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Cleaning More Effectively in the Face of Shrinking Operational Budgets

Case in Point: Odor and Dust Control

It might surprise some that the recession hasn't triggered a change in thinking among facility executives when it comes to managing buildings. Instead, the economic downturn has placed an immediate need to brush the dust from established management practices to compensate for staff downsizing and shrinking budgets.

In a recession - especially one as deep as this - efficient performance is in high demand. However, the built environment needs to remain a priority because of its impact on occupant performance and productivity.

Been There, Done That...

While facility executives may be adjusting to more economical solutions, housekeeping and maintenance managers have a long history of thinking outside the box when it comes to doing more with less. Tradition has it that cleaning budgets are the first to be slashed in the midst of any budget adjustment.

Similarly, the strategic importance of the built environment is not lost on these managers, in good times, and bad. Housekeepers haven't been cleaning exclusively for appearance for quite some time now; cleaning as part of a routine for a healthy environment, for example, is a major strategic priority.

Housekeepers are also renowned for their thrifty skills to squeeze every penny from their cleaning arsenal in good times, and the current economic downturn has positioned them as prudent examples of how organizations have to work smarter than ever. So, innovative solutions - large and small - are earning a warmer reception from end-users, especially if they can save time and boost productivity.

Appearance and Public Perception - Dust and Odor

Consider the never-ending emphasis on appearance, public perception and indoor environmental quality, for example. In light of the budget cuts and staff downsizing, how does the facility operation address these critical factors, along with other housekeeping tasks that, if ignored, create the risk of alienating building occupants and visitors?

Dust and odor problems for example, can reveal how successful or unsuccessful building management has been in addressing air quality, appearance and occupant health. People enjoy walking into a facility that has a pleasant and clean fragrance. Whether it's urine in a restroom, soiled athletic equipment in a high school gym locker or rotting garbage in an office lunchroom, housekeepers must come up with strategies that allow them to combat odor whenever and wherever it occurs.

Similarly, dust is everywhere and with a variety of cleaning, dusting and vacuuming routines being de-prioritized to save money, housekeepers must find a way to combat dust in spite of infrequent cleanings.

Two Products, in Particular...

Procter & Gamble Professional^®, the away-from-home division of The Procter & Gamble Company, offers smart and simplified solutions to meet the demands of the commercial building market. Two products in particular, Febreze^® and Swiffer^®, are proving to be key tools in the professional housekeeper's odor- and dust-combating arsenal. The P&G Professional point of view: dust and odor control do not have to be a cumbersome, expensive undertaking.

Getting the job done right the first time is a basic principle behind both the Swiffer and Febreze technologies. These products meet today's facility demands for matching the right product to specific operational challenges in order to maintain acceptable levels of service. (See sidebar: "Cleaning in a Down Economy")

Febreze is used to refresh upholstery, carpets, drapes and rooms, while Swiffer products trap and lock dust, dirt and hair from a variety of hard surfaces. These trusted brands are designed to tackle dust and odor at the first pass. To learn more about these solutions, visit www.pgpro.com/firstpass.

Keep Cleaning Agendas Top of Mind

Housekeeping challenges may unveil other obstacles within an organization, so cleaning agendas should not be compromised because too much is at stake. Thus, building management can't afford to leave any rock unturned when it comes to innovative product application.

"Cleaning in a Down Economy"

Procter & Gamble Professional surveyed professionals in the cleaning industry comprised of decision makers who manage in-house or contract cleaning services. These included the health care, education, retail, commercial, foodservice and hospitality industries, with the objective to gauge how they have reacted, and adapted, to recent business conditions. The following are highlights from the survey, "Cleaning in a Down Economy," conducted Dec. 11-21, 2009. The survey has a confidence level of plus or minus 5.6 percent.

85 percent of those surveyed have adopted a "doing more with less" approach in response to the current economic conditions.
97 percent of the decision makers surveyed feel they have been able to effectively keep expenditures down. Nine in 10 respondents using the "doing more with less" approach are likely to do so even after the economy improves.
Respondents cited that products that get the job done right the first time are most helpful when it comes to performing cleaning services
56 percent of the respondents judge the value of a product based on its quality and 36 percent on its versatility — rather than its price point.
61 percent of those willing to spend more on a product would do so if it enabled employees to work faster by getting the job done the first time; 43 percent would spend more if the product could replace multiple cleaning products.