Property Management Cleaning Checklist

Cleaning services for property managers – whether it’s keeping the property cleaned and maintained by an internal staff or a contracted cleaning company, a property manager can use a cleaning checklist to make sure everything gets cleaned properly. It’s as useful as a move out inspection. A cleaning checklist helps communicate the specific details of each area within a property, what cleaning products to use, cleaning equipment and even when to deep clean. It’s also a great tool for accountability through auditing cleaning tasks on a routine basis.

Tenant Areas

A tenant area is the rent-able square feet portion of rental properties where a tenant normally houses personnel, equipment, fixtures, furniture, merchandise, storage and/or supplies. Generally, this area is maintained by the tenant on a regular basis and only cleaned by property management once there is tenant move out or vacancy.

Property managers will perform a move out inspection and use the security deposit to pay a cleaning service and small repairs, depending on the lease agreement. However, there are exceptions where tenants pay for cleaning services provided by property management.

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

FLOOR MAINTENANCE

• Broom clean hardwood floors and spot wash dirt affected areas
• Remove all chewing gum on floor with special attention to be given to corners and hard-to-reach areas.

DUSTING & CLEANING

• Clean stove, microwave oven
• Keep the refrigerator clean
• Dispose of leftover food not properly stored
• Clean dining room, laundry room
• Replace light bulbs when needed

Periodic Cleaning Checklist

FLOOR MAINTENANCE

• Carpet cleaning
• Polish Floor
• Burnish Floor
• Strip and Wax Floor
• Scrub and Re-coat Floor
• Clean Ceramic Tile and Grout
• Seal Grout Lines
• Clean and Seal Stone Floor

DUSTING & CLEANING

• Wiping down all desks (ask employees to remove everything from the surface)
• Cleaning and sanitizing all computer keyboards, screen and other computer equipment
• Dusting & wiping blinds and ceiling fans
• Scrubbing baseboards
• Cleaning garbage disposal
• Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors underneath furniture
• Cleaning windows (inside and outside)
• High Dust (Vents, Lights, Corners, Blinds, Items on Walls)
• Keep vacant spaces move in ready

Remember: If taking on these cleaning tasks internally is becoming overwhelming, you can always hire a professional cleaning service to do the job.

For more details, your can read about how to strip and wax a floor, How to Choose the Right Property Management Cleaning Services for Your Needs. You can also request a free estimate from us.

General Cleaning: Restrooms

To avoid spreading germs and bacteria, use dedicated cleaning products and cleaning supplies for restroom cleaning. This is not just the toilet brush, we’re referring to all mops, mop buckets, broom, cleaning cloths, and keep them in their own storage area.

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

• Sweep and wet mop or scrub floor with a cleanser-disinfectant. Surfaces shall be dry and the corners clean.
• Disinfect light switches
• Clean, disinfect and polish all surfaces of fixtures, including toilets, urinals, wash basins, commodes, etc. All plumbing fixtures and bright work shall be wiped clean.
• Clean and polish all mirrors, shower doors and glass doors to remove all stains, streaks and smudges.
• Spot clean doors, walls and partitions to remove dirt, dust and stains.
• Wipe clean all dispensers and replenish as necessary, including liquid hand soap, disinfectant, toilet tissue, feminine supplies, paper towels and seat covers.
• Empty trash cans and replace liners.
• Damp mop all hard and resilient floors.
• Empty, clean and disinfect all receptacles used for the collection of solid waste. Replace liners as necessary.

Periodic Cleaning Checklist

Weekly

• Dust light fixtures, ceiling fans and vents.

Monthly

• Damp wipe and disinfect the full surface areas of all rest room walls, doors, windows, counter tops, window frames, sills, vents and waste paper receptacles, mirrors and glass, etc.
• To prevent stains and encrustation and any resulting odor from forming in the water closets and urinals, disinfectant germicidal cleaner shall be used every thirty days.

Quarterly

• Machine scrubbing restroom floors (helps eliminate urine smell)
• Redoing of caulk around the toilets and sinks
• Washing trash receptacles (Replace Liners)
• Sinks, Countertops, Toilets, Urinals (Clean, Sanitize, Polish)
• Glass, Mirrors, Chrome (Clean, Polish)
• Dispensers: Soap, Tissue, Towels (Fill, Clean, Sanitize)
• Partitions (Sanitize, Dust)
• Clean Walls and Doors (Sanitize)
• Door Handles, Light Switches (Sanitize)

Yearly

• All traps and floor drains shall be treated with a bacterial type chemical until the traps are completely free of odor.

As Needed

• Report items in need of repair, e.g., inoperative light bulbs, broken windows and doors, leaking sinks, urinals, commodes, broken light fixtures, etc.

General Cleaning: Hallways

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

• Clean and disinfect drinking fountains including the outside and remove encrustation from the drain screen and bubbler.
• Empty waste baskets and remove trash to designated disposal areas.
• Remove any clutter or leftover materials
• Spot clean walls and doors to remove all marks, and dust surfaces within 84″ of the floor.
• Damp mop all hard and resilient floors.
• Clean and disinfect doorknobs, push bars, kick plates, railings, seats, elevator doors, and other bright metal surfaces.

General Cleaning: Lobby Area

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

• Clean glass on front door
• Clean/disinfect door handles and light switches
• Sweep non carpeted floors
• Replace trash can liners
• Vacuum carpets
• Dust and wipe down door frames and window frames
• Dust and clean shelves
• Dust and clean furniture, light fixtures, ceiling fans and decor
• Clean displays and cabinets and drawers
• Remove personal items

Periodic Cleaning Checklist

Weekly

• Dust light fixtures

Monthly

• Test smoke alarms
• Dusting & Wiping blinds
• Scrubbing baseboards
• Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors underneath furniture
• Wipe outlet covers

General Cleaning: Elevators and Stairwells

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

• Pick up trash
• Dust and polish ledges, railings, banisters, and fixtures
• Clean any glass surfaces
• Sweep and mop or vacuum stairs and landings

General Cleaning: Exterior Walks & Entrances

Making sure outdoor areas are clear of dirt will reduce tracking it into the building when guests depart or enter. This can save time for inside cleaning along with keeping a great appearance of the exterior.

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

• Clean/disinfect door handles
• Clean signage around the doorway
• Empty exterior trash cans
• Clean exterior planters, benches, trash cans, etc.
• Pick up litter
• Remove cobwebs from the entryway
• Vacuum or sweep entryway and doormats
• Clean exterior doors around entrance doors

Quarterly

• Remove cobwebs from window screens, window tracks and window sills

Yearly

• Shower walls of exterior with soap, sodium hypochlorite and water to kill mold, mildew and renew appearance

General Cleaning: Below Ground Parking

Nightly Cleaning Checklist

• Sweep and/or mop clean all stairwells
• Wipe clean handrails, fire extinguishers, and other mechanical equipment once each week or at the direction of Building Management.

Periodic Cleaning Checklist

Quarterly

• Power sweep entire garage, including garage entrance area once every four months.

Yearly

• Hose down and squeegee entire garage area two times each year
•  Light fixture lenses to be washed and dried annually.