A specification is the only document that settles an argument about whether something was cleaned. Without one, “the office looks scruffy” is an opinion. With one, it is a missed line on a schedule with a frequency attached.

Most disputes between offices and cleaning contractors trace back to a specification that was never written, or to a one page task list that says “clean kitchen” and leaves everything else to chance. What follows is a complete template. Take it, cut the areas you do not have, change the frequencies to suit how your building is used, and issue it with your tender.

How do you read the frequency codes?

Set one key at the top of the document and use it everywhere.

D = every cleaning day, on the agreed visit pattern
W = once a week, on a named day
F = fortnightly
M = once a month
Q = once a quarter
6M = twice a year
A = once a year
R = reactive, on request and charged separately

Write the visit pattern next to the key. “D means Monday to Friday, evenings from 18:00” removes the most common misunderstanding of all.

Reception, lifts and circulation

Task	Frequency
Empty waste and recycling, replace liners	D
Vacuum all carpeted areas including edges	D
Mop hard floors with the agreed dilution	D
Spot clean entrance glazing at hand height	D
Dust and wipe reception desk and counter tops	D
Clean and sanitise door handles, push plates, lift buttons	D
Tidy and straighten seating and literature	D
Clean entrance matting, lift and beat where fitted	W
Dust skirting, ledges, radiators and picture rails	W
Full clean of internal glazing and partitions to 2m	M
High level dusting above 2m, light fittings, vents	Q
Machine scrub or buff hard floors	Q
Deep clean entrance matting	6M

Open plan office and desks

Task	Frequency
Empty desk bins and recycling to the central point	D
Vacuum traffic lanes and under desks where accessible	D
Damp wipe clear desk surfaces, leaving papers untouched	D
Sanitise shared touch points, printers, door furniture	D
Spot clean marks on paintwork and partitions	W
Dust monitors, window sills, cable trays and storage tops	W
Vacuum upholstered task chairs	M
Detail vacuum edges, corners and under low furniture	M
Clean internal glazing to meeting pods	M
Hot water extraction on carpet tiles	A or as programmed

State clearly whether cleaners move items on desks. Most offices operate a clear desk rule for cleaning purposes and accept that a covered desk gets bin and floor service only. Write that down and there is no argument.

Meeting rooms and breakout

Task	Frequency
Reset tables and chairs to the standard layout	D
Wipe tables, remove cups and crockery to the kitchen	D
Clean whiteboards where marked “clean” by the occupier	D
Vacuum or mop floor	D
Sanitise remote controls, touch panels, phone units	D
Clean glazed partitions and doors, both faces	W
Dust AV equipment housings, vents and cable boxes	M
Clean upholstered breakout furniture	Q

Kitchens and tea points

Task	Frequency
Empty food waste and recycling, wash and reline bins	D
Clean and sanitise worktops, sinks, taps and splashbacks	D
Wipe fronts of fridges, dishwashers, cupboards and appliances	D
Clean microwave inside and out	D
Descale and polish boiling water taps and kettles	W
Mop floor including under free standing units	D
Clean inside fridges, dated and logged	M
Descale dishwasher and run a cleaning cycle	M
Degrease cupboard interiors and appliance seals	Q

Washrooms and showers

Task	Frequency
Clean and sanitise WCs, urinals, seats and flush handles	D
Clean and sanitise basins, taps, vanity units and mirrors	D
Restock hand towels, toilet tissue, soap and sanitiser	D
Empty and sanitise waste and sanitary bins	D
Spot clean cubicle doors, partitions and walls	D
Mop floors with washroom dedicated equipment	D
Descale WCs, urinals, taps and shower heads	W
Full clean of cubicle partitions, both faces	W
Clean shower trays, screens and grouting	D where in use
Deep clean tiling, grout and extract grilles	Q

Washroom equipment must be colour coded and kept separate from every other area. Say so in the specification. BICSc publishes the colour coding convention used across the UK cleaning industry and most contractors follow it.

Periodic and building wide

Task	Frequency
Internal glazing and partitions above 2m	Q
External window cleaning by reach and wash	M or 6 weekly
High level dusting, beams, ducts, sprinkler heads	6M
Hard floor strip, seal and polish	A
Carpet hot water extraction	A
Upholstery clean across soft seating	A
Bin store wash down and deodorise	M
Stair core and fire escape clean	W

What goes around the tables?

The task list is half the document. The other half is the contract wording that makes it enforceable.

Visit pattern and hours. Days, times, number of cleaners, hours per visit.
Access. Keys, fobs, alarm codes, sign-in procedure, managing agent rules.
Supply responsibility. Who provides chemicals, machinery, consumables and bin liners.
COSHH and risk assessment. Safety data sheets for every product and a site specific risk assessment, supplied at mobilisation and kept current. The HSE sets out both duties.
Audit. Who audits, how often, against what scoring, and who receives the report.
Rectification. How a missed task is reported and by when it is put right. “Fixed by the next clean” is a fair standard for daily work.
Variation. How extra hours or periodic work are requested and priced.
Staffing. Continuity of the same team, cover arrangements for absence, and any vetting you require confirmed in writing.
Waste. Where waste goes, who moves it to the bin store, and which streams are separated.
Review. A named date each year to revisit frequencies against how the building is actually used.

Setting frequencies honestly

Frequencies should follow footfall. A hybrid office that fills on Tuesday to Thursday rarely needs five identical evening cleans. It often needs three heavier cleans, two lighter ones and washroom cover every day. Our daytime and evening cleaning guide covers that trade off, and the Manchester cost guide shows what the hours translate into.

If you would rather have the specification written for you, that is what the free site visit produces. Take a look at office cleaning, or at how we work with buildings around Salford Quays and MediaCity.

Office Cleaning Specification Template You Can Copy