Barbershop Spring Cleaning:
Your Go-To Spring Cleaning Checklist
Yep, you read that right, you guys.
It’s that time of year. The time we all collectively sigh, groan, complain—whatever it might be—as we sluggishly move toward the mop bucket and count down the hours until our spring cleaning session is over.
But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way. Not this year. You guys, spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a huge drag. In fact, it can even be kind of fun.
Don’t believe us? We don’t blame you. But we can bet that after you read through our Barbershop Spring Cleaning Checklist here, you’re going to understand where we’re coming from.
Even if we can’t make spring cleaning feel like a trip to the beach (let’s be honest, who can actually do that?), we can ensure that by following along with this cleaning checklist, your spring cleaning session will be a lot less overwhelming and will probably run smoother than it ever has before.
It’s a bold claim, but we’re standing by it. Now, get to reading up on our spring cleaning checklist.
All That Old Stuff? Get Rid of It
This is perhaps the best round of spring cleaning—at least, we like to think so. If you’re like us and love to get rid of junk, gunk, and outdated stuff, you’re about to love this step of the process.
Take inventory of your entire shop. Your products, your tools, your files, your equipment—literally everything in your shop. Evaluate it all. Does it still work? Is it broken? Are these products leaking? Does my filing cabinet still work? Is this past its expiration date? Have I used this product at all this year?
Purge your shop of all the bad, of all the gross, of all the junk that’s not relevant, isn’t being used, and just straight up isn’t important. Donate things that are in great shape but don’t serve you anymore. Get rid of the junk that’s expired or nasty.
Once you’ve totally cleansed your space of all the old stuff, move onto phase 2 of the spring cleaning checklist: sanitizing.
Sanitize Until You Can Sanitize No More (Then Start Cleaning)
We could talk sanitizing until we’re blue in the face—and you know what? We probably will. Sanitizing is one of the most important steps of any cleaning routine—not just your spring-cleaning routine.
By that, we don’t just mean using soap and water. There are lots of different levels of cleaning when it comes to keeping your shop in order, and sterilizing is the most important of all.
When you sanitize something, you’re sterilizing it. In other words, you’re killing off all the living organism from an object—we’re talkin’ fungi, yeast, viruses, bacteria, etc. This should already be a part of your everyday routine as you’re required to sanitize and sterilize your tools every time you use them (that way you’re not spreading anything from client to client).
Still, make sure you’re sterilizing and sanitizing every square inch of your shop during spring cleaning. Tackle your tools, your equipment, your surfaces, your floors. Get rid of all those antimicrobial agents that are gross, yucky, and gag-inducing.
Need more info on sanitizing? Check out our blog article right here that covers all the basics!
Once you’ve sanitized, proceed with your normal cleaning routine—sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, disinfecting, cleansing.
As a quick note, it’s important to remember that all this emphasis on sanitizing isn’t just friendly advice. You’re legally obligated by the government to keep up with their regulations and rules. If you’re not familiar with them, we suggest getting familiar with them here—like, right now!
Spruce Up with the New Stuff
You’ve sanitized until you can sanitize no more—AKA, you’ve done this spring-cleaning thing right. Now, it’s time to add in some shop improvements. We’re talkin’ new décor, little decorations, and finishing touches that add better flow to your place.
But above all, take this time to really organize everything you’re adding back in. From the obvious—like your everyday tools and equipment—to the not-so-obvious—like your filing systems, your laundry room, and your waiting room. T
Try to create an organizational flow to every part of your shop so that your workflow is easier, the client experience is more seamless, and the clutter is majorly cut down.
Remember, spring cleaning isn’t just about cleaning—it’s about all-around improvement. And sometimes, the best thing you can do for your shop is to buckle down and organize like you never have before.
Draw Up a Cleaning Schedule
We advise that, above all, you do not skip this step.
Why? So you don’t have to go through all the madness you just went through again. At least, not until next spring. A weekly (or heck, a daily) cleaning schedule or checklist can save you from these monster cleaning sessions.
How? Because you’re cutting off any chance of build-up! When you take care of things on the daily, these tiny tasks stay just that—tiny. But, if you let tasks pile up, the work gets longer, harder, and way more time-consuming.
Our advice? Get your staff on board ASAP.
Draw up a no-compromises schedule and hold a must-attend meeting. Ensure everyone is aware of what they’re responsible for and try to come up with some fun accountability systems, too. It sounds harsh, but trust us, your shop, your clients, and even your staff will totally thank you!
