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Originally Posted On: https://4starcleaning.com/holiday-office-party-cleaning-checklist/

Holiday office party cleaning can be a little complicated.  Not only do you have to clear away the mess afterward, but you also have to prepare your office to entertain guests beforehand. You can’t have it smelling of sweat and old bagels before people arrive. 

In this post, we take a look at some pre-party cleaning tips. We also explore which items you should include in your office cleaning (and which you shouldn’t) if you want to avoid a terrible mess. At the end of this post, we also make some eco-friendly suggestions for keeping your party’s environmental footprint to a minimum.

Office Party Cleaning Checklist

You must prepare your office space to be pleasant and welcoming for co-workers and know what to clean up after the party.
Here’s our before and after party cleaning checklist:

Before The Party Checklist

• Prepare your counters and surfaces. Make sure that you disinfect and wipe them down and that they are clutter-free. Ensure that there are no stains, blobs of dirt, or unsightly marks on them. 
• Clean your restrooms. Make sure they are bleached to kill all residual germs from the week. Then add pleasant scents to make them feel more welcoming to guests. 
• Sweep, mop, and vacuum your floors. No matter how tight a ship you run, your office floors will always attract dirt and grime. Make sure you mop, vacuum, or sweep your flooring, using whichever method is most appropriate for the surface. 

After Party Cleaning Checklist

The after-party clean-up is where the real work begins. In some cases, it can be beneficial to get a post-party cleaning service to help you. 

• Clean your restrooms. Restock all your dispensers and wash and fold your towels. Clean inside toilets and showers (if you have them). Make sure mirrors and chrome elements are free from smears, smudges, and finger marks. Use bleach to sanitize floors. 
• Address your kitchen. Make sure that you clean all counters and cabinets. Wipe down the exteriors of all appliances. If you have hard floors, use a damp mop to sanitize them. Wipe out the microwave and coffee maker, and run the dishwasher if you have any glasses, mugs, or plates from the party you need to clean. Restock all soap and paper towels, and then check that any food left in the fridge isn’t going to spoil
• Sort out your office space. Lastly, you’ll want to restore your office space to normality. Vacuum all your carpets and rugs, deal with any stains and sweep or mop all non-carpeted floors. Dust all chairs and desks, clean the windows and remove wastebaskets and trash. Lastly, clean elevators, pick up any litter and wipe down any clocks, furniture, or pictures. Clean away decorations and recycle appropriately. 

Tips For Making Your Office Party Less Messy

• Avoid serving foods that easily flake or crumble and could spill over the floor
• Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum
• If there are any trip hazards, clearly identify them
• Assign someone to collect wrapping paper as people open their gifts
• Avoid using party poppers
• Get people to sit down when they eat
• Segment recycling waste bins from general trash

Office Party Tips To Cut Waste

No modern business wants its party to generate mountains of waste, so here are some of our ideas for keeping things eco-friendly. 

If You Host A Secret Santa, Only Use Old Items

Instead of buying new items, look for thrift stores in your area to find great second-hand items. Or, if you have something you can wrap up at home, use that instead. If you already own an interesting book, knick-knack, or decorative item, why not wrap it up? You can also encourage people to wrap their gifts in recycled newspaper.

Don’t Use Paper Plates

Unfortunately, paper plates are not recyclable after a holiday office party. Recycling facilities reject anything with grease, food residues, or bodily fluids on it after a corporate event. Furthermore, some are not biodegradable because they contain thin plastic films (which help with waterproofing). 

Try to avoid red plastic plates, too. These are often made of chemicals that are too difficult to recycle using standard methods. When you throw them away, they can linger in the ground for hundreds of years due to their plastic and red dye content. (Red dyes have strong chemical bonds that prevent them from breaking down). 

Use Office Items For Decorations

Lastly, avoid buying new decorations for company events. Instead, look for existing things you could repurpose from around the office. For instance, don’t buy confetti. Use those tiny paper circles in your hole punch instead. You can also try decorating your office tree with stationery supplies, reusing party decorations from the year before, making garlands from colored paper, or making snowflakes from coffee filters.

Need Help Keeping Your Office Clean?

Cleaning up after an event isn’t always easy. Our professional janitorial service is here to help. We provide ongoing office cleaning services to companies in New York City. If you sign up for ongoing cleaning services, we can add event cleaning into your custom cleaning schedule. Try us today and make your office holiday party cleanup a breeze. Contact us today for a Free Customized Quote that meets your needs. You may also call us at 917-336-3810.