6 Useful Tips for Cleaning Up After an Office Holiday Party

December 13, 2019
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Craig Fischer
Posted in Business
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Some companies celebrate festivities and holidays as part of their employee engagement. Holiday decorations may differ per department depending on the theme of the event. However, the hardest part of every event is what comes after, which is cleaning.

Removing the banners, props, and safekeeping office materials could be an added responsibility for people who enjoyed the party. After-party clean up is a must, and certainly, it requires additional effort from people responsible for the party.

If you opt to have a party in the office, then this post is going to be helpful to you. Here are six tips on cleaning up after an office holiday party.

1. Takedown and Save Decorations

Almost every company observes holidays as part of office culture and employee activities, from Halloween parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Saint Patricks Day, Family Day – the list goes on.

Holiday events are organized by the company and involve all the employees. Designing space and doing decors builds up the excitement for everybody. Employees dedicate extra time to create decorations and make everything beautiful.

But what happens after the party?

Don’t just throw away the banners and decorations. Since many of the office holidays are recurring every year, you may allot space or box to safe-keep the decorations and use them next time. It will allow you to save on decoration expenses since events are usually one-themed.

Extra tip: Keep your decorations simple and elegant to keep a professional ambiance in your office. This will leave visitors or clients the impression that your office is practicing the spirit of the season while being stylish and classy.

2. Assemble a Cleanup Committee

Another tip that we can give you is that you assign a cleaning committee after the party. To maintain fairness, the employee cleaners could take turns every holiday event and do the clean-up afterparty. Team A cleans during thanksgiving party, and Team B cleans on Christmas.

The clean-up committee can also assign a garbage area where employees can throw their paper cups and paper plates. This will minimize the work of the cleaning committee at the same time and promote self-responsibility from your employees. Promote segregation by creating a biodegradable and non-biodegradable section on your garbage area.

After the party, the cleanup committee should have large garbage bags to clean what is left to be cleaned swiftly. Collect decorations that can be saved for next time use and throw onetime use items.

In case the party area is too large for the cleaning committee, or you want to save your employees from the hassle, consider hiring an NYC office cleaning specialist like Maid Sailors.

3. Clean Spills and Stains Promptly

Spills from liquid substances are inevitable in parties, especially if there are alcoholic drinks. You can see it on the table or on the floor. The worst part of it is that the carpet or wood floorings have stains and hard to remove.

Once you saw some liquid spill on the floor, immediately clean the spill area to prevent discoloration since some liquids are hard to clean. Remove wet carpets or mats on pathways to prevent employees from slipping.

If your carpet or floor mats got a stain that is hard to remove, you should contact a professional cleaner and let them do the cleaning for you.

4. Mop The Floor Right Away

After the party, usually, the floor will be sticky and dirty because of spills. Right away, mop the floor with a detergent solution to clean up and eliminate odors that are present. In case there are stains, you may opt to polish the floor using a heavy-duty polisher after the party. You may also think of contacting a professional cleaner to do the cleaning.

During the party, try to mop the floor regularly to avoid slipping accidents from happening. Just put a wet floor sign if you see a puddle of water on the floor or you had just mopped the area. You should maintain cleanliness during the event to prevent accidents.

5. Maintain Bathroom Cleanliness

The bathroom is the messiest part of the party since people come and go to this location all night. After the party, check thoroughly what should be cleaned inside. Office bathroom floors are dry and sparkling clean, so if the floor is wet and dirty, mop it with water and let it dry. If the sink is soaking wet, wipe the excess water and let it dry also.

Refill all bathroom tissues and soaps to be used for the next day. Ensure also that the bathroom smells pleasant, so you should put up a small air freshener to eliminate odor and other pollutants. Make sure to ready cleaning materials before, during and after holiday events for ease in cleaning.

6. Sanitize All Surfaces

Ensure you have cleaning materials on hand after the event. Disinfect the party area using a disinfectant spray to eliminate the odor and prevent pests like ants and cockroaches. Wipe the tables and other surfaces to get rid of bacteria and other particles.

Mop the floors using an all-purpose cleaner and sanitizer, and have it wiped by a dry cloth or towel after. If your party area is near the workspace, employees may have eaten at their own desks, sanitize their desks, cubicle, and chair.

Also, consider sanitizing the garbage area and garbage cans. It’s the dirtiest section of all, and it can attract unwanted visitors at the same time. Recheck the area in case there is garbage left before leaving the office.

Conclusion

Company holidays are exciting, and employees are looking forward to it for the whole year. Planning is key to everything, and including how to get the office cleaned after-party is a must. If you are gathering a small event, you may opt to set up a team or committee for the cleaning. On the other hand, if you are planning to set up a large event, hiring professional cleaners to do the job is not a bad idea.