The Essential Commercial Janitorial Service Guide for Facilities Management

As a facility manager, you have to perform a variety of roles. Outsourcing many of these, such as commercial janitorial services, lets you use your time more efficiently. But hiring a janitorial service involves more than just hiring the first company you find in an online search. You need to understand what services they will provide, the benefits of hiring for these services, and how to determine the right schedule. 

What Does Commercial Janitorial Maintenance Mean?

You may hear the terms “commercial janitorial maintenance” and “commercial cleaning services” used interchangeably, but there is a slight difference. Janitorial services focus on the day-to-day tasks of keeping a property clean and functional while cleaning services offer occasional deeper cleanings. For example, emptying garbage bins would be a janitorial service, while shampooing the carpets would be a cleaning service. 

While there is technically a distinction between these two, you will find that many commercial janitorial services will also offer cleaning services and vice versa. That being said, you should always take the time to confirm that the company you choose to hire will provide the types of service that you need. 

Why Should You Hire a Commercial Janitorial Service Company?

As a facilities manager, hiring a commercial janitorial service company is a savvy decision for many reasons. Simply put, it will ensure your property is in great condition and always clean with minimal effort on your part. Take a closer look at some of the reasons to hire a janitorial service company. 

Keep the Property Clean

As mentioned, the biggest advantage of commercial janitorial services is that you will find it easy to keep the property clean. Janitorial services handle the tasks that require daily attention, so you can just provide them with a set of instructions or a checklist and rest easy knowing that everything will be taken care of. 

Most importantly, hard-to-remember or hard-to-reach areas will be handled by professionals leaving you to focus on more important tasks. 

Customization 

Commercial janitorial services will customize their offerings to fit the needs of your property. This helps you to stick to your budget while maintaining the facility, as you won’t have to pay for services you don’t need. 

Knowledge of Proper Techniques 

Hiring professionals for janitorial services means that you get to take advantage of their knowledge. For example, they will know the best way to remove tough stains from carpet or upholstery and the most efficient way to mop a floor. They will also know which cleaning products work the best. You don’t have to spend time researching or learning these things, as you can just leave the services in their capable hands. 

They Have the Equipment 

A commercial janitorial service company will also already have the appropriate equipment and supplies for the job. This saves you money upfront, as you won’t have to buy as many of these items. 

This is especially important when it comes to equipment that you won’t need as frequently. Examples include the equipment needed to power wash or polish and refinish surfaces, buff floors, clean ceiling tiles, or clean out-of-reach areas. 

Get Professional Commercial Janitorial Advice

A convenient bonus of hiring commercial janitors is that they will have experience in dealing with properties similar to yours. This means that they can be a valuable resource for advice. For example, they can help you plan the appropriate schedule for their services based on your property’s needs. 

Knowledge of Requirements

Commercial services are also likely to be aware of any legal requirements for cleanliness, sanitization, and waste removal. While you should still confirm these requirements, their knowledge can give you a head start. At the very least, it minimizes the need to monitor them to ensure they meet those requirements carefully. 

You Don’t Have to Replace Janitors

One of the great things about hiring a commercial janitorial service company instead of an individual is that you don’t have to worry about replacing a janitor if they call in sick. The company will handle that for you, letting you focus on the more important tasks associated with managing a facility. 

Fewer Employees to Manage

If you compare hiring a janitorial service company to hire an in-house janitor, you will get the advantage of not having to manage as many employees. This can save you time in terms of hiring, payroll administration, human resources, and more. 

Save Money

Hiring a janitorial service company will also typically save your facility money, freeing up your budget for other expenses. For example, you don’t have to buy expensive cleaning equipment. You don’t have to pay for benefits or payroll costs of having extra employees. 

You Get Peace of Mind

You also get peace of mind from hiring a company to handle commercial janitorial services. After all, you can research them to confirm that they have good reviews and the proper insurance. Insurance is especially important, as it prevents you from having to pay for medical bills or replace damaged items. Remember that either of those things could cut into your facility management budget and reflect poorly on your management abilities. 

Improved Productivity

In addition to the benefits of hiring a company, you also get all of the advantages of having a clean facility, starting with an increase in productivity. Workers tend to find it easier to concentrate and feel motivated if they are in clean and tidy spaces. By contrast, messy or cluttered areas can negatively impact worker productivity. 

Everyone Can Focus on Their Most Important Tasks

One of the biggest benefits of hiring a commercial janitorial service company is that you and everyone else in the building can focus on their primary tasks. You don’t have to split your attention between basic tasks and your facility management tasks. 

This helps boost productivity, as you won’t have to change gears as often. It also optimizes your budget, as your time is likely billed at a higher rate than the cleaning service. The same is likely true of other people who work in the building. 

As a bonus, this will also reduce the stress on employees in the building, as they won’t have to juggle as many tasks. 

Reduce the Risk of Sickness

Whether you are talking about contagious illnesses or issues like allergies, keeping the facility clean will dramatically reduce the risk of people inside the building getting sick. For commercial properties, this means that employees may have to take fewer sick days. It also means that it is less likely that employees will feel under the weather and have reduced productivity at work. 

Make a Great Impression

Another advantage of a clean facility is its ability to make a great first impression, whether this is on residents, customers, or business partners, that can make a significant difference. 

On top of that, having a clean facility reflects well on your ability to manage it.

Facilities Last Longer

When floors, furniture, windows, or anything else are cleaned regularly, they will last longer. This reduces the need to spend money on repairs. It also reduces the frequency with which you have to fit replacements into the budget. In addition to the cost savings, there are also time-saving elements. After all, if you need to replace the carpet or something else, you would need to spend time researching viable options. 

Determine the Ideal Commercial Janitorial Service Cleaning Schedule

Determining the ideal commercial cleaning schedule is also important, and fortunately, it is fairly straightforward. 

As mentioned, you should consider taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of your commercial janitorial services as you create a schedule. They should have a good idea of what tasks need to be done daily, weekly, and monthly. 

How often you need to have the janitorial service complete each task will depend on the type of facility you manage and how busy it is. You will want to keep the following factors in mind as you create the schedule. 

Size of the Facility (Including Space and People)

The cleaning schedule will largely depend on the size of the facility, along with how many people regularly spend time there. If the facility tends to be mostly empty, you can potentially move some daily tasks to every other day or every three days. On the other hand, if the facility is larger and fully occupied, some tasks may need to be completed multiple times a day, such as cleaning bathrooms and emptying garbage cans. 

Hours

The hours that your facility is open and in use will affect the previous point, but it also impacts when you schedule the cleaning. After all, your team will be more productive, and clients will be happier if they don’t have to work around the cleaning team. That is why most companies choose to have their janitorial services during off hours, as it minimizes the overlap. 

Waste Produced

We already touched on this with the size and business of the facility, but you also need to consider how much waste it produces. The goal here is to ensure that garbage cans are emptied regularly and never overflow. 

Seasonal Changes

As you plan your commercial cleaning schedule, remember to account for seasonal variations. If your facility tends to be busier at certain times of the year, then you will likely need to increase the scheduled services during that time. 

Health Concerns

You will also want to consider health and safety when creating a cleaning schedule. For example, if it is cold and flu season, you should increase cleaning frequency. The same is true during a pandemic. 

Sample Frequencies

The following should give you an idea of what a sample commercial cleaning schedule may look like. 

Daily tasks would include: 

• Cleaning floors (sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming)
• Cleaning glass surfaces
• Dusting surfaces
• Emptying garbage cans
• Restocking bathroom supplies
• Sanitizing all bathrooms, including stalls

Weekly tasks could include: 

• Cleaning the floor more thoroughly (still mopping and vacuuming)
• Cleaning microwaves and refrigerators

Monthly tasks could include: 

• Buffing and polishing hard floors
• Cleaning air vents
• Deep cleaning carpets
• Dusting hard-to-reach areas
• Vacuuming furniture

What is a Janitorial Service for Commercial Buildings?

As mentioned, commercial janitorial services refer to the daily or frequent tasks that are part of building maintenance and cleanliness. That being said, the same company that offers janitorial services will also typically offer deeper cleaning services. They simply will do those less frequently. 

The following includes most of the janitorial duties that you will need a service to take care of in a commercial building. Keep in mind that the exact duties that you will need to be done will depend on the type of building. That will also determine how frequently each task is required. 

• Cleaning and restocking restrooms (including toilets, sinks, mirrors, etc.)
• Cleaning computer screens
• Cleaning employee breakrooms
• Cleaning front windows 
• Cleaning kitchens (including floors and appliances)
• Cleaning spills 
• Cleaning welcome mats 
• Clearing or organizing clutter 
• Disinfecting surfaces that people frequently touch 
• Dusting
• Dusting keyboards 
• Emptying fridges 
• Emptying garbage bins
• Minor repairs 
• Mopping floors
• Mowing lawns (potentially) 
• Restocking kitchens 
• Sweeping floors
• Sweeping in front of the entrance outside 
• Trimming trees (potentially)
• Vacuuming floors
• Wiping down chairs and desks

The following are some of the services you will need less frequently that traditionally fall under the responsibilities of commercial cleaners. However, your commercial janitorial service may also offer them. 

• Cleaning carpets 
• Cleaning furniture
• Cleaning hard surface floors
• Cleaning tile and grout
• Cleaning upholstery 
• Power washing 
• Thoroughly sanitizing and disinfecting
• Washing windows

What Type of Cleaning and Disinfection Does Your Facility Require?

The level of cleaning and disinfection that your facility requires will depend largely on the type of facility and how much foot traffic it gets. If the facility you manage serves or produces food or medicines, there will be much higher standards of cleanliness and disinfection. 

That being said, facility managers should always prioritize disinfection and cleanliness, especially given the pandemic. The importance of regular disinfection has become clear, even for industries not related to food. 

For many facilities, this can be as simple as ensuring that wiping down high-touch surfaces with a disinfectant is on your commercial janitorial service’s daily schedule and potentially repeated throughout the day. This should remain standard practice even after the pandemic is fully under control, as it helps prevent employees, residents, and clients from spreading germs and getting sick. That could hurt your productivity or even your facility’s reputation. 

The #1 Benefit of Using a Facility Management Company for a Commercial Janitorial Service

The biggest benefit of using a facility management company for janitorial services is that you don’t have to worry about anything. The facility management company will arrange the services, and from there, the janitorial service company handles everything. This saves time, letting you focus on other crucial tasks, which in turn saves money. After all, your time is valuable. Paying someone to handle these tasks typically provides savings compared to what you would need to be paid for that time or if you hired your own janitor. 

As a facility manager, working with a facility management company will give you the added benefit of them having already researched which janitorial services are the best. This saves you time as well.  It also dramatically reduces the risk of wasting money on a janitorial service that doesn’t meet your expectations. 

The Bottom Line

Outsourcing commercial janitorial services is a savvy decision for facility managers. It lets you focus on more important tasks and take advantage of the service’s janitorial expertise to keep the property clean. This reflects well on your building management skills and the facility in general, helping potentially increase productivity and profits. 

When it comes to commercial janitorial services, it’s important to customize your approach based on the unique needs of your facility. Factors such as building size, occupancy levels, and facility type will influence the ideal service schedule. Don’t hesitate to seek guidance from your trusted janitorial service company, as their expertise and experience can offer valuable insights into creating a tailored schedule that meets your requirements effectively. At Branded Group, we are here to help. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about how our facility management services can benefit your organization. Together, we can ensure a clean and well-maintained facility that supports the success of your business.