Movie customers mingle and roam through the lobby, visit concession stands and head for the auditoriums. They’re looking forward to enjoying the latest features at your cinema. They don’t want to walk down sticky aisles, step over trash or sit on dirty seat cushions.
Employees man the box office and run concessions. They know how to clean movie theaters, but you want them to be more efficient and better organized. You need a movie theater cleaning checklist that covers everything from entrances and ticket windows to emergency exits.
Your 10-Point Movie Theater Cleaning Checklist
How long does it take to clean a movie theater? Your staff can probably straighten up an auditorium in about 10 minutes between shows. Cleaning the entire theater requires more time and manpower. Use this checklist to develop a cleaning template that helps employees get the job done.
1. Exteriors and Entrances
If you’re located inside a larger property, keep the theater’s exterior entrance neat and clean. Pick up trash, and sweep several times a day. Wipe down entryway doors inside and out. If your entrances open to the outside, sweep exterior walkways, steps and landings. Empty outdoor trash cans.
2. Interior Entrances and Box Offices
Sweep or vacuum floors before or after hours. Empty and reline trash cans. Polish ticket window glass as well as counters inside and outside box offices. It’s important to keep customer and employee touchpoints sanitized. Disinfecting strategies should include stocking sanitizing hand wipes at each window.
3. Main Theater Lobby
Sweep hard floors, and vacuum carpets. Empty and reline trash cans. Wipe down doors and kickplates. Be prepared to treat spills on carpets with stain removal kits. Once a week, dust door frames, baseboards and light fixtures, wipe down walls, and polish lobby windows. Steam clean carpets every few months.
4. Concession Stands
During movie screenings, sweep floors inside and outside concession stands. Wipe down and sanitize counter tops and touchpoints including POS equipment. Keep hand-washing stations stocked with soap and disposable towels.
Don’t let trash cans get too full. After closing, scrub and mop floors, and clean food prep areas and equipment. Stay on the lookout for insect or rodent problems.
5. Auditoriums and Seats
Explain the importance of thorough floor cleaning in auditoriums. Trash or sticky residue on aisle floors can become dangerous tripping hazards when the lights go down.
Sweep floors, vacuum carpets, and check for debris under seats. Show employees how to clean theater seats, arm rests and cup holders with hand vacs and microfiber towels.
6. Staff Offices
Don’t let food or drink containers accumulate in offices. Keep desk tops clean, and empty and reline trash daily. Sanitize touchpoints on office equipment and light switches. Vacuum carpets and mop hard floors at least once a week. Clean office chairs and furniture several times a year.
7. Theater Restrooms
Check restrooms multiple times during business hours. Make sure supplies stay well-stocked. At the end of each day, clean and disinfect toilets, urinals, sinks and counters. Wipe down and sanitize stall doors, walls, handrails and hardware. Mop floors with a disinfecting cleaner.
Routinely look for signs of mold under sinks, inside cabinets and behind toilets. Repair leaking faucets and pipes right away. Once a month, inspect floor and sink drains.
8. Storage Rooms
Keep storage rooms neat with shelving systems for organizing movie theater cleaning supplies. This strategy ensures safe storage for different types of cleaning products. Empty and clean storage rooms every few months.
9. Emergency Exits
Check these areas several times a day. Make sure nothing blocks exits, and keep floor free of dirt and trash. Inspect door hardware for proper operation. Replace dimmed or burned-out light bulbs in exit signs.
10. Back Loading Docks
Rodents and insects are drawn to dumpster areas, so it’s important to routinely check docks and make sure trash is disposed of properly. Pressure wash loading docks once a week. Keep employees safe by keeping backdoor security systems and exterior lighting in top working condition.
Outsourcing Movie Theater Cleaning Services
Taking care of theater cleaning with in-house staff adds additional layers of managing to your routine. You have to schedule staff for work after hours, maintain cleaning equipment and stock a variety of supplies. Many managers and owners outsource these big movie theater cleaning jobs.
• Deep carpet cleaning and stain removal
• Hardwood and vinyl floor care
• Movie theater seat cleaning
• Restroom tile and grout cleaning
• Mold cleanup, removal and remediation
• HVAC air duct cleaning
• Exterior power washing
It’s a good idea to partner with a cleaning contractor who also specializes in restoration services. When storms, fire or water damage your movie theater, you have industry-certified teams on call 24/7.
Partner With Chicago’s Leading Commercial Cleaner
If you’re thinking about outsourcing your movie theater cleaning, we can answer all your questions. We take care of movie theaters across Chicago and the suburbs, and we provide certified restoration services too.
Just give us a call at 773-647-1985. When you want the best commercial cleaning services in Chicago, you want ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba.