Start With a Written List
A small office stays clean when someone knows what gets done and how often. Without a list, the same few jobs get done and the rest wait until somebody notices, which is often the day a client walks in.
Splitting the work by how often it needs doing keeps the list short on any given day. Daily jobs keep the space presentable, weekly jobs stop grime from building up, and monthly jobs reach the corners that only get noticed once they look bad.
Treat what follows as a starting point. A law office, a clothing shop and a pottery studio each need their own version.
Daily Tasks
In a very small office, some daily jobs can slip to every other day. The restroom and the trash are the two that should not.
- Empty trash and recycling at desks, in the kitchen and in restrooms
- Clean restroom sinks, toilets and mirrors, and restock soap, paper towels and toilet paper
- Wipe door handles, light switches, shared phones and the buttons on the printer
- Wipe the kitchenette counters, sink and microwave
- Run the dishwasher, or wash and put away shared dishes
- Spot-clean the glass on the front door and any display cases
- Sweep or vacuum the entry and the busiest walkways
Weekly Tasks
The fridge is the job people put off. Pick a day, such as Friday afternoon, post it on the fridge door, and give everyone fair warning to take home what they want to keep.
- Vacuum all carpet, including under desks where chairs roll
- Mop hard floors in the kitchen, restrooms and entry
- Scrub restroom floors, paying attention to the base of each toilet
- Dust desks, shelves, window sills and monitor stands
- Wipe down desks that have been cleared, and leave paperwork where it sits
- Clean out the office fridge and throw away anything past its date
- Wipe the outside of cabinets, appliances and the water cooler
Monthly Tasks
Some jobs fit a quarterly list better, such as deep carpet cleaning or high windows. The right rhythm depends on foot traffic and how dusty the space gets.
- Dust baseboards, vents, light fixtures and the tops of tall furniture
- Wipe the walls and doors around handles and switches, where hand marks collect
- Clean the inside of the fridge, freezer and microwave thoroughly
- Wash interior windows and glass partitions
- Dust or wipe blinds
- Vacuum upholstered chairs and waiting room seating
- Check under desks and behind cabinets for dust and lost items
Adjusting the List for Shops and Studios
A shop puts the most weight on what customers see first. The entry, the front windows, the fitting rooms and the counter where people pay deserve daily attention, even when the stockroom waits a week.
Studios bring their own kind of mess, from clay dust and paint to hair clippings and sawdust. Fine dust spreads well beyond the work area, so damp wiping and a vacuum with a good filter tend to work better than a dry broom, which mostly moves it around.
Whatever the space, walk through it once as a customer would, from the parking lot to the restroom. The spots that bother you on that walk belong on the daily list.
Deciding Who Does What
Some of this list suits staff, like rinsing their own mugs and clearing their desks before a cleaning. The rest is easier to keep up when it belongs to one person or one service rather than to everyone in general.
Post the daily list where the work happens, such as inside the supply closet door, and tick items off as they are done. A list on the wall is harder to forget than one buried in an inbox.
Our commercial cleaning covers desks, restrooms, break rooms, floors, trash and entryways for offices, shops and studios, and we agree the timing and task list with you before the first visit. Request an estimate and bring your checklist.
