The office pantry — where employees looking for respite can take their much-needed breaks. That is unless it’s left in poor conditions, which, in that case, may be the last place they’d want to be! 

After all, an ill-maintained office pantry is predisposed to harmful germs in pantry stock; dirt and dust that can cause skin irritations; and even infestation problems to do with ants, cockroaches, rats, and even shrews.  

With the pantry being a communal place for snacking, dining, and relaxing, it’s of utmost importance that companies do their best to keep this area of the office clean, such that employees have a safe space to truly unwind and de-stress or have their meals in.

In that vein, here are five simple kitchen etiquettes you can incorporate into your company culture, to ensure that your office pantry stays spick-and-span clean. 

1. Microwave Manners

Nobody likes the idea of heating up their food inside a dirty microwave. So, make sure your employees follow these two simple rules: 

First, though covered air-tight containers are a big no-no for microwaves, all employees should ensure that they place a loose cover atop their food whenever using the microwave. This prevents food splatters and spillage—which are the main culprits behind dirty microwaves—while also helps their food get heated more evenly (a win-win, see?).

Second, in the case where there are splatters, make sure they are wiped up with a damp cloth as soon as the microwave cools down. Even better, invest in a non-toxic, food-equipment-friendly cleaning agent to ensure your microwave is the cleanest it can be. This will help prevent food splatters from crusting up and staining the microwave.

2. Clean-As-You-Go Courtesy

The last thing you’d want is a messy kitchen counter and stacks of dirty dishes in the sink. These are prime conditions for pest infestation and bacterial growth, and leaving such conditions to fester may lead you to eventually require professional office cleaning services.

Get your employees to adopt a clean-as-you-go mindset; if everyone picks up after themselves, there’ll be little to no mess to worry about at the end of the day.

3. Refrigerator Resilience

This one’s simple: if there’s rotting food in the fridge—doesn’t matter if it’s spoiled meat, sour dairy, or mouldy produce—throw them away immediately! Make sure your employees keep track of their own food and beverages that they store in the pantry fridge.

You may also want to implement a system where the refrigerator is checked for any expired or expiring items at the end of each week; in other words, make refrigerator resilience part of your office cleaning routine!

4. Alerting Authorities

As much as we hate it, kitchen accidents do happen, and the results can often be a literal mess. In cases where employees find themselves facing spills or other mishmashes that’s too much for them to handle, they should alert the relevant authorities — which in most cases mean the friendly office cleaning personnel!

Aside from food spills, employees should also voice out if ever anything breaks, or if they’ve noticed any essential supplies such as paper towels start to run low.

5. Call In the Calvary! 

And last but not least—in fact, perhaps the most important of all—is an etiquette not so much for employees to follow, but one employers must uphold if they want to provide their workers with a clean office pantry to enjoy. 

Employers should definitely, absolutely, without hesitation, call in for professional help wherever and whenever needed. 

Professional cleaning services exist in Singapore, and affordable expert contractors such as Lifeline Cleaning can get complex office cleaning issues out of the way for you and your employees. 

If your office pantry (or your entire office in general, even) is currently in a dire state, you can also engage us for our office cleaning services, such that your employees can see and feel the difference a clean office and office pantry can make.

That way, they’re bound to be more motivated to adopt the etiquettes outlined above, and everyone can then enjoy a clean office pantry for good! 

Get Professional Cleaning Services with Singapore’s Leading Company in Cleaning Services 

Lifeline Cleaning provides professional cleaning services all across Singapore, including office cleaning, carpet cleaning, restaurant cleaning, and even commercial & industrial cleaning. We also offer disinfection services for premises of all sizes and scales. 

You can check out our professional portfolio here, or simply contact us for any and all inquiries you may have!