Washroom Cleaning Checklist

A washroom and restroom cleaning checklist for offices, schools, shops and public facilities, with an hourly check log and weekly deep-clean tasks.

Published October 18, 2026

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Before You Start

Put up a wet-floor or cleaning-in-progress sign at the entrance
Put on gloves and any eye protection the product label requires
Use separate color-coded cloths for toilets and for sinks and surfaces
A common scheme is red for toilets and urinals, yellow for sinks and other washroom surfaces.
Check the disinfectant's contact time on the label before you begin
The surface must stay wet for the full contact time or the disinfectant won't work.
Open a window or turn on the extractor fan for ventilation

Restock and Waste

Refill toilet paper and keep a spare roll in every cubicle
Refill soap and hand sanitizer dispensers
Refill paper towels or check that hand dryers work
Empty bins and sanitary bins and fit new liners
Sanitary bins are usually emptied by a specialist contractor; check the service schedule rather than emptying them by hand.
Report any broken dispenser, lock or hand dryer

High-Touch Points

Disinfect door handles, push plates and cubicle locks
Disinfect flush handles, taps and dispenser buttons
Wipe light switches and baby-changing tables

Toilets and Urinals

Apply toilet cleaner under the rim and leave it to work
Clean the seat, hinges, lid and outside of the bowl
Scrub the bowl and under the rim, then flush
Clean urinals, including the bowl, wall behind and floor in front
Replace urinal screens or blocks when worn down
Wipe cubicle walls and partitions at hand height

Sinks, Counters and Mirrors

Clean sinks, taps and the area around the overflow
Wipe counters and the wall splashback dry
Clean mirrors with glass cleaner for a streak-free finish
Check the sinks drain freely

Floors and Drains

Sweep or dust-mop the floor first
Mop from the far corner toward the exit with clean solution
Pay attention to the floor around toilet bases and urinals
Urine splashes around urinals are a common cause of lingering odor.
Pour water into floor drains to keep the trap from drying out
Remove the wet-floor sign only when the floor is dry

Hourly Check Log

Time checked: ____
Checked by (initials): ____
Supplies restocked: Yes / No
Floor dry and bins below half full: Yes / No
Issues reported: ____

Weekly Deep Clean

Descale toilets, urinals and taps
Scrub grout and floor edges
Wash walls, cubicle doors and partitions top to bottom
Dust vents, extractor fan covers and high ledges
Clean and disinfect bins inside and out

0 / 38 done

Clean a shared washroom in a fixed order: restock first, then disinfect high-touch points, clean toilets and urinals, sinks and mirrors, and finish with the floor working toward the door. Working top to bottom and clean to dirty stops you spreading germs back onto surfaces you've already done.

This checklist is written for commercial and public washrooms — offices, schools, shops, gyms, restaurants and venues — where several people use the room every hour. It covers the routine clean, a quick hourly check you can sign off on the wall, and the weekly tasks that stop limescale, odor and drain build-up.

Always follow the label on your disinfectant: most products only kill germs if the surface stays wet for the stated contact time, often several minutes. Wear gloves, keep products in their original containers and never mix bleach with ammonia or acid-based toilet cleaners.

FAQ

How often should a commercial washroom be cleaned?

Busy washrooms need a full clean at least once a day plus quick checks every one to two hours to restock, empty bins and wipe spills. Low-traffic washrooms can be checked less often, but still need a daily disinfecting of high-touch points.

What order should you clean a washroom in?

Restock and remove waste first, then disinfect high-touch points, clean toilets and urinals, then sinks, counters and mirrors, and mop the floor last, working from the far wall toward the door so you don't walk over wet, clean floor.

Why use color-coded cloths in a washroom?

Color coding keeps toilet cloths away from sinks and other surfaces. A common scheme uses red for toilets and urinals and yellow for sinks and other washroom surfaces, but any system works if every cleaner follows the same one.

What should a washroom check log include?

Record the time, the initials of the person who checked, and whether supplies were restocked and any issues were found, such as a blocked toilet or a broken dispenser. A visible log shows users the room is looked after and helps supervisors spot missed checks.

Built from public guidance and kept up to date — how we write our checklists. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.