The High Risk of Cleaning Your Own Business

You handle every aspect of your business from sales team training to staying on top of the latest industry trends, so you figure you can handle the cleaning too. Right?Not so fast.While cleaning your own business may seem like a logical way to save money, it may end up costing you more than just time.Let's take a look at ways cleaning your own business can actually be a liability.

Slips and Falls

This is one of the top reasons for lawsuits, and it's a very real threat if you're cleaning spaces where customers will be walking.You may find a few moments to do a quick mop of the floor, making it shine. While that will look good, you've also inadvertently created a skating rink that can make someone take a tumble without the right precautions.The bottom line here is if you're doing your own cleaning (or have an employee doing it) then your liability insurance covers slip and fall incidents. You may not even be covered for this kind of incident.However, choosing a reputable cleaning company means it will fall on their liability insurance if someone gets hurt. This is important because falling-related injuries are among the most costly in the U.S., and the cost increases with age.Proper cleaning companies also carry with them the proper signage to alert people that surfaces are wet, reducing the risk of falls.

Annoyance to Clients and Staff

If you're using your own staff to perform cleaning duties, then chances are they will be doing this during regular hours. That can be an inconvenience to customers (not to mention other staff) who will be using the space.Hiring an experienced cleaning franchise means you can probably arrange for some or all of the work to be done after hours or on weekends without interfering with the business operation.

Lost Productivity

If your employee is the one that gets hurt while cleaning, you're not out of the woods yet. You'll have to cover the injury rehabilitation through your workers' compensation insurance, and your premiums might go up as a result.Not only that, but you might've just lost your top creative mind or your hardest worker because you decided they should mop instead of doing what they were hired for. This means you'll lose that talent for as long as it takes them to recover, and the relationship may be strained when they return.Mandating employees to do your cleaning can also hurt morale. It sends the message that what they're doing is not enough. This can hurt employee relations across the board.

Cleaning Product Danger and Compliance

If you don't do the cleaning for a living, then there's a good chance you don't know what the best—and more importantly—the safest products are when it comes to cleaning indoor spaces.That means you and your employees may not know the potential risks of individual cleaning products or what can happen if you mix the wrong products together.Proper cleaning companies will show up with protective gear to prevent breathing fumes or getting harsh chemicals on their skin.Aside from improperly using cleaning products, you may end up improperly storing them. This can be a hazard that can backfire if you get a visit from an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspector.OSHA also says businesses need to maintain a clean space and expects employers to establish a strategy to achieve this. It may simply not be possible without bringing in outside help.

Janitor and Equipment Costs

You may think that dedicating a staff position to cleaning won't cost you very much, but you're just seeing the tip of the iceberg.Not only can a custodian add another full salary (with benefits) to your payroll, you also have to consider the equipment they'll need. That could be floor polishers, special cleaners, gloves, masks, brushes, brooms, mops, wipes—the list goes on.Suddenly you've gone from adding annual operating costs to adding capital costs too! And don't forget that you may have to pay for equipment maintenance or replacement down the road.Because janitors are often on slick surfaces or have to climb ladders to get at hard-to-reach surfaces, they are more likely to slip and fall, which takes us back to the point about workers' comp.When you add up all the costs of salary and equipment for in-house cleaning staff, you'll more than likely find that hiring a cleaning company on an ongoing basis is cheaper. Not to mention the added peace of mind you'll get from less liability risk.

Less Focus on Innovation

Let's be honest here. You didn't become your own boss to clean. But for every minute you or your staff spends cleaning, you could be making a sale or working on the next great idea.You probably don't do your own accounting—you leave that for the professionals. The same goes for cleaners. It's a labor and time intensive process that has to be done right, and you simply shouldn't waste your valuable time doing it.One of the best qualities of being a boss is to know how to delegate tasks. Cleaning is one task that should be outsourced.

Employees May Not Be Bonded

When you hire a reputable cleaning company, they often advertise that they are bonded. That means they may cover any loss from theft or accidental damage following an investigation. The same may not be said about your own staff.Cleaning staff are often police background checked, so you can feel confident about letting them into more restricted spaces with valuable inventory or sensitive information.

Cleaning Your Own Business Can Be Messy

As you can see, cleaning your own business not only takes away time from doing what you do best, but it can also cost you a lot more than just hiring a cleaning company.Hiring a business that only does the cleaning can help ensure it's done right. Trained cleaning staff know where to look and what to look for to eliminate germs and other impurities. They'll also clean your toilets—good luck getting your tech staff to do that!Meanwhile, if you're looking to start your own cleaning business, then contact us today to find out how we can help you be part of a valuable franchise.