I'VE been involved in the home services and cleaning industry for more than 10 years and have seen cleaning expectations and trends peak and trough - but never as significantly as throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Our recent survey found that two-in-five Australians are concerned about the cleanliness of their workplace, while 27 per cent have become more concerned about germs in general since the start of the pandemic.
As a nation, we are now excruciatingly aware of what we are touching throughout the day; perhaps avoiding handrails on staircases or pushing doors open with our feet and avoiding handles at any cost.
What has also became apparent is that our expectation of clean now goes far beyond a hit of disinfectant spray and a wipe with a wet cloth. Fortunately, employers are acknowledging the need for better practices and are stepping up.
With community transmission scares continuing to pop up and more Aussies heading back into offices, there's been a big spike in commercial cleaning and sanitisation services for businesses.
For staff to feel safe and secure in their workplace, a thorough cleaning regime has become a regular practice - and employers know that keeping their staff safe and healthy will keep their doors open.
Some of the ways that businesses are helping to ease workplace hygiene anxieties is through antiviral sanitisation services.
Through a process called fogging, a non-toxic, 99.9 per cent effective cleaning solution is misted across an entire space.
This is hugely effective for targeting large, high-traffic areas and is a popular choice for schools, childcare centres, public transport, medical practices and offices.
It is also important for Australian workers to accept and adapt to our "new normal".
Sanitising our hands as we enter the workplace should, and probably will be, common practice for some time to come. We should be taking extra care in shared spaces, perhaps using antibacterial wipes after we've used the office microwave or opened the fridge.
Most employers are doing their best to make coming to work as stress-free as possible - leaving doors propped open, turning on all the lights before everyone arrives, providing wipes and sanitiser for employees and increasing regular cleans.
Australia's cleaners are here to help Aussie homes and businesses take proactive steps to keep clean and safe.
After all, in 2021 is there really such a thing as "too clean"?
Rune Sovndahl is co-founder of Fantastic Services Group.
