Office Cleaning Checklist: What a Professional Service Should Cover
A complete office cleaning checklist covers daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly tasks across five areas: workstations, kitchen/breakroom, bathrooms, common areas and floors. Daily tasks include emptying bins, sanitising high-touch points and cleaning bathrooms; weekly and monthly tasks cover dusting, internal glass, appliance interiors and detailed floor care. Use the full checklist below to compare quotes or brief your cleaner so nothing gets missed.
Tip: print this checklist and attach it to your cleaning contract as the agreed scope — it's the single best way to prevent "that wasn't included" disputes.
Why you need a written office cleaning checklist
Most cleaning disputes come down to one thing: a vague scope. "General office cleaning" means different things to different providers. A written checklist turns an assumption into an agreement — you know exactly what's done and how often, your cleaner knows exactly what's expected, and quality can actually be measured. It's also the fairest way to compare quotes on a like-for-like basis.
Daily office cleaning checklist
These are the tasks a standard daily (or per-visit) clean should cover:
Workstations & offices - Empty all bins and replace liners - Wipe and sanitise desks, high-touch points (keyboards left to staff) - Spot-clean fingerprints on glass partitions and doors - Tidy and straighten common surfaces
Kitchen / breakroom - Wipe benchtops, tables and sinks - Clean microwave exterior and splashbacks - Empty kitchen bins; restock supplied consumables - Spot-mop spills
Bathrooms - Clean and disinfect toilets, urinals and basins - Sanitise all high-touch points (taps, handles, dispensers) - Restock toilet paper, hand soap and paper towel (if included) - Empty sanitary and general bins; mop floors
Common areas & floors - Vacuum carpeted traffic areas - Mop hard floors in entries and kitchens - Sanitise reception desk and high-touch points - Empty communal bins
Weekly, monthly & quarterly tasks
Not everything needs daily attention. A good scope layers less-frequent detail tasks on top of the daily clean.
| Frequency | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Dust all surfaces incl. sills & ledges · vacuum full floor area · clean internal glass/partitions · disinfect phones & shared equipment · detail kitchen |
| Monthly | Dust high surfaces, vents & light fittings · clean skirting boards · wipe down doors & frames · clean appliance interiors (microwave, fridge if agreed) |
| Quarterly | Detailed carpet care / spot extraction · high dusting · clean interior windows · deep-clean kitchen & bathroom fittings |
| Periodic / annual | Commercial carpet steam clean · hard-floor strip & seal · external-reach window cleaning |
Tasks that are usually extra (confirm before you sign)
These commonly sit outside a standard scope and are quoted separately — check your quote so there are no surprises:
- External and high-access window cleaning
- Carpet steam cleaning and hard-floor strip & seal
- Consumables (toilet paper, soap, bin liners) if not included
- Post-event or post-renovation deep cleans
- End-of-lease / make-good cleaning
For where these fit in the overall price, see our Perth commercial cleaning cost guide.
How to turn this checklist into a contract scope
- Tick what applies to your office across each frequency.
- Set the frequency for the daily list (e.g. 3× or 5× per week).
- List the extras you want included vs. quoted separately.
- Attach it to the contract as the agreed scope of work.
- Use it for QA — have cleaners sign off against it each visit.
That last step is what separates a reliable provider from a hopeful one. Ask any cleaner you're assessing how they document completion — see our guide on choosing a commercial cleaning company.
Frequently asked questions
What should be included in an office cleaning service? A standard office clean includes emptying bins, sanitising desks and high-touch points, cleaning and disinfecting bathrooms, wiping kitchen surfaces, and vacuuming or mopping floors each visit. Weekly and monthly tasks add dusting, internal glass, and appliance and detail cleaning.
How often should an office be cleaned? Most Perth offices are cleaned three to five times per week. Bathrooms, kitchens and reception areas benefit from daily cleaning, while dusting, internal glass and detail tasks are typically weekly or monthly. High-traffic sites may need daily service throughout.
What is not usually included in standard office cleaning? External window cleaning, carpet steam cleaning, hard-floor strip and seal, consumables (if not specified), and post-renovation or end-of-lease deep cleans are usually quoted separately. Always confirm these line items before signing.
Should the cleaning company supply toilet paper and soap? Some contracts include consumables such as toilet paper, hand soap and bin liners in the price, others charge separately or ask you to supply them. It's a common source of confusion, so confirm it explicitly in your quote.
How do I make sure cleaning tasks are actually completed? Attach a written checklist to your contract as the agreed scope, then require sign-off against it each visit (paper, app or QR). Periodic site audits by your account manager keep standards consistent over time.
