The church is, to countless people, a house of worship. Because of its importance to them, the church will regularly be flooded by hundreds to thousands of worshippers. The last thing you want is for them to flock to an unclean place.
Moreover, the age distribution of churchgoers can be quite diverse today. For instance, dozens of young children go to children’s church or Sunday school, and there are plenty of elderly people who also show up for services. Lack of diligence in cleaning the church can make it a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms that may be particularly harmful to these people.
What is a Church Cleaning Checklist?
With a specific or general church cleaning checklist, you can help ensure that every space and corner inside the structure is free of dust, dirt, and germs. The checklist is a list of church cleaning guidelines and identifies every area that has to be cleaned. It also details the procedures that have to be followed, as well as the needed cleaning equipment and products and frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, on an annual basis, etc.) of cleaning.
Checklist for Church Cleaning
This “How to clean a church?” checklist provides you a system for cleaning and disinfecting churches. The list is divided into the various rooms or facilities commonly found inside a church building.
Library and Administrative Office
Essential documents, supplies, papers, and books are kept in the library and administrative office. If the surrounding is filled with dust, the particles can collect on the items inside these offices and lead to their deterioration over time. Thus, you need to clean these spaces on a regular basis. Below is the cleaning checklist for these offices:
- Empty the trash receptacles properly. Replace the plastic liners with clean ones.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the dust from and clean all furniture, fixtures, and countertops. Use an appropriate eco-friendly surface cleaner, if necessary.
- Clean all glass surfaces and windows.
- Sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors.
Classrooms and Nurseries
It is important to keep these rooms safe and disinfected for the children, who are more vulnerable to certain types of diseases. Below is a church cleaning checklist for the rooms that infants and toddlers use.
- Empty the trash receptacles properly. Replace the plastic liners with clean ones.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the dust from and clean all surfaces and items inside the room. Use an appropriate eco-friendly disinfectant.
- Clean and disinfect the surfaces of changing tables.
- Remove and clean the play or rubber mats, if there are any, weekly.
- Use an eco- and child-friendly disinfectant and a sponge, cloth, or mop to wipe the mats. Make sure every surface, including the sides and creases, is cleaned well.
- Airdry the mats before placing them back inside the classrooms or nurseries.
- Sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors.
Kitchen and Fellowship Hall
The fellowship hall is, of course, among the most important sections of a church. The kitchen, on the other hand, also requires additional attention because not keeping food waste in check can result in unwanted pests and unnecessary problems. Here is a cleaning checklist for these spaces:
- Empty the trash receptacles properly. Make sure to segregate the wastes and dispose of biodegradable ones on a daily basis. Replace the plastic liners with clean ones.
- Use a microfiber cloth or scrub brush to wipe the dust from and clean all countertops, sinks, surfaces, and appliances in the kitchen. Use an appropriate eco-friendly disinfectant.
- Make sure that no dishes, utensils, and other dinnerware are left unwashed before the day ends.
- Check the contents of the refrigerator weekly and dispose of expired products, if there are any.
- Deep-clean stoves, ovens, coffeemakers, toasters, or other kitchen appliances at least monthly (and more frequently than an on annual basis) to make sure no food debris left in the appliances cause bad odor. Use appropriate cleaners and de-greasers.
- If the sinks make use of a grease trap, make sure it is cleaned on an annual basis.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the dust from all the chairs and furniture used in the kitchen and fellowship hall. Use a disinfectant, if necessary.
- Sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors.
Entrance and Lobby
The first thing most members see when they enter the church is the entrance or lobby. Thus, having these areas cleaned should be included at the top of a church cleaning checklist, such as the one below.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the dust from and clean all surfaces inside the lobby.
- Sweep the exterior and entrance, areas of dust and debris. Vacuum and mop the floors of the interior parts.
- Make sure to thoroughly vacuum the underside of the carpets or rugs, if there are any.
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Sanctuary and Nave
The sanctuary and nave are the central parts of the church, where members or visitors spend most of their time inside the building. To clean these places would be no easy task. However, with these guidelines, the cleaners would be provided a systematic way of cleaning these spaces.
- Empty the trash receptacles properly. Replace the plastic liners with clean ones.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the dust from and clean all furniture, fixtures, and countertops. Use an appropriate eco-friendly surface cleaner, if necessary.
- Clean the altars, chairs, pews, and ornaments, ensuring that every corner of the furniture is free of dust and trash.
- Clean all glass surfaces and windows.
- Sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors of the sanctuary, as well as the stairways and hallways leading to it.
Restrooms
In workplaces and business establishments, restrooms are considered as one of the germiest places. It is even tagged as the “epicenter of cross-contamination.” In churches, it is essentially the same. Thus, the church cleaning checklist, like the list below, should obviously include the restroom.
- Empty the trash receptacles properly. Replace the plastic liners with clean ones.
- Use a cloth, sponge, or scrub brush and an eco-friendly cleaning solution to clean all the surfaces. Make sure to clean and disinfect the faucet, flush lever, toilet handle, and other items that are frequently touched by the restroom users.
- Sweep and mop the floor. Use a disinfectant and make sure all critical parts of the floor undergo cleaning. Examples of these are those under the toilets bowls or urinals.
- Clean all dispensers and replenish the soap, hand towels, and other needed supplies.
- Do a thorough check of the restrooms daily or every week to determine that everything is in order.
Using the Right Tools for Efficient Cleaning
With plenty of bases to cover in cleaning the various areas of the church, having the appropriate tools or equipment can save you money and time. If your church has a vast floor area, for example, cleaning with a machine will speed up the process. Investing in cleaning technology, such as mop buckets and vacuum cleaners would prove beneficial in the long run for the church.
Cleaning Products
The use of correct cleaning products is critical in providing a safe and healthy environment for churchgoers. Use the appropriate surface cleaner to prevent having your cleaner’s labor in vain. Remember, too, that is not just about making sure that every part of the church is clean — it is also about disinfecting. Make sure to purchase and use eco-friendly disinfectant.
Another important thing to take note of is that the cleaning materials, such as the cloth, sponge, or mop, should be used only in the room or facility to which it is assigned. For instance, the cloth used in the restrooms should not be used in the kitchen or nursery. In doing so, the risk of spreading infection can be kept in check.
Cleaning System
Establishing a cleaning program or system, which can include a church custodian checklist and a church cleaning schedule, will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that every part of the church is clean and disinfected.
FAQs
How much does it cost to clean a church?
Commercial cleaning services providers typically charge based on the total square feet of a facility. On average, it costs around $25 to $75 per hour to have a church professionally cleaned.
Conclusion
Do you need a church cleaning checklist? Definitely. Without one, you run the risk of overlooking essential cleaning and disinfection tasks, which, in turn, can possibly have an adverse effect on the health of church visitors. If you want to make sure the place is cleaned from top to bottom, you can hire the services of a professional cleaning solutions provider.