Spring is upon us, and what comes with spring? Pollen. The air is filled with tiny, yellow particles that make their home on every available surface. This can be unattractive at best, but at worst, it can make life difficult for your employees that suffer from a pollen allergy.
While most people associate pollen with spring and flowers, this is not quite correct. In New England, plants release their pollen from spring through fall, though depending on how mild the winter was, could start even sooner. And most of the pollen that’s making your eyes and nose itch isn’t coming from the blooming flowers. No, it comes from trees, grass, and weeds. They make small, light, and dry pollen grains that travel by the wind rather than by insects like flower pollen. This is how they find their way into your eyes, nose, and lungs.
In 2021, approximately 81 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with seasonal pollen allergies. The odds are good that several of your employees could have them. That’s why it’s important to keep your office space, school, government building, or healthcare facility free of pollen. When workers are miserable due to itchy eyes, sneezing, and coughing, they’re far less productive and morale quickly goes down. Removing pollen will keep everyone happy and healthy, resulting in a more productive atmosphere.
Here’s what you need to know to prepare your building for allergy season.
Clean the Floors and Vacuum Often
Floor cleaning services have many benefits, but during allergy season, they can be crucial. Airborne pollen will eventually settle on surfaces, and the floor is typically the largest surface in any room. Sweeping isn’t totally ineffective for clearing it away but will often knock some of the pollen back into the air. It’s better to go with the more effective, efficient solution of mopping. The water will wash the pollen away and make it cling to the damp fibers of the mop, which will keep it from becoming airborne again.
Meanwhile, rugs and carpets are especially effective at trapping allergens like pollen in their fibers. This pollen settles in and waits until it is kicked up again by people walking across the carpet, releasing it back into the wild. While one solution is to start a building-wide game of “the Floor is Lava,” a more effective solution is to ensure the rugs and carpets are vacuumed thoroughly.
Clear the Air
Spring often comes with beautiful weather, so you might be tempted to crack a window or prop open a door to let some fresh air in. Sadly, that fresh air brings pollen in with it. While the screens on most windows are designed to keep out insects and other pests, pollen can unfortunately slip through the holes easily. Perhaps you could risk it for a few hours after a heavy rain. However, on dry days you’re better off keeping the windows closed. However, that won’t entirely stop pollen from coming in, as it can easily get inside anytime someone opens a door. It also frequently hitches a ride on shoes and clothing, then is knocked back into the air.
An option to consider is installing an air purifier. This is a good move for any time of year, as they can be effective at trapping and eliminating airborne illnesses. As for pollen, some air purifiers are better than others, so it’s important to do your research.
However, for an air filter to be effective, the filter itself must be regularly cleaned and replaced. Otherwise it will be ineffective at best, and at worst, could make the quality of the air worse.
Clean and Sanitize Surfaces
During allergy season, you’re going to notice a fine layer of yellow across every surface, both inside and outside. Aesthetically it’s unattractive, even if your favorite color is yellow. It’s the most obvious sign that nothing has been dusted or wiped down in quite some time. This can leave the wrong impression on building visitors and increase the amount of itching, coughing, and sneezing your workers will have to suffer through.
Seasonal allergies are hardly life-threatening and never contagious, but pollen can still trigger sneezing. And if the person who sneezed is carrying other germs, it’s very possible that they could spread. So why take the chance? Plus if you’re already wiping down surfaces to clear away pollen, why not take the extra step and sanitize it too?
Use Green Cleaning Programs
While green cleaning products might not necessarily be more effective than chemical cleaners when battling pollen, they will further improve the overall air quality of the office. More than that, they won’t leave behind other pollutants that will cause the same uncomfortable symptoms that pollen tends to cause. Many green cleaning products lack the powerful odors and irritants that non-eco friendly cleaners possess. There’s no sense in replacing pollen with another allergen, after all.
Besides that, if you’re going to increase the amount of cleaning you plan to do, isn’t it better to use products that will overall be better for the environment?
Hire Well-Trained Commercial Cleaners
The most critical line of defense against allergy season is having a well-trained cleaning staff working for you. Cleaning should be done regularly, thoroughly, and consistently, otherwise the pollen will continue to fill your workspace. Your employees can’t afford to spend their work hours cleaning, but it still needs to get done to keep everyone happy. So it’s time to outsource to the professionals.
Our professional janitorial services not only will efficiently and consistently clear away the allergens polluting your workspace, but will improve the building’s overall cleanliness and health. Our team can get the pollen out of carpets, waiting area furniture, fabric cubicle enclosures, and more. We can wash and polish your floors so they’re free of pollen, wipe down surfaces so they’re clean and sanitary, and so much more.
It’s time for your employees to breathe deeply without fear of seasonal allergies. Contact us today to get a commercial cleaning service that will keep your office fresh as a daisy.