How to Set a Cleaning Schedule that Keeps the Office Spic and Span All Week Long

 

Do you want an office that’s always clean? Then don’t wait for the end of the week to get your office cleaned! A clean and neat office appeals to the staff morale and work attitude in a positive way, so it’s important that the office be constantly clean all week long.  And this kind of upkeep can only be achieved through an effective Cleaning Schedule.

Depending on the size of office space, nature of operations, number of working staff, etc; different kinds of schedules may have to be made to maintain the premises neat & tidy with a good ambience.  Some things may have to be cleaned everyday while others are ok to be cleaned less often.

Here’s how to go about it –

The Daily Five Rule of Office Cleaning

5 things. Yes with just these five tasks done daily, both sanitation AND sanity can be maintained at all times in the office!

1.      Cleaning Bathrooms

With so many people in an office, and with Mother Nature always calling, the bathroom is number one on the list of things that needs to be washed daily. Even if you’d like to leave the deeper cleaning chores in a bathroom like maintenance of the mirrors and faucets, and dusting of ventilation, these are parts of the bathroom that absolutely MUST be washed everyday for the health and safety of everyone:-

• Toilet bowls scrubbed and cleaned with antibacterial detergent
• Floors scrubbed and cleaned with antibacterial detergent
• Sinks and sink surfaces wiped with antibacterial detergent
• Taps cleaned with antibacterial detergent
• Soap and toilet paper refilled

2.      Vacuuming

Even though most may be vacuuming their homes on a weekly basis, the office is a place that needs daily vacuuming. This is because it is a high traffic area with a lot more people passing through per square foot.  Daily vacuuming not only picks up the obvious pieces of dirt and debris, it also prevents allergic and respiratory problems resulting from dust and pollen that tends to settle in carpeted areas –

So, don’t forget to vacuum…

• Carpets and rugs
• Stairs (if any)
• Upholstered furniture
• Hardwood and tiled floor

3.      Washing Dishes

This may seem like a no brainer, but sometimes the office pantry tends to be the most neglected.  Unwashed glasses/cups and office cutlery breed mold and foul odors.  Health hazard alert!

A clean and fresh smelling pantry is needed for staff to take snack and coffee breaks that actually refresh and rejuvenate them.

4.      Clutter Control

Daily tidying up is easy to do as there isn’t much pile-up of clutter except that day’s things.  This would be instinctive to a responsible staff rather than be done by a cleaning company.  At the end of the day

• Stationery should be placed in its proper place,
• Inbox/Outbox trays should be used accordingly for pieces of work,
• Any other Knick knacks should be put back in their places.

A tidy workspace improves productivity by allowing staff to access things they need quickly without going through obstructive clutter.

5.      Filing Papers

Ok you could call this an extension of the previous chore, but in an office setting, this earns its own slot. Not filing papers daily is not just bad for the sake of tidiness but for the business itself.  If records cannot be found at the right time, or worse, if they get lost, the business could incur much loss and damage.  If not taken care of daily, paper can pile up and take over every surface area of an office. So, take all your papers through this short checklist everyday and you will breeze through the filing process..

1. Does it need to be responded to?
2. Does it need to be filed?
3. Can it be thrown away?
4. Does it need to be shredded?

Now, act accordingly. If possible, set up a whole filing station in the office complete with trash can and shredder and filing cabinet.

Managing the Deeper Cleaning

So we’ve covered what needs to be done on a daily basis.  Let’s go through how the “less frequency” demanding chores can be managed to maintain a truly clean office.  Here’s a sample table that you can begin with and improvise further, depending on your needs

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Dusting- Furniture – Window sills – Curtains & blinds – Ceiling fans, AC vents   Laundry of necessary items	Cleaning and wiping windows, doors, and mirrorsThorough cleaning of kitchen appliances, sink, microwave, etc	Cleaning and shaking out doormatsSpot cleaning walls	Tending to indoor plantsCleaning light fixtures	Straightening bookshelves books and magazinesSpot treat carpet and upholstery (stain removal, etc.)

This cleaning list and schedule would pretty much covers everything needed to keep the office spic and span all week long.  If you are hiring a cleaning company, you could even collaborate with them using your list and theirs to make sure that nothing gets missed out.

For seasonal chores like carpet shampooing, cleaning air conditioning vents, exterior window cleaning, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. They will have the proper tools needed for the job and are well versed in the safety procedures too. Include a placeholder for a visit from them to your monthly or yearly calendars.

Now that you know the basics, grab a sheet of paper and make your own personalized schedule or simply take a printout of this one and enjoy a fresh and clean office every day of the week!