CBL Episode #139 To Shoe or not to Shoe? The Cleaning Professional’s Dilemma

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The unexpected request to remove shoes at a client's doorstep creates an immediate dilemma for cleaning professionals. Do you comply and risk safety issues, or decline and potentially lose the client? Shannon and Jamie tackle this common industry challenge with practical solutions and important safety considerations.

Chemical exposure represents one of the most overlooked dangers of barefoot cleaning. Professional cleaners already face heightened sensitivity to cleaning products over time, and direct skin contact only accelerates this process. Even products marketed as "safe for bare feet" contain chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin. This exposure extends beyond the cleaning staff to pets who later walk across these surfaces and ingest residual chemicals during grooming.

The safety implications extend further when examining slip-and-fall risks. Booties become dangerously slippery when wet, creating hazardous conditions when moving between bathrooms and other areas. This introduces serious liability concerns, as insurance policies and workers' compensation typically require proper footwear. The hosts share practical alternatives, including maintaining dedicated indoor cleaning shoes for specific clients or implementing a 7-10% surcharge for accommodating barefoot cleaning requests.

Cross-contamination presents another challenge that clients often fail to consider. The moisture from cleaning bathroom areas inevitably gets tracked throughout the home when using booties or bare feet, potentially transferring cleaning chemicals or contaminants to carpets and other surfaces.  Businesses with a legitimate reason to revisit these practices with an emphasis on health and safety.

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