15+ SAMPLE Bathroom Cleaning Checklists

What Is a Bathroom Cleaning Checklist? 

A bathroom cleaning checklist is a task list used in the upkeep and servicing of bathrooms. It can either be simple or detailed. 

According to an online article on USA Today, hotel housekeeping staff clean around 10-14 rooms per day, on average. Being a housekeeper is not easy; and the job is obviously labor-intensive. The article further states that when compared to all other hotel workers, housekeeping staff have a 50% higher injury rate. Not to mention, many of these staff members reportedly suffer from work-related pain.

Types of Bathrooms

Not all bathrooms are created equal. Others require frequent deep cleaning, while some just need the occasional mopping and shining. These are the common types of bathrooms many of us have used at different points in our lives: 

Regular Toilet and Bath: Most households have at least one bathroom with a toilet and a shower or tub. Unlike a dining room or laundry room, a bathroom is one of the most fundamental, if not the most fundamental room of a house. We’ve heard of trailer trucks or cramped living quarters that combine bedroom and kitchen or dining area. A house can make do without a dining space or game room, but a toilet cannot be sacrificed because it is a basic necessity. Commercial Washrooms: Public places like hotels, malls, and airports require large scale housekeeping and always need a steady supply of cleaning materials and disinfectants. The constant rush of visitors and people going in and out of these areas entails more careful inspection. In hotels, even suites and regular rooms will differ in size and facilities; therefore needing different degrees of cleaning. Powder Room: A powder room is small and is often an extra room in households. It does not normally come with a shower or tub. Households usually have powder rooms for guest use. It requires the least amount of cleaning due to its size with floor plans and intermittent use. Communal Showers or Bath: Commonly found in universities, hostels, dormitories, country clubs, or public pools, it is a bath area where the facilities are shared and people can use it at the same time. Like commercial bathrooms, it often needs regular cleaning and upkeep as well. Air Lavatories: With air travel, in-flight washrooms are not the most appealing. The cleaning area may be limited but given the frequent use of passengers and crew, it needs to be kept and disinfected constantly. Portable Toilets: Portable toilets are designed to be moved around constantly, and are open to anyone’s use. These mobile bathrooms are commonly set up in construction sites and big events like concerts or outdoor parties, where it addresses the guests’ need for convenience.

Possible Formats for Bathroom Checklists  

Some people are obsessed with cleanliness. Some find cleaning therapeutic, while others are just content with the seasonal spring cleaning or general cleaning every few months. A bathroom checklist can easily be customized. It all depends on your needs and preferences. A little creativity won’t hurt either. Feel free to arrange your cleaning checklist using these possible formats: 

Simple/Personal Checklist: This can be as basic as a blank page, or a checklist with simple bullet points, keywords or phrases. The upside of this simple checklist is because it is your personal reminder list, you make the rules and can add or subtract items as you go along. Commercial Checklist: A washroom inspection checklist is more complex and requires more details. These are normally placed in public restrooms, like in malls and airports. Commercial cleaning checklists need periodic upkeep and maintenance. Housekeeping and janitorial services typically assign a point person to oversee these restrooms. Time-based: Your cleaning checklist can also be time-based. Not everyone has the luxury to devote a significant amount of time to cleaning. Obviously, not all bathroom items need to be cleaned everyday and not all tasks are the same. A daily to do list task is taking out the trash. Wiping spills and keeping the bathroom dry is an everyday task. However, it’s not compulsory to scrub floors and ceilings as frequent as the toilet or sink. You can structure your checklist into time intervals. List down what tasks are to be done daily, weekly, or monthly. Another option is categorizing tasks that will take either 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes deep cleaning. Batching: The batching checklist entails grouping items by area. For example, your list will contain headings of areas in the bathroom (e.g., sink, shower, toilet, floors, mirror, etc.). Under each heading, indicate the tasks, instructions, and/or supplies needed for the area. Action-based: A variation of the batching checklist is grouping your items by action. List down the major chores such as scrubbing, cleaning, mopping, stocking, and refilling. Under each action, detail the applicable items one by one. Scrubbing would apply to the toilet, floors, etc. Stocking would entail refilling the necessary toiletries. Task List: A bathroom task list is more detailed with the items readily numbered and enumerated. This type combines elements of a calendar as well. Task lists are ideal for commercial restrooms that require daily or weekly regular cleanings. Flow Chart: Some people find it more helpful by sticking to a routine. A flow chart type readily provides a predictable process for you to follow. The only catch is that you need to come up with a pretty comprehensive list and prioritize effectively. Since you obviously do not have to complete the entire process everyday, you can choose which steps to skip and go directly to the items that are applicable. Kid-friendly Checklist: Similar to a chore chart, a kid-friendly checklist can help parents encourage cleanliness by making it fun and giving incentive to children. For example, give kids mini cleaning challenges to accomplish; then the ‘winner’ gets a reward. Keep it interesting and appealing with pictures, fun quotes, or bright and bold colors.

Items to Include in a Bathroom Cleaning Checklist  

Depending on the type of bathroom checklist you need, the content and items in your checklist will vary. The following are just some basic ideas that you can include in your checklist: 

Tools and Supplies: Keeping a list of supplies will help you track which items need replenishing. From disinfectant spray, toilet paper rolls to hand soap, it is helpful to know when to stock up just in case. For hotels, every new room guest requires a new set of toiletries. Detergent, disinfectants, shampoos, conditioners, lotions need to constantly be stocked for hotels to run smoothly. Item: These pertain to items that need to be cleaned in the bathroom. Indicate all areas and items. You can classify them into groups for easier tracking sheet. It is not necessary to provide a description for each; but generally, the bigger and more commercialized your restroom, the more detailed the checklist ought to be. Date and Time: Most commercial bathrooms have standard and mandatory daily schedules, sometimes even hourly. It is best to create a table or print a task spreadsheet. You have the freedom to either place the dates in the columns with the cleaning task/item in the horizontal rows, or vice versa. For washrooms that need to be inspected multiple times within the day, indicate the time in addition to the date. Action Item: Checklists can contain bullet points or boxes that make it easy for the cleaner to tick off the finished items. Some examples of action items are mop, scrub, wipe, shine, polish, restock, etc. Reminders: Below the table or at the bottom or top page, it is helpful to remind janitorial staff of standard cleaning practices and hygiene such as hand washing. A cleaning or inspection checklist is typically placed behind a bathroom door where maintenance staff can constantly monitor and update it.Remarks: Leave a couple of lines for any additional comments. Was the floor wet and untidy upon entering? Was the cracked tile still not repaired? Maybe the sink was leaking or the toilet’s flush wasn’t operating. It takes a keen sense of detail to notice these small but important things. Name and Signature: Maintenance supervisors or housekeeping staff tasked to oversee the upkeep of public restrooms should affix their name or signature after every inspection. A maintenance report forms or log is still considered a formal document; and thus part of official records.

How to Create a Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

It is important to first assess your cleaning needs so you will be able to craft a checklist that suits your preferences and circumstances. A simple household bathroom checklist is fairly easy to make. But a more complex and thorough washroom inspection list will take more time and effort to do. Regardless, it is best to consider these steps when making your bathroom cleaning checklist:  

Step 1: Create a Table

Start with a simple table. You can use MS Excel, Word, or any application you are comfortable using. There are also many existing templates that you can either edit or use a guide. Decide if you want a calendar type table or a basic task list.  

Step 2: List Your Items Meticulously 

Make an assessment of all the areas and items in your bathroom. Before listing them down, choose how you want to approach your list. You want your checklist to be manageable so it is easy to prioritize. Grouping your items into batches or arranging your tasks based on time and convenience will help you stay organized.  

Step 3: Provide Calendar Dates

Depending on the type of restroom, cleaning can range from hourly, daily, weekly, to bi-weekly. Your table can include dates, time, or both. For a weekly cleaning checklist, your table should contain the tasks, items, and all seven days of the week. 

Step 4: Indicate Person Responsible 

When applicable, leave space at the bottom of your table for the person-in-charge or maintenance staff to affix their signature after every round of inspection. This is not a requirement for simple checklists, but is applicable in most commercial and public restrooms.  

FAQs

What supplies do you need to clean a bathroom?

Basic cleaning supplies include a variety of materials including disinfectant sprays, toilet and drain cleaners, bleach, toilet brush, sponges, rags, brooms, and dustpans. Other heavy duty cleaning products include mold remover. Some households also make use of natural, all-purpose cleaning items and home-made cleaning remedies.

How do you clean and inspect a guest bathroom?

Most households want to put their best foot forward when they have guests over. People are generally accommodating and hospitable in their own homes. So when a guest is staying over, people usually overprepare and don’t hesitate to award them special treatment. Aside from the guest bedroom, make sure the guest bathroom is ready for their use. Give new toilet paper rolls and ensure there is enough soap, shampoo, and other basic toiletries. Clean towels should be laid out and extra toilet paper ready on hand. Prepare a hairdryer too, just in case.

Where to store bathroom cleaning supplies?

Bathroom cleaning supplies are not always safe to be just left anywhere. It is best to keep them in a cabinet under the sink, or kept somewhere safe where a child or pet will be unable to access it. You can keep them in a storage box if your bathroom has no available cabinet. To be extra careful, it is also a good idea to label supplies properly. Some people may still confuse cleaning products with other supplies.

How do you clean a bathroom easily?

Not everyone can afford the time or hire help to do deep cleaning of their bathrooms. Thankfully, there are a few, easy, and basic cleaning techniques designed for busy and on-the-go people. Some bathroom cleaning checklists take no more than 10 minutes to complete. You only need to focus on the essential areas of your bathroom such as the toilet, sink, shower, and floors.

How do I deep clean my bathroom?

Deep cleaning is not just limited to sinks and toilets. It entails a thorough and spotless cleaning process of everything from the walls to the floors, down to the doorknobs. You can start by wiping down the tiles, sink, tub, or showerhead. Also wipe down the the shower’s glass doors or replace the shower curtain with a clean, new one. Get rid of any stains with heavy duty cleaning products. Scrub down the toilet, walls, and bathroom floor tiles. You can finish up by vacuuming the bathroom floor.

What should go in a guest bathroom?

Similar to hotel standard practice, you want your guest to feel welcome and at ease in your home. Go the extra mile by providing them with clean towels, enough toiletries to last them their entire stay, extra toilet paper, and maybe even an extra toothbrush, just in case. You can also include vanity items like cotton balls, dental floss, toothpaste, mouthwash, and a hairdryer. The vanity items are optional but visitors and guest lists always appreciate any of these thoughtful gestures.

Germaphobia is real and people these days have every right to obsess over cleanliness because of the pandemic. Health, hygiene, and protection from disease are major reasons why every bathroom must always be kept tidy and clean. Maintaining a bathroom checklist helps prioritize and prevent neglect or any lapses when it comes to cleaning. Check out the sample templates above and customize your bathroom cleaning checklist now!