How to Keep an Office Clean During Flu Season
Keeping an office clean through the colder months comes down to routine, not panic. The same surfaces cause the same problems every winter, so the best defence is a plan that covers them every day. This guide sets out a practical routine for office managers, from touchpoints and kitchens to washrooms and desks, and when a deeper clean is worth booking.
Key Takeaways
- Prioritise the surfaces many people touch: door handles, switches, kitchen appliances, shared equipment and washroom fittings.
- Clean first, then disinfect, and follow the product instructions for contact time.
- Split the work: staff wipe their own desk kit, and your cleaning contractor handles the daily routine.
- Add a periodic deep clean, ideally over a quiet spell such as the Christmas closure.
Why Winter Needs a Plan, Not a Panic
Colds and flu can spread when people touch a surface and then their face, and an office puts the same hundred surfaces in front of the same people every day. The goal is not to disinfect everything constantly. It is to make sure the busiest surfaces are cleaned on a set rhythm, with the rest of the office kept in good order around them.
For a sourced look at sickness absence and office occupancy figures, see our autumn workspace checklist for office managers. This post is the day-to-day routine that sits underneath it.
Touchpoints to Prioritise
Put these on a written rota and check them off, rather than relying on someone to remember.
Kitchens and Breakout Areas
Shared kitchens are where food, hands and shared equipment meet, so they deserve the most attention after the entrance and the washrooms.
Washroom Hygiene
Washrooms are used by everyone in the building, so the standard here sets the tone for the rest of the office. Cleaning and sanitising come first. Items such as soap and towels are normally managed by your facilities team or supplier.
Desks and Shared Equipment
A split of responsibility works best. Cleaners cannot safely wipe every personal item, and staff should not be expected to mop floors.
A Simple Cleaning Rhythm
Every working day
Touchpoints, kitchen surfaces, washrooms, floors and bins. This is the core of the routine and it should not change from week to week.
Every week
Desk surfaces, shared equipment, meeting rooms, fridge interiors and anything that does not need daily attention but does need a regular rhythm.
Periodically
A deep clean to reach what routine visits cannot: corners, shelving, partitions and hard floors. Many offices schedule one before winter and one over the Christmas closure.
When a Deep Clean Is Worth Booking
Routine cleaning keeps the office tidy and hygienic. A deep clean resets the parts it does not reach. The easiest time to book one is a quiet spell, and the Christmas closure is the obvious example: the office is empty, nobody is in the way and your team returns to a fresh start. Our office deep cleaning service covers one-off and periodic cleans, and closure windows are short, so ask for a survey early.
If you run a surgery, dental practice or clinic, the same principles apply with extra care for waiting areas and washrooms. See our healthcare and clinic cleaning page. And if your current cleaner is not keeping up with the routine, our guide to switching commercial cleaning company explains how a handover works.
Want the routine handled for you?
See our office cleaning service, with out-of-hours shifts, photo reports and staff absence cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should an office be cleaned during flu season? ↓
Touchpoints, kitchens and washrooms should be cleaned every working day, with desk surfaces and shared equipment on a regular weekly rota. A periodic deep clean adds to this rather than replacing it. The right frequency depends on how many people use the space, which we assess at a free site survey.
Which surfaces should be disinfected first? ↓
Start with the surfaces many people touch: door handles, light switches, lift buttons, kitchen appliance handles, shared printers and washroom taps and flush plates. Clean visible dirt first, then disinfect, following the product instructions for contact time.
Should staff clean their own desks? ↓
It helps. A cleaner can handle desk surfaces and floors, but staff are best placed to wipe their own keyboard, mouse and phone through the day. Providing wipes in an obvious place makes it more likely to happen.
Can a deep clean over the Christmas closure help? ↓
Yes. An empty office over the break can be cleaned thoroughly without working around people, and your team returns to a reset workplace in January. Closure windows are short, so book a survey early.
Book a free winter hygiene survey
Get a free site survey and a written proposal built around your office and your working pattern.