Request a Call Back
Request a Call Back
Request a Call Back
No one wants to walk into an office that smells stale, musty, or worse — and yet, odours can build up quickly in even the cleanest-looking workplaces. From lingering lunch smells to forgotten bins and hidden dust traps, unwanted scents can impact your team’s wellbeing and your business’s professional image.
In this guide, you’ll discover seven easy, effective office odour removal tips to create a fresher, healthier environment for everyone who walks through your doors.
If you’re noticing unpleasant odours in your workplace, your office bins are one of the first places to investigate. Waste management is a fundamental component of any effective office cleaning routine, and neglecting it can lead to serious issues with workplace hygiene and air quality.
Food scraps, used coffee pods, packaging, and even paper waste can become breeding grounds for bacteria and mould when left to sit for too long — especially in Brisbane or Gold Coast’s warmer months. These bacteria are often the real source of bad smells, not the waste itself.
Make it a daily practice to empty all bins, particularly those in high-use areas like kitchenettes, restrooms, and shared breakout spaces. Invest in high-quality bins with lids to better contain smells, and always use durable bin liners. For enhanced odour control, place a small scoop of baking soda or a charcoal deodoriser at the bottom of the bin before inserting a liner.
Beyond daily bin emptying, it’s important to regularly clean the bins themselves. Weekly rinsing and disinfecting with eco-friendly cleaning products will prevent residue buildup and ensure your bins aren’t harbouring hidden odours. Assigning someone on your team to perform a quick bin check at the end of each workday can make a huge difference.
In larger offices or commercial facilities, outsourcing waste removal to a professional office cleaning service can ensure this task is handled consistently and correctly. Many commercial cleaners include bin maintenance as part of a daily or weekly cleaning contract, helping to maintain a healthier and more inviting work environment.
Proper bin hygiene plays a vital role in odour prevention and overall office cleanliness. It’s a simple routine that delivers noticeable improvements to your workspace, staff satisfaction, and even the impression you make on visitors and clients.
Soft surfaces are notorious for holding onto odours — and the problem is, you often don’t notice it until it becomes overwhelming. Carpets, upholstered office chairs, breakout room couches, and fabric-covered partitions may look perfectly clean on the surface, but underneath they’re absorbing everything from food smells and coffee spills to body odour, dust, and moisture. Over time, these particles settle deep into the fibres and begin to release unpleasant odours into the air.
While vacuuming is essential for daily maintenance, it won’t fully address the problem. A thorough deep clean is necessary to lift embedded dirt, bacteria, and odour-causing particles. Steam cleaning or hot water extraction are highly effective methods for restoring carpets and soft furnishings to a fresher, more hygienic state.
Boardroom drapes, meeting room curtains, and even fabric blinds often go unnoticed — but these can easily absorb odours from nearby kitchens, air conditioning, and general indoor activity. Cleaning them as part of your routine is a simple but effective way to keep your workplace smelling clean and feeling fresh.
Using eco-friendly cleaning products helps protect both indoor air quality and the health of your team, especially in busy office spaces with limited airflow. For high-traffic areas or businesses with heavy footfall, a deep clean every 3–6 months is recommended.
If you’re not sure where to start or it’s been a while since your last thorough clean, our team can assist you with a tailored commercial cleaning plan that targets soft surfaces and improves overall freshness.
Refreshing your office fabrics goes beyond appearance — it elevates your entire workplace environment, supporting better air quality, staff comfort, and a lasting professional impression.
A lack of proper airflow can make even the cleanest office feel stuffy and unwelcoming. When air isn’t moving, odours tend to linger, settle into furnishings, and create a stale atmosphere that no surface wipe-down can solve. If your workspace smells off despite regular cleaning, the issue may lie in how air flows — or doesn’t — throughout your office.
The simplest solution? Open the windows. Letting in fresh air, even for just 10–15 minutes a day, helps push out trapped smells and bring in natural ventilation. It’s one of the most effective and affordable ways to improve indoor air quality.
For offices that rely on air conditioning, regular filter maintenance is crucial. Dirty filters can circulate dust, allergens, and odours throughout the building. Make it part of your monthly or quarterly maintenance to clean or replace these filters, especially in high-use commercial spaces.
Adding air purifiers to your workspace is another powerful way to improve air quality and reduce odours. Look for purifiers with HEPA filters and activated carbon filters — these target both particles and smells, removing everything from dust mites to lingering kitchen aromas.
You can also use ceiling or pedestal fans to encourage better airflow in stagnant areas. These help circulate air around desks and soft furnishings, keeping the space feeling light and fresh.
For a natural and decorative solution, try air-purifying indoor plants like peace lilies, snake plants, or bamboo palms. Not only do they help filter toxins from the air, but they also create a calmer, more vibrant office environment.
When your office has good airflow, odours don’t stand a chance — and your space instantly feels more energised, breathable, and welcoming for staff and clients alike.
While day-to-day tidying, mopping, and vacuuming help keep your office presentable, they often only scratch the surface when it comes to tackling built-up grime and odours. The real problem areas — like under desks, inside air vents, carpet padding, and behind office equipment — are rarely touched during routine cleaning. This is why scheduled professional cleaning is essential for maintaining a truly fresh and hygienic workplace.
Professional office cleaning services use commercial-grade equipment and specialised products that are far more effective at breaking down embedded dirt, bacteria, and odour-causing substances than standard supplies. They can target high-traffic zones, upholstered furniture, fabric dividers, and overlooked corners with precision, lifting the particles that cause persistent smells and contribute to poor indoor air quality.
A regular deep cleaning routine also helps businesses stay ahead of seasonal allergens, reduce illness-causing germs, and extend the lifespan of carpets and office furnishings. It’s an investment in the health, comfort, and productivity of your team — not to mention your company’s image.
Whether you schedule professional cleaning monthly, quarterly, or seasonally, consistency is key. It ensures odour build-up never gets the chance to take hold and provides peace of mind knowing your workspace is always meeting a high hygiene standard.
Most commercial cleaning providers offer flexible services tailored to your business size and schedule, including after-hours or weekend cleaning to avoid disrupting daily operations.
If you’re unsure where to start, our team can assist you in developing a custom cleaning plan that targets the right areas and delivers lasting results.
A spotless, odour-free office doesn’t just feel good — it reflects the care and professionalism your business brings to everything it does.
It’s easy to overlook the cleaning tools themselves, but they’re often one of the most common sources of unpleasant odours in a workplace. A mop head that wasn’t rinsed properly, a sponge that sits wet in the cupboard, or a cloth used day after day without washing — all of these can develop mould, mildew, and bacteria. Instead of removing odours, these tools can spread them around.
If your goal is to create a clean-smelling office, you need to treat your supplies with the same attention as the surfaces you clean. Microfibre cloths, mop heads, and kitchen sponges should be thoroughly washed and dried after each use. Cloths should be laundered in hot water and replaced regularly — not just when they’re visibly dirty. Reusable mop heads should be washed and fully air-dried, preferably in sunlight when possible, to kill bacteria and eliminate lingering smells.
In high-risk areas like kitchens, restrooms, and shared tea points, disposable cleaning options can be a more hygienic solution. These single-use cloths or mop pads are designed to reduce cross-contamination and are easy to replace before they start to smell.
Where and how you store your supplies also matters. Avoid sealed plastic buckets or under-sink cupboards that trap humidity. Instead, choose well-ventilated spaces with good airflow to ensure your tools dry out properly between uses.
Label your cleaning supplies and rotate them often. A good rule of thumb is: if it smells bad, it’s time to toss it.
Fresh, hygienic tools make your cleaning routine more effective and help prevent unpleasant odours from creeping back in — keeping your workplace smelling clean, not like yesterday’s mop bucket.
Restrooms are one of the most noticeable — and memorable — spaces in any workplace. Even when they look clean, poor ventilation, high humidity, and infrequent maintenance can cause unpleasant smells to linger. If not managed properly, restroom odours can quickly affect your business’s image and the comfort of both staff and clients.
Daily disinfection is key. Toilets, sinks, taps, and door handles should be thoroughly cleaned every day using antibacterial solutions. But don’t stop at the obvious. Odours often build up in hidden places like floor corners, behind toilets, and along grout lines. Regularly scrubbing these areas can make a significant difference.
Another major factor is ventilation. Ensure that exhaust fans are not only functioning but also cleaned regularly to remove built-up dust and debris. A fan clogged with grime won’t effectively pull moisture and odours out of the room — leading to a musty, damp smell that sticks around.
Subtle scent management also plays an important role. Wall-mounted air fresheners, timed aerosol dispensers, or essential oil diffusers with soft, neutral scents (like citrus or eucalyptus) help reinforce a feeling of cleanliness. Just be careful not to use overpowering fragrances, which can be irritating in enclosed spaces.
For an extra layer of protection, consider odour-absorbing products such as activated charcoal pouches or gel beads, placed discreetly near problem areas.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of a tidy presentation. Keep bins emptied, toilet paper stocked, and soap dispensers filled. These small touches reinforce your commitment to hygiene.
A clean-smelling, well-maintained restroom reflects the standards of your entire business. It communicates professionalism, care, and attention to detail — without saying a word.
Some of the worst office odours come from the most unexpected places — areas that are often missed during daily or even weekly cleaning routines. Skirting boards coated in layers of dust, air vents clogged with debris, and the dusty voids behind cabinets, printers, and filing systems can all silently contribute to that persistent “something smells off” atmosphere.
These forgotten spaces may not seem like major offenders, but over time, they collect dust, moisture, and bacteria — a perfect combination for producing stale, musty smells. In high-humidity areas, the problem only worsens, as trapped moisture encourages mould growth and mildew buildup, both of which can degrade your indoor air quality.
Start with a monthly cleaning checklist focused solely on these overlooked areas. Use a vacuum with attachments to reach underneath desks, behind furniture, and into narrow corners. For skirting boards, a damp microfiber cloth with a mild disinfectant is often enough to cut through the grime. Make sure you also check under rugs or mats — trapped dirt beneath these can be another hidden source of odour.
Your HVAC system is another critical component. Vents should be dusted regularly, and filters in air conditioning units should be cleaned or replaced every 1–3 months depending on usage. Dirty filters can spread odours throughout the office and reduce airflow efficiency.
This kind of detail-oriented cleaning doesn’t just eliminate odours — it also helps reduce allergens and creates a healthier, more comfortable workplace for your team.
By paying attention to the often-ignored areas, you take your cleaning efforts to the next level — transforming your space from merely clean to truly fresh, and showing a level of care that speaks volumes about your business standards.
In Summary
Maintaining a fresh and healthy office environment doesn’t have to be complicated — it just requires a little consistency and the right habits. From managing daily waste to deep cleaning soft surfaces, improving airflow, and refreshing the forgotten corners of your workplace, these simple odour removal strategies can make a big difference in how your office looks, feels, and smells.
Small changes like swapping out old cleaning tools or giving your restrooms more attention can significantly improve air quality and team comfort. And when it comes to the tough jobs, regular professional cleaning ensures that nothing gets missed.
To find out more about keeping your workplace odour-free and creating a space your team and clients will love, contact one of our team today.
📞 Call 1300 854 401 or contact us to organise your free quote.
