In any building, you visit on a Monday morning, it’s easy to see if the building is cleaned. Desks with dust, trash cans spilling over, and dirty countertops show that poor building maintenance distracts and deteriorate your employees every work day.

If you’re a Liverpool business owner or office manager weighing up whether to bring in professional help, this guide walks you through exactly why office cleaning Liverpool companies rely on isn’t just a nice-to-have. We’ll cover the real link between cleanliness and staff wellbeing, what a thorough cleaning office routine actually involves, how much it costs, and how to pick a provider you can trust — including what to look for in office cleaning agencies operating across Merseyside.

The Effects of a Messy Work Environment

Before we present the solutions, it’s important to know what’s lost. Poorly maintained work environments cost resources and affect the workforce in negative ways. When we look at these effects, we can then determine what services we want to engage and how much we want to spend.

The Risks add up Quickly

Coworking spaces have an abundance of germ and bacterial activity through high frequency contact with surfaces such as doors, keyboards, phones, and surfaces in the kitchen. High contact surfaces which remain untouched by disinfectant and sanitizing bleach become breeding grounds for illnesses such as cold, flu, and stomach illnesses. Offices which avoid the recommended sanitization procedures during peak illness seasons are typically easy to spot due to exceptionally high unexcused absentees.

 poor air quality, the presence of dust, and mold spores aggravate asthma and other respiratory issues. Employees with these issues and sensitivities are often negatively impacted because offices which fail to clean their carpets, vents, and upholstery experience an overwhelming presence of mold, dust, and poor air quality.

 Concentration Suffers

 Clutter annoys employees and has a negative impact on productivity. Science of workplace psychology states that having visual order serves a functional purpose of relieving stress. A cluttered workspace serves as a barrier to completing one’s work.

 The attitude of the employer begins to show when employees see a workspace with spills and uncovered trash. Poor workspace conditions begin to show in company surveys and employee turnover over time.

First Impressions Matter for Businesses Too

Prospective clients, suppliers, and employees make judgments about your company almost immediately upon stepping into your business space. An office cleaning routine that demonstrates a commitment to clean reception areas, meeting rooms, and common areas reflects your company’s commitment to both professionalism and attention to detail in the running of your business.

What Does a Real Office Cleaning Routine Entail?

The term “office cleaning” is interpreted in numerous ways by different people; therefore, it is beneficial to understand what a detailed cleaning service actually involves.

Daily

Bin liner replacement

Cleaning of shared equipment, phones, and desks

Carpeted area vacuuming

Toilet and washroom cleaning and stock replacement

Sanitizing kitchen and breakout areas

Spot cleaning of reception surfaces and glass doors

Weekly

Carpet and floor deep vacuuming and mopping

Shelving, blinds and skirting board dusting

Cleaning of high touch surfaces, door handles, and light switches

Interior windows and mirror cleaning

Occasional and Specialty Cleaning

Cleaning of kitchen appliances

Duct cleaning of heating and cooling vents

Exterior window cleaning

Upholstery cleaning and carpet deep cleaning

A good office cleaner will customize daily, weekly, and periodic tasks based on your company’s floorplan, traffic, and industry.

The Importance of Consistency Over Intensity When Addressing Long-Term Problems

That one deep clean a month to offset the weeks of daily negligence won’t cut it. Dust and bacteria multiply almost by the second, thus the value of office cleanings centers around consistency of daily cleanings, rather than that one big clean before you expect the big client to swing by.

What Does Office Cleaning Cost?

Most business owners want to know this first, and rightfully so, as they need to account for the budget.

Standard contract cleaning in the UK is between £15 and £25 per hour, and smaller offices have been known to have fixed monthly cleaning contracts. This, of course, depends on the size of the office and the scope of the cleaning.

What Influences Office Cleaning Prices?

The size of the space matters – the larger the space, the longer it will take to clean, and the greater the overall cost will be.

Frequency of cleaning matters too – while a twice-weekly cleaning would be less expensive than a daily cleaning, the per-visit price of a cleaning contract would be less for more frequent cleaning.

Scope of cleaning similarly matters – obviously, a full cleaning would cost more than a spot cleaning. This means the cleaning contract would have to include sanitizing the washrooms and cleans of the kitchen and windows.

Time of cleaning can also influence the cost – out of hours cleaning, like evening or early morning cleanings, can slightly increase the overall cost.

Other factors, especially specialized ones, can also influence the price. Specialized carpet cleans, sanitizing, or cleaning for specific industries can increase the cost of the cleaning contracts.

For a 10-15 desk office, a twice weekly service will likely cost between £100 and £200 per month. For larger offices with daily service or where the office operates the service and manages the facilities, costs will be higher, but most suppliers will offer a free estimate, so you will not have to guess.

Getting Value, Not Just a Low Price

A low price quote is not always the best deal. A provider that cuts corners and uninsured, is likely to provide poor service and require many visits and therefore be a poor value. Inquire what is included in the quote, if they will supply the equipment, and if the staff is vetted and insured.

Choosing Between In-House Staff and Office Cleaning Agencies

Some companies hire a cleaner and some hire an agency to clean the office. Both have pros and cons

In-House Cleaning Staff

You have control over the cleaning staff and how they clean. You have flexibility in the cleaning tasks, but you have to manage hiring, training, vacations and sick days, payroll, and supply management.

Professional Cleaning Agencies

Absences are covered, staff are typically trained and vetted, and equipment and supply management is shifted to the agency. This also allows for flexibility in the contract based on your needs. However, you lose some control over the cleaning staff and the agency will determine the quality of service.

For the majority of small and medium size companies in Liverpool, using a cleaning agency is the better option, especially since agencies take care of sickness and holiday coverage so your office doesn’t go uncleaned.

What to Expect from a Good Provider

Evidence of Insurance (at a minimum, public liability)

References/reviews from local businesses

Outlined agreements that contain itemized details of services, avoid vague promises

Consistent personnel, so you are not bothered with new cleaners each time

Use of environmentally safe cleaning supplies (if this pertains to your business)

Local companies that serve Liverpool’s business districts, from the commercial districts of the city center to the Speke, Wavertree and Baltic Triangle areas, are often better equipped to deal with the restrictions of building and office access, including parking and logistics outside normal working hours, than national companies that manage the area through their offices.

Building a Cleaning Schedule that Fits

A schedule is only viable and effective if it is in line with the way a space is used. Here’s the simplified approach.

1. Define your footfall

Count your daily footfall. Your high traffic zones will be your reception, kitchen areas, and washrooms.

2. Daily vs. Periodic

Everyday tasks will keep your office clean and hygienic, while periodic tasks (carpet cleaning, window washing, deep kitchen cleans) will keep your office in good working condition, and can be scheduled once a month or once a quarter without disrupting the daily work tasks.

3. Get your staff involved

Have staff fill out a form or poll in which they provide their thoughts and comments about what they view as dirty and what bothers them the most. From their perspective, they can best identify what is being left clean.

Step 4: Review and Adjust

Even if you created a schedule six months ago, it might not accommodate your current office needs due to shifts in your staffing numbers or changes to the type of work (e.g. a shift to hybrid working patterns). Be sure to review and adjust your schedule every few months.

Supporting Employee Wellness Beyond the Basics

There’s a link between hygiene and wellness beyond just disease prevention.

Mental Clarity: Employees appreciate an organized and orderly workspace most of the time. Clutter takes a cognitive burden that employees can do without when focusing on more tasking activities.

Comfort: Employees perceive their workplace as less comfortable in a neglected and unclean workspace.  A clean workplace is respected and indirectly appreciated by employees.

Sick Days: An unclean workplace harbors illnesses which results in employees calling in sick. Employees then take sick days which ultimately impacts the workplace productivity.

Air Quality: Vacuuming and changing air filters improve the air quality and helps reduce headaches and irritation.

Improving any of these factors positively impacts the workplace. Clean workplaces are now part and parcel of any wellness strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should an office be professionally cleaned? Most offices can be cleaned twice or thrice a week. Daily cleaning is recommended for more active spaces such as kitchens and restrooms. Reception areas need daily cleaning irrespective of the size of the office.

What’s the cost of cleaning an office for a small business? It typically costs between £100 and £250 per month for an office cleaning service that occurs twice per week, although the total cost depends on several factors, such as the size of the office, the type of services required, and the location. To get the exact cleaning service cost, it is best to request a site quote.

What do standard cleaning contracts include? Standard contracts include cleaning of desks, vacuuming, washing and cleaning of restrooms, and cleaning of kitchens, and may include additional services, such as carpet cleaning or window washing for an extra fee.

Is it better to use a cleaning agency or hire an in-house cleaner? Cleaning agencies are better suited for small and medium businesses. They take on all the responsibilities of hiring cleaners, such as staff cover, training, and purchase of supplies. You do not have to worry about managing the cleaning staff.

Does hiring a cleaning service really impact sick days in the office? Yes, Virtually eliminating illness in the workplace by continuously cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are shared is one of the more noticeable and measurable benefits from regularly scheduled cleanings.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

A clean office has many benefits. The health and mental focus of employees is improved. Employees are not distracted by cleaning. You may be carrying out an analysis of local cleaning agencies, domestic staff vs. outsourced staff, or just how much your office will cost to clean; the end goal in all cases will be to provide your staff with a clean supportive work environment.

Maid Right Cleaning Ltd can provide customized cleaning arrangements that align with the size, number of employees, and budget constraints of your business’s office space. Employee wellness and productivity can be improved by an improved workspace dusted and vacuumed regularly. Talk to us to schedule your free cleaning service assessment.