Top Tips for Cleaning Up After the Office Christmas Party

Many people enjoy the office Christmas party in Australia to celebrate the end of the year and reward employees for their hard work. But after the party, the office looks messy. You must clean up the office after the Christmas party to keep it professional and ready for business. 

You can follow the following Christmas party cleanup tips to make your office look clean after the party. 

• Take pre-party cleaning measures
• Organise a cleaning team for the after-party
• Clear the party decorations
• Manage trash and recyclable items
• Clean the kitchen
• Disinfectant high-traffic areas
• Deep clean the carpet and floor

In this guide, we will share the office party cleaning tips in detail so that you can ensure a clean and inviting environment for the employees after the party. 

Pre-Party Preparation Tips for Cleaning

Before the party starts, you should make some pre-party preparations. The following pre-party prep tips will help you significantly simplify after-party cleaning. 

Designate Trash and Recycling Stations

Set up marked bins for waste, recycles, and compost. This will help the guests to dispose of items properly. After the party, this step will help you reduce the sorting time for different items. 

Place Floor Mat in the Entrances

Use floor mats in the entrances and the buffet areas to protect your floor and carpets. Using the floor mat at the entrance will significantly reduce the dirt and grit reaching out to your carpets and floor. 

In high-traffic areas, using mats will also act as a shock absorber for your floor and carpet. So, the floor areas and carpets will be protected from foot impact and wear and tear. 

Tips for Reducing Waste at Office Parties

• Opt for eco-friendly supplies and decorations. Use biodegradable plates, cups, glass, and utensils. Biodegradable and reusable items ensure less trash to sort and throw away. 

Also, biodegradable supplies will be composted with the food items faster. For example, plates and cups made from biodegradable cellulose-based bioplastics can be composted in the environment between 80% and 100% in 100 days. 

• Also, encourage reusable decorations to minimise waste and environmental impact. You can store and reuse the reusable decoration to avoid post-party waste. 
• To avoid food waste, plan portion sizes appropriately and provide a system for employees to take home leftovers.
• Less sorting, fewer products, and simpler disposal lead to a quicker cleanup.

Organise a Cleaning Team

Organising a cleaning team for after-party cleaning will make the cleaning much more manageable. Here’s how you can coordinate a team for the after-party cleaning. 

• Assign Roles: Break down the tasks among the team members. For example, assign removing decorations for a group, cleaning the table for another, recycling for another, etc. 
• Use a Cleaning Checklist: Create a cleaning checklist and distribute the checklist to the team members. This will ensure every area is accounted for, from the kitchen to the main office floor. 
• Plan Efficiently: Coordinate the cleanup timeline. This will help you to complete the cleaning tasks in a logical order, avoiding overlap.

Post-Party Cleaning Checklist

Here’s a quick office cleaning checklist you can make and distribute to your cleaning team so that they don’t overlap the tasks. 

In-Depth Office Christmas After-Party Cleanup Tips 

Here, we have compiled effective after-party cleaning tips for your office. Because as a business owner, you must ensure a healthy and safe work environment for your employees under the WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2011 – SECT 19.

Follow the following post-party cleaning steps to ensure a healthy office environment. 

01. Removing Party Decorations 

• Collect all party decorations. Don’t forget to take down any posters, balloons, or hanging lights.
• Sort items that can be reused or recycled. Reusable items may include LED string lights, fabric banners, candle holders, vases, tablecloths, etc. Recyclable items include paper decorations, cardboard signs, glass bottles, metal tins, etc. 

02. Trash and Recycling Management

Here are the trash and recycling tips to make sure you manage every unwanted item properly. 

• Sort all waste into categories. Store the reusable and recyclable items, as we mentioned earlier. 
• Ensure proper disposal of compostable and waste items, especially food waste, glass, cans, and paper products. 
• Dispose of compostable and recyclable materials responsibly to reduce waste. You can dispose of waste items in Brisbane’s Resource Recovery Centres for safe disposal.  

03. Kitchen and Pantry Cleanup

At a party, the kitchen is one of the spaces that experiences high traffic. Also, kitchen appliances are extensively used. You need to clean them well for a hygienic environment. 

Otherwise, unhygienic kitchens can cause health issues in the near future by causing food poisoning. In Australia, $1.3 billion is estimated to be lost every year due to medical issues and low productivity due to food poisoning. 

Also, employees avoid coffee-making in dirty kitchens; rather, they go for coffee outside. This causes a loss of $6 billion due to work delays.

So you see, a clean office kitchen is crucial for employee productivity. So, clean your office kitchen and pantry after the party as follows. 

Clear Leftover Food and Drinks

• Remove any perishable items from fridges and counters. 
• Dispose of leftovers or take home any untouched food that can still be used. 

Clean Appliances and Kitchen

• Wipe down fridges, microwaves, and coffee machines to remove food spills during the party. Cleaning spilt food and drinks is essential to protect against bacterial growth.
• Wash dishes with dish-washing soap. 
• Clean the kitchen food and carpet (We will describe how to clean them later). 

04. Cleaning Tips for High-Traffic Areas

After the party ends, ensure commonly used areas are properly cleaned. 

Clean the Toilet 

• Clear the Area: Remove any items like air fresheners, trash, or decorations from around the toilet.
• Apply Toilet Cleaner: Squirt toilet bowl cleaner under the rim and let it sit for a few minutes.
• Scrub the Bowl: Use a toilet brush to scrub inside the bowl, paying attention to under the rim.
• Wipe Down Surfaces: Spray disinfectant (bleach, alcohol, vinegar, or baking soda) and wipe the toilet seat, lid, handle, and outer surfaces. However, avoid harsh chemicals like bleach and alcohol if the eco-friendly cleaning supplies do the job properly. 
• Clean Floor Area: Wipe down the floor around the toilet, as spills and splashes are common after parties.
• Empty Trash: Replace the trash bag if needed, especially for disposable items.
• Restock Supplies: Add extra toilet paper, hand soap, and air freshener if needed.

Sanitise Surfaces and High Touch Areas

Disinfect kitchen tables, countertops, door handles, all faucets, and other high-touch areas to maintain hygiene. A door knob can have 14 different colonies of bacteria. Each colony may have more than a million bacteria. So, disinfecting high-touch areas is a must to keep the office environment healthy. 

• Remove clutter (like appliances, dishes, or decorative items) from countertops and tables in a bin bag from all rooms. They include the kitchen, restroom, break room, party halls, lounges, meeting rooms, etc. 
• Wipe down surfaces with warm, soapy water to remove dirt, food particles, and grease.
• Choose an alcohol-based cleaner (70% alcohol) or a diluted bleach solution (5 tablespoons of bleach per litre of water).
• Spray or wipe the disinfectant generously on the surfaces, covering all areas. Do this, especially for high-touch spots like table edges, appliance handles, and door knobs.
• Allow the disinfectant to sit on the surfaces.
• Wipe off the surfaces with a clean microfibre cloth properly. 
• Let the surfaces dry properly. 

05. Deep Cleaning for Carpets and Floors

A post-party deep cleaning for floors and carpets is highly essential to ensure the ultimate hygiene of your office. 

A UK study shows that 1 sq. inch of carpets generally hold around 200,000 bacteria. This amount is 4,000 times more than in your toilet. 

Spot-clean the Carpet

Act quickly to remove any liquid or food spills on the carpets after the party. Spot cleaning is a quick solution to restrict the spills from penetrating more into the carpets.  

• Remove any items from the carpets, such as chairs, tables, or any other objects. 
• Use dish soap and warm water solution to spot-clean the carpets. 
• Soak a clean microfibre cloth in the solution and wring it to make it damp. 
• Now, scrub and rub the stained and spilt areas of the carpet gently to remove spills and stains. 

After cleaning, let the carpet dry.

Vacuum the Carpet

• Ensure the vacuum bag or canister isn’t full, and adjust the vacuum height to suit the carpet pile.
• Begin in spots with the most foot traffic, as these often have the most dirt.
• Move the vacuum slowly over each row to allow it to pick up more dirt. Go over each row twice if needed.

If vacuum cleaning isn’t enough to clean the carpet by removing stains, you can choose other deep cleaning methods. They include steam cleaning, carpet shampooing, and encapsulation cleaning. 

We recommend professional office cleaning services for more stubborn stain cleaning. 

Mop the Floor

• Sweep or Vacuum First: Remove dust and debris from the floor to make mopping more effective.
• Prepare Mop and Bucket: Fill the bucket with warm water and a suitable floor cleaner, such as normal dish soap or scented eco-friendly floor cleaner. 
• Start Mopping in Sections: Dip the mop, wring out excess water, and mop small sections at a time.
• Rinse Mop Frequently: Rinse and wring the mop regularly to avoid spreading dirt.
• Let Floor Dry: Allow the floor to air dry before walking on it to prevent streaks.

06. Tips for Odour Control After Parties

• Use Air Fresheners or Scented Candles: Freshen up the office with eco-friendly air fresheners or candles in subtle, fresh scents.
• Ventilate the Space: Open windows to allow fresh air in, which will naturally reduce odours lingering from the rooms. 

07. The Final Cleaning Touches

After cleaning up, make final adjustments to ensure the office is ready for a fresh start in the new year. Resetting common areas and restocking the supplies are the final touches to prepare the office for a new start. 

• Arrange meeting rooms and lounges back to their original layouts. 
• Return chairs, tables, and other furniture to their usual setup. 
• Ensure cleanliness so that the spaces are tidy for the upcoming workdays. 
• Make sure all devices are powered off. Conduct a final quick check for any equipment that might need maintenance.

Restock Essentials

• Restock kitchen supplies such as dish soap and napkins. Refill the hand washing soap. 
• Refill supplies like paper towels, tissues, and hand sanitisers. Restocking office essentials is necessary to ensure the employees will get them after returning to the office. 

Consequences You Will Face If Not Cleaning the Office After Party

Since your office will be closed from Christmas till the first workday of the New Year, you should clean your office before the office is closed. A properly clean office before the holidays will make you ready for the New Year’s workdays after the holidays with a fresh vibe. 

Otherwise, you may face the following consequences if you do not prepare the office for after-party workdays. 

• Health Risks: Uncleaned food and drink leftovers attract pests. These will create unsanitary conditions which will impact employee health and safety.
• Reduced Morale and Productivity: A dirty office environment can lower employee morale and hinder productivity.
• Property Damage: Spills and leftover decorations may cause damage to carpets, furniture, or equipment, leading to costly repairs.
• Reputation Damage: A messy office indicates poor professionalism. This affects client perceptions and business reputations. 
• Financial and Legal Issues: Neglecting cleanliness could breach lease agreements if your office space is under lease. It can also break health regulations. Both will risk you fines and legal liabilities.

Why Hiring Professional Office Cleaning Services Is Important

For a thorough and hassle-free cleaning in your Brisbane office, you should consider hiring professional cleaners. Because, 

• Professionals can handle deep cleaning tasks with ease. They will cover carpet cleaning, floor cleaning, kitchen cleaning, and restoring your office layout. 
• They have specialised tools and equipment to remove stubborn stains, as well as odour control.
• Professionals ensure time management and efficient cleaning, ensuring a fresh office environment. 
• Hiring cleaners allows staff to avoid extra work and return to a fresh, ready-to-use office.

So, don’t allow the garbage to ruin your New Year’s start after the holidays. Hire a professional cleaner to give your office a fresh environment after the office party and before the office remains closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays. 

Final Words

With effective office Christmas party cleaning tips, you can clean your office after the party and give it a fresh look. Take care of every corner of the office so that the office gets ready for the employees in the new year. However, a professional cleaning service is always recommended for an effective and hassle-free cleaning. 

Eco Cleaning Brisbane can be your reliable cleaning partner in Brisbane. We have been providing cleaning services across Brisbane for over 20 years. We ensure your office is clean and fresh and complies with the health and safety regulations. 

Contact us today at +61 7 3189 2759 or [email protected] to book your service or consult with us.