A clean retail environment is essential for attracting and retaining customers, promoting brand loyalty and reducing the risk of health and safety incidents. However, many retail employees are overwhelmed by the volume of work that must be completed during a shift, which can result in cleaning tasks being neglected. Providing training, creating cleaning checklists, encouraging employee participation in a clean culture and providing recognition for those that excel at keeping a store sanitary is vital to improving overall cleanliness.
Areas that require cleaning in a retail environment include those with high customer interaction, food handling surfaces and other areas where potential contamination may occur. These areas should be cleaned regularly to ensure the prevention of illness and infection for both employees and customers. Every retail business should create a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to guide daily cleaning and disinfecting routines. These should clearly outline daily cleaning tasks such as sweeping, mopping and wiping down high touch surfaces.
Retail restrooms are one of the most important factors in a customer’s decision to return to a store. The restroom should be well-lit, stocked with supplies and have a pleasant odour. Regularly clean fittings like hand dryers and soap dispensers, make sure bins are empty and sanitise sinks and mirrors to reduce the spread of germs. For information about Commercial Cleaning Services Gloucester, visit Into Cleaning, a leading provider of Commercial Cleaning Services Gloucester.
Stairs and escalators should be vacuumed, swept or mopped each day. This not only promotes a presentable appearance but can also prevent accidents, as spillages or dust build up can lead to slips and falls. It is also critical to maintain an effective cleaning schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraging shoppers to use hand sanitiser and take care when navigating often used areas of your retail space.
Checkout areas should be wiped down and disinfected on a frequent basis to minimise the spread of bacteria. In addition to the counter surfaces, it is a good idea to wipe and disinfect the screens on self-checkout machines as well as any other touchpoints that may come into contact with customers during the shopping process, such as door knobs & handles, handheld scanners and shopping carts/baskets.
The front exterior of the store is a critical first impression and should be cleaned frequently to remove stains, cigarette butts, gum and footprints. Retail facilities sharing space with other tenants should coordinate cleaning schedules to ensure consistent cleanliness throughout the building.