Office cleaning includes the floor cleaning, upholstery cleaning, disposal of trash, cleaning of fixtures and the various outdoor locations of offices, such as parking lots, stairs, windows and basements. Office cleaning is frequently completed before or after the office opens for business.

Various machines, cleaning chemicals and mops are used for in cleaning operations. In this guide we will cover some of the key terms related to office cleaning, such as steam cleaning, buffing, cleaners and disinfectants, carpet cleaning and green cleaning.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Steam cleaning

Steam cleaning is a method of cleaning, degreasing and disinfecting the floor and other surfaces by using steam. This method uses very little water and can penetrate areas that mops or other machines cannot.

I recommend: You can refer to Allergy Consumer Review and OSPREYDEEPCLEAN for detailed information about the process, benefits and the specific applications of steam cleaning.

Buffing

Buffing is the process of repairing the floor to clean and restore the finish or to give a shine to the floor. For this purpose, the buffing machines contain pads or brushes.

I recommend: You can learn more about the process of buffing and restoring the floors at Basic Maintenance Supply Inc.

Cleaners and disinfectants

Cleaners only clean the surface while the disinfectants make the surface germ free. Different solutions are available for both, but a solution that works both as a cleaner and disinfectant is preferred.

I recommend: You can get the information about the correct usage of the cleaners and disinfectants at CleanLink, an information resource for sanitary supply distributors.

Carpet cleaning

Carpet cleaning involves cleaning the carpet using cleaning chemicals or vacuum cleaners.

I recommend: You can refer to the fact sheet of carpet care at Western Sustainability and Pollution Prevention Network (WSPPN) for information about the process of carpet cleaning and the safe use of chemicals. The Housekeeping Channel, a cleaning and housekeeping resource, provides information about using vacuum cleaners for carpet cleaning.

Green cleaning

Green cleaning practices use chemicals and processes that are environmentally friendly and do not pose any threat to workers or the office staff's health.

I recommend: Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc., a janitorial services provider, offers the information about the benefits of green cleaning.

Janitorial insurance coverage

Insurance and bonding in the janitorial services industry is an important requirement for winning the contract to perform cleaning services. The insurance covers theft, loss or damage to the property during the time of the cleaning.

I recommend: The International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association (IJCSA) gives the information about the janitorial insurance coverage highlights.

If you're looking to hire an office cleaning provider, you want to make sure that you're dealing with a professional company that will treat your office with the respect it deserves. Spend time researching your options and then discuss your cleaning plan with different companies to find the one that best meets your needs and can get your office clean enough to conduct business in.

When you interview each cleaning company, you need to ask the right questions to make sure that you get the right fit for your company. Some companies have different policies on what should and shouldn't be cleaned at each visit, so get all the details. You also want to find out things like:

1. Hours of operation, specifically when they can come to your office to clean.

2. Do they supply their own office cleaning products, or do you have to provide them?

3. Pricing structure: is it hourly, weekly or a flat rate?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Gather all the office cleaning information you need to make the right decision

Before you can pick the perfect cleaning service for your office, you need to learn about the cleaning industry as a whole. At this stage, research the industry standards for cleaning products, contracts and rates, among other things. You can do so by browsing various cleaning companies' websites to get an office cleaning list of services, or going to cleaning industry-focused websites that cater to cleaning companies and franchises.

I recommend: Get the facts before hiring anyone. You can begin by reading through the forums at Clean Peers. There you'll find real discussions between cleaning company managers and employees to find out what really matters to them and to their clients. Then visit Cleaning Service Comparison's handy website to get a good idea of what various companies are offering their clientèle.

Find office cleaning services locally that offer the hours you need

Office cleaning franchises are extremely popular, so you should have no trouble finding a large company that has offices in your area. Another factor to consider are the hours of operation. You might prefer to have your offices cleaned in the evening after business hours, so that it won't interrupt your employees' work. So, you'd want to find a company that can clean in the evenings or on weekends.

I recommend: Hire a local cleaning company that works in the evenings. In Texas, Aladdin Cleaning does most work in the evening, which is great for any office that's open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sterling Office Cleaning is a cleaning company that has flexible hours and works with many local clients in Michigan. You can find a list of other local office cleaning companies on the International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association's website.

Shop around for the best price on office cleaning services

Once you know what you want in a cleaning company, it's time to start crunching the numbers and getting quotes from various vendors. Many will give you discounted rates if you have them clean a certain number of times a week, so ask about bulk discounts before settling on a company to work with.

I recommend: Get several estimates and compare prices. Vanguard Cleaning Systems and Quality Commercial Cleaning both have a free estimate form right on their websites, so all you have to do is fill out a little information to get a price quote e-mailed to you within hours. This process makes bargain shopping really easy.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that the office cleaning company you choose is licensed and bonded, to protect yourself in case of an accident or theft. If you're using an office cleaning directory, it should state this in the company's bio information.

Once your business grows beyond a certain size, it's no longer feasible to complete your own office cleaning, or to ask your employees to do it in addition to their own duties. When your business grows to that size, it is time for you to hire an office cleaning provider to ensure that your business maintains a safe and healthy working environment.

Office cleaning can be a relatively minor business cost, or it can add up to thousands of dollars a month--all depending upon what cleaning you need done. When you're examining office cleaning pricing and costs:

1. Determine the office cleaning tasks you must have performed and get an idea of their cost range.

2. Seek out free quotes so you can get the best price on office cleaning.

3. Expect to pay more if you want to use an eco-friendly office cleaning provider.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand the range of office cleaning pricing and costs for what you need done

Office cleaning pricing and costs vary widely depending upon the exact nature of the cleaning job. A good practice is to create an office cleaning list that includes all cleaning duties that must be completed and also all cleaning duties that would be nice to have, but not necessary. Then, determine how much you can budget for office cleaning, and explore the range of prices for those services.

I recommend: Buyer Zone provides a range of user-reported prices for office cleaning, which ranges from $150 a month for basic weekly office cleaning to $1,800 a month for wood floor cleaning and maintenance and carpet cleaning for two store locations. At CostHelper.com, review typical cleaning costs and the services that should be included.

Request quotes for office cleaning

You can get office cleaning information from reputable, pre-screened companies by submitting a free pricing quote request through several websites. Not only can you quickly compare quotes this way, but these quote request sites allow you to more easily find office cleaning that meets your exact specifications.

I recommend: At CleaningProposal.com, you can fill out a form to receive free quotes from five janitorial companies that meet your requirements. CleaningPriceOnline also offers free office cleaning price quotes.

Seek out a green office cleaning provider

If you prefer to work with an eco-friendly office cleaning provider, you can browse through an online office cleaning directory, or simply choose an individual company through a web search. Companies that use eco-friendly products and methods will charge more for their services, because the products they use are more expensive.

I recommend: Green City Office Cleaning provides eco-friendly office cleaning in San Francisco for between around $70 and $150 per job. The Green Maid in Chicago provides similar services, but you need to contact them for exact pricing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you hire an individual office cleaning provider, he or she may expect a tip in addition to the wages you've agreed upon, so you should factor in this extra cost. However, when you hire an office cleaning company, tips are not expected.