Commercial office cleaning: a guide for strata and commercial buildings

Not all strata is residential. Across South East Queensland, office buildings and mixed-use developments are owned in strata too, and many other commercial offices are managed by a building or facilities manager. These buildings have their own cleaning needs: working hours, visitors, shared amenities and tenants who expect a professional standard.

Types of commercial buildings

• Commercial offices: offices and desks, kitchens, staff facilities and bathrooms
• Strata office complexes: strata-titled suites with shared lobbies, lifts and amenities
• Mixed-use developments: residential above, retail and commercial at street level

Areas that need cleaning

• entry foyers, lobbies, lifts and corridors
• offices, desks and meeting rooms
• kitchens, staff rooms and break-out areas
• bathrooms, shared amenities and end-of-trip facilities
• entry signage, directory boards and glass
• bin enclosures and waste areas
• entry paths and walkways (litter)

Working around business hours

Offices are busiest when residential buildings are quiet. Cleaning schedules often:

• start early, before tenants arrive, or run in the evening
• keep noisy work such as vacuuming away from meetings and peak times
• clean kitchens and bathrooms mid-day in busy buildings
• schedule soft washing and periodic work on weekends

Kitchens, bathrooms and shared amenities

Shared kitchens, bathrooms and end-of-trip facilities need commercial-standard hygiene: regular cleaning, consumables restocked, hygiene bins serviced and floors kept dry. Facilities used by many businesses tend to have no single “owner”, so problems can go unreported. A cleaner who checks and reports every visit fills that gap.

Commercial waste

Offices generate more paper, cardboard and packaging than homes. Clear rules about what goes in shared bins, and who removes bulky items, prevent the waste area becoming a dumping ground. Cleaners should photograph and report misuse so the manager can follow up.

First impressions

Visitors judge a business by its foyer. Smudged glass, dusty directory boards, litter at the entrance and grimy paths undermine that. Periodic soft washing refreshes walls, paths and entry structures without damaging paint or signage, and run-off is managed so wash water stays out of stormwater drains. See our soft washing guide.

Mixed-use developments

Mixed-use buildings need cleaning that recognises different zones. Residential lobbies need a home-like standard; retail frontages need to look great before trading; commercial floors need office-style cleaning. Separate schedules and cost allocation for each zone keep things fair between residential and commercial owners.

Dividing costs fairly

In mixed-use and commercial strata schemes, cleaning costs may be shared differently between lot owners, or between residential and commercial sections, depending on the scheme’s structure and community management statement. Separate scopes and invoices for each zone or building make cost allocation transparent. Your body corporate manager can confirm how costs are apportioned in your scheme.

Security and access

Office buildings often have alarms, swipe access and doors on timers. Cleaners need clear arrangements for keys, codes and alarm procedures, and a process for reporting security concerns such as damaged doors, broken locks or signs of break-ins. Every visit is signed off with a completed checklist, so there’s a reliable record that the work was done.

Reporting for owners and managers

Commercial owners, tenants and managers expect professional service. Visit records, photos and issue reports help show value and act on maintenance issues quickly. Our client portal provides it as standard.

Seasonal and fit-out cleaning

End of financial year, Christmas shutdowns and tenant fit-outs all create extra waste and dust. Planning a clean after a fit-out or before a busy period keeps shared areas presentable when they matter most.

Pricing

Commercial offices are priced individually to their scope. Use our calculator (choose “Commercial offices”) for an indication, then book a free site visit for a written quotation.

Learn more about our commercial office cleaning service.