What is contract cleaning? Here's what you need to know

If you are considering bringing in external cleaning support for your business premises, you have likely heard of contract cleaning. It's an option that works perfectly for those who don't need their own cleaning staff, and while it sounds quite formal, it's actually very simple.

Today we're taking a closer look at what's involved, the benefits, and what to consider when choosing a company to work with.

What is contract cleaning?

Contract cleaning is exactly as it sounds; you enter into a contract with a professional cleaning company, in order for them to provide cleaning services to you. Your contract will detail what services the company will provide based on discussions you have had about your needs. Contract cleaning ensures that you have a 'promise' in place for your regular cleaning needs and don't need to think about these on a day-to-day basis.

Generally, the term contract cleaning is used to mean commercial contract cleaning, although domestic contract cleaning does exist too. However, commercial cleaning generally involves specialist expertise and skills, as well as equipment, which a cleaner who focuses on mostly domestic work will not necessarily have knowledge of.

A contract cleaning service can be set at different regularities (such as daily, weekly or fortnightly cleans), and the company you choose will put together a cleaning schedule to meet the needs of your organisation. This helps to maintain the cleanliness of your premises over time, and differentiates contract cleaning from one-off cleaning services.

What is the difference between contract cleaning and other commercial cleaning options?

In most cases where contract cleaning is being considered, your other option will be in-house cleaners. In-house cleaners are directly employed by you, meaning they are on your payroll, you are responsible for recruitment and HR support needed, and you will need to provide the cleaning supplies for them to be able to complete their tasks. This can work well for some businesses, but for others it is not practical or cost-effective to recruit these members of staff, especially when it comes to planning for cleaning when they are on holiday.

You might also look at a contract cleaner who is a sole trader; you do not employ this person, but it does mean that there is a single individual responsible for everything concerning the level of cleaning you have agreed.

What does contract cleaning involve?

Mostly, contract cleaning will involve a variety of day-to-day cleaning tasks that need to be performed on a regular basis; think things like mopping, dusting, vacuuming and similar activities. This ensures a clean and tidy environment in your business premises each and every day.

Sometimes there may also be deep cleaning involved in contract cleaning at a given frequency that meets your needs. And of course, for specific business types there may be specialist cleaning services included in contract cleaning.

Types of contract cleaning services

There are lots of different types of contract cleaning. Here are some common ones:

Commercial cleaning

Office cleaning is a very common type of commercial cleaning, as is cleaning for retail spaces, studios, and other workplaces. Contract cleaning for these organisations helps to keep the workplace hygienic , which ensures employees of that business can work in a clean, safe and productive environment.

Industrial cleaning

Facilities such as factories will have additional and unique cleaning requirements. What is included in a cleaning contract for a factory will therefore differ to what is included in a cleaning contract for an office.

Window cleaning

Large buildings such as office blocks may require a contract for regular window cleans. In some situations, a commercial cleaning contract may already include window cleaning, whereas other situations it may be dealt with as a separate contract - such as in a building with multiple businesses, where each business is responsible for their own space, but the building owner is responsible for the building as a whole.

Kitchen cleaning

As with industrial cleaning, food preparation spaces have specific needs in order to maintain the very high level of hygiene that is suitable for meeting safety requirements.

Specialist cleaning

There are other environments, such as medical or high risk spaces, which require a specific cleaning process, type of product or specialist knowledge.

The benefits of contract cleaning services

If you're looking into contract cleaning for your premises, you probably already know that it comes with big benefits, including a hygienic workplace which is pleasant to be in, saved time, and the ability to focus on what you do best. There are some very important benefits which make it a great option versus the alternatives too.

Cost-effectiveness

In most cases, using a contract cleaning company is a very cost-effective approach to maintaining a clean workspace. Professional cleaning companies are able to buy supplies in bulk and complete the work you need doing in an efficient manner, and this tends to be reflected in the price they are able to offer you. A sole trader, by contrast, may not be able to match this price due to their overheads and availability - plus arranging a replacement can be costly or troublesome when they take a holiday or are unwell.

Cover

Cover is also an important benefit to contract cleaning. Whether you use a sole trader or employ a cleaner directly, that person will - rightly - take holidays, and may fall ill from time to time. It happens to us all, and when it does, your cleaner will have to cancel or rearrange. When working with a professional cleaning company, these gaps are filled by other members of the team so that the experience is seamless, hassle-free and doesn't cost you anything.

High quality service

You can be sure that cleaners from a professional company will be vetted, trained, and follow certain procedures and standards that ensure you end up with a high quality service that meets your needs.

The overall service is also more likely to be of a high standard; a contract cleaning company will generally offer excellent levels of communication. You will have a point of contact to speak to about any concerns, and they can fix issues in a timely manner - something that is much more difficult for a solo cleaner to achieve.

Specialist equipment

Cleaners who are part of a professional cleaning company will have access to a range of equipment that may not be easily to hand for a solo cleaner - especially if your needs require specialist equipment or products.

Insurance

A professional cleaning company will have the appropriate level of insurance that ensures peace of mind for you both and protects you if any issues arise.

Who is contract cleaning suitable for?

Contract cleaning is a perfect options for businesses who need support to maintain a workspace which is clean and hygienic.

These could be things like offices, warehouses, public sector buildings, educational facilities, venues, medical or care facilities, and plenty more.

If you have a need for regular or semi-regular cleaning, but don't have the desire or time to manage an in house cleaner, or seek cover when needed for a sole trader, contract cleaning with a professional cleaning company is probably a good fit for you.

How to choose a professional cleaning company

When comparing companies for contract cleaning, make sure to consider:

• Whether they can they meet your needs and can work to cleaning slots that align with your desired schedule;
• Whether they are able to evidence that their team is made up of trained cleaners who can deliver a high quality service;
• Look for a company that has experience in your type of premises, if you work in a specific sector with needs that are particular to that sector, for example in the construction industry;
• Whether they are a company that takes into account how you use your space - for example, they ask about areas of high footfall or heavy usage which might require more frequent cleaning or more attention;
• Seek assurance that they have the appropriate equipment and products for the job at hand;
• Look for testimonials from happy customers, which demonstrate that they have done a good job for other clients.

If you have these conversations up front, you are less likely to run into issues later on, once work begins. A good cleaning company should be able to talk you through each of them, asking questions so that they have a thorough understanding and are able to tailor a cleaning contract to your business.Contract cleaning with Vivo CleanAt Vivo Clean, we offer regular cleaning services to businesses across Ipswich and the whole of Suffolk. We work with a variety of industries including warehouses, offices, NHS buildings and plenty more.Our contract cleaning services are bespoke to your requirements, and our fantastic team are experienced, professional and aim for excellence in all they do.If we can help your business with commercial contract cleaning, or more specific services such as deep cleans or builders cleans, get in touch today.