Top 12 Tips to Keep Your Workspace Clean and Sanitary


Whether you’re searching for a way to improve productivity with a clean desk or create a healthy office space for post-COVID times, knowing the most effective workspace cleaning tips will ensure you have a clean and tidy office environment to help limit the number of sick days employees take. 


If you would like to support Open Sourced Workplace:



The very best way to know how to keep an office clean is to ensure you commit to regular cleaning with anti-bacterial cleaners, as well as avoid cluttered spaces. A tidy workspace and daily desk cleaning keeps germs at bay and ensures the ultimate standards of health and safety for employees are met. A clean workplace has great hygiene and cleanliness, which should be maintained by both staff and cleaning services. 

In this guide, we share how to keep an office clean with essential workspace cleaning tips you can implement right away. Discover why desk cleaning is important and what the benefits of a spotless working environment are. 


Why Is It Important to Keep Your Workspace Clean and Sanitary?

We spend more and more time at our workstations, which is why it has to be clean and fresh. Also, if you work from home, it’s essential to sanitise your workspace daily. This will protect you from viruses that may have been carried home, it keeps your space hygienic and ensures you won’t spread any germs to other areas.

Top Tips For Keeping Your Workspace Clean & Sanitary

These workstation cleaning tips will keep your workspace sparkling from morning to afternoon. You can implement these workspace cleaning tips straight away for the optimal health and safety of your workers. 

1.  Declutter your desk

We’ve all heard the saying; ‘tidy space, tidy mind’. Having this mindset will keep you motivated, and just clearing the clutter off your desk will be a weight off your mind. That relief alone can help you prioritise and organise your workload effortlessly. Just remember to regularly clear clutter to maintain this working standard. 

2. Clean your IT equipment

Your IT equipment has lots of traffic, from both yourself and colleagues which is why it’s important to keep these items clean. Frequent use also means they can harbour bacteria which is easily spread. Simple sanitising wipes can maintain the cleanliness of IT equipment. However, it’s also recommended that they are deep cleaned often alongside other areas in your office to keep the potential spread of COVID-19 at bay. 

3. Clean the floor

Floor cleanliness is of high importance, especially in high traffic spaces. Flooring can easily harbour dust, bacteria and lots of possible germs, trodden in from the outside world. There’s also the potential of spillages, such as food and drink, dropping onto the floor which could then transfer bacteria and illness. A deep clean with bleach tends to be the most effective method of cleaning hard surfaces, while carpets can be steam cleaned to ensure they’re spotless.

4. Maintain tidiness of shared areas

Keeping shared areas clean and tidy is a must. Yours or your colleagues’ workspaces could have bacteria that could transfer to public domains, allowing others to contract ill health. This can be easily avoided by keeping your hands clean before entering, ensuring that hands are clean before touching anything, and performing daily cleaning of shared areas via bleaching or cleansing with an anti-bacterial cleaner. It’s also a good idea to keep hand sanitiser in these spaces too. 

5. Don’t eat at your desk

Eating at your desk just creates more issues, both for cleaning and hygiene in general. Additionally, it interferes with how functional your office space should be. No-one wants to find old, mouldy food in their workspace so having a designated area to eat meals in is a good way to solve this problem.

6. Throw things out and recycle

A lot of rubbish can be recycled, from that old bottle top to that pile of newspapers! Not only does it help the environment, but it also keeps your office space clean and tidy. Try to commit 5 minutes within your day to throw out any old rubbish that is on or around your desk. You’ll feel much better for doing so. 

Start an Office Cleaning Business

7. Use air fresheners

Air fresheners on or around your workstation are advantageous for keeping your space smelling nice and fresh. It creates a positive atmosphere and will help to cover up any lingering odours that may come from bins. Keep your windows open too during warmer weather as this will aid good ventilation. 

8. Hire a professional cleaning company

Hiring a commercial cleaningOpens in a new tab. company offers a multitude of benefits as you can book as much time as you need. From once per week to once a month, you can utilise the services of cleaning experts who understand the best products to use to keep your space free from germs. 

9. Keep essential items organised

Keep any essential items that are used daily in an organised manner. Even office stationery should have a specific home. This keeps everything ergonomic and at arms reach whenever you need it. 

10. Wash hands regularly

Keeping your hands clean is a must, especially during a pandemic. If you go to the toilet, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly. Also, sanitise your hands often. Keep a portable hand sanitiser on every desk and make sure there are full-size sanitisers in public places. This helps to reduce the spread of infection for yourself and others.

11. Disinfect bins and phones

Frequently used items, such as bins and phones, tend to be overlooked when it comes to office cleaning. These items often harbour lots of bacteria and need to be cleaned daily. Bleach effortlessly disinfects office bins, while phones can be sanitised to kill bad bacteria and germs. 

12. Don’t forget to dust

Dust is everywhere and it easily settles on surfaces that are higher up, such as photo frames, pictures, clocks, and the top of filing cabinets. Dust can be a pain to keep on top of, but a simple spritz of your chosen cleaning spray should condense the dust and clear it away. It’s best to dry dust first with a dry cloth and then spray your cleaner. Wipe again and buff the surface to shine. 

How to maintain a clean workspace

These handy cleaning tipsOpens in a new tab. provide an in-depth view of how you should keep your workspace clean, as well as how to maintain it. Follow each step and your office will easily meet health and safety standards. You’ll be looking after your employees’ welfare and giving your business a good reputation with excellent presentation. 

Related Questions

Here are a few more points to contemplate, in addition to the benefits of having a clean workplace.

How To Keep Your Desk Clutter-Free

Keep your desk free from mess and clutter by following these steps:

• Ask yourself; does this item belong on my desk? If it doesn’t, throw it away or put it in its correct place. 
• Put pens, general stationery, files or books back in their correct place after use.
• Use your desk drawers to store important items you need daily.
• Consider going digital to cut down the amount of paper you use. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Clean Workspace?

There are many wonderful benefits of a clean and tidy workspace. Here are just a few of them:

• Less distraction from mess and clutter
• Healthier environment due to fewer germs
• Fewer mistakes made as work processes are clearer
• Better morale in the office
• The business has a better reputation as it’s clean and tidy

About the author:

Perfect CleanOpens in a new tab. is a professional cleaning company based in Edinburgh. They are committed to keeping everyone safe, not just through their quality and cost-efficient services, but also by sharing industry knowledge and trends to their network of business professionals and decision makers in the industry. 

Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

Recent Posts