Cleaning Standards and Quality Control: A Comprehensive Guide

Impeccable janitorial standards are a fundamental pillar of operational excellence, health, and reputation. From bustling office buildings to critical healthcare facilities, the cleanliness of your environment has a direct impact on everything from customer perception to employee well-being.

Read on to learn what cleaning standards are, their importance, popular industry benchmarks, and practical steps to implement and maintain them effectively using housekeeping software like GoAudits.

What are Cleaning Standards?

Cleaning standards are a set of defined guidelines, procedures, and benchmarks that dictate the expected level of cleanliness, hygiene, and maintenance. They outline what needs to be cleaned, how and when it should be cleaned, and who is responsible for the cleaning tasks.

Despite knowing their importance, businesses often face significant challenges in upholding cleaning standards in housekeeping, mainly due to:

• High Staff Turnover: Constantly training new staff on complex procedures can lead to inconsistencies.
• Multi-Site Management: Ensuring uniform standards across numerous locations without centralized oversight is a logistical nightmare.
• Inconsistent Application: Human error and varying interpretations can lead to deviations from standard procedures.

This is where cleaning software like GoAudits comes into play. By leveraging digital SOPs, checklists, and inspection tools, organizations can centralize information, standardize processes, and ensure that every team member, regardless of experience or location, follows the exact same protocols.

Why Maintaining High Janitorial Cleaning Standards is Critical

Adhering to high janitorial cleaning standards in housekeeping offers a multitude of benefits that extend far beyond a sparkling surface:

• Service Quality & Reputation: A clean environment reflects professionalism and attention to detail, enhancing your brand image and customer satisfaction.
• Health and Safety: High standards minimize the spread of germs, allergens, and pathogens, protecting occupants from illness and reducing the risk of accidents (e.g., slips on wet floors).
• Compliance: Many industries are subject to strict regulatory requirements regarding hygiene and sanitation. Adhering to established housekeeping standards ensures compliance, avoiding fines, legal issues, and shutdowns.
• Operational Efficiency: Clear standards streamline cleaning processes, reduce wasted effort, and optimize the use of resources.
• Employee Morale & Productivity: A clean, organized, and healthy workspace contributes significantly to employee well-being. It creates a positive atmosphere, reduces absenteeism, and can boost productivity.

Popular Cleaning Industry Standards

Understanding janitorial industry standards can help you benchmark your operations and strive for excellence.

• ISSA CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standard) focuses on six core areas: quality systems, service delivery, human resources, health, safety, environmental stewardship, management commitment, and financial management. Overall, it helps organizations demonstrate their commitment to quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• GBAC STAR Accreditation: Developed by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA, it provides a performance-based accreditation for facilities that establish and maintain a comprehensive system for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention.
• APPA Cleaning Standards (Association of Physical Plant Administrators): Primarily used in educational and institutional facilities, APPA provides a framework for evaluating and maintaining cleanliness levels, often categorized into five levels from “Orderly Spotlessness” to “Unacceptable.”
• ISO Standards: While not specific to cleaning, ISO standards like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 provide a framework for quality and environmental practices within cleaning operations.
• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration): In the US, OSHA sets and enforces standards to ensure safe and healthful working conditions, including guidelines relevant to chemical handling, bloodborne pathogens, and general workplace safety that directly impact cleaning protocols.
• Other Industry-Specific Housekeeping Standards: Many sectors have their own unique requirements, such as HACCP for food service, or specific regulations for pharmaceutical cleanrooms, which dictate highly specialized cleaning protocols.

How to Establish Robust Cleaning Standards in Housekeeping

Establishing and maintaining high housekeeping standards requires a systematic approach. Here are the key steps:

Step 1: Define The Desired Cleaning Levels

Clearly articulate what “clean” means for every area within a given facility. Set specific, measurable expectations based on traffic levels, the area’s purpose, regulatory requirements, and stakeholder expectations.

Categorize areas and assign precise cleanliness levels (e.g., daily sanitization, weekly deep clean). This detailed definition provides a clear benchmark for your cleaning team and subsequent audits.

Step 2: Develop Comprehensive Cleaning Procedures (SOPs)

Create detailed cleaning SOPs for every cleaning task, outlining step-by-step instructions, required tools, products, safety precautions, frequency, and quality indicators. Digitize all your SOPs using a mobile-first tool like GoAudits that offers features like centralized access, version control, and multimedia integration.

Here are some essential cleaning checklists to help you get started:

• Professional Deep Cleaning Checklists
• Warehouse Cleaning Checklists
• Restaurant Cleaning Checklists
• Hotel Housekeeping Checklists
• Office Cleaning Checklists

Step 3: Select Appropriate Cleaning Products & Equipment

The efficacy of your cleaning operations depends on the tools you use. Select high-quality cleaning agents suitable for various surfaces and types of soil, prioritizing safety and sustainability.

Invest in efficient and safe equipment such as ergonomic vacuum cleaners, auto-scrubbers, electrostatic sprayers, and microfiber systems, and provide appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Step 4: Train Your Cleaning Team Thoroughly

Even with the best SOPs and equipment, a well-trained team is essential. Conduct comprehensive onboarding and ongoing practical training sessions covering housekeeping SOPs, proper product usage, equipment operation, and safety protocols. Explain the “why” behind each procedure to motivate staff and encourage a culture of continuous learning and feedback.

Step 5: Conduct Regular Cleaning Audits & Inspections

Conduct regular housekeeping audits to verify compliance with industry standards and identify areas for improvement. This includes scheduled and unannounced checks using objective checklists.

GoAudits janitorial software simplifies and enhances your cleaning audit process with customizable digital checklists, objective scoring, photo capture, geo-tagging, time-stamping, and instant reporting, providing data for in-depth analysis and a clear feedback loop.

We have already seen an improvement in our cleaning procedures by 20%. We’ve saved a lot of administrative time using the reporting feature, which provides summaries and highlights problem areas for us.

Harjhot Khambay, Director at Sterling Dental Group

Cleaning Standards by Facility Type

While the core principles remain the same, janitorial standards often need to be adapted to the specific needs and risks of different facility types.

Commercial Cleaning Standards for Office Buildings

Office cleaning focuses on maintaining a professional and hygienic environment for employees and visitors. Key considerations include:

• Daily Tasks: Dusting surfaces, emptying bins, vacuuming carpets, cleaning restrooms, sanitizing high-touch points (door handles, light switches).
• Periodic Tasks: Floor waxing, carpet shampooing, window cleaning, deep cleaning of kitchens/break rooms.

Hospital & Aged Care Facilities Cleaning Standards

Cleaning standards for aged care facilities and hospitals are often regulated and extremely rigorous:

• Disinfection: Strict protocols for disinfecting surfaces to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• Pathogen Control: Specific procedures for handling bloodborne pathogens and other biohazards.
• Cross-contamination Prevention: Zoned cleaning, color-coded equipment, and strict hand hygiene.

Cleaning Standards for Schools

Schools require a balance of cleanliness, safety, and durability, considering the high traffic and varied activities of children:

• Sanitization: Frequent sanitization of desks, chairs, toys, and shared equipment.
• Restroom Hygiene: Regular cleaning and disinfection of toilets and sinks.
• Air Quality: Proper ventilation and dust control.

Rental Property Cleaning Standards

Janitorial standards are crucial for tenant satisfaction, rental property value, and deposit returns:

• Move-in/Move-out Cleaning: Thorough deep cleaning between tenants, often including appliances, carpets, and windows.
• Regular Maintenance: Expectations for tenants to maintain a certain level of cleanliness during their occupancy.
• Damage vs. Wear and Tear: Clear guidelines on what constitutes normal wear and tear versus damage requiring professional cleaning.

Hospitality Cleaning Standards

Hotels, resorts, and restaurants rely heavily on cleanliness for guest satisfaction and reputation:

• Guest Rooms: Meticulous cleaning and sanitization of all surfaces, linens, and amenities.
• Public Areas: Constant attention to lobbies, restaurants, pools, and fitness centers.
• Food Safety: Strict adherence to food hygiene standards in kitchens and dining areas.
• Attention to Detail: Ensuring no dust, streaks, or forgotten items.

Cleaning Quality Control & Continuous Improvement

Establishing standards is the first step; maintaining and improving them is an ongoing process.

Implement Regular Cleaning Quality Control Inspections

Regular inspections are the backbone of cleaning quality control, providing objective data on performance. Instead of subjective assessments, utilize structured checklists that cover all aspects of your janitorial standards.

These inspections, whether scheduled or unannounced, are crucial for identifying discrepancies and ensuring adherence to established protocols.

Track & Analyze Performance with Scores

Collecting and analyzing data from your inspections is invaluable for driving continuous improvement. By tracking scores over time, you can pinpoint trends, benchmark different teams or locations, and quantify the impact of new training or equipment.

Establish a Corrective Action Process

This involves clearly designating who is accountable for addressing the issue, setting realistic deadlines for completion, and verifying that the corrective action has been taken and the standard met. For recurring issues, conduct a root cause analysis to prevent future occurrences.

GoAudits streamlines your entire cleaning quality assurance process. From customizable digital checklists and objective scoring to photo evidence and instant reporting, it empowers you to track performance, manage corrective actions, and comply with janitorial standards.