Our workplaces are full of furniture and spaces that we pass and use every day, but often don’t make the list for regular office cleanings. While these areas may seem like no big deal, the truth of the matter is that these spaces are often hot beds for germs and allergens.
Since employee sick days are a major interruption to productivity, it makes cents (pun intended) to invest in a regular deep cleaning. The exact definition of ‘regular’ depends on the amount of foot traffic and activity. These deep cleanings can be scheduled with a commercial cleaning service for after-hours or days when the office is empty to minimize disruptions.
When compiling a list of office deep cleaning tasks, include regular tasks, such as a regular flooring stripping and waxing, and any tasks from this office cleaning checklist that aren’t regularly completed. In addition, add these areas that often don’t get added to the list of office cleaning tasks.
- Behind kitchen appliances (i.e. refrigerator, toaster, etc.)
- Light fixtures
- Kitchen appliance handles
- Microwave
- Window blinds
- Window treatments
- Office chairs
- Counters in common areas
- Drawer handles on desks
- Supply cabinet knobs
- Interior door knobs
- Touch screens on printers and fax machines
- File cabinets (tops and handles)
- Light switches
- Elevator controls
- Phone headsets
- Exterior doors
- Ducts (and duct covers)
- Baseboards
- Tops of cubicles and cabinets
- Ceiling fans
- Building exterior
- Behind printers and office machines
Many of these areas are hotbeds for germs and can contribute to the spread of workplace illness. If there is a series of absences due to illness, facility managers and workplace managers should consider scheduling a full company sanitation to stem the spread of germs.
