Picture the scene… Mouldy old food. A crusty microwave. Crumbs everywhere, and a sink full of half-finished tea and coffee mugs. Worse still, there’s a weird smell in the fridge, and the sink’s not too fresh either. To top it off, the coffee machine hasn’t been cleaned in forever. If that sounds familiar, no matter what time of year it may be, then it’s time to get down to some office kitchen cleaning. And we have just the guide to help you through! We’ll cover everything you’ll need to do to get your office kitchen clean and fresh. What we’ll cover Cleaning your office kitchen surfaces (including the walls!) Office fridge cleaning Cleaning the office dishwasher How to clean the office coffee machine Cleaning (and maintaining) the office microwave Cleaning your office kettle What you’ll need Broom, dustpan and brush A mop and bucket Lint-free, colourless cloths Scouring sponges Gloves, possibly a face mask Floor cleaner and dish soap Antibacterial surface cleaner Vinegar (or lemon juice) and baking soda Where do you even start with office kitchen cleaning? Here’s a rough outline of how your office kitchen cleaning might go… Wash up Clearout Clean appliances Do the bins Clean the top surfaces and walls Sweep the floor Mop the floor Office kitchen cleaning is pretty similar to any other cleaning job – but it can be overwhelming when you’re confronted with so much to do, especially when it’s all a bit manky. The key is to empty out as much as you can first, before cleaning from the top down.
We’d start by getting the dishes done, dried and tidied, so you can access the sink. We’d then recommend cleaning out the fridge, to avoid any nastiness getting all over your freshly cleaned kitchen once you’ve done all the hard work. Then, we’d clean appliances like the toaster, microwave, and that sort of thing – stuff that’s likely to have old crusty food on or in it. Next, take out the bins and get fresh bin bags in there – you might fill them up again shortly, but at least it won’t stink, or leak on the way out! After that, it’s time to get wiping. Get the crumbs, sticky bits and grease off the counters, walls, tiles – and any other upper level surfaces. Once that’s done, you can sweep away the stuff on the floor into a dustpan, safe in the knowledge that you won’t be knocking any more bits onto the floor. You could use a vacuum cleaner for this, too, but the abrasion of a broom is helpful on a sticky floor. After that – it’s time to mop and leave. Mission accomplished, the office kitchen is clean! Right, that’s the summary out of the way. Now, let’s get into the details of office kitchen cleaning, with our in-depth guide… First, stock up Stock up with lots of cleaning cloths, anti-bac spray, sponges and washing up liquid. Have visible, accessible cleaning supplies – and make it easier for your team to clean up after themselves.
1. Wash up and clear the sink If it’s full of washing up, your office kitchen sink is practically useless – so do the dishes first. If you’ve got an office dishwasher, all the better! Make sure the sink is clean, by scrubbing it down with a cloth. Stubborn limescale can be scrubbed away with vinegar and baking soda. If the sink smells, try a few boiled kettles down the plughole, to dislodge any fatty gunk in the pipes. With a clan sink, you’ve got a base to start from without contaminating everything else.
2. Clear out the fridge If the fridge is full of out-of-date and mouldy food, it’s time to get rid of it all. Gloves and masks might be essential equipment, here! Get everything out, check the dates – and dispose of anything that’s out-of-date and mouldy. Do not worry about upsetting anyone by throwing their food away if it’s gone off. Rotting food is dangerous, and it should not be in the fridge – and they’re not going to eat it when it’s growing a colony on it anyway! That said, sometimes it can be ambiguous… So maybe we’ll cover office fridge etiquette in a future post. Incidentally, if this is a regular problem, consider getting a glass fronted drinks fridge, so people can see what’s in there more easily. Bin the bad stuff, and clean the whole fridge with antibacterial spray. Take out the shelves and vegetable drawers, and thoroughly clean them. If the fridge has a drainage channel, make sure it’s clog-free to avoid flooding.
3. Clean your office kitchen appliances It’s time to decrumb the toaster, descale the kettle and get all the stalactites off the ceiling in the microwave (you know what we’re talking about…). And don’t forget the dishwasher. Things can start getting stinky in there if you don’t keep tabs on it. If you have a bean to cup coffee machine, hopefully it’ll be cycled clean every day. But if not, or if it’s been left awhile, then get into cleaning mode here, too. It’s important to do these appliances now so that you don’t get crumbs and muck on everything else once you’ve done the big clean. Here are some in-depth guides on cleaning (and maintaining) your office kitchen appliances: Cleaning the office microwave Why you should clean your office kettle Office dishwasher cleaning: the rules How to clean the office coffee machine Follow the guide for each appliance to get them looking, working, and smelling like new!
4. Bins By now, the bins could well be full of old food and spent wipes. Empty them now to avoid dropping any weeks-old rubbish and mouldy food on the floor after you’ve cleaned it! Also, check the wall next to the bin. Chances are, it’s splattered with tea stains and bin juice… YUCK! Take this opportunity to wash the painted wall without damaging it. We’ve got a guide on how to properly clean your office’s painted walls, which can help.
5. The clean! Okay – now you’re ready to clean! Do this from the top down, starting with cobwebs in the corners and scrubbing any greasy dust from the top of the fridge. Dish soap and hot water can cut through grease pretty well. Work your way down, cleaning worktops with anti-bac, and tiles with vinegar and baking soda (you can work that same mix into taps) to get them to shine. All that’s left now is the floor. First, use a broom and dustpan to get the surface stuff cleared. A vacuum cleaner works, too – but it might not be as effective as the abrasion of a broom. Finally, fill a bucket with hot water and floor cleaner, and mop the floor starting in the farthest corner, and working your way out towards the door or open end. Regularly rinse and squeeze the mop, to really clear the grease off the floor. And, that’s everything done! Hard work, eh? Unfortunately you’ll have to wait for the floor to dry before you can pop in and make yourself a tea… And when you do, make sure you clear it up! Get office kitchen cleaning done for you Rather be getting on with your job than cleaning the office kitchen? Then leave it to the professionals… Diamond UK FM provides professional office cleaning services in Scotland– and we always get office kitchens sparkling clean!