An office isn’t just a workspace—it’s where clients form first impressions, where productivity is shaped, and where hygiene can make or break staff wellbeing. Yet one question quietly determines all of this: how often should office cleaning happen?
Let’s get into the details that help business owners and office managers make smarter decisions about cleaning routines that actually work—practically, hygienically, and cost-effectively.
Why Office Cleaning Frequency Matters
A clean office doesn’t just look good—it functions better. Dusty workstations, smudged windows, and overflowing bins aren’t just unsightly. They affect staff health, morale, and even performance.
A regular Office Cleaning schedule helps reduce absenteeism by limiting the spread of germs. It also improves indoor air quality, extends the life of carpets and furniture, and shows clients you run a professional, organised operation.
But that doesn’t mean there’s a one-size-fits-all answer. Cleaning frequency depends on a few key factors.
Factors That Determine Cleaning Frequency
1. Office Size and Layout
The bigger your office, the more foot traffic it handles, which naturally leads to more dust, debris and mess. Open-plan offices tend to accumulate dust faster than smaller, enclosed spaces. Kitchens, breakout areas, and bathrooms will also need more frequent attention.
2. Type of Business
Professional services like legal or finance may get away with a weekly general clean, while high-footfall environments like call centres or co-working spaces need daily upkeep. Health and hygiene standards for clinics or allied health businesses? Much stricter, with multiple daily cleans often required.
3. Number of Employees
An office with 8 staff and minimal visitors won’t need cleaning as frequently as one with 80 rotating through desks, kitchens and bathrooms. Larger teams bring more coffee cups, lunch breaks, printer paper, and general wear and tear.
4. Client Foot Traffic
Do clients or customers walk through your office regularly? If yes, visible areas like the reception, boardroom and bathrooms must always be presentable. That usually means at least a light clean every day.
Sample Cleaning Schedules Based on Office Type
Let’s break it down into practical examples. Here’s what a standard cleaning schedule might look like based on typical business types:
| Business Type | Daily Tasks | Weekly Tasks | Monthly Tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Consultancy | Wipe desks, empty bins | Vacuum, sanitise kitchen | Deep clean carpets |
| Medium Co-working Space | Sanitise bathrooms, mop floors | Wipe blinds, disinfect desks | Steam clean upholstery |
| Medical Reception | Wipe touchpoints hourly | Clean vents, bins | Wall wash, polish floors |
| Large Corporate Office | Clean kitchen, restock soap | Disinfect chairs, keyboards | Window cleaning, carpet shampoo |
If unsure, consult a professional Office Cleaning provider who can assess your space and recommend a cleaning frequency that fits your business use and hygiene requirements.
Signs You Need to Increase Cleaning Frequency
Even with a set schedule, your workplace might show signs that cleaning needs to happen more often:
- Lingering smells in kitchen or bathroom areas
- Visible dust build-up on vents, blinds, or tech equipment
- Frequent staff sick days, especially with colds or flu
- Dirty marks on walls or around light switches
- Sticky kitchen benchtops and overflowing bins
These are red flags. They point to gaps in your routine—and ignoring them might cost more in staff wellbeing and client trust than the cost of an extra clean.
COVID-Era Hygiene: Still Relevant?
While COVID isn’t making headlines daily anymore, hygiene expectations have changed permanently. Staff now expect hand sanitiser stations, regular surface disinfection, and a visibly clean environment.
Offices that meet those expectations? They retain staff better and impress clients faster.
A post-pandemic shift to Office Cleaning that’s proactive, rather than reactive, will continue to offer return on investment for years to come.
External Insight: What the Experts Recommend
According to the Australian Cleaning Contractors’ Alliance, medium-sized offices should aim for a daily clean of high-use areas (like kitchens and bathrooms) and a full-site clean at least once a week. This not only ensures hygiene but helps preserve equipment and flooring long-term.
Wrap-Up: Finding the Right Balance
How often you schedule office cleaning should be based on your actual space use—not just guesswork or the cheapest quote.
Start by identifying your high-touch areas, tracking foot traffic, and checking in with staff about hygiene concerns. Then, work with a reputable provider to build a flexible plan. Whether it’s daily sanitising or monthly deep cleans, you’ll be investing in both your people and your brand image.
Clean office, clear mind—and no one notices a spotless bin, but they will remember a smelly one.