Cyclone Mayhem: How To Return Your Office To A Workable State Quickly

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The two cyclones that are due to pass over Queensland's shores shortly are a timely reminder of the way that weather can quickly wreck havoc on the daily operations of your business. Once the all clear has been given that it is safe to return back to your office premises, you will need to tackle the clean up before you can reopen for business. Keep these points in mind to make sure this task is achieved both efficiently and safely.

Carpets

If the cyclone winds have pushed water under the doors of your office so the carpets are saturated, the first person you need to call is your commercial cleaning company. Ask them to bring their wet vacuum down to the office to help start removing the water from the carpet fibres. Keep these points in mind while you are waiting for the cleaners to arrive:

  • Remember that flooded carpet needs to be dried within 24-48 hours to prevent mould from growing, so time is of the essence.
  • You must be certain that it was only rainwater that flooded the carpet before cleaning begins. Gather a sample in a clean glass jar and hold it up to the light to see how clear it is. Dirty flood water is considered contaminated, which means extra disinfection is needed during the cleaning process.
  • If it is possible that sewage contaminated flood water has passed through your office, an insurance claim will need to be lodged, and the carpet needs to be removed for replacement. Your local fire department will be able to tell you if your flood water contained sewerage.
  • Have your cleaning crew suction up as much water as they can, and then use industrial fans to complete the drying process. These fans can be purchased from a hardware store, or hired from a commercial equipment rental company.
  • Make sure your cleaner both sanitises and deodorises your carpets so that there is no lingering odour after the clean up.

The carpets are the most time-sensitive aspect of your office and need to be tackled first, but they are not the only part of your office requiring attention.

Office Equipment

If the flood damage is confined to several centimetres of water on the floor, then your next step will be wiping down the legs and feet of all your office furniture that has made contact with the water. Use disinfectant on your rags to wipe away any potential bacteria that were carried in the water.

However, if the water went higher than this, there is a possibility that it has affected your floor level power points. These will need to be checked by a certified electrician before it is safe to plug back in your computers, photocopiers and other electrical devices. Moisture that is in the power point could cause an electric shock, a power surge that damages your computers or it could blow out the circuit breaker to your whole office, so do not take any chances.

Rubbish Removal

Anything that was left on the floor of the office before the flood waters came through will need to be thrown out. Make sure that your cleaners have plenty of rubbish bags on hand to help you with this task.

Also, be mindful that if the power was knocked out by the cyclone, all food and milk within the refrigerator will need to be tossed out as well. Try to recycle items such as cans and wet paper. While you may be in a hurry to get the office reopened, it does not take any extra effort to place these items into recycling bins rather than sending them automatically to the country's landfills.

Cleaning up after cyclones is never fun, but the faster you and your cleaning company start the job, the sooner you can reopen your doors. The safety of your staff must be at the forefront of your mind before they come back, so be sure to take every step necessary to ensure your office is safety compliant and dry before they and your customers return.

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19 February 2015

Cleaning Hacks, Tips and Ideas

Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Harper, and I am a bit of a clean freak. In order to keep on top of both my office and my home, I have learned a lot of cleaning tips and hacks over the year. If you want to know how to get wine out of your carpet, how to stop a grease stain from setting on your couch, how to clean grout or tile work, or any other cleaning tips, this blog is dedicated to you. Over the years, I have explored everything from cleaning quickly to cleaning thoroughly to hiring professional cleaners. I hope that you enjoy reading my blog and that it helps you and your spaces to stay clean!