Why a written checklist matters
Almost every complaint we inherit from a previous vendor traces back to the same root cause: nobody wrote down what was supposed to happen. A verbal promise made during the sales visit fades within a quarter, and by month six the crew is doing whatever fits in the time allotted. A printed, room-by-room checklist removes that ambiguity for everyone — the client, the supervisor and the cleaner standing in the room at 9:40 PM.
Entrances and lobby
Glass doors and side lights are cleaned inside on both faces; frames and push plates are disinfected. Walk-off matting is vacuumed on both sides and lifted so the floor underneath is cleaned — matting traps roughly eighty per cent of the soil that enters a building, and a mat that is never lifted becomes a soil reservoir. Reception desks are detailed around, not over, personal items.
Workstations and open plan
Trash and recycling are emptied and liners replaced only when soiled or wet, which keeps plastic use sensible. Hard desk surfaces that are clear are wiped; we never move paperwork. Carpet is vacuumed in traffic lanes nightly and wall to wall at least twice a week, with edging monthly.
Restrooms
This is where accounts are won and lost. Fixtures are cleaned with a two-cloth method, dispensers restocked and wiped, mirrors polished, partitions spot-cleaned, floors mopped with fresh solution and drains treated weekly to control odour. Restroom tools are colour-coded and never leave that zone.
Break rooms
Tables and chair backs wiped, appliance exteriors and handles disinfected, sinks scoured, floor mopped. Interior fridge cleaning is scheduled monthly with notice posted a week ahead so employees can remove what they want to keep.
The four tasks most contracts leave out
In order of how often we see them missing: high dusting above eye level, vent and diffuser faces, light switch plates, and the underside of desk edges where hands rest. None of them take long. All of them are visible to a visitor who is looking, and to an employee who is tired of looking at them.
Questions about anything in this article? John Davis is reachable on +1 858 782 4482 or John@wecb.mtechmpl.com.