When you’re working, you expect to generate some sort of a mess. Whether it be sawdust, concrete dust, wood debris, steel shavings or simple mud from your work boots, you can safely say some degree of mess will be made. Naturally, you’ll be cleaning up when the job is done. But does how you clean up affect your company's reputation? The answer is a resounding “yes.”
Cover It Up
Before you begin working, cover as many possible surface, pieces of furniture, etc. as possible. We recommend using a plastic drop cloth, which is much less expensive than a tarp. This will cause the dust and dirt to land on the covers and not on the surfaces or furniture, which will save a ton of cleanup time. It will also reinforce the point that you care about your clients and their property.
Don’t Let It Migrate
Dust floats on the breeze, but other job site messes should not. Do everything in your power to keep mess contained to a small area, which will make cleanup much, much easier. This will also keep any neighbors in close proximity happy, as they would surely not appreciate if mess migrated to their yard.
Get A Jump On It
Get a jump on the cleanup process by cleaning as you go. When you complete work in one section or area, take a few minutes to give it the once-over. Get rid of any large trash and do a general sweeping and vacuuming of the area. You’ll go over it more thoroughly once the job is done (since the job will still generate dust or mud), but getting a jump on it will make the end process faster and more efficient.
Clean in Teams
Two heads are better than one in most cases, and job cleanup is no exception. Having two people on cleanup duty means that while one is sweeping, the other can be vacuuming the piles, or something to that effect. It also means that two sets of eyes will be looking at the job, so it’s less likely anything will be overlooked.
Be As Thorough As Possible
While you’re not running a cleaning service, you are running a contracting service that cleans up after itself. Be sure to lift the edges of rugs and vacuum under them, move tables and chairs to clean under them, and basically try to clean anywhere dirt and grime from the job may have landed. It’s also wise to use a cleaning checklist to make sure you’ve covered every area.
Cleaning up after the job is just one part of the job, but it’s a part that leaves a lasting impression. Going the extra mile to leave the site in top shape is a great way to make your company known as reliable, hardworking, and worthy of hiring again or recommending to friends. Take the time to do a thorough cleaning and you’ll be very glad you did.
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