Retail Store Cleaning Checklist: Don’t Miss These 8 Things!
A clean, clutter-free store is very inviting to shoppers. It shows you care about your business, as well as your customers and your employees. Without this good first impression, potential customers may not stay long once they walk inside the door.
When the pandemic first started, retail stores and other businesses cleaned and sanitized their environments frequently, on the possibility COVID could be transferred with surface contact. Now that we know COVID is spread through the air, some retailers have relaxed their stringent cleaning procedures. But customers have gotten used to seeing stores at their cleanest, so if yours is less than spotless, it might not seem clean to them.
This retail store cleaning checklist will help you make sure your store is as clean as possible by not forgetting eight essential things.
- Clear clutter from the sales floor.
Streamlined displays will make the store look cleaner, as well as make it easier to clean. - Empty trash cans throughout the day. Overflowing trashcans in the restroom or behind the cash register give the impression that your store is not sanitary.
- Make sure windows and mirrors shine. Streaks and fingerprints need to be removed regularly. It’s especially important to make sure your front windows are well cleaned. Dirty windows reduce the amount of light they let into your store and give a poor impression to passersby.
- Dust everything. Dust builds up quickly, so it’s important to dust frequently, especially in often-forgotten corners and behind displays. You want your customers to think “new” and “fresh” when they walk into your store, not “old” and “forgotten.” Make sure to dust from top to bottom. And don’t forget to dust the light fixtures, too, as a dirty light fixture won’t be as bright.
- Sweep and mop floors and vacuum carpets. Daily foot traffic brings all sorts of dirt and debris into your store. Regular sweeping and mopping will keep grime from building up on the floors. Clean up spills as soon as they happen, especially on carpets that could be stained.
- Keep restrooms clean and well-stocked. Customers expect that the restroom will be cleaned and disinfected and that there will be plenty of toilet paper and paper towels.
- Don’t forget the employee breakroom and storage areas. If there’s a refrigerator where employees store their lunches, and a microwave where they heat them up, these need to be cleaned regularly to prevent unappealing odors from drifting into the retail areas of the store.
- Sanitize surfaces frequently. Customers are reassured by the sight of employees wiping down the counter between transactions.
The Risks of Not Following Your Retail Store Cleaning Checklist
Besides the possible loss of customers, there are other, more serious, risks associated with not cleaning your store properly.
- A customer or an employee is injured.
They could slip and fall on a spill that hasn’t been cleaned up, or trip on merchandise left out on a cluttered floor. If someone is injured in your store and you are found negligent, you could be facing a lawsuit. - A problem with pests.
Food or trash that is not disposed of properly can attract bugs or rodents. - Public relations problems.
Popular internet review sites like Yelp give customers a forum to air their complaints about your business. You don’t want to be known for running a business that isn’t clean.
Turn To the Professionals at Enviro-Master Services
While some of the items on the retail store cleaning checklist can, and should, be handled by your employees, others may be best handled by professionals. Enviro-Master has extensive experience serving all types of retail businesses. Our specially formulated cleaning products help protect against viruses and bacteria. Our restroom cleaning services, combined with our tile and grout cleaning protocols, will help keep your restroom sparkling clean. Our paper management program will make sure paper towels and toilet paper are kept well stocked.
Get in Touch Today
No matter what kind of retail business you own, Enviro-Master Services can help you keep it clean. Contact us to set up your free on-site consultation to find out exactly what we can do for you.
