As the festive cheer of holiday shoppers fills the air, so does the hustle and bustle in your facility. Increased foot traffic in your retail facility means routine cleaning should be a top priority. In fact, 64% of customers have left a store due to physical appearance, making it essential to uphold cleanliness amid the seasonal rush.

Here are four tips to help maintain a hygienic facility throughout the holiday season.

1. Train your cleaning team

Ensuring your cleaning team is prepared and confident is crucial. With professional cleaners having an average turnover rate of 200%, maintaining your cleaning standards can be a challenge. As some facilities take on seasonal workers, they may be less acquainted with your cleaning team’s practices. Offer comprehensive training for your cleaning team to help mitigate these discrepancies in cleaning.

In your training, include information about the best times to clean your facility’s floors to help avoid slips and falls. Floor cleaning and drying can be timely, so it’s important to avoid floor cleaning during peak facility hours. Also, include information on your facility’s occupational safety protocols. Providing a refresher on this topic for longstanding or new team members fosters a proactive approach toward health and safety.

Remind your team of the proper use of cleaning equipment and products as well. This helps them feel confident in their work and aids in reducing mistakes when handling dangerous tools or chemicals. Training not only can help reduce staff turnover rates but also allows everyone, including seasonal hires, to feel confident in efficiently managing the increased cleaning demands of this busy season.

2. Incorporate third-party certified cleaning tools

Switching to third-party certified cleaning products reflects a dedication to sustainability and aligns with consumers’ preferences. Research has found that 78% of consumers seek to buy from environmentally friendly companies. Assess your facility’s current inventory and transition to alternatives certified by reputable organizations such as Green Seal®, EPA Safer Choice and UL ECOLOGO® to demonstrate your facility’s commitment to sustainability.

ABCO’s Natura Yarn product line of wet and dry mops proudly holds the Green Seal Certification. During the 2023 ISSA Show, this product line won both the Environment and Sustainability Award, as well as the Distributor’s Choice Award. Adding to our dedication to transparent sustainability, both our Large Natura Broom Head and Lobby Dustpan have received the UL Environmental Claim Validation (ECV). These products, certifications and awards demonstrate our commitment to helping create a greener future.

3. Implement a cleaning schedule

Establishing a reliable cleaning schedule gives your team clarity in their tasks and timelines. Design a schedule that outlines the required staff members, equipment specifics, cleaning frequencies, job types and estimated time for each task to help foster an efficient cleaning process. During the holiday rush, consider adjusting your facility’s schedule by increasing cleaning frequencies in high-traffic zones. It may also be helpful to conduct bigger tasks, such as floor cleaning, when the facility is vacant.

4. Promote proper hand hygiene

Ensuring proper handwashing practices is crucial, especially this time of year. Our hands harbor over 150 different bacterial species, making it important to understand proper handwashing protocol. Place informative signage throughout your facility to remind guests to scrub their hands for at least 20 seconds. This helps ensure that germs are thoroughly killed and washed away.

Better to be prepared

Being proactive is key when maintaining a hygienic facility during the holiday rush. Rather than struggling to catch up, preparation helps ensure a smoother operation. By planning, training and using third-party certified cleaning tools, you can create a more efficient approach to cleaning. This helps in handling the festive rush while maintaining high hygiene standards.