Summer cleaning considerations

For others – for example, tourist destinations and public spaces – the summer months can present a flurry of usage, requiring regular cleaning to maintain a good level of presentation.

Facilities managers should plan for the summer months accordingly.

Deep cleaning in quiet usage

For those organisations that see a drop in usage over the summer months, the opportunity for a once-a-year deep clean is clear. Working out a schedule seeing each part of the building closed on rotation is a good way to make sure the entirety of the building is cleaned, without taking the entire footprint out of use.

Deep cleaning involves thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces, from the ceiling to the floor, including high touch points and difficult to reach places that might be missed throughout the year.

We recommend that rooms are cleaned top to bottom and back to front – this means starting in the highest, furthest corner from the door and working your way down and out. Taking this approach means that you don’t contaminate areas you’ve already cleaned by walking through them or by dripping dirtied water or product onto clean surfaces.

You should make sure that deep cleaning check lists include:

• Ceilings
• Light fittings
• Walls
• Furniture
• Window coverings
• Switches and plugs
• Floors

Effective deep cleaning requires a two-step approach: first cleaning the area of dirt and debris, and then disinfecting the surfaces to remove bacteria, germs and viruses.

Floorcare is an important part of deep cleaning. Floors should be cleaned regularly throughout the year, but benefit from a deep clean at least once a year to remove stubborn marks.
Floor scrapers are valuable tools for removing tough dirt, chewing gum and dried on grime from most hard surfaces, while floor pads like the Flexis Ferrzon Floor Pad can follow on with deep cleaning, producing a light reflective finish which is popular in large areas, and which presents a ‘like new’ feel.

Cleaning effectively during peak usage

Facilities managers working in organisations which see their usage peak over the summer will need to take a different approach to summer cleaning. Here, it’s more important to ensure a regular schedule of cleaning that keeps all common areas safe and presentable.

Whenever we see high footfall, we see an increase in bacteria, germs and viruses in common areas. High touch points must be cleaned regularly to help prevent the spread of bacteria. Make sure light switches, door release buttons, door handles, elevator buttons and so on are cleaned and disinfected at least once a day.

It’s important from a reputational point of view that organisations experiencing a busy period feel clean and safe, so facilities managers have a lot of work to do. We recommend implementing a revolving cleaning roster to ensure that each space is cleaned regularly.


High footfall will almost undoubtedly create a need for regular floor cleaning. This should be done daily, either after hours or by closing off certain areas with appropriate signage during opening hours. Automated floor cleaners – including robotic vacuums – can be helpful for out of hours cleaning.