For many businesses, the festive season is one of the most crucial of the year, bringing in huge amounts of business, sales and, hopefully, new loyal customers. The downside? Both Christmas and New Year bring with them a lot of waste. It can get so busy that tasks such as cleaning and tidying fall to the wayside. What’s more, according to Stanford, the average person creates 25% more trash from Thanksgiving through to New Years - and that includes businesses. It’s crucial that businesses get on top of this - first through proper waste management, and then through intensive cleaning of the premises.

Taking out the trash

All those extra sales are going to create extra waste, whether that’s through excess packaging, receipt waste, decorations for Christmas-style promotions or anything else. Businesses need to make the most out of New Year’s, too, and that often means decorations, and maybe even the likes of party poppers and fireworks. As the CSM highlights, a lot can be recycled - but a lot may be left. A brush up every day gets some of the work done but there’ll be more to be done.

Embarking on a deep waste cleanup of the premises, with professional help, will accomplish two things. Firstly, and most crucially - it gets rid of that waste. That’s important to give your business a polished look, and it also gets rid of those holiday decorations - letting them stick around will rapidly give the enterprise a dated look. Secondly, it takes the fuss out of waste management - professionals will divide it for you, ensure it’s correctly managed, and generally reduce the headache of working on what needs to go where.

Getting down to it

If waste management was problematic, you can guarantee that general cleaning will have been, too. Properly run businesses ensure they dust and tidy to keep the shop appealing to customers, but there can be hidden dirt. What’s more, employees are increasingly picking up on it - according to CNBC, a huge 66% of office workers want their premises to be cleaned with more regularity and with higher quality equipment. If you’ve had a messy New Years or Christmas party in the premises, that need may seem more obvious.

As with deep cleaning and waste removal, the key is professionals. Knowing where to look for dirt and grime, how to properly clean it, and how to keep it clean, is crucial. Also consider the benefits of deep floor cleaning - the tools that professionals have at their disposal will provide a safe and long-lasting sheen to floors, an important part of a hygienic and well presented business.

Hidden corners

Following the brutal winter brought in by the polar vortex, many Philly natives are excited to see that it’s warm weather on the horizon, with CBS predicting a move up into the mid-60s. That’s great news for business, but it can uncover some hidden cleaning issues that require the attention of professionals. This is especially true for that much-neglected area - the roof.

As the inclement weather came in, it brought with it not only snow piles, but dirt, detritus, and loose debris from the damaged houses and other properties in the region. Without knowing it, they can become lodged in outside fittings and, critically, on the roofs of properties. This is dangerous work - even clearing a snow drift can be exceptionally hazardous, especially as it warps the picture of where it’s safe up on the roof. Professional help can ensure that the roof is properly cleaned, ensuring that debris and detritus are removed, and will remove a lot of the risk for the business owner. This also ensures that the roof is in good condition for rain and the next cold season - meaning a lower risk of damage.

Cleaning up the windows

Probably the least problematic area of the business after the holiday season is the windows, but it’s a good idea to get them properly cleaned before spring comes in. The pollen season is where windows can get muckiest, and it can really drag down the outward appearance of the business if there’s dirt, dust and pollen covering those panes. Having a full, pre-spring clear out now will ensure that the business looks fighting fit, and will ensure that any dirt buildup through the seasons doesn’t become a problem of its own.

New Years, and the relative quiet that follows, is a great excuse to get cleaning on the business. Pushing away the haze of the holiday season and moving into the new year with a focus on a thoroughly cleaned, properly managed and professional public-facing business is the idea. Making that bit of effort on appearance will help the business to maintain its customers and start the new year off strong.