Keeping a coworking space clean between members

Shared desks and touchpoints

Hot desks are used by several people in a day, so they need wiping between users rather than once in the evening. Keep wipes or spray and cloths close to the desks, and plan regular rounds through the day.

Touchpoints get the most use: door handles, lift buttons, light switches, printer panels and coffee machine buttons. A quick wipe of these on every round does more than an occasional deep clean.

• Hot desks wiped between users
• Touchpoints on every round
• Supplies kept close to the desks

Meeting rooms booked back to back

Meeting rooms are often booked one after another with no gap. Look at the booking system, and plan quick resets in the short windows between meetings: tables wiped, cups cleared, chairs straightened and whiteboards cleaned.

Agree whether the cleaner may enter a room that shows as booked but is empty. A simple rule avoids interrupting members and avoids rooms left untouched all day.

• Resets planned from the booking system
• Cups, tables and whiteboards on every reset
• A rule for booked but empty rooms

Kitchens and coffee points

Shared kitchens get busy at predictable times, such as first thing and over lunch. Clear and wipe them just after those peaks, and keep the dishwasher moving so mugs do not pile up.

Check consumables at the same time: milk, coffee, cups and cleaning supplies. An empty coffee point is one of the first things members notice.

• Kitchen checks after busy periods
• Dishwasher loaded and emptied through the day
• Consumables checked on every visit

Private offices and member privacy

Private offices belong to members, and cleaning should follow what each member has agreed with you. Some want daily cleaning, others want it only on certain days or not at all.

Keep the rules simple for the cleaner: which offices to enter, when, and what not to touch. Papers and screens should be left exactly as found.

• Cleaning agreed with each member
• A clear list of offices to enter
• Papers and screens left untouched

Plan around peak arrival times

Most spaces have a morning rush and a quieter mid-afternoon. Do noisy or disruptive tasks, such as vacuuming, before the rush or in the quiet periods, and keep the busy times for quick checks.

If your space runs evening events, plan the clean around them. A space that hosts events needs a reset afterwards so it is ready for members the next morning.

• Noisy tasks outside peak times
• Quick checks during busy periods
• A reset after evening events

Use member feedback as a signal

Members will tell you when something is wrong, through the community team, a feedback form or a message. Treat repeated comments as a signal to change the routine, not as one-off complaints.

Share relevant feedback with the cleaner or the agency. Most problems are fixed quickly once the person doing the work knows about them.

Short, regular conversations with the community team are often more useful than formal reviews. A quick weekly check on what members have mentioned keeps the cleaning plan matched to how the space is really used.

• Feedback collected in one place
• Repeated comments change the routine
• Feedback shared with the cleaner

Questions

How often should hot desks be cleaned?

Between users where possible, or on regular rounds through the day, rather than once in the evening.

Can the cleaner enter booked meeting rooms?

Only if your rule allows it. Agree whether rooms that show as booked but are empty may be entered.

Should private offices be cleaned every day?

That depends on what each member has agreed. Keep a clear list for the cleaner.

When should vacuuming be done in a coworking space?

Before the morning rush or during quiet periods, so it does not disturb members.

Related guides

• Building an office cleaning schedule for a hybrid office