preparing your house for professional cleaners

Starting an office cleaning company is a daunting task. Not many people have the stomach to be a cleaning employee, and there are tons of supplies you need just to get the mop bucket rolling. Professional companies like Carnation Cleaning Corp may have it all figured out, but here's a few items to remember to get on the right track. The following lists the top ten items you will need to stock your company's closets.

1. Paper Towels are the cleaning staple of janitors, maids and custodians everywhere. The more absorbent the paper towel is, the better.

2. Commercial Disinfectant works on all surfaces and it kills germs better than bleach and without the harmful vapors.

3. Lots (and lots) of garbage bags for the tons of shredded paper, food trash, recycling and bathroom trash your employees will have to dispose of.

4. Rubber Gloves or Cleaning Gloves keep you in compliance with OSHA standards and protect the health of your employees, who have to touch a lot of unpleasant stuff while they clean.

5. Brooms, Mops and Vacuums for clients that want a clean office floor every time your employees work. Since carpet is not a guarantee at every office cleaning, since tile and linoleum flooring are just as common, your employees will need one of each in their job supply carts.

6. Mop Buckets, preferably the kind on wheels with an attached wringer, are vital to finishing your clients' tile and linoleum floors.

7. Dust Pans and Feather Dusters/Dusting Supplies help with floor care and removing dust from wherever it settles in your clients' offices. However, some clients prefer a feather duster for dust removal while others will want you to use paper towel and dusting spray so that the dust is completely removed and in the trash outside, so be aware and be prepared.

8. Scrubbing Brushes, Scouring Pads, Sponges and Steel Wool are essential for the really tough stains and for really shiny plumbing fixtures. Your employees may prefer one type of scrubbing pad over another, so purchase different kinds and keep enough of each on hand.

9. Commercial Cleaning Spray or Gel should not be confused with disinfectant. This stuff cleans while the disinfectant sanitizes. There may be areas of an office where a disinfectant is not always apropos, but a commercial cleaning spray is. (You can use a disinfectant on any surface touched by hands and fingers, but some surfaces, such as walls or expensive, wooden office furniture, should not be sprayed with a disinfectant because it can damage the finish.)

10. Cleaning Carts are not necessary, but they are very helpful for carrying everything your employees need to a job site. The biggest problem you may encounter with providing every employee his or her own cleaning cart is that it may not fit in a personal vehicle and not every company vehicle is available all the time.