Indoor office plants can enhance the décor of your office, improve air quality, and add a calming effect to the room.  Some types of plants are better for indoor offices than others, however.  The first thing to do is to make sure that plants are allowed in your office. While most office buildings have no policies against plants, some may actually have restrictions  on the types of plants allowed due to fire codes.

Once you determine that plants are permitted, and know which types are not allowed, your next consideration has to do with space. In small offices, large plants are probably not the best idea, but several small, desktop plants will go a long way towards brightening up any boring office space.  Make sure not to choose plants that will grow as tall as your ceilings—unless of course, you have very tall ceilings and vertical space isn’t a problem.

Maintenance is an important factor to consider. Most busy office workers and owners simply don’t have the time to devote to the daily care and maintenance of exotic plants. More often than not, just finding the time to prune and water your plants will be a challenge. So in other words, look for plants that are low maintenance, won’t require frequent watering and pruning, and are designed to be hardy and durable.

If you’ve ever watched your San Diego janitorial cleaning service professionals at work, you’ve probably noticed that they move quickly. Most cleaning companies teach their employees to never spend more than ten minutes on any given task, unless it is absolutely necessary.  This works for two reasons: 1. because the employees have been taught time management and task management skills and 2. because they are cleaning surfaces that are well cleaned and maintained on a regular basis.

So what about these skills that the employees are taught? How are they able to clean so much so quickly? Here are  just some of the secrets that the janitorial professionals learn:

1.Tackle the biggest jobs first. Whether this is a toilet, a messy trash can, a dirty floor, a spill, or anything else. The jobs requiring the most time should be taken care of first.
2.Do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking under time constraints usually leads to confusion and wasted time.
3.Have a method.  Pick one side of the room to begin in and don’t switch to another side until all of the cleaning tasks in the first side are completed.
4.Have all of your supplies close at hand.  Those cleaning carts are well-stocked with products, cleaning cloths, gloves, and anything else that the professionals need to get the job done. This saves a lot of wasted time running back and forth to a cabinet or supply closet.
5.Time yourself. Professionals are taught to do this because they often have a set amount of time in which to complete everything, but everyone can benefit from this. Decide how much time you have to clean, and then focus all of your attention on getting as much done as possible before your time is up.  It will likely take a few tries to perfect the art of completing everything that you need to do under a set time frame, but the results will be well worth it.

Ah, coffee, that essential office morning pick-me-up. Office cleaning services know all too well how prevalent coffee stains are on corporate carpeting.  Unfortunately, coffee stains are also some of the most difficult stains to remove, and if not removed promptly, can become permanent due to the dyes and oils contained in most coffees.

1. Immediately blot at the spill with a clean cotton cloth and cool water. Try to remove as much of it as possible.
2. Use a carpet cleaner or a portable extractor if you have one. Otherwise, go to step three.
3. Spray a small amount of carpet cleaning detergent on the spill, and rub it with another clean cloth. Apply cool water to the spot and continue blotting.
4. Tell your cleaning service about any new stain or spill, even if you have been able to clean up most of it. They will be able to clean it more thoroughly, using special detergents and spotters designed to remove protein.
5. Coffee stains can be hard to remove, but acting quickly is the key.

As important as it is to maintain a clean, sanitary office, it is just as important to make sure that the cleaning products and practices that you and your San Diego office cleaning service implement are safe as well.  Here are some tips that everyone should follow:

Whenever possible, use cleaning products that are environmentally friendly. Not only does this help the environment, but these types of products have also been shown to be better for your health as well, since they contain more natural ingredients.

Be careful when mixing chemicals. You should never mix ammonia and bleach for example, and many other chemicals can cause the release of toxic gasses when mixed together as well.  Leave the chemical preparation to the professionals whenever possible.

Speaking of chemicals, most surfaces, provided that they are cleaned regularly, don’t require the use of harsh chemicals every time.  Mild cleansers, even soap and water, are usually sufficient for daily cleaning of countertops.

Make sure that any cleaning products that you use on food preparation surfaces are designed for that purpose.

If you aren’t sure about which products to use in your office, ask your cleaning service which products they use and where you can purchase them.

Keeping your keyboard clean is extremely important to ensure its longevity and to help prevent keyboard failures during crucial deadline periods.  Your San Diego cleaning service may or may not include this type of cleaning in their visits, so it is especially important for you and your coworkers to take the time to clean your keyboards on a regular basis.  Light cleaning should be done weekly, and heavier cleaning every two months or so.

To start, you will need:

• a dry cloth
• a lint free cloth
• compressed air or a vacuum cleaner hose
• cotton Q-tips
• specially made cleaning fluid (usually isopropyl alcohol)

After your computer has been shut down, unplug the keyboard and use the compressed air or vacuum hose to blow dirt and debris from the keys, making sure to blow air into all of the crevices of the keyboard.

The next step is to use the Q-tip and a few drops of the cleaning fluid to clean the sides and tops of the keys, making sure to never spray or apply liquid directly to your keyboard.  Once your are done, use the dry cloth to remove all trace of the cleaner.

For a more thorough cleaning, consider using a flat head screw driver to remove the keys from the keyboard and dust under them. Just be careful, placing the keys in their correct places can be tricky, and keep in mind that some keys, like the space bar, backspace, and others can be especially difficult to remove.  Don’t forget to use your Q-tips and special cleaning solution on any keys that you do remove.

Keeping your office keyboard clean is the best way to remove dust and dirt and to reduce the chance of corrosion and internal damage caused by spills.

Ask your  San Diego cleaning company and they’ll tell you that the best way to keep floors clean is through constant maintenance. This is why cleaning services  vacuum, sweep, and mop floors on a daily or weekly basis as needed.  Here are some floor cleaning and care tips from the professionals:

• Vacuuming or sweeping should be done at least once a week. This prevents the accumulation of dirt and debris that can scratch many flooring types, particularly when the particles become stuck to the bottoms of shoes and are tracked across the floor.
• If floors are waxed, wax should be reapplied once or twice a year, and floors should be buffed often in order to restore the shine.
• Waxed wood floors should never be mopped.
• Ceramic, tile, marble, and stone floors should have sealant applied to them to protect them from damage, and waxed once a year.
• Never drag anything across the floor. When moving furniture or other objects, always lift rather than drag. Not only can this help prevent damage to your furniture, but it will also keep your office furniture from scratching or gouging your floor.
• When mopping, make sure to use cleansers recommended by the manufacturer of your flooring type. Harsh detergents and solvents can damage and dull your floor.

Your San Diego cleaning company can help you to determine which cleaning products are right for your floor.