Hi all, I’ve been asked to look into something at work and I’m a bit out of my depth, so I thought I’d ask here to see if anyone has experience. Our office has about 30 people and while everyone tries to keep their own space tidy, the shared areas like the kitchen, toilets and meeting rooms are definitely not as clean as they should be. The boss has suggested we look into professional commercial cleaning but I’ve no idea what’s standard practice or what we should be asking for.

Does anyone know what’s usually included in a proper commercial cleaning contract? Is it just the basics like vacuuming floors and emptying bins, or does it cover things like deep cleaning the kitchen appliances, sanitising door handles and properly scrubbing toilets? I want to make sure that if we hire someone, we actually get a noticeable improvement rather than just a quick tidy-up.

Another issue is scheduling. Our office is busy during the day and I can’t imagine cleaners hoovering or wiping desks while we’re trying to work. Do most companies send their teams in early morning or in the evenings? Is that something you can negotiate, or are you tied to their hours?

And of course, there’s the question of cost. The quotes I’ve seen vary massively, and I don’t know how to judge what’s reasonable. Do you usually pay per hour, per visit, or sign a monthly contract? I’d hate to commit the company to something expensive that doesn’t deliver.

I’m also wondering about flexibility. Say we had an event in the office or a particularly busy week that left the place a mess – can you call in for extra help, or are you tied to a fixed routine?

So my big question is: for those of you who’ve arranged commercial cleaning for your workplace, what worked best? Did it actually improve hygiene and morale, or did it just feel like an unnecessary expense?