16 Easy-to-Miss Spots in Your Office Cleaning

When cleaning the office, it’s easy to remember the usual chores; wiping counters and desktops, sanitizing the bathroom, washing windows and dishes, mopping floors and vacuuming carpets. Less obvious, less visible, hard to reach and out-of-sight areas may be overlooked. This results in a buildup of dirt, dust and debris, disrupting operations and turning off visitors and business associates. It’s a breeding ground for bacteria, becoming a health risk and potentially making employees sick. Attention needs to be brought to these problem areas so they can be regularly and properly cleansed. The following are the spots most commonly missed during routine office cleaning.

• Small spaces are often missed when cleaning an office; under and behind machines, under desks, behind cabinets, under chairs, under tables and in corners. Properly cleaning and sanitizing these areas improves the overall cleanliness of an office.  

• The microwave in the office breakroom is often a disaster! Dried on food spills, funky smells and disgusting bacteria lurk within making this appliance less efficient and turning it into a source of infections and illnesses. Regular and thorough cleaning is needed to remove the build-up and avoid a recurrence. 

• Walls in the office are often forgotten in the cleaning schedule, becoming covered with dirt, dust, grime, fingerprints and stains. This is especially true if they are textured or covered with wallpaper. The walls of your office need to be regularly wiped with a mild liquid detergent (1/4 cup liquid laundry detergent in one-quart warm water) and a soft bristle scrub brush. Heavily textured walls can be dusted and/or vacuumed. 

• Picture Frames: If you check the office artwork you’ll likely find a grimy film and/or fingerprints. Add dusting frames to your regular cleaning schedule as they are a prime place for a buildup of dust, dirt and dander. 

• The baseboards in an office may be covered in dust and scuff marks, worn down and uncared for. Remember to vacuum this trim when you are vacuuming floors and carpets. Occasionally, wipe baseboards down with mild soap and warm water. 

• Ceiling Tiles: Acoustic ceiling tiles collect dust! Use a vacuum or long-handled duster to keep them clean. Pay particular attention to tiles located near vents. 

• Ceiling fan blades accumulate dirt easily and quickly! When the fan is turned on, this debris rapidly spreads across the office making it hard to maintain a clean and healthy workplace. Regularly use a cleaning cloth and a mild all-purpose cleaner or a mixture of water and dish soap to gently wash the blades and grill.

• Light fixtures are a magnet for bugs and dust! Every once in a while, give your lights a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth. Turn the power off, dust the cover and bulb and thoroughly clean inside and out.

• Vents and ducts easily become covered in dust, contributing to poor air quality and affecting employee health. Regularly vacuum vents and ducts to prevent dust, mould, and mildew from blowing onto your employees and customers.

• Curtains and blinds: Though windows are often cleaned regularly, curtains and blinds tend to be forgotten, even though they’re dust collectors! Leave the blinds in place to dust them. Open them and wipe them from the top to the bottom with a lambswool or microfiber duster. Use avacuum cleaner to pick up any dust that drifts to the floor. If you are doing more than one set of blinds, shake the duster outside between cleanings. Machine wash curtains using the gentle cycle, cool or lukewarm water and mild detergent. Hang to dry or dry on a no-heat/delicate setting.

• Plants and foliage (live or artificial) collect dust and cobwebs. Remove dead/dying leaves regularly. Gently wipe with plain water and a soft cloth. 

• Furniture (chairs, couches, end tables, coffee tables, conference tables) can become stained and dingy. They benefit from occasional steam cleaning and/or wiping with mild soap and warm water. 

• Door handles are one of the dirtiest articles in an office. They frequently host bacteria and microorganisms. Apply a mild disinfectant daily, to stop the spread of germs.

• Office equipment (computers, printers, keyboards, copiers) are frequent touchpoints and harbour bacteria and germs. Keep rubbing alcohol and/or disinfectant wipes/spray on hand to clean these surfaces. 

•  Telephones are dirt magnets! The receiver attracts grime and grease while the mouthpiece can spread viruses from coughing and sneezing. Regularly wipe and disinfect all your telephone systems in the office.

• Light switch plates and switches are high-touch surfaces and require regular attention to cut down on the spread of illness. Use disinfectant wipes/spray to clean these surfaces. 

The prospect of keeping often forgotten areas of an office clean can seem overwhelming. Don’t let these commonly missed surfaces stay dirty! Hire a cleaner that tackles every nook and cranny of your space. A reputable commercial cleaner knows where to look and what to clean in order to ensure that your office sparkles! They have the experience, knowledge and expertise to make sure your office is clean and sanitized.