead trees altogether.

ServiceMaster Twin Cities in Little Rock, Arkansas has provided janitorial services to local businesses for over 30 years. Our expert team can help clean your business with our high-quality, reliable cleaning services. Contact us to schedule any of our janitorial services. We hope the tips above help you create a business re-opening disinfection plan. If you’re not sure where to start, we can help! Our experience and training afford us the ability to promote safe practices for infection prevention within our business.