Disinfecting Commercial Office Buildings
While the CoronaVirus pandemic has closed businesses and office buildings nationwide, normal operations will resume in the future. As a result, property managers will need to properly clean and disinfect office spaces. In addition to making sure office spaces are clean and healthy whenever work resumes, this will also give tenants peace of mind.
Even if tenants are responsible for cleaning their own spaces, property managers should hire a commercial cleaning company clean and disinfect all common areas. Here’s what property managers should include in an RFP to disinfect a commercial office building before work resumes.
Require EPA Approved Cleaning Agents
Disinfecting commercial office buildings is all about using the right cleaning agents. When it comes to killing CoronaVirus on surfaces, not all cleaning agents are equal. In a recent press release, the EPA expanded the list of approved disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2. In general, property managers can require the use of any approved disinfectant in the RFP to clean their office property.
Property managers should note that most disinfectants and cleaning agents do not include directions for disinfecting against the novel CoronaVirus. This is because the CoronaVirus is so new, many manufacturers have not caught up with labeling. This list of approved disinfectants also includes the preparation instructions to follow to kill the CoronaVirus. A cleaning solution using Clorox Disinfecting Bleach should follow the preparation instructions to disinfect against canine and feline parvovirus, for example.
Prioritize High Traffic Common Areas
While disinfecting the entire building is preferred, it might not be possible at a property from a logistics or budget standpoint. As a result, property managers should prioritize high traffic common areas in their office disinfecting RFP. In general, property managers can prioritize any area where tenants gather or surfaces are regularly and frequently touched. Examples of these spaces include:
- General lobby areas
- Entry and exit doors
- Common area bathrooms
- Elevator waiting areas
- Elevator cab interiors
- Cafeterias or dining facilities
In addition to prioritizing areas of the building, property managers can also prioritize surfaces. Research shows that CoronaVirus survives for significantly longer periods of time on hard surfaces like metal and plastic. If there are budget limitations, disinfecting these surfaces is more important than carpet and upholstery, for example.
Specify Disinfecting Techniques
Any RFP for disinfecting commercial office buildings should specify how the cleaning and disinfecting is done. For example, will cleaning agents be applied using free standing fogging machines, handheld disinfectant sprayers, or are surfaces wiped down by hand? Property managers should work with their cleaning contractor to understand which techniques are most effective and appropriate for their property.
Whenever possible, property managers should work with their existing cleaning contractor. This is because they are already familiar with the office property, making them the best initial option for a proposal to disinfect. Property managers that need additional cleaning bids, can click here to have our BidSource team locate a qualified commercial cleaning contractor with the capacity to provide an estimate.
Find Commercial Cleaning Contractors Using BidSource
Property managers can use BidSource to have the Property Manager Insider team locate a qualified commercial cleaning contractor. Just fill out the form with your project details and a member of our team will be in touch.
