At a glance
Look for a room-by-room task list with frequencies, clear supply responsibilities, and a written distinction between routine cleaning and specialty work.
Start with the actual service areas
Walk through the property before building the task list. Identify offices, reception areas, meeting rooms, restrooms, breakrooms, storage, entrances, and any shared amenities. Note floor materials, the number of fixtures, normal occupancy, and spaces that are restricted or excluded.
A building’s total size does not tell the whole story. An open room and a group of heavily used restrooms require different work. Your scope should describe the areas being cleaned clearly enough that a new supervisor could understand the assignment.
Give each task a frequency
“Clean restrooms” is a starting point. A clearer scope identifies toilets, sinks, fixtures, mirrors, partitions, touch points, floors, waste containers, and supply refills. The same approach applies to clear desks, breakroom counters, entrance glass, and carpet.
- At scheduled visits: the routine tasks assigned to that area.
- At planned intervals: detailed work such as full glass cleaning or accessible fan cleaning.
- As a project: services with a separate method, service window, or price.
Use the cleaning-frequency guide to think through differences between busy shared spaces and lightly used rooms.
Separate cleaning equipment from consumables
Cleaning chemicals and equipment are different from tissue, paper towels, hand soap, and liners. State who supplies each item, who monitors stock, where it is stored, and how purchases are billed.
BR proposals may use customer-provided consumables or a replenishment arrangement with purchases billed separately. Neither arrangement should be assumed from the phrase “supplies included.”
Document access and boundaries
Agree on service hours, keys or other access arrangements, alarm instructions, and end-of-visit closeout. Identify who clears desks and who moves furniture. Personal papers, sensitive electronics, and internal equipment need explicit boundaries.
Periodic carpet cleaning, floor restoration, and full-surface pressure washing are included only when the written proposal says so. Routine vacuuming or spot cleaning does not automatically include those services.
Make review and changes part of the plan
Name a facility contact and a service contact. Explain how concerns are reported, how supervisors review the work, and how changes are documented. A new shift, additional restroom, or change in building use may require a revised scope.
Before accepting a proposal, read it as an operating document: can both parties identify what happens, where, and when? That is the foundation of a manageable cleaning relationship.
Sample scope-of-work table
This is an illustrative format, not an included service package. Confirm every task, frequency, and responsibility for your facility.
| Area | Task | Example frequency | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restrooms | Clean fixtures, mirrors, touch points, floors; empty waste | Each scheduled visit | Cleaning team; client confirms access |
| Breakroom | Clean counters, sink, tables, appliance exteriors and floor | Each scheduled visit | Cleaning team; client clears food and personal items |
| Private offices | Dust accessible surfaces and vacuum | Agreed weekly rotation | Cleaning team; client keeps desks clear |
| Consumables | Check and refill paper products, soap and liners | Agreed visits or checks | Name purchaser, stock monitor and restocker separately |
| Carpets | Extraction or encapsulation compatible with flooring | Separately agreed maintenance interval | Separate project scope; confirm furniture and drying arrangements |
Keep service days and hours, exclusions, inspection procedures, and the process for approving extra work alongside this table. See the cost comparison checklist and frequency examples before comparing bids.
Put the plan into practice.
Discuss your facility, priorities, and service needs with Blue Ribbon.
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