The break room is the most-used room in a lot of small offices, and the one nobody feels responsible for. Coffee rings, crumbs, a sink full of mugs and a fridge with a smell. If you've got a checklist set up from Small Office Cleaning Checklist: Daily, Weekly and Monthly Tasks, this is where you'll want a little extra detail.
These are the habits and routines we recommend to offices around Waxahachie, Midlothian and the south DFW area.
Why break rooms get so bad so fast
A kitchenette is small, but it gets used by everybody, several times a day. Food, water and warmth all in one spot is exactly what bacteria, smells and ants love. In North Texas, ants find a forgotten donut box faster than anyone would believe.
The other problem is ownership. At home, the person who makes the mess usually cleans it. At work, people assume someone else will. So small messes stack up until one person gets fed up and spends their lunch scrubbing.
Counters and the sink
Counters should be cleared and wiped at the end of every workday. That one habit does more than anything else.
- Keep the counter as empty as possible. Fewer things means faster wiping.
- Use a spray and a clean cloth, not the sponge that's been sitting wet in the sink all week.
- Wipe the backsplash too. Coffee and soup splatter more than you think.
- Rinse the sink and clear the drain strainer daily so it doesn't start to smell.
On cleaning day, the sink gets scrubbed properly and the faucet gets polished. Hard water spots are a fact of life here, and a little vinegar-based cleaner on the faucet base keeps them from building into crusty rings.
The coffee station
Coffee makers are the heart of most offices and a magnet for mess. Drips, spilled grounds, sticky sugar and powdered creamer get everywhere.
- Empty and rinse the carafe or pod tray every day.
- Wipe the warming plate once it's cool.
- Keep sugar and stirrers in a tray that can be lifted and wiped under.
- Descale the machine on a schedule, especially with our hard water.
The microwave
Office microwaves can get legendary. The easiest fix is a microwave cover so splatters stay contained. For cleaning, heat a bowl of water with a splash of vinegar or a few lemon slices for a few minutes, let it sit with the door closed so the steam loosens everything, then wipe it out. Don't forget the inside of the door and the turntable.
We clean the microwave inside and out on every visit, so it never gets to the point where people are afraid to open it.
Dishes and shared kitchen items
Shared mugs and dishes are a constant source of tension. A few ground rules help:
- Decide whether dishes are "wash your own" or "load the dishwasher."
- If there's a dishwasher, assign who runs and unloads it.
- Keep a drying rack, not a pile on a towel.
- Toss chipped and orphan mugs once in a while.
If dishes are a constant battle, we can add them to your visit so the week starts with a clean sink.
Trash, smells and the floor
Kitchen trash should not sit overnight with food in it, especially in summer. Use a can with a lid, empty it daily if your team eats lunch at work, and wipe the inside of the can now and then. A sprinkle of baking soda in the bottom under the liner helps with odors.
Keep recycling separate and rinse cans and bottles before they go in. Sticky soda cans attract ants just as much as food does.
The break room floor collects crumbs, coffee drips and the occasional splash of soup. Sweep and mop on every cleaning visit, and keep a small broom and dustpan in the room for spills in between. Wipe the table and chairs too, including the chair seats and the edge of the table where people rest their arms.
The fridge
The office fridge deserves its own plan, but the short version is a regular cleanout day. Everyone knows that anything left after a certain time on a certain day gets tossed. Without that rule, the fridge slowly fills with containers from people who don't even work there anymore.
Post the rule on the fridge door and announce it once. After the first cleanout, people get the message fast. It's one of the cheapest, simplest fixes in any office, and it makes the whole break room feel cleaner.
Want the break room handled every week?
Tell us about your kitchen area and how many people use it, and we'll reply with a price, usually the same day.
Get a free quoteKeeping it clean long term
The best break rooms combine small daily habits from your team with a thorough clean on a regular schedule. Counters wiped, coffee station tidy and trash out each day, then a full scrub of the sink, microwave, appliances and floors on cleaning day. To have that regular scrub taken care of, see our office cleaning services.