1. Preparation and Organization

De-clutter: Remove all personal belongings, pilot manuals, and loose equipment (like headsets or galley accessories).

Protect sensitive areas: Cover expensive countertops, wooden ledges, and cockpit screens with cardboard or protective maintenance runners. Tape off electronics to prevent liquid damage.

Follow the flow: Always work from the front of the aircraft to the back (or vice-versa, depending on your company’s standard operating procedures), moving top to bottom to guarantee no surface is missed.

2. Cockpit and Cabin Cleaning

Flight deck: Use antistatic, electronics-safe solutions and microfiber cloths to clean instrument panels, gauges, and displays.

Sidewalls and panels: Wipe down headliners, sidewalls, and tray tables using light sponge and aviation-approved all-purpose cleaners (APCs).

Windows: Aircraft windows are made of stretched acrylic and scratch easily. Use a specialized, non-abrasive acrylic glass cleaner. Spray directly onto the microfiber cloth rather than the window to avoid drips and streaks.

3. Upholstery and Carpets

Vacuum: Use a heavy-duty vacuum with crevice attachments to extract dirt from seat tracks, seat stitching, and floor corners.

Leather care: Standard leather requires gentle, pH-balanced leather cleaners. Apply with a soft brush to agitate crevices, then wipe clean and condition to prevent cracking.

Carpets: Pre-treat heavily soiled areas or stains with a specialized carpet shampoo. Use an upholstery scrubber or brush for agitation, followed by deep extraction. Allow carpets to dry completely before stowing seats.

4. Galley and Lavatory

Galley: Empty and clean out trash, then sanitize countertops, sinks, and cup holders. High-touch areas like oven doors and tray carriers require food-safe, degreasing sanitizers.

Lavatory: Disinfect all hard surfaces including toilets, mirrors, and vanity cabinets. Ensure no excess moisture damages the floorings or seals around the basin.