What Products are Safe for Office Kitchen Cleaning?

There is a fine line to tread when it comes to office kitchen cleaning techniques. Leave a mess behind and you are likely to suffer dirty looks and snide comments from your coworkers, go over-the-top cleaning with bleach and Drano and you are likely to have at least one coworker appalled at your chemical-using ways. So where is the line between sanitary and toxic? And, more importantly, how do you make sure this line is respected by everyone in a shared office kitchen?

One key cleaning idea that has been recognized by many over time is the importance of a disinfectant or sanitizer. For many people, this means bleach. However, to those not chemical-friendly, this is more likely to be a combination of water, vinegar and baking soda. But do those home-remedy ingredients really work when you’re talking about a space that encounters raw meat and potential allergens?

One often overlooked addition to the recipe mentioned above is hydrogen peroxide. This is a great disinfectant, especially when applied in separate rounds with a vinegar/water mixture. The key is to allow enough time for each product to set in. This is especially important when it comes to a surface that needs to be truly sanitized. If your office prefers to go the natural, non-toxic route when it comes to kitchen cleaning, this combination is a great solution. Just let your commercial janitorial service know that you prefer this cleaning style. And rinse the solution off with hot, soapy water for the final step in the sanitizing process.

However, if you choose to go the standard chemical route, the key is to make sure all surfaces are properly cleaned after the chemicals have been applied. Spraying bleach on countertops and just wiping it off with a towel, or using Drano in a sink and not thoroughly rinsing it out after can lead to serious consequences. The next person to set food on the counter or dishes in the sink could come into contact with the chemicals and get really sick. Make sure that all surfaces are washed off with soap and hot water and dried after a chemical has been used on them. This is a good thing to ask a commercial cleaning company during the hiring process, or observe during a cleaning session to make sure they are following best practices.

Regardless of what you decide is best for you and your company, communicate your decision to your office cleaning company and make sure that they understand any specific needs or requirements that you might have when it comes to cleaning with chemicals.