Kitchen Office Cleaning Etiquette: How to Keep Shared Spaces Clean
Piles of washing up in the sink festering. Curdled milk in a carton on the side. Used teabags on the floor that have missed the bin. Unfinished microwave meals discarded on the kitchen surface. Coffee granules congealing by the kettle. An overflowing bin. Recycling with no home to go to.
This is an unloved and uncared for office kitchen. One in which no one has taken responsibility for. With no workplace hygiene or office kitchen etiquette in place. No cleaning rota, no office kitchen rules and no professional office cleaners on board. No-one to prevent an office kitchen mess.
Just imagine a company hosting a meeting with a key client who asks where the toilets are, takes a wrong turn and accidentally walks into the kitchen on route. What would they think? What does it say about a business and the way it operates?
An extreme example yes, but without proper procedures in place this could happen to any business.
Why Kitchen Office Cleaning Etiquette is Important
A clean, orderly and hygienic office kitchen plays a part in creating a healthy company culture. It demonstrates that standards are important. Who you are and what you’ll settle for amongst your staff. A team who has an attractive, clean and hygienic working environment will feel a sense of respect from management.
It also sets the tone in terms of how employees treat each other, by clearing up after themselves and helping to maintain high standards, and encourages a can do attitude.
Having gone through the Covid pandemic all of us are acutely aware of the importance of improved hygiene to help prevent viruses and nasty bacteria. Staff wellness is important and a hygienic office kitchen environment is key to this. Even by clearing up the clutter a kitchen can help to improve hygiene levels.
There are also legal requirements to stick to, including having somewhere for your workforce to eat and to rest, and where food will not become contaminated.
A clean and tidy kitchen will also encourage harmony amongst staff. They will be happy to meet and eat together in the kitchen, instead of the more unhealthy and messy option at their desks. This will build a community feel in the workplace.
Essential Office Kitchen Cleaning Etiquette Rules
Establishing clear kitchen cleaning guidelines and etiquette will help your employees to ensure your office kitchen is clean and tidy.
Who wants to walk into a kitchen that’s messy and dirty and prepare your lunch there? Leaving the kitchen as you’ve found it is a sound principle, and why it’s crucial for employees to understand that it’s important to clear up after themselves, so that the space is clean for the next person who uses it. Essentially being mindful of others, wiping up spills and crumbs, putting dirty dishes into the dishwasher, or washing them up and putting them away after use.
Kitchen etiquette could even be included as part of the onboarding of employees.
Also creating and displaying a list of simple tasks such as cleaning dishes, wiping counters and avoiding leaving food out will help to encourage employees to keep the office kitchen clean.
It’s crucial for employees to understand that they need to respect cleaning rotas and follow the designated cleaning schedule, including cleaning dishes, wiping counters and avoiding leaving food out on the side. If they do need to store food in the refrigerator, encourage them to label it clearly as well as keeping an eye on expiration dates.
As well as a creating a list of simple tasks, tips on stacking the dishwasher could be included such as:
- Rinsing food debris off dishes and making sure they are stacked facing the centre of the dishwasher.
- Avoiding over stacking as this will make it difficult for the water jets to reach everything.
- Ensuring that the spray arms are able to move and are not blocked.
- Only loading items that are dishwasher safe – not including nonstick cookware, delicate glasses, kitchen knives, wooden spoons, and fine bone-china and any item that’s silver.
Practical Tips to Keep the Office Kitchen Clean
Do use eco-friendly cleaning supplies and research good providers of these, or appoint an eco champion in the office who can do this for you. Someone who is passionate about all things eco.
It’s a good idea to ensure these cleaning materials are easily accessible by your employees so you could set up a cleaning station in your office kitchen.
It might be wise also to appoint a kitchen hygiene leader who can oversee the cleanliness of the kitchen.
How Professional Cleaning Services Can Help
In addition to a well motivated team, it’s also important to use cleaning professionals to ensure a regular deep clean of the office kitchen, especially in busy offices.
Cleanology are specialists in this field and will tailor their services for each individual business.
Key Takeaways
A clean kitchen will boost morale and workplace hygiene, but every employee must take responsibility for shared spaces. Where possible it’s important to use a professional cleaning services to maintain a high standard of cleanliness.
Need help keeping your office kitchen spotless? Contact Cleanology today for professional commercial cleaning services tailored to your business.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How Often Should An Office Kitchen Be Cleaned?
So how often does an office kitchen need to be cleaned? If all of the systems mentioned above are kept to, the kitchen will have been cleaned daily by staff after use. However for a deeper clean and more hygienic results, it’s recommended to conduct weekly or monthly cleans by professionals.
What Are The Top Essentials For An Office Kitchen Cleaning Station?
To help staff to keep the kitchen clean after use, stock up on anti-bacterial wipes, a good multi-surface spray, paper towels, bin liners and hand sanitiser.
How Can We Encourage Everyone To Follow Kitchen Cleaning Etiquette?
The office kitchen is clean, orderly and an inviting place to be, but how can it be maintained? Most staff will want to use a clean kitchen, so it is in their best interests for them to keep on top of it. But they might not always want to be the one to empty the dishwasher or wipe the surfaces and not everyone has the same standards of cleanliness.
Clear signage, regular reminders, and implementing a cleaning rota can help to motivate staff to maintain cleanliness.
