Restroom Cleaning Checklist

Pull liners from every receptacle including the sanitary disposal bin in the women's restroom. Spray and wipe the bin interior with quat sanitizer at 200-400 ppm before re-lining. Sanitary waste goes in a separate sealed bag, not the kitchen dumpster.

Use a bowl cleaner with the bowl mop, then disinfect seats, lids, flush handles, and the urinal flush valve with quat sanitizer. Keep bowl-cleaning tools separate from sink and counter tools to prevent cross-contamination — color-code if possible.

Clear soap scum from faucets and basin, then sanitize counters, soap dispenser pumps, and the faucet handles. These are the highest-touch surfaces in the restroom after toilet handles.

Sweep first to clear hair, paper, and debris from corners and behind the toilet base. Mop with a neutral floor cleaner. Post the wet-floor sign at the restroom entrance until dry — slip-and-fall claims in restrooms are a top OSHA citation source.

Refill toilet paper (load a backup roll in each stall), paper towels or check the air-dryer, hand soap, and seat covers. Running out mid-shift during a Friday rush is one of the most common Yelp complaints — restock to full at every check.

Test the quat sanitizer bucket with a test strip and record the reading (target 200-400 ppm for quat, 50-100 ppm for chlorine). The log is what an inspector asks for first when restroom sanitation comes up.

Use a glass cleaner on mirrors and chrome trim — quat sanitizer leaves streaks. Check mirror edges for chips and the wall mount for play; loose mirrors are a guest-injury risk.

Deck-brush the tile with a degreaser, paying attention to the grout line at the toilet base and urinal where urine collects. Rinse, then disinfect with quat. Schedule after close so the floor can dry overnight.

Hit both sides of the restroom door, stall latches, light switches, and the push plate on the exit. These get a daily quick-wipe but a focused weekly clean catches buildup at the edges.

Wipe partitions top to bottom with degreaser, then sanitize. Remove any graffiti with a citrus solvent — leaving it visible signals to guests the restroom isn't monitored.

Pull the vent cover, vacuum dust from the blades and housing, wash the cover in the three-bay sink, and reinstall. A clogged exhaust fan is the most common cause of odor complaints — air is not moving.

Apply an alkaline grout cleaner, dwell per label, then scrub with a grout brush. Re-seal grout annually — once it's stained black at the urinal base, the only remedy is replacement.

Count par on toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, seat covers, and sanitary disposal bags. Place the monthly order with the janitorial distributor (Cintas, Imperial Dade, or local). Running out between deliveries is a recurring failure mode.

Take photos of each stall, the sink area, and the floor after the monthly deep clean. These serve as the baseline for comparison if guest complaints or health-inspection findings come up later in the month.

Flush each toilet and watch the tank refill; listen for running water after the tank fills. Check under-sink shutoffs for drips. A running toilet at $0.005/gallon over 30 days is meaningful on the water bill — and a slow drip under the sink rots the cabinet.

Confirm every bulb is lit, including over the stall and at the mirror. Confirm the exhaust fan is pulling — hold a tissue at the grille; it should be drawn up. A dark restroom or stagnant air is a frequent driver of 1-star reviews.

Check stall latches, coat hooks, grab bars (ADA — these must be secure to 250 lb), soap and paper dispensers, and baby-changing stations. Loose grab bars are an ADA-compliance and injury issue; tag any failure for same-week repair.

Log the issue in the maintenance system (or email the GM) with location, description, and photo. Flag anything that risks a health-code or ADA citation as same-day. Cosmetic items can hold to the weekly maintenance walk.