Spring is a time of renewal, when we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection at Easter. Perhaps this is where the tradition of spring cleaning came from; either way, many churches organize a formal cleaning project around this time of year. ChurchPlaza has put together a brief checklist to keep you on track if you’re planning a spring cleaning for your building.
Cleaning the Church Interior
Deep cleaning not only improves the appearance of your facilities, but also removes bacteria, allergens and other health concerns. These areas may already be regularly cleaned, but now it’s time to be extra thorough. Make sure you do a deep clean on each of these areas:
Church Sanctuary
- Carpets and upholstered surfaces: Professional carpet or upholstery cleaning for the floors and seating can pull out stains and odors. You can also treat stains on upholstered church folding chairs yourself with the right cleaning products.
- Light fixtures: Light fixtures should be wiped down and dusted and bulbs should be replaced.
- Hand railings and walls: Hand railings and walls should be thoroughly wiped down with a cleaner that won’t strip the finish or paint.
- Windows: The windows should be washed, and the sills dusted or vacuumed.
Bathrooms and Kitchen
Kitchens and bathrooms are items on the church cleaning checklist that need extra attention since they are environments where bacteria, germs, and mildew tend to hide.
- Sanitize surfaces: Use commercial-grade cleaning solutions for commonly touched surfaces such as metal, porcelain, tile, mirrors or countertops.
- Eliminate odors: Use bleach or another solution to get rid of odors.
- Dust: Sconces or other lighting fixtures should be dusted.
- Mop: Floors should be thoroughly mopped.
Church Offices
In addition to dusting, cleaning the carpets, and washing windows, it is important to clean up your office files. Spring cleaning can get rid of outdated material and leave you with plenty of space for new things. Shred any unneeded documents that contain sensitive information. Make sure all remaining files are neatly organized so you’re ready to take on the year ahead.
Event Spaces/Multipurpose Rooms
Even if they aren’t used as frequently as other areas in the church, these spaces need to be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year. It is a good time to check for light bulbs that need to be replaced, damage to window screens, or extension cords that need to be wound up and organized. Clean these rooms top to bottom like you are doing in the sanctuary.
Classrooms and Nursery
Children’s safety is a high priority, so make sure you do a deep clean in your classrooms and nurseries. All surfaces should be sanitized. Toys, chairs, tables, cabinets and any other items that are regularly used need to be disinfected. Have drapes or curtains taken down and washed, and all rugs or carpets cleaned.
Related: Church Facilities Maintenance Guide
Maintaining the Church Exterior
Your church’s landscaping and parking need extra attention as well. Spring is perfect for:
- Clearing out brush
- Sweeping up debris
- Pressure washing the walkways or exterior surfaces
- Replacing mulch
- Touching up paint
- Cleaning doors and windows
All of these maintenance items will keep the outside of your church looking pristine and make a good first impression on future visitors.
Cleaning Up Your Digital Presence
Although not part of the physical building, your church’s digital presence could also use some organizing in spring. Revisit your website content and images and consider swapping them out with fresh new material. This is also a great time to take a deeper look at your church social media strategy and try out some new ideas.
Ready To Get Cleaning?
Use this church cleaning checklist to keep everything on track, whether you’re tackling spring cleaning in one weekend or over several weeks. By the time you’re done, your church will be looking and smelling fresh and clean.
Spring can also be a great time to refresh the look of your sanctuary. If you’re ready for new seating, sanctuary furniture, or accessories, check out ChurchPlaza’s selection of church chairs and premium church furniture.
