The holidays can be a busy time in many churches. Holiday-related events increase foot traffic in the building, while holiday feasts lead to increased use of kitchen and dining facilities. Extra precautions are required to keep the building looking its best.
The holidays also coincide with cold and flu season, so maintaining church cleanliness is an important part of keeping parishioners healthy. Here’s what you can do to keep your church beautiful, clean, and safe at the holidays.
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Use Mats and Vacuum Regularly
Dirt may build up in high-traffic areas of your building. Keep your floors clean by vacuuming regularly. Pay close attention to the floors in entryways and in the kitchen and dining areas, where food stains may become a problem.
Lay down mats in entryways. By providing a surface where parishioners can safely wipe their feet, mats help stop the spread of mud throughout the building. Have your mats shampooed during or after the holiday season? Replace old, worn-down mats before the season begins.
Take Care of Poinsettias
Poinsettias are a common decoration in most churches during the holiday season. Dried-out poinsettia leaves can drop to the floor and spread tiny leaf parts throughout the building. Prevent this from happening by keeping your poinsettias properly watered and by vacuuming around and under poinsettias periodically throughout the holiday season. Place poinsettias on plates to protect the carpet under the plants.
Give away poinsettias to parishioners when the holiday season is over. Not only is this a nice gesture to the people who attend your church, but it’s also a good way to keep your church clean.
Sanitize Surfaces
Germs are prevalent on surfaces throughout the cold and flu season. Sanitizing surfaces in germ hot spots can help prevent the spread of the flu.
Work with your cleaning company to establish regular routines for sanitizing surfaces in the church. The most vulnerable areas are likely to be the bathrooms, kitchen, and child care rooms. Keep hand sanitizer available in all of these areas (but out of reach of very young children) to encourage people to keep their hands clean as they handle food, use the restroom, and engage in Sunday school activities.
Schedule Cleanings Before (and After) Holiday Festivities
Big holiday events may get your church extra dirty, especially if attendance is up and food is involved. Schedule cleanings before these events to ensure that your church looks its best when the events take place.
Schedule an extra cleaning shortly after these events to address problems like ground-in cookie crumbs, stains on the carpet, and muddy footprints. Waiting to clean the church after events may mean these stains will become a permanent part of your church building.
Educate Parishioners About Church Cleanliness
Your parishioners should play a role in maintaining your church’s cleanliness. Use polite signs to encourage cleanliness, such as washing hands after using the bathroom. Establish areas where parishioners are not allowed to bring food and use signs to make that information known. If your church has a newsletter, write an article to establish guidelines that will help keep the church clean.
Ask church leaders to remind small groups to clean up their mess after meetings. Remind parishioners to throw away disposable dishes after a meal, and make the garbage cans easily accessible at all dining area exits.
Work With Your Cleaning Company
Cleaning companies may get busy when the holidays are underway. Set up extra cleaning appointments in advance to ensure that your church will have coverage when the busy season kicks in.
Keeping your church clean and presentable at this important time of year can make the churchgoing experience more enjoyable and rewarding for everyone who attends services.
For more information about how you can keep your church clean this holiday season, contact Advanced Office Care.
