As someone responsible for commercial cleaning, you must know which essential items to clean daily. Commercial buildings are high-traffic areas in which many people congregate and must be cleaned and sanitized regularly.

While sweeping, mopping, and emptying waste should be high on your daily checklist, it is also critical to clean and disinfect surfaces people frequently touch. Doorknobs, light switches, and sink handles may harbor plenty of germs. Keeping these areas cleaned will help keep your commercial space tidy and prevent the spread of disease. Clean commercial spaces help boost employee morale and meet sanitation standards. 

• Sweep floors daily
• Empty waste bins daily 
• Wipe down high-touch areas, including faucets, banisters, and door handles daily
• Mop high-traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways weekly

Of all the rooms in a commercial building to clean, you’ll want to pay close attention to the restrooms. This is one of the most-frequented places during business hours and the one that may be crawling with germs. You must keep restrooms in pristine condition to maintain the facility’s overall health and professionalism. These spaces should be clean, well-stocked, and odor-free. 

• Clean and sanitize sinks, urinals, and toilets. Scrub floors with the Nilfisk Dryft compact floor scrubber daily
• Restock toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels, and other hygiene items daily
• Remove common waste, and replace trash bags daily
• Ensure odor control by using deodorizers and proper ventilation as needed

For more details on what to clean in commercial spaces, check out our commercial cleaning quality inspection checklist resource.

A clean, orderly facility shouldn’t be the only goal of building managers and contract cleaners. Safety should also be a top priority. You should ensure surfaces are free of spills and debris to prevent slips and falls. To ensure longevity and safety, sweep, floor scrub, vacuum, and spot-clean spills daily.

To minimize grime buildup, it’s ideal to establish a weekly deep-cleaning routine. These tasks should include damp-mopping all surfaces and using hot-water extraction to clean high-traffic carpets thoroughly. Every month, consider buffing hard floors to restore their luster. 

• Sweep, dust, vacuum, and floor scrub daily
• Deep-clean floors weekly using natural stone cleaners and wet/dry vacs
• Buff hard floors to remove scratches and restore shine monthly
• Use high-quality commercial-grade equipment when cleaning and sanitizing 

Other areas of the commercial building that warrant significant attention are the lobby and entryways. These areas experience high daily traffic and are likely to have fingerprints, caked-on grime, dust, spills, and other unsightly dirt concentrated there.

• Declutter the lobby as needed
• Wipe down glass surfaces, removing fingerprints daily
• Ensure floors are scrubbed with a floor scrubber like the Nilfisk SC550 or vacuumed with a commercial vacuum like the Nilfisk VP300 dry vacuum cleaner daily 
• Spot clean as needed

Break warehouse cleaning down into small tasks with our tips on cleaning a warehouse.

In addition to high-traffic areas such as restrooms, food spaces will require special attention and care during cleaning. Food preparation surfaces will need to be wiped and sanitized with a proper cleaning solution, such as a diluted bleach solution. Cooking surfaces, like grills and prep stations, will also need cleaning. Trash will also need to be removed daily to help prevent germs and minimize pest activity. 

• Wipe food prep areas daily with proper cleaning and sanitizing solutions
• Clean cooking surfaces daily 
• Perform weekly deep cleaning of appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers
• Remove trash daily 

Besides regular daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning, you will need to perform seasonal cleaning and preventative maintenance tasks. These cleanings may be in the fall and spring. However, you can also include summer and winter on your facilities cleaning checklist. You should ensure that HVACs are working efficiently in spring and fall. Roofs and plumbing should also be checked for damage. The grounds will need to be cleaned, ensuring that green areas are maintained in spring and summer. Additionally, leaves, twigs, and other fall debris will need to be cleared. A plan should be in place to clear heavy snow and ice and ensure outdoor surfaces are safe. 

• Check HVAC systems, roofs, gutters, and plumbing to ensure they work properly each season
• Keep the grounds in tip-top shape using a floor sweeper. Ensure grass is cut in warmer months and leaves are removed in cooler months
• Ensure that walkways and steps are safe in high-traffic areas regularly to avoid slips and falls
• Deep clean areas of the building each season, eliminating dirt buildup and potential pests

If you need help figuring out how much to charge clients for contract cleaning services, learn how to calculate commercial cleaning rates.

In order to ensure timely cleanliness, you must have equipment and tools that are operational and effective. Therefore, it is ideal that you also keep these items clean and maintained. First, you’ll need to ensure that equipment is stored in a clean, dry space after use to avoid rust and mildew. Next, if cleaning tools and machines are damaged, they will need repair or replacement. To minimize damage, ensure that you are cleaning your tools and equipment and inspecting them regularly. 

• Inspect cords and hoses on your equipment daily after use, and remove debris from vacuums and other cleaning machines
• Sanitize wet cleaning tools weekly to prevent sour odors and cross-contamination as needed
• Deep clean and replace blades, brushes, and filters on equipment when needed
• Repair broken equipment as soon as possible to prevent downtime

No facility management checklist would be complete without plans to keep the exterior and grounds clean. Since the outside is the part that most visitors and passersby see often, it is critical that it always looks its best. Ensure that the outside of the building is safe and curb appeal is top-notch. Keep walkways clean and clear of dirt, slippery moss, gum, and other unsightly items. In winter, spread deicing salts that clear away ice and snow. These exterior routines create a welcoming environment and enhance the facility’s reputation. 

• Keep lawns trimmed, and remove weeds during the spring and summer months
• Pressure wash walkways to remove dirt, grime, spills, and gum as needed
• Empty exterior trash receptacles, and wipe down metal and glass surfaces daily
• Spread proper deicing in winter and lawn care protection during warmer months

A clean facility reflects professionalism, and every building manager and facilities cleaner should aim to keep the space in pristine condition. Following a detailed commercial cleaning checklist allows you to organize cleaning tasks in such a way that they won’t become overwhelming. Dividing tasks daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally helps make an exceptional impression, minimizes sickness, and reduces risks.

Not sure if you have the proper equipment to clean your commercial property? Fill out our Nilfisk contact form to get connected with a sales representative who will guide you to the right cleaning machines for your facility’s needs.