Retail Cleaning—How to Get Ready for Holiday Shopping Season

As fall begins, many retail stores are already displaying holiday merchandise. What about Halloween? Or Thanksgiving, you might wonder? These are fair questions, but they are no match for the so-called “seasonal creep” that has boomed in recent years. In the past, retail operations transformed into holiday wonderlands come November 1st, while trick-or-treaters were still making their way through piles of candy. But with many shoppers now eyeing their holiday gift lists early as fall approaches, some retail stores choose to create the kind of ambiance that embodies the holiday spirit now.

Whether a retail store is decorating early or holding off for more traditional timing, it’s essential to have a plan for retail cleaning. Heavy traffic in the store entryways, aisles, checkout areas, and restrooms can quickly turn shining, clean floors into dirty, grimy surfaces that diminish the overall store appearance and the customer experience. Depending on the store’s regional location, weather can be a factor that leaves retail staff frequently bringing out the floor cleaning equipment.

An entryway mat is an essential way to help prevent dirty snow from diminishing store appearance or creating a slip and fall risk of a wet floor. Having a mat on the floor right as shoppers enter the store greatly reduces the dirt that gets tracks throughout the store. The mat will help collect dirt and protect the appearance of your store. However, even with a mat, your entryways will need frequent cleaning during the holidays, so keep a compact floor scrubber tucked away behind the counter for quick clean-ups.

Also, attend to the spaces outside the store. Snow-covered curbs, slushy sidewalks and unplowed parking spaces create a mess that will likely make its way into your store via shoppers’ shoes. To mitigate this:

• Post a sign outside the doorway reminding customers to wipe their shoes on the entry mat.
• Keep a steady supply of an anti-slip substance such as sand on hand to put down outside the store entrance.
• As for the parking area, make sure snow piles aren’t blocking walkways and parking spaces.

Sure, customers come into a store because they’re looking for the products you sell. But store appearance and store cleanliness also matter. Keeping high-traffic areas clean and inviting creates a positive customer experience for your customers that can drive repeat business. Staying on top of retail cleaning can also improve employee morale and provide the overall impression that you’re protecting their health and safety. Health and safety are further boosted by using cleaning equipment such as scrubbers and sweepers that thoroughly removes dirt and soil, maintains better air quality, and leaves floors safe, dry and ready for traffic.

Having a cleaning routine that keeps floors looking enticing doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Whether you have an in-house cleaning crew, outsource cleaning or take a hybrid approach, keeping floors clean and shining pays off in the long run as it shows customers that their impression of your store matters—making them likely to return.