Category: Blog

It’s a busy day at work, your desk is a mess, and your boss is coming by to ask you for that project, what are you going to do? This is every employee’s nightmare. When we don’t have a clear mind, or a clean environment we tend to freak out.  That’s why Jonco is here to assist you with keeping a tidy workspace. It is sometimes highly crucial in a work environment to keep your workspace nice and tidy. According to APUEdge, having a tidy workspace can help you focus on projects more than having a messy desk.  “A messy desk can harm your professional reputation, which is a great motivator to keep it clean and clutter-free.” (Erin, 2014).

Another blog states that 57% of people admit they feel judged for the cleanliness of their workspace. (Ledger, 2022). Is it better to have a neat desk or a cluttered desk at work is the question. Some people might have a good reputation at work and if they have a messy desk, some people will tend to think of them as unorganized. Whether you have a messy desk or not, the task that is given to you is the most important!

Jonco is all about warehouses! If you have ever worked at a warehouse before and noticed a stern person scrutinizing the aisles of your warehouse and nervously tapping their clipboard making sure that everything is to par, that might’ve been your warehouse manager. When it comes to distributing items, we must follow a precise system. This is what we would call a warehouse management system.  In simpler terms a warehouse management system is used to optimize warehouse operations.  What does a warehouse management system entail? You may ask. 

1. Inventory tracking
2. Picking and packing
3. Receiving and stowing 
4. Shipping 
5. Reporting 

          Basically it monitors the day-to-day operations that go within the warehouse. ORACLE describes warehouse management as “solutions additionally enable companies to maximize their labor and space utilization and equipment investments by coordinating and optimizing resource usage and material flows. Specifically, WMS systems are designed to support the needs of an entire global supply chain, including distribution, manufacturing, asset-intensive, and service business.” (Oracle, 2022).  

Why is cleaning your warehouse important?

Worrying about having a tidy warehouse? We know the struggle of keeping one clean. Jonco offers many services but not as best as our facility services. Facility maintenance ensures your company’s property is in tip-top shape so you can focus on what you do best– leading your business. Whether it’s big or small, Joncowest can help with all your maintenance tasks efficiently and cost-effectively. Check out our website for more details Facility Maintenance Services- Joncowest

One of the difficulties of having a warehouse is preparing it for a cleaning crew. So we are going to provide some steps or tips for maintaining your facility before Jonco crew takes care of the rest!

We suggest following these easy steps to ensure your facility is prepared for our amazing Jonco crew!

We suggest following these easy steps to ensure your facility is prepared for our amazing Jonco crew!

• • Make a current checklist of your current needs: We know having a lot of information can be a little overwhelming, so by starting with this simple task can give you clarity into just how much more you might need to do things, big or small.
  • Prioritize trash removal: The simplest way to keep your warehouse cleaner is to start taking out the junk you don’t need out of the building
  • Addressing high areas: Clean any surfaces first as the debris will fall on the lower levels.
  • Provide plenty of waste bins, while keeping them regularly dumped: There are many materials typically in a warehouse from bubble wraps to paper, or plastic wraps. Any unwanted material wants to be disposed of so it won’t get in the way of the cleaning crew!

We know managing a warehouse facility is quite an excruciating process. Which is why Jonco West is here to help you get nice, tidy, and organized for whatever big shipment your warehouse needs to get ready for. By following these 4 simple steps, you will get prepared for our Jonco cleaning crew!

A spotless kitchen and facility is necessary for any restaurant business–it can make the restaurant succeed or fail. A reputation for having a dirty restaurant causes less customers and poor reviews. In addition, it’s essential for restaurants to be spotless so that employees and customers are healthy and safe. Restaurants take tons of work and time, so one way to take one responsibility off your list is to hire a commercial cleaner.

One way to ensure that your restaurant is spotless is to hire an experienced, detailed commercial cleaner.  Hiring professionals has plenty of benefits. Keep reading to discover how a commercial cleaner can help you and your business.

Expert Efficiency

Professional commercial cleaners are experts in their field, so they’re also extremely efficient. They clean your restaurant more thoroughly and quickly than you and your staff could. Time is in short supply when you own your own business, especially a restaurant, so this gives you more time to focus on other business responsibilities. And there are plenty!

An additional benefit is the access that commercial cleaners have to professional cleaning supplies. These solutions are more effective at sanitizing and disinfecting your restaurant.

Sanitize and Disinfect

Owning a restaurant means you’re under pressure to keep your employees and customers safe. Commercial cleaners only focus on the cleaning, so they can improve the level of cleanliness while ensuring it’s sanitized and disinfected. Commercial cleaners are meticulous and expertly trained so that your restaurant is consistently cleaned every time.

It’s no surprise that high-traffic areas, such as restaurant bathrooms and kitchens, are a serious potential health risk if they are not cleaned regularly and thoroughly. Commercial cleaners have potent products, efficient tools, and years of expertise to make all areas of your restaurant spotless. This can keep you, your employees, and customers healthy, safe, and content.

Keep Customers Happy

Rumors of a messy restaurant and health code violations spread quickly among customers. Hiring commercial cleaners can protect your business and alleviate the pressure you have to keep your business spotless all the time. Customers will be happy, spread the word about your amazing place, and your business thrives.

Stress

Entrepreneurship is stressful! Outsourcing something as important as cleaning reduces your stress. We all know cleaning is a tedious, time-consuming, and redundant (but necessary) task. Hiring help gets your business cleaned efficiently and saves you time.

Safety

Health and safety is always a concern if you own a restaurant. You have to ensure your customers and employees are safe. Food preparation poses risks to employees and customers, which makes cleaning even more important for a restaurant business. In addition, kitchens can be busy and chaotic, and accidents can happen. Employees can sweep up glass, clean up spills, and mop floors to help reduce the risks of cuts, slips, and falls. Having an extra layer of cleaning helps protect everyone associated with your business.

If you aren’t taking the necessary steps to ensure your restaurant is clean, you risk losing customers, and could put your customers at risk for different illnesses. It’s critical you provide a clean environment to attract new customers and increase repeat traffic.

Wrapping Things Up

Restaurants need to be tidy and clean because there’s a lot at stake. Please reach out if you have commercial cleaning questions, want more information, or need a quote. We’re happy to help!

You might be curious as to what “best practices” means. Basically, it’s the ideal technique to perform a particular task. The technique becomes the benchmark because its results are superior. This is applicable when it comes to cleaning standards, because there are often cleaning standards to meet, like ISO level 1. So in this post we’ll take a closer look at “best practices” for janitorial services.

1.Systematic Processes

It’s important to provide consistent, professional, and meticulous service every single time. Each process is documented so that staff can follow each process accordingly. Inspections ensure that services are being done correctly and using the correct products and equipment.&

2.Excellent Staff

We want to make sure that any employee sent to a job site can deliver a service that meets our quality requirements, so we meticulously screen and train all new hires. Management of our employees is also important so that services are done . Some commercial cleaners, like JoncoWest, also offer specialized cleaning services. If you require specific services, ask what these entail and how employees are trained.

3. Choose a Reputable Company with Favorable Reviews

You want a janitorial service that quickly responds to communication–whether it’s a question or an issue. Our business was created in 1969 and we’re a minority and female-owned business. We have spent decades becoming specialists, learning the intricate workings of an industry that continues to grow and thrive in the age of technology. We have seen within the years that commercial cleaning standards and industry thresholds have only grown to match sheer excellence. And only a true understanding of this industry will promote long-term customer satisfaction.

4. Clear Pricing

Every business is unique, and the same goes for any janitorial and commercial cleaning needs. The pricing info you receive from the company should list detailed information about the services and pricing of each service. Having a better understanding of your janitorial services allows both you and the cleaning service to be on the same page.

You need a personalized janitorial and commercial cleaning plan with pricing. Here are some examples of our janitorial and commercial cleaning clients to help you see the variety of services:

• Restaurants
• Warehouses
• Professional offices
• Educational facilities
• Medical facilities
• Government facilities
• Technology companies
• Industrial business cleaning
• Property managers

Interested in Learning More about Janitorial Services?

We’ll work with you to create a plan that works with your facility’s needs. We’ve provided superior commercial cleaning services for decades and are experts in the business. Contact us and we’ll help!

You might be curious what Day Porter Services include. Generally, Day Porter services work well for facilities that have all day, on-site staff. Day Porters ensure your facility is clean and presentable to everyone at your place of business during business hours (staff, tenants, visitors). You can learn more specifics about this type of service here. We’ve compiled some tips in order to hire the best day porter service company for your facility.

Get Quotes from Different Companies

While it’s nice to save money, hiring the cheapest contractor is not always the best idea. When you get quotes from different companies, in addition to getting a quote for the cost, have the quote include the services that are covered and any products, equipment, etc. that are included. Complete quotes allow you to better compare different companies.

Ask about the Company Background

As you compare companies, it’s important to ask about their background. It’s especially important to determine how long the company has been in business. Some cleaning companies come and go, so you want one with a solid reputation who has been in business for a long time. As an example, Joncowest has been in business since 1969.

Gather References

Closely related to researching the company’s background is getting company references. Ask the company for references that you can contact. Research reviews of the company to see how their clients feel about the company’s services.

Is the Work Guaranteed?

Most company’s say that their day porter services work is guaranteed, but it’s important to find out exactly what that means. It’s important to get everything in writing as well. If a service isn’t satisfactory, do they return to complete the service or is there a money-back guarantee.

See if the Company is Insured, Bonded and Licensed

It’s your job to protect your business and your property. As with anyone who comes to your facility to perform a service, it’s important to make sure the day porter company is bonded and insured. It’s also important that the company has licensed employees who are well trained.

Interested in Day Porter Services?

If you’re considering day porter services for your company, reach out so we can create a detailed custom quote for your business. We’re happy to answer any questions that you have about any of our services.

Germs are on our mind these days–especially during cold and flu season. To protect your employees, and help employees protect themselves from germs, we compiled a list of the germiest places at work. Here’s a hint…they’re places that get a lot of traffic.

#1 Door Handles

Door handles get a lot of dirty hands, so they’re a place that needs frequent cleaning–especially during cold and flu season when sickness seems to spread.

#2 Desktop

You spend a lot of time at your desk, so it’s likely not a surprise that it has far more germs — about 400 times more — than a toilet seat. That amounts to about 21,000 bacteria, viruses, and fungi per square inch. All of these germs travel on your hands, so it’s important to wipe down desks so that you don’t spread these gross germs to other places in the office. As always, washing your hands and sanitizing frequently helps prevent the spread as well.

#3 Keyboard

Consider how much you touch your keyboard every single day. Not only do your dirty fingers touch it, but you eat over it, spill drinks on it and sneeze and cough on it. That amounts to a lot of germs!

#4 Telephone

Phones have lots of germs, and if it’s used by multiple people, it has even more. Wipe down all parts of the phone frequently to keep employees (or yourself) safe and healthy.

#5 Copier and Other Office Equipment

How often does your printer’s touchpad get wiped down? How about your other office equipment? Maybe not as often as it should. Germs hide and thrive on the buttons of the printer, copier, fax, postage meter, and other office devices.

#6 Breakroom Sink

In addition to all of the hands touching the faucet handle, the sink gets food and bacteria that can increase the germiness.

#7 Elevator Buttons

If your facility has an elevator, make sure the buttons get cleaned frequently. Think about how many people touch the buttons with unclean hands. It’s enough to make you want to wipe down the buttons immediately!

#8 Water Cooler

Like the other places that made the list, the water cooler gets tons of people filling up water bottles and getting hot water for tea. Everyone who touches it brings their own germs and grime. Wipe down anything that people touch on the water cooler to keep it germ free.

#9 Coffee Maker and Pot

This is one spot that often gets overlooked. We rinse out the coffee pot but think about how often the handle gets cleaned. Probably not often enough.

Regarding the coffee maker, you can take this into your own hands. After all, bacteria love to grow in the damp, dark insides of these well-loved machines. Fill it with 4 cups of plain white vinegar, and let that stand for a half-hour. Then let it run through, followed by three cycles of water, or until you don’t smell the vinegar.

#10 Microwave Door

People use the microwave to heat up coffee, lunches, and whatever else they need during the work day. People touch the handle each time they use the microwave, and they have to press the buttons as well. Add it to your list of places to frequently clean.

Hopefully our list gives you places to focus on to keep your facility as clean as can be. And if you’re in need of a commercial cleaner, give us a call so we can keep your employees safe and healthy.

With COVID-19 and the flu, keeping your business clean and safe is essential. We compiled some tips to help you keep your employees healthy this winter.

Up the Cleaning

Consistent, professional cleaning is essential, and you can even increase the amount of cleanings. In addition, increase cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces. You can also encourage employees to wipe down phones, keyboards, door handles, and other objects after they use them. The following are known to carry more germs than you can imagine:

• Light switches
• Phones
• Bathroom and company kitchen faucets
• Elevator buttons
• Desktops
• Office equipment
• Water cooler
• Coffee maker
• Vending machines

Stay Home

Encourage sick employees to stay home and avoid spreading germs around the office. Offer ways for sick employees to work remotely if it’s feasible.

Vary Your Shifts

If you can, consider staggered shifts for employees. Staggering shifts minimizes the amount of interaction that employees will have with one another, which could lower the risk of transmission.

Go Online

Online meeting fatigue is real, but it does prevent contaminating other employees. If you can, increase the amount of virtual meetings and in-person events during flu season. Instead of a holiday party, host a summer BBQ when you can have an event outdoors and during warmer summer months.

Need Help? 

Contact us today if you have questions about keeping employees safe this winter season or want to inquire about commercial cleaning.

Ensuring your data centers are clean and contaminant free keeps your data safe, prevents data loss, avoids hardware failures, and prevents costly downtime.

Why Clean Data Centers? 

Protecting data is crucial to business because downtime can be costly and catastrophic. Proactively cleaning and maintaining your data center keeps your business running smoothly. Data centers have equipment and surfaces that are susceptible to dirt and dust. Contaminants can make their way into data centers, which harms data servers by causing overheating and system errors.

Several types of companies have data centers:

• Call centers
• Command centers
• Web hosting companies
• Data processing centers
• Colocation data centers
• Telecom facilities

Cleaning Data Centers 

Using specific data-center permitted equipment, evaluating who enters the data center, cleaning consistently and hiring experienced cleaners can help protect your business.

Equipment

Data centers are unique, so the process to clean them is unique as well. Here’s some of the equipment used to clean data centers:

• Special dust cloths featuring particle absorbent material
• Low-lint mops that don’t shed
• No-ammonia cleaners
• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) vacuums with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters

Evaluate Who (and What) Enters the Data Center

In general, about 90 percent of the air in a data center is recirculated. So it’s crucial to keep dust, dirt, and debris out and monitor potential contamination sources, such as:

• Humans bring dust, dirt and debris into data centers. You can decrease this by using tacky mats at the room entrances and having those who have to enter the data center to wear shoe covers.
• Unpack materials in another room rather than in the data room to prevent unnecessary contaminants.
• Use HEPA filters to prevent outside air contaminants from circulating in the data center.

Consistent Cleaning

Cleaning the data center consistently helps keep data safe and reduces risks for dust, dirt, debris, and particulate contamination. Every facility is different, so it’s important to examine the traffic the data center receives. High-traffic data centers could need daily or weekly cleanings. Other facilities have very low traffic without lights so they could get away with monthly or quarterly cleaning services.

Hire Data Room Cleaning Experts

It’s essential to hire experienced commercial cleaning that have highly-trained technicians and years of data center cleaning experience. Experts understand the nuances to cleaning data centers safely and meticulously. If you’re in need of a data center expert, reach out to Joncowest. We can answer any questions you might have and provide a detailed data center cleaning quote.

A variety of industries require cleanrooms including biomedical, pharmaceutical, technology and data centers. Cleanliness is so important that there are particular standards rooms need to meet, and failure to meet ISO Level standards has serious consequences, such as fines, pause in operations, and loss of ISO classification. Keep reading to learn more about ISO-level classifications and meeting Level 1 classification standards.

What Are Cleanroom Classifications?

Cleanroom classifications refer to the cleanliness standards according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 14644-1:2015 specifies the classification of air cleanliness in terms of concentration of airborne particles in cleanrooms and clean zones. A cleanroom has a controlled level of contamination that is specified by the number of particles per cubic meter at a specified particle size. As a reference, typical outside air in a city environment contains 35,000,000 particles per cubic meter that are 0.5 micron and larger in diameter. This level of clean air corresponds to an ISO Class 9 cleanroom–toward the lowest level of cleanroom standards.

There are different ISO classes ranging from ISO Class 1 to ISO Class 9. ISO Class 1 has the least amount of contamination of the smallest particle size and ISO 9 is the “dirtiest” classification, which is typical room air. Check out this blog for a detailed table about ISO specifications.

Because the ISO Class 1 standards are strict, there are only a few cleanrooms at this level that exist in the world. Example industries that require ISO Class 1 cleanrooms include life sciences and electronics that require nanotechnology or ultra-fine particulate processing. ISO Class 7 and Class 8 are the most common. Example industries for ISO Class 7 and 8 standards include medical and food companies in order to avoid contamination of their product. Biopharmaceutical companies have stricter standards and use cleanrooms up to Class 5.

ISO Compliance

You might be curious how the contamination levels get measured in the cleanroom. They’re taken after the cleanroom gets completed, after the equipment is moved into the room, and then also when the cleanroom is in use. In addition, cleanrooms require mandatory testing every six months.

An important piece of ISO Clean 1 cleanroom is the rigorous air filtration. They have HEPA filters that remove the particulates in the air down to sub-micron sizes. The standard High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter will scrub air down to 0.3 microns at an efficiency of 99.975%. The filters circulate the air in the room, which is typically about 500 to 750 air changes an hour. ISO Class 1 compliance is less than 12 particles below 0.3 microns. To put this into perspective, a strand of human hair is around 75 microns across. After all, our human eyes can only see particles larger than 10 microns.

Another important piece for ISO cleanroom airflow performance is the fan filter modules (FFMs), which are units that supply clean air to cleanrooms. The more FFMs there are in the cleanroom, the better the ISO classification. For example, FFMs cover approximately 5-15% of an ISO Class 8 cleanroom requirements for ceilings. An ISO Class 7 cleanroom requires 15-25% ceiling coverage and covering 25-40% of the ceiling changes the room to an ISO 6 Class.

Have Questions? 

Please reach out if you have questions about cleanroom commercial cleaning, which is called TrueClean at Joncowest.