Body corporate cleaning checklist: what should be cleaned, and how often

A good cleaning checklist does two jobs. It tells the cleaner exactly what to do, and it tells the committee exactly what they are paying for. Use this checklist as a starting point for your building’s scope of works, then adjust frequencies for your number of lots, foot traffic, facilities and budget.

How to use this checklist

• Every visit tasks happen each time the cleaner attends, whether that’s fortnightly or five days a week.
• Periodic tasks rotate through the calendar so that, over a month or a quarter, every surface gets attention without every visit becoming expensive.
• Anything not on the list should be reported, not ignored. A cleaner is the person who walks every corridor most often — use that.

Entrances, foyers and lobbies

First impressions matter to residents, visitors, buyers and tenants.

Every visit

• Sweep and mop hard floors; vacuum carpet and entry mats
• Clean entry door glass both sides, push plates and handles
• Wipe intercom panels, lift call buttons, letterboxes and touch points
• Dust ledges, furniture and signage
• Empty foyer bins and remove junk mail left around letterboxes

Monthly

• Spot-clean walls, skirting and door frames
• Clean light switches and accessible light fittings
• Wipe noticeboards and frames

Quarterly to yearly

• Machine scrub or seal hard floors as required
• Steam clean carpets and entry mats

Lifts

Lifts are small, heavily used and judged harshly. See our lift and common area guide for detail.

Every visit

• Vacuum and mop floor; clean the door tracks of grit
• Clean mirrors and stainless steel with appropriate products
• Wipe buttons, handrails and walls

As needed

• Hang or remove lift protection blankets for move-ins (see moving-day cleaning)

Corridors and stairwells

Every visit

• Vacuum carpets or sweep and mop hard floors
• Wipe handrails and door handles
• Check fire stairs are clear of obstructions and rubbish — report anything stored there

Monthly

• Dust skirting, door frames, fire hose reel cabinets and exit signs
• Spot-clean marks on walls and doors

Quarterly

• Clean stairwell windows and sills
• Deep clean stair nosings

Bin rooms and waste areas

Odours and pests start here. See bin room cleaning.

Every visit

• Sweep floor and remove loose rubbish
• Clean up spills and leaking bags
• Check for and report dumped bulk waste

Weekly

• Mop and sanitise floor
• Bins out to kerb and back on collection day, if included (bin management from $55 per service)

Monthly to quarterly

• Wash and deodorise bins
• Soft wash bin room floor and walls

Gyms, BBQ areas and shared facilities

Every visit

• Wipe gym equipment touch points and mirrors
• Clean BBQ hotplates (where in scope) and surrounding benches
• Sweep terraces and outdoor seating areas; empty bins
• Clean amenities: toilets, showers and change rooms, restock consumables

Monthly

• Wipe outdoor furniture and balustrades within safe reach
• Dust and wipe gym cabinetry and fans

Pools are a specialist service for a pool technician or caretaker. Our shared facilities guide explains the split.

External areas

Every visit

• Pick up litter from paths, gardens and frontage
• Sweep entry paths and porches

Periodically

• Clean external glass and balustrades within safe reach
• Soft wash paths, entry steps and walls

Reporting: the item most checklists forget

Every visit should end with a short report: what was done, photos of key areas, and anything that needs attention — a blown globe, a leaking tap, graffiti, a trip hazard, a fire door propped open. This is how cleaning turns into early warning for maintenance. Our reporting and client portal gives committees this record automatically.

Choosing frequencies

There is no single right answer, but as a rough guide:

• Small low-rise blocks often suit a weekly or fortnightly visit.
• Mid-rise buildings commonly need one to three visits a week.
• High-rise towers and mixed-use developments may need daily attendance, with periodic work scheduled around it.

Our article on how often to clean common areas goes deeper, and our price calculator gives an instant indication for your building.

Turn the checklist into a scope

Once you’ve marked up this checklist, it becomes your scope of works — the document every quote should be priced against. Book a free site visit and we’ll walk the building with you, build the scope together and present a written quotation.