Summary: Boston offices and educational institutions have a lot of empty seats during the summer. That makes the summer season ideal for getting to those cleaning tasks that are too difficult the rest of the year. The right tactics can maximize summer’s slowdown for a truly deep clean.
The arrival of summer brings a distinct transformation to Boston’s bustling financial districts and prestigious academic corridors alike. The city continues to vibrate with tourism and outdoor events, while some of the busiest workplaces in the area see the typical summer slowdown. It is a seasonal shift and a golden opportunity for facility managers and their crews to get ahead of things.
Boston’s annual summer slowdown is a strategic window for commercial cleaning, especially in busy office buildings and educational campuses. At All Pro Cleaning Systems, we recognize that empty desks and abandoned hallways are more than just a seasonal sign of transition. They are also an open invitation to perform the type of high-impact, deep cleaning that is impossible to handle at other times of the year. As a facility manager or administrator, this is the time for you to leverage professional cleaning services that can help your in-house team go the extra mile while they have the ability to do so.
The Strategy of Maximizing the Empty Seat
Let us begin by discussing Boston’s busy office environments. When a standard office cleaning schedule is in play, cleaning crews must work around everything from computer equipment to personal effects. They also must deal with a constant flow of personnel moving about. Summer is different in that there is less foot traffic and more empty seats.
When large numbers of employees are on vacation, cleaning teams can move beyond surface-level cleaning to address those areas that have been out of reach for months. We see this as an opportunity to maximize the empty seat phenomenon. When employees are away, cleaning crews can give time and attention to:
1. Floor Deep Cleaning and Restoration
Floors are always a challenge to clean because you cannot have people walking on them. In Boston, hard floors and carpets bear the brunt of the punishment associated with winter. Between salt, dirt, and spring mud, floors take a real beating. Summer is the ideal time to take care of those floors with deep cleaning and restoration. During the summer, cleaners can:
- Strip and Wax – Linoleum and VCT flooring needs a bit of TLC to combat summer humidity in Boston. At the same time, summer’s reduced foot traffic represents a golden opportunity to build multiple protective layers on cafeteria and break room floors.
- Deep Clean Carpets – Less foot traffic also invites carpet deep cleaning using technologies like hot water extraction. Cleaning crews can address lecture halls and other carpeted areas to remove deeply embedded allergens and dirt.
The biggest challenge to proper floor care is foot traffic, so it makes sense that the summer months are the best time to strip and wax hard floors and deep clean carpets. If a Boston business can only address flooring once per year, summer is the time to do it.
2. Behind-the-Scenes Dusting and HVAC Care
Indoor air quality can be tougher to maintain during a Boston summer, thanks to a combination of high humidity and more allergens in the air. Interestingly, HVAC systems do not have to work as hard during the summer when spaces are vacant. So this makes it a perfect time to handle the behind the scenes dusting normally ignored the rest of the year.
Summer is when cleaning crews can address high bookshelves and ceiling fans. Summer is the perfect season for cleaning vent grates and cold air returns. In educational institutions, it is the right time of year to clean lab vent hoods, lockers, and any other areas that normally accumulate dust.
Summer’s Seasonal Cleaning Challenges
Although summer is a good time to address cleaning needs that are difficult to handle the rest of the year, summer cleaning has its own challenges. It is important that facility managers and cleaning crew supervisors come up with a commercial cleaning plan that addresses the unique chemistry and biology of a Boston summer.
For example, spring’s warm weather increases pest activity. If pests aren’t dealt with, they continue to thrive over the summer months. A proper summer deep clean involves a thorough evacuation of all areas that could be pest-friendly. In educational institutions, this means public spaces where students are known to hang out. In busy office buildings, think break rooms, storage closets, and those corners where water coolers invite small gatherings.
Another big challenge during the summer is found on windows. Dust and oil on glass can get baked on by constant UV exposure. Dirt and debris not addressed during the summer months become that much harder to clean come fall and winter. Therefore, interior window cleaning is a must-do summer cleaning task.
Quick Tips for Educational Institutions and Offices
High schools, colleges, and universities all get a reset during the summer. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips for maximizing the empty seats:
- Deep-clean chairs, desks, tables, etc., by getting underneath and addressing those hidden areas not normally touched by mere dusting.
- Use industrial-grade de-greasers and steam cleaners to deep clean laboratories, kitchen spaces, gymnasiums, etc.
- Deep-clean upholstery and apply fabric protection to ensure furniture is ready for the fall semester.
As for Boston’s busy office environments, we have some tips for them as well. Here they are:
- Assign a crew to deep-clean server rooms. They should focus on removing micro-dust from server environments to prevent summer overheating.
- Clean and sanitize all conference rooms. Treat the exercise almost like auto-detailing to ensure nothing is missed.
- Invite employees to complete a ‘haul out and trash’ cleaning before they leave for vacation. Then their spaces will be easier for crews to clean while they are away.
A thorough summer cleaning allows an office or educational institution to start fresh in the fall. Now is the time to start thinking about summer cleaning projects. So don’t hesitate to contact All Pro Cleaning Systems for help. We can supplement your team with our cleaning crew or completely take over all your Boston commercial cleaning needs.
FAQs
Is summer the best time for commercial cleaning in Boston?
There may be no best time, but summer is certainly a good season for cleaning. Lower occupancy and less foot traffic make cleaning easier.
How do cleaning crews benefit from the summer slowdown?
Empty seats and hallways provide a ‘clear floor’ environment for cleaners. They can dig in and move beyond visible surfaces to deep clean even the toughest spaces.
Should floors be prioritized during summer cleaning?
Absolutely. Floor cleaning and restoration are difficult when foot traffic remains high. So summer’s lower traffic is ideal for flooring projects.
How does Boston’s humidity impact cleaning strategies?
Boston’s high humidity leads to something we call ‘ghosting’. Commercial cleaning during the summer requires a focus on anti-microbial treatments to prevent it.
How does increased sunlight impact cleaning in Boston?
Increased sunlight equals increased UV rays. That means dirt and particulates can be baked onto windows. Extra care is needed to keep interior window surfaces clean during the summer.