When you invest in commercial cleaning services, you’re not only investing in a cleaner work environment, you’re also raising the standards of what your clients and employees expect from a work site. Whether it’s construction cleaning or residential cleaning, it’s your right to have certain expectations for how well a cleaning job is done.
You might think that cleanup isn’t that hard of a job and that it should be customary as part of the construction process, but the reality is that post-construction cleaning can be a monumental task. Builder’s dust can destroy ordinary vacuum cleaners. Paper on flooring to prevent damage leaves behind tape residue that requires special cleaners to remove. Stickers on the new windows will need to be peeled off or require a razor to remove them.
As a post-construction cleaning company that has done this job on many commercial building sites in Denver, we know this better than anyone. A good starting point for anyone seeking quality construction cleaning would be smart to ask some pointed questions.
1. A Common Mistake When Hiring a Cleaning Company is Not Having a Specified Scope.
What does the cleaning checklist cover? Post-construction cleaning involves an extensive list of tasks. A professional cleaner should offer a well-planned checklist that covers areas you may never have even thought to clean. You want to see these items included in a checklist:
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- Cleaning dust – whether that’s sawdust or drywall dust – is a very tedious but important part of the process
- Cleaning interior glass, lights, and cabinets
- Cleaning and dusting the vents
- Spot cleaning walls
- Vacuuming carpets
- Comprehensive mopping
- Cleaning and polishing restroom fixtures
- Clearing construction debris
- Cleaning the ceilings
2. Has the Team Been Trained in Professional Chemical Usage and Storage?
Construction cleaning and commercial cleaning services use complex chemicals, and all employees must know the right products and devices to use for different areas and materials.
3. Is the Cleaning Company Insured?
One of the best ways to make sure your post-construction cleaning crew is worth their salt is to see how much insurance they’re covered for. Verifying that a cleaning company has umbrella insurance coverage is an easy way to determine how experienced/professional they are. Many insurance companies require that the individuals covered must wear the proper PPE and take certain precautions on the job site. Checking for insurance coverage also doubles as a way to ensure that you’re using a company that values the safety of its employees and clients.
4. Have Their Standards Stayed Consistent Over Time?
Consistency matters in the construction cleaning industry, and results should not change over time. Detail-oriented cleaning should always be the norm. Apathy can set in for cleaning crews, making them less focused over time, but precise feedback about the quality of the cleaning can often be the best solution. Most commercial cleaning clients are typically thrilled after the very first cleaning, but it’s important to stay aware of quality as time goes on. A simple finger test may be enough to tell you the quality of the cleaning.
5. While you might not see cleaning crews in action, they shouldn’t ever seem to be in a rush.
Efficient construction cleaning doesn’t require speed, it requires concentration and attention to detail. Certain cleaning products need time to settle in to properly break down dirt and grime, so slower, more concentrated effort is sometimes mandatory. It’s okay if your cleaners move quickly, but they shouldn’t be rushing through any fine details.
6. If You Don’t Happen to Catch a Cleaning Crew in Action, Look Inside Your Cleaning and Supply Closet.
Most crews will ask for some storage space for products they use regularly, and you’re well within your bounds to inspect the space. Not only do you want to see a tidy, organized area – you also want to see products labeled and stored correctly. The best construction cleaning companies will maintain an organized cleaning closet to ensure that their products are taken care of so that they are properly equipped for the job.
7. Does Your Commercial Cleaning Company Offer Customized Quotes?
Every site requires a different approach to cleaning. Many services will offer prices based on square footage, but that’s not exactly the best method. While a generalized quote will often do the trick, you should want to see your construction cleaning service provide detail-oriented pricing that reflects your specific needs. Not all professional cleaning jobs are the same – each building and each client is different.
8. Is the Commercial Cleaning Service Reliable and Consistent?
A truly professional commercial cleaning service will always arrive on time, in uniform with proper ID. Furthermore, the crews used at your building should (whenever possible) consist of the same people. Although cleaning teams can have large rosters and workforce churn is inevitable, you should hopefully see some familiar faces. Seeing different faces may mean that the cleaning service is having trouble with staffing, and that could eventually affect your cleaning routine.
If your current commercial cleaning service doesn’t meet most of the standards above, then it’s not a stretch to say that you’re getting sub-par service. If that’s the case, then it may be time to look for a professional team that both know and promise the standards mentioned above.
Since 1996, Legacy Cleaning Solutions has been serving Colorado, working tirelessly to ensure that our customers’ facilities are maintained to the highest standards. Please contact us today to learn more about our top-tier cleaning services in Denver!
