Find out how shoes affect your carpets and how ServiceMaster Cleaning by Simons can help.
Many employees find ways to keep their office area clean. Simple methods such as not eating meals at your desk, or cleaning up quickly after a spill can keep surfaces tidy on a daily basis. However, there are less obvious culprits to grime that are much more difficult to manage—your shoes. ServiceMaster Cleaning by Simons is the expert in commercial carpet cleaning in Chicago, IL, and we want our customers to be informed about the cleanliness of their offices. So we’ve done our research to bring a little insight as to what your shoes are dragging into the work environment.
Exactly how dirty are your shoes?
A 2008 episode of “Good Morning America” put shoes to the test. In this test, eight people’s shoes were tested for bacteria. One of the tested individuals was found to have 66 million bacterial organisms on their shoes! On the show, they mentioned that the test they used was loosely based off of a larger study conducted by the University of Arizona. In that case, nine different species of bacteria were found on people’s shoes; more importantly, these bacteria have been known to cause infections in human lungs, eyes, and/or stomachs.
Another finding from the study was that bacterial organisms survive and live longer on people’s shoes than in other places. This is possible because as we walk, we continually pick up debris that fuels the growth of more organisms. The research team also sought to figure out if these bacterial organisms transfer to tile floors and carpeting. The results showed that more than 90 percent of the time, the organisms were transferred to both carpeting and tile floors. The amount of total bacteria that had been transferred was far more than the amount you would find on a public toilet seat.
Gross. So now what?
Since wearing shoes is expected at work, there are really only two solutions to avoiding the bacterial exposure that could potentially cause illness for staff members:
1) Have an extra pair of shoes– Have an “outside only” pair of shoes that you use to travel to work and then leave at the door. Then, put on your second “work only” shoes once inside the building. Then, at the end of the workday, you can put on your outside shoes before leaving the building again. This will help decrease the amount of bacteria that is dragged throughout the work place.
2) Hire a commercial cleaning company– Although you may be able to use the extra shoe theory, it is impossible to ensure that every coworker complies. So instead of tirelessly worrying about what germs you are bringing inside, you can hire a carpet cleaning company specializing in floor and carpet cleaning and sanitation. Continuous maintenance and cleaning will ensure that your carpets and floors always receive a cleaning treatment that removes the pesky bacteria brought in by people’s shoes.
If you need a carpet cleaning company in Chicago, IL that specializes in cleaning carpets and hard surface floors, look no further than ServiceMaster Cleaning by Simons! Our team is highly trained and experienced to handle any amount of bacteria on every fiber and floor type. Give us a call today to set up your customized commercial cleaning plan and keep your employees working in a clean, safe environment!