Strategy for Maintaining a Breakroom Refrigerator

SAN FRANCISCO — A janitorial hot spot in most offices and workplaces is the breakroom refrigerator. When this gets neglected (which is commonly the case), it can result in foul odors, mold growth and other unpleasant developments. One day, it’s someone’s lunch; the next, it’s a weird science project.

A good way to avoid this unappetizing scenario is to schedule regular refrigerator cleanings with your janitorial service provider. The frequency of cleanings will depend on the size of your staff and how many people use the refrigerator; typically, once a week is a good interval.

While establishing a refrigerator cleaning schedule is helpful, there’s still the problem of knowing what to throw out and what not to throw out. For example, a staff member may have some leftovers they’re still planning to eat or a plastic container they want to reuse. On the other hand, you can’t just leave things in there indefinitely to avoid upsetting people. So, how do you address this dilemma?

Try this simple strategy: On each refrigerator cleaning day, ask staff members to place any food items they want to keep into a designated bin. When the janitorial staff arrives, they’ll take the bin out. This will allow them to clean and sanitize the entire refrigerator and throw out the science projects. When finished, they’ll return the bin. That way, the refrigerator can get cleaned without anyone’s leftovers or containers getting accidentally thrown away.