Make your job easier with these twelve practical and smart cleaning resources
Building service contractors cover a lot of ground, figuratively and in reality. From landscaping to heating system maintenance to carpet care, building service contractors are at the heart of keeping a facility running. With so much going on, it’s always good to have additional help, like these cleaning resources.
A variety of maintenance and cleaning resources can provide you with practical knowledge, advice, tips, supplies, and equipment you need to get the job done. They can help you streamline scheduling, share work orders, track your inventory, and keep up with payroll.
This collection is geared toward cleaning resources, but you’ll find other resources here, as well. After all, your janitorial duties don’t exist in a vacuum!
Harness the value of Janitorial Manager to streamline your cleaning operation like never before. Learn more today with a discovery call and find out how to make your cleaning operation more efficient and cost effective!
12 Cleaning resources to make your job more efficient and effective
1. BSCAI. The Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) offers so much more than just cleaning resources. “The association provides contractor-specific educational programs, individual certifications, publications, a members-only purchasing program, seminars, industry data and research and networking opportunities, all developed specifically for leaders in the building service contracting industry.”
2. Purchase Advantage Program. This program is one of the benefits of BSCAI membership, but I think it’s worth pointing out on its own. The Purchase Advantage Program is a group purchasing system with “contractually protected prices,” giving you the lower prices usually reserved for large organizations.
3. CMI. CMI, the Cleaning Management Institute, is the education division of ISSA. CMI offers several professional training and certification programs designed specifically for the janitorial and building services industries. These range from basic janitorial training to specialized programs for customer service and floor care, among others.
4. GBAC. The Global Biorisk Advisory Council offers STAR accreditation for facilities and services. GBAC STAR is a science-based “cleaning and maintenance program to maintain a hygienic indoor environment.” Accreditation is in line with the United Nations Sustainability Goals, and applies to any facility, but there are also guidelines specific to K-12 schools.
5. Green Seal. Green Seal certifies a variety of cleaning resources, from sanitary paper products to floor care and cleaning products to services such as commercial cleaning and healthy schools. Through Green Seal, you can find disinfecting guidelines and environmentally friendly products.
6. U.S. Green Building Council. The USGBC administers LEED certification. “LEED-certified buildings are proven to save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions and create healthier places for people.” There are multiple levels of LEED certification, based, in part, on when the building was constructed and how it is maintained. Even if your building isn’t LEED certified, there are cleaning resources here that can apply to just about any location.
7. OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration gets overlooked a lot as a place for cleaning resources, but they offer numerous courses and standards for things like chemical cleanup, awareness of job site hazards, and even how to don and doff personal protective equipment (PPE) properly.
8. Janitorial Manager. We’re biased, of course, but we think Janitorial Manager is one of the best building services and commercial cleaning resources around. It’s your one-stop source for scheduling your team, managing work orders, bidding, tracking inventory, managing task checklists, connecting with your team and clients, and any other operational needs for your business.
9. U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA is a seemingly endless source of information. They offer free business counseling, business loans, legal compliance advice, tips for managing finances and taxes, hiring employees, marketing, cybersecurity, and so much more.
10. Dynamic Small Business Search. The DSBS is a service of the SBA that adds businesses to a database “that government agencies use to find small business contractors for upcoming contracts.” It only takes a few minutes to register, and it’s free!
11. SAM. The System for Award Management, aka SAM.gov, is a U.S. government search engine specifically for federal contracts.
12. U.S EPA. Though the Environmental Protection Agency might not seem like a spot for cleaning resources, there are several sections of their website that you may find useful as a building service contractor. List N, which lists disinfectants that can kill a coronavirus, might be well-known, but there’s so much more. You can explore topics such as chemical risks, integrated pest management, pesticides, air pollutants, mold, indoor air quality, and hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
The building services industry is a busy and varied blend of so many different duties and tasks. The more help and resources you can find, the better off you’ll be if and when you need to use them.
If you’re ready to increase the professionalism of your cleaning operation through better organization, easy access to important data, unparalleled tracking, and more, schedule a call with JM today!