Office Cleaning Check List

Linoleum or other hard floor surfaces will require mopping.Stockbroker/Valueline/Getty Images

Whether you're cleaning your home office or a large corporate office, having a checklist for your cleaning process will make the task run more smoothly. The number of items and depth of cleaning for each item will depend on the size and type of office you're cleaning. Time required for office cleaning also varies.

Get Organized

Before you begin any heavy cleaning, get organized. Pick up smaller items that may be out of place around the office, including random pens, pencils, notepads or books. Place each item back in its proper place. In some cases, such as in some corporate offices, a thorough pick-up session before getting down to cleaning may not be required. So, if you're cleaning an office for someone else, ask about organizational elements before you begin the job.

One of the easiest cleaning tasks to forget in an office is getting rid of waste, so put it at the beginning or end of your checklist. Pick up any obvious waste throughout the office, such as leftover food and beverages, and pull the bags from all the waste bins and take them out to the trash. If recycling bins are present, remove the recycling from the bin and take it to its proper place.

Before you sweep, dust all surfaces, including any bookshelves, desks, tables and the reception counter. Start at the highest areas of the room, near the ceiling, and work down. Don't forget to dust out-of-sight items like ceiling fan blades, if possible, with every cleaning. For a lasting clean, use furniture polish to help repel future dust.

Clean any glass or other special surfaces with the proper cleaners. Use a glass cleaner to clean the surface of any mirrors or windows, such as the front door window. Other specialty cleaners, such as furniture polish, wax or copper cleaner, should also be used to clean the proper surfaces, if needed.

Once all other cleaning is completed in a room, sweep and mop the floor. Vacuum the floor if the floor is carpeted. For hard-surface floors, mop after you've swept to get a complete clean. Use a dust mop on hardwood floors. To get rid of deep grime, mop hardwood floors with a hardwood floor cleaner.

The cleaning checklist may also include restrooms, lobbies, hallways and storage areas. Review the office area for any other possible cleaning tasks and areas and add them to your checklist.