Commercial cleaning services are great. Their people can handle even the worst messes and keep your workplace or spaces clean and organised in the most efficient way possible. Still, you can’t leave the day-to-day cleanups to professional cleaning crews. It simply isn’t practical!

Thankfully, there are a lot of “hacks” that make daily cleaning in the office easier and perhaps even enjoyable. Here are a few everyday items that you can use for effective and budget-friendly cleaning.

Microfibre cloths

Microfibre cloths are lint-free. You can use them to dust tables, shelves, and other furnishings without leaving traces of fluff behind. Microfibre cloths are also ultra-absorbent so you can use them to mop up spills in a jiffy. Finally, microfibre cloths are also non-abrasive. Thus, you can use them to wipe the screens of TVs, computer monitors, as well as mobile phones and tablets without scratching. Speaking of gadget screens, if you find microfibre cloths too big, you can also use eyeglass cleaning cloths as an alternative. These are perfect for removing smudges and fingerprint marks on smooth, glossy surfaces.

Sticky notes

It’s not a good idea to eat at your desk. It’s bad for your posture and it doesn’t allow you to enjoy whatever you’re eating as much as you could. But let’s be honest: we’ve all eaten a snack or two at our desks at some point. The result? Crumbs, sugar, and salt lodged in between keyboard keys. Lint and dust also sneak into these tiny spaces. If you don’t get rid of them, your keyboard can become a gunky mess. Prevent this from happening with the help of good ol’ sticky notes. You can use the end of a sticky note to pick up debris that have made their way into the crevices. An adhesive tape is also an option, but the advantage of using a sticky note is that you have a “handle” (the non-sticky part). It’s also firmer so you can really push it between the keys to get every crumb and bit of dust out.

Dry erase markers

Have you ever accidentally used a permanent marker on a whiteboard? Don’t worry, you’re not alone and the damage is not, well, permanent. There’s a well-known trick to literally erase this mistake. Get a dry erase marker and write on top of the permanent ink. Using a soft cloth or a whiteboard eraser, simply wipe the mess away. You might need to do this a few times, depending on how long the permanent marker has been on the whiteboard. Aside from whiteboards, you can also use a dry erase marker to remove permanent marker stains on similarly smooth surfaces.

Baking soda

Baking soda is an all-around wonder product for cleaning and deodorising. To start, you can sprinkle some baking soda at the bottom of your trash can (make sure to line it with a trash bags!) to get rid of foul odours. You can also put a bowl of baking soda inside your refrigerator to absorb the smells of various foods. Replace the baking soda in the bowl every two to four weeks, as needed. You can also use baking soda to clean your dishwasher and washing machine, scrub pots and pans, and remove mildew from your bathroom. Indeed, baking soda has hundreds of uses. In fact, commercial cleaners also use baking soda for some of their cleaning jobs. If the pros use it, why shouldn’t you, too?

Socks

Cleaning window blinds can be a bit of a hassle because of the small space between the slats. The solution? Socks! Put an old sock on one hand and then dampen it with a bit of water or your preferred cleaning solution (50/50 water and vinegar works wonders!). Then, slide your sock-covered hand between the slats and just wipe from one end to the other. This will easily remove the dust from both sides of the slats. If you used a water and vinegar solution, this will also disinfect the blinds! Make sure to check the sock from time to time and give it a rinse if it gets caked with dust.

Baby wipes

Did you spill a bit of spaghetti sauce on your shirt? Don’t worry. Just grab a square of baby wipe and spot-clean by dabbing the wipe onto the stain. Unlike cleaning wipes, which might contain bleach or other harsh cleaning agents, baby wipes are made to be gentle. You can use it on any kind of fabric without worrying about damaging them. Make sure to spot clean the stains before they fully seep in. Finally, remember to dispose of baby wipes properly. They’re not flushable so throw them in the correct bin.

Vinegar

Cutting adhesive tape can sometimes leave a sticky residue on your scissors. Vinegar to the rescue! Simply wipe the blade using a cloth dampened with some white vinegar to get rid of the goo. Using vinegar instead of water also keeps the scissors’ blades rust-free. Aside from cleaning your trusty scissors, you can also use a combination of vinegar and lemon oil to clean wood surfaces and restore their shine.

As you can see, it’s quite simple to keep your workplace spotless. Don’t hesitate to call in the pros for big, complicated jobs. For simple cleaning tasks, however, these everyday items can help. Try them out and you might even impress yourself with how much easier cleaning can be.

Sources:

https://www.business2community.com/human-resources/15-cleaning-hacks-office-01426105

https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/house-cleaning/tips/cleaning-hacks