Cleaning: One Activity COVID-19 Can't Cancel

Have you ever heard that saying, “When man makes plans, God laughs?” Well, I’ve heard a lot of laughter lately.

When I sat down to plan out this issue in January, the world was a different place. The American public thought they knew the importance of hand washing and few understood why you have to both clean and disinfect a surface. Cross-contamination wasn’t a word they used and doctors orders were often ignored.

In just a few short weeks, janitors went from ghosts that tend to facilities in off hours to heroes protecting the public from a very dangerous virus. Put on a pedestal next to doctors and nurses, building service contractors are finally being celebrated as the essential workers they are. But the last few months have also been a roller coaster for BSCs. As the number of COVID-19 cases increased in February, the demands for cleaning ramped up. Soaps, hand sanitizers and disinfectants were in high demand as clients sought guidance to improve health from their BSC partners.

To answer the demand for increased cleaning specs, some contractors hired additional staff, built special task forces and began working around the clock. But just as the influx of work came, it went in early March as governments pushed for schools to close and businesses to send workers home. BSCs had to adjust their plans quickly, stressing the importance of disinfecting empty facilities and pushing for project work — fluidity became essential.

As much change as we have seen in the last few months, I expect there are still many challenges to come. The one constant is that cleaning will remain essential in the fight against infections today and into the future, showcasing to the world what we in the industry already know about the value of a strong BSC.