How to Check Your Office Cleaning Is Done Properly

The easiest way to check your office cleaning is to walk through the office at the same time each week with your written task list in hand, inspecting the washrooms, the kitchen, the bins, the floors and the shared touch points carefully, and if something on the list hasn't been completed, take a photo, record the date, and send it to your cleaner immediately, so that it can be corrected quickly at the next visit.

Most cleaning problems are relatively minor initially, like a dusty window sill or a bin that wasn't relined, but they tend to grow over the following weeks when nobody is monitoring them. A short inspection each week is one of the simplest ways to keep standards consistent over time, because small gaps get fixed before they become a habit. When we clean an office, you receive a completed checklist after every visit, so you can compare what was done against what was agreed.

You can only assess cleaning fairly when you know exactly what should have been done at each visit, so the essential first step is a written task list that you and your cleaner both agree on. As business.gov.au advises, write a contract so you don't rely on memory about what you've agreed to. The list should identify each area, each task and how often it's done, because "clean the kitchen" can mean very different things to different people.

If you don't have a list yet, our office cleaning checklist gives you daily, weekly and monthly tasks to start from, and our guide to what to put in a commercial cleaning contract explains how to turn it into a scope of work.

Work through the office in the same order each time, so that nothing is accidentally overlooked, and begin with the areas that staff and visitors usually notice first.

A quick walk-through once a week is usually sufficient for most offices, and it tends to work best at the same time each week, such as first thing on a Monday or Thursday morning, before staff fill the office. A longer and more detailed inspection once a month then lets you review the weekly and monthly tasks as well, such as high dusting, skirting boards and the inside of the fridge.

It's also beneficial to encourage staff to report any problems as soon as they notice them, because they use the kitchen and washrooms every day and will frequently identify something well before you do.

Washrooms and shared touch points are the areas where poor cleaning generates the most complaints, and they're also where it matters most for hygiene, because the Australian Centre for Disease Control explains that germs can spread through shared objects and surfaces, such as door handles and taps.

Clean facilities are also part of work health and safety, because the ACT's approved code of practice for managing the work environment and facilities says facilities, including toilets and eating areas, must be kept clean, safe and in good working order. Safe Work Australia's model code adds that cleaning schedules should suit the type of work done and how often facilities are used.

When something on the list hasn't been done, raise it quickly and keep it straightforward, because a clear, factual note with a photo is much easier for a cleaner to act on than a general criticism.

• Take a photo of the problem, and record the date, the time and the area where you found it.
• Check the task list first, so you know whether the task was actually included in what you agreed, and then send the note to your cleaner's main contact on the same day, rather than waiting for a pattern to develop.
• Ask when the problem will be corrected, and then confirm that it was done properly at the next visit.

If the same problem keeps recurring, request a short site meeting so you can review the task list together, because the real cause is often a gap in the list or a change in how the office is being used.

Businesses have consumer rights too, and the ACCC explains that consumer guarantees can cover services bought for business use, for example when they cost less than $100,000 including GST, and that services must be provided with acceptable care and skill.

Review your cleaning agreement as well, because it should explain how problems are reported and how quickly they'll be corrected, and if it doesn't, ask your cleaner to include it, so everyone understands what happens when something is missed.

Aussie Duo is a family-owned Canberra business that has been cleaning since 2013, and our office cleaning starts with a free site visit, where we agree a written task list with you, and you receive a completed checklist after every visit, so it's easy to confirm what was completed. The minimum visit is $187 including GST ($170 + GST), with a set price agreed before we start. To get started, book a free site visit or call 02 5501 3316, and we'll reply during business hours, Monday to Saturday, from 7am to 7pm.