How to Clean Office File Cabinets?

Are you also curious about how to clean office file cabinets? Do you also think cleaning office file cabinets is a big hassle? Don’t worry, you are not alone. 

All of us understand how difficult it is to take out all the files and documents, clean them, throw away the outdated paperwork, and put the important things back into the drawers. But at the same time, who doesn’t want an organized file cabinet?

After all, they give a clean and organized look to your entire office space and prevent you from various health hazards caused by dust. Therefore, in this article, we have tried to help you to schedule the organizing of your office file cabinet with some great tips. We will take you through a step-by-step guide on how to clean office file cabinets.

How to Clean Office File Cabinets?

If you follow the following steps in sequence, you can easily carry out spring cleaning at your home office.

De-clutter the drawers

Before you start the process, empty each drawer of your filing cabinet and put your files and paperwork aside. After you clean all the debris from your filing cabinet, everything must go inside again.

Clean these files too before putting them in your filing cabinet again. Dispose of the unwanted paper clutter and keep only the important ones.

I know it’s easier said than done. But why don’t you think otherwise? Don’t you think it’s therapeutic to get things sorted out? The satisfaction I feel after I get rid of all the useless clutter is matchless. Make sure to use a face mask at this step.

Dust and vacuum clean drawers

Once you’ve decluttered the drawers, it’s time to clean your filing cabinet. Each cabinet needs a separate cleaning regime depending on its condition. For example, some of your file cabinet drawers might need dust removal while others need grease/ oil cleaning. Vacuum the cabinets so that you can effectively remove dirt from them. Now, dust the hard-to-dust corners of file cabinets.

Remove the rust

If you see any rust on your file cabinets while dusting them, remove them first. Mostly the bottom of the cabinet or the sides facing the wall caught rust because of water that spills out by us unintentionally. 

Take any steel wool and remove rust with soft hands from all the surfaces of your file cabinet. Don’t be very hard in this step, as it might damage your file cabinet drawers.

Wash away oil stains

Once all the debris and rust are removed, wash your cabinets with the help of warm water and some mild detergent. This step is for those cabinets which have grease or oil stains. After washing, dry your cabinets with a clean and dry cloth.

This is important as later you will put your paperwork and files in the cabinets. If they are not dried up properly, your files could get damaged. You can also use a damp cloth to remove oil stains from your filing cabinet. Simply wipe clean the stains and you’re good to go.

Paint the filing cabinets

If you are doing a deep cleanup, you can also go with painting or polishing your cabinets. Before painting make sure to cover the part of the cabinet which doesn’t need to be painted such as the handle, screws, etc.

Paints really help maintain furniture and give them a new life. You should buy any good spray paint as spray paints are handy and can be easily used. And on top of it spray paints distribute the paint homogeneously on all parts of your cabinets.

Extra Care for Metal File Cabinet Drawers!

There are various office file cabinets out there, and everyone chooses them as per their needs. Every cabinet requires a dedicated care routine. While metal cabinets look attractive, they are highly likely to get rusted if proper care is not taken. 

You need extra care to protect your metal filing cabinet. Look for any potential rust now and then. If you see rust on your metal cabinet, look for immediate action. Remove the rust either with market rust removers such as steel wool or with ingredients found at home such as baking soda, lemon juice, or hydrogen peroxide. 

Useful Tips for Organizing Files in Filing Cabinet!

Once you are done with your spring cleaning, it’s time to organize your folders, papers, and important documents back in the drawer they belong to.

Try thinking about some file organizers for your cabinets as they save a lot of space and allow you to locate your files anytime.

Whether you’ve vertical or lateral file cabinets, you can easily organize and store your files by putting tags on them, such as their year, date, project name, and anything that helps you recall their origin.

You can also use the banker box or storage box to organize your client files and important documents in each drawer. Several banker boxes are available in the market. Choose anyone that fits your cabinets and storage requirements. 

Last Thoughts!

In sum, the cleaning of office filing cabinets is a big deal, meaning that you can really do it on a daily basis. However, it’s essential to do a deep cleaning of your office filing system every now for their maintenance as they are an important part of your office furniture.

So, spend some time cleaning your filing cabinets, and save money, which would otherwise be wasted on getting new stuff. Include dusting the exterior of your office filing cabinets in your schedule, so you don’t have to replace them due to your carelessness.