Daily: empty trash, clean and restock restrooms, wipe breakroom counters and high-touch surfaces, and spot-clean floors. Weekly: vacuum all carpet, mop hard floors, dust surfaces and clean interior glass. Monthly: detail baseboards, vents and light fixtures and clean appliances inside. Quarterly or twice a year: carpet extraction, hard floor scrubbing or refinishing, and window washing.
A clear checklist keeps an office consistently clean and makes it easy to see what's being done. Use this as a starting point and adjust it to your space, headcount and traffic.
Daily
Restrooms
- Clean and disinfect toilets, urinals, sinks and partitions
- Restock toilet paper, soap and paper towels
- Clean mirrors and fixtures
- Empty trash and sanitary bins
- Mop floors
Breakroom
- Wipe counters, tables and sink
- Wipe microwave and appliance handles
- Empty trash and recycling
- Spot-mop spills
High-touch surfaces
- Door handles and push plates
- Light switches and elevator buttons
- Handrails and reception counters
- Shared phones and printers
Workspaces & entry
- Empty trash and replace liners
- Spot-vacuum high-traffic areas
- Clean entry glass and doors
- Tidy the reception area
Weekly
- Vacuum all carpeted areas, including under desks where clear
- Dust and damp-mop all hard floors
- Dust desks (when cleared), shelves, window sills and furniture
- Clean interior glass, partitions and conference room whiteboards (when erased)
- Wipe the inside of the breakroom microwave and clear out the refrigerator on an agreed day
- Wipe down chairs, especially shared and conference seating
Monthly
- Detail baseboards, door frames and kick plates
- Dust vents, returns, light fixtures and blinds
- Deep clean breakroom appliances inside, including the refrigerator
- Spot-clean walls and doors
- Clean upholstered furniture spots
Quarterly to twice a year
- Carpet extraction for high-traffic areas, with the whole carpet once or twice a year
- Hard floor machine scrubbing, and refinishing or burnishing as needed
- Interior and exterior window washing
- High dusting of tall surfaces and fixtures
Tips for a checklist that actually works
- Put it in writing and share it with your cleaning company, so everyone agrees on what “clean” means.
- Know when to disinfect. Clean high-touch surfaces regularly and disinfect restrooms and areas where someone has been ill. Read cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting.
- Ask staff to clear desks on cleaning days so surfaces can be wiped.
- Review it every few months as headcount and use change.
Want a checklist built for your office?
At a free walkthrough we'll tour your space and build a written checklist and schedule that fits your building and budget. See our custodial services.
Sources
- CDC, “When and How to Clean and Disinfect a Facility.” cdc.gov
- Casabela Cleaning Services commercial cleaning checklists, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How often should an office be cleaned?
Most offices need restrooms, trash and high-touch surfaces handled daily or several times a week, with deeper tasks weekly and monthly. Traffic, headcount and the type of business set the exact schedule.
What are high-touch surfaces in an office?
Door handles and push plates, light switches, faucets, elevator buttons, handrails, shared keyboards and phones, printers, and breakroom appliance handles.
How often should office carpets be deep cleaned?
It depends on traffic. Many offices extract high-traffic areas quarterly and the whole carpet once or twice a year, with vacuuming in between.
Should cleaning happen during or after business hours?
Most janitorial cleaning happens after hours. A day porter can handle restrooms, spills and lobbies while you're open. See day porter vs. janitorial service.
Want us to take a look at your space?
Book a free walkthrough. We'll come to you, see what you need and send a clear written quote. No cost and no pressure.