10 ESSENTIAL CLEANING TOOLS [FOR JANITORIAL PROFESSIONALS]

While you might be able to get away with saying that most residences have fairly similar needs in cleaning tools, once you start talking about professional janitorial services, the game changes. Places of public accommodation, as well as production facilities, have special needs in cleaning supplies, chemicals and equipment.

That being said, if we’re talking about the basics, here are 10 essential cleaning items that every professional cleaning service should have on hand, specifics aside - all of which you can find at JaniSource, your source for professional cleaning supplies, tools and equipment.

1.A broom and dustpan

Arguably the most basic of all cleaning tools, a broom and dustpan are the two things anyone, anywhere, reaches for when there’s a dry mess or a dry spill to be cleaned up. Before you have to call in the heavy-duty solvents and cleaners, a broom and a dustpan will help keep your floors clean.

2.A duster

A duster is also a very basic cleaning tool, but a highly useful one nonetheless. Truth is, a duster is typically the complement to a broom and dustpan. Whatever you dust off of a surface will eventually settle to the ground where it will need to be swept up. Like a broom and dustpan, a duster is usually a self-sufficient cleaning accessory that does not necessarily need to be used in the company of liquid, chemical cleaners. Some users prefer the use of Swiffers, which make cleaning dust and other fine matter off of the floor much easier, in many cases serving to clean a floor without the need to break out a mop and bucket.

3.Buckets

Buckets are so basic that you might even overlook them as a vital cleaning accessory. Still, whenever you need to clean a floor with a mop, wring out a rag, or just keep some plain water on hand to clean a surface, a bucket is your best friend.

That doesn’t even address the fact that many buckets are specialized for transporting and wringing out maps, with wheels and special presses to help squeeze out the excess liquid. Here at JaniSource, we have quite an assortment in our catalog.

4.Mops

This list would not be complete without a mop, which is probably the most basic wet-cleaning item for cleaning floors. We have a wide variety of mops and mop heads in our store, making it easy for you to match the nature of the mop head to the surface you need to clean.

We carry our own line of mop heads, which you’ll find in our store branded as JaniMop. Among the highlights of our collection are looped dust mops, rayon mop heads and looped wet mop heads that are tough, highly absorbent, and feature extremely durable blends of cotton, rayon and synthetic fibers for powerful cleaning.

5.Vacuums

When a broom and dustpan don’t bring enough power to the fray, a vacuum cleaner will help you remove dirt, dust and other soil from the floor. We carry both upright and backpack vacuums in our collection. Backpack vacuums, in particular, are more comfortable and easier for most people to use, freeing them from reaching or stretching into uncomfortable positions that can risk injury.

Professional settings might also require the use of wet/dry vacs, of which JaniSource carries many. Ideal for removing not only dry waste but also liquid spills, a wet/dry vacuum can make all of the difference in settings where liquid spills are common. Our catalog contains highlights from IPC Eagle, Karcher, and Tornado, and we offer great financing and nationwide warranty coverage!

6.A surplus of rags or towels

If a sponge can’t get the job done, then a plain cotton or microfiber towel may be able to. Rags and towels are not simply useful for cleaning; they are also useful for applying finishes or polishes to the surface you’ve just cleaned, which is why you can’t just have one. Plus, they’re so affordable, there’s no reason not to keep a surplus on hand.

Microfiber towels are also highly useful for cleaning and polishing, and since they have both positively and negatively charged fibers, are excellent at attracting dirt, dust, oils and other liquids as well as the microbes that hide in them. Because they have so many small fibers, they’re much more effective at mechanically cleaning a surface than other towels and rags with conventional fibers that are much larger. They’re also often very absorbent and great at cleaning a wide range of surfaces.

7.Spare spray bottles

Once your job requires a liquid cleaner, whether it’s just a water and vinegar solution or something more powerful, you’ll need the ability to apply it. Spray bottles enable both easy mixing, easy transport and easy application - and, for those of you that create your own cleaners (like green cleaners) a spray bottle is a necessity.

8.A tough scrub brush

There are times when neither a sponge nor a good old cotton towel will cut it. Sometimes, what you need is the good old-fashioned abrasive power of a tough scrub brush. Whether you’re coaxing stubborn soil off of the surface of a stone tile or clearing lime and scale off of the glass in a shower, a scrub brush is a must. Oftentimes, the mechanical action of a good scrub brush is just what you need to get the chemical impact of a cleaner or solvent to work its magic.

9.Gloves

Many cleaners - both industrial and even household lines - are so effective at what they do because they are harsh. Harsh chemicals might be able to neutralize odors, kill microbes and dissolve rust, soap scum, scale and more - but those same traits make them pretty nasty when in contact with your hands. If you use those cleaners, wear gloves!

10.Squeegees

A squeegee is a nice tool to have around whenever you’re cleaning stone or tile floors or walls, or even glass walls or windows. If you want a nice, streak-free surface, sometimes a squeegee is the only tool that will cut it.

11.Bonus: The right cleaner for the job - not a tool, but necessary

Finally, and despite the fact that they aren’t necessarily cleaning tools, you’ll want the right cleaner for the job, with respect to the surface you are cleaning. Wood, stone, tile, metal, ceramic and others each have their own unique needs.

Whether you’re looking for cleaning tools like those listed in this article, the cleaning chemicals to accompany them, or even industrial cleaning equipment like floor cleaners or walk-behind floor scrubbers, we have them. We offer our products at great prices and we even offer financing. Call us here at JaniSource at 1-877-667-4323 for details.