Plan and compare cleaning for your practice
Reception, toilets, examination rooms and laboratories have different uses. Each area therefore needs a defined scope. Beyond floor area and price, a meaningful comparison includes responsibilities, hygiene requirements and available working times.
Assess hourly rates alongside the monthly service
Two Swiss price examples checked in October 2026 show different cost bases. One contractor lists CHF 48–58 per hour before VAT for regular practice cleaning. Another lists CHF 50 with the practice’s materials or CHF 60 with its own, before VAT. Both add 8.1% VAT.
These convert to CHF 51.89–62.70, or CHF 54.05 and CHF 64.86 per hour including the stated tax. They are published examples, not a guaranteed market range. Hygiene scope, minimum attendance, travel and surcharges must match the actual quote.
- Count staff-hours correctly. Two people working 45 minutes each provide 1.5 staff-hours. Three such visits per week total 18 staff-hours over four weeks. A calendar month is not always four weeks long.
- Define fixed fees. A monthly fee should specify visits, rooms, tasks and periodic extras. Explicitly account for absences, public holidays and practice closures.
Describe the work by room group
Equal floor areas do not necessarily mean equal work. Several small equipped treatment rooms differ from an open waiting area. State the area actually included in the contract and the rooms covered.
| Area | Clarify in the specification |
|---|---|
| Reception and waiting areas | Floors, accessible furniture, contact points and ordinary waste |
| Treatment rooms | Agreed room surfaces; boundaries around devices and between-patient tasks |
| Toilets and staff rooms | Sanitary fittings, kitchenette and separate cleaning utensils |
| Laboratory, procedure or reprocessing room | Special instructions, access and precise responsibilities |
Set clear cleaning and disinfection instructions
Cleaning removes soil; necessary disinfection serves a different purpose and must be targeted. A shiny surface does not demonstrate hygienic suitability. Treatment and frequency depend on use, risk, practice requirements and appropriate products.
The plan should identify who is responsible, the surface, method, product, frequency and record of completion. Disinfectants require correct application and the specified contact time. Not every surface needs the same treatment on every visit.
Existing plans help contractors quote. If they are missing or rooms and procedures have changed, responsible practice management should define requirements with suitable professional support. An ordinary building-cleaning service does not replace that assessment.
What is not automatically included
Cleaning a room is not the same as reprocessing medical instruments. Device interiors, technical servicing and releasing reprocessed medical devices are not implicit housekeeping tasks. Manufacturer instructions and the relevant specialist processes matter.
Medical waste does not all fall into one category. Hazardous, sharp or infectious waste requires appropriate collection and disposal arrangements. Providing and managing containers and specialist collection must be agreed separately from ordinary room waste.
- Between treatments. Tasks needed while the practice operates must have an explicitly assigned owner. An evening cleaning contractor does not automatically take them over.
- Special incidents. For a particular contamination incident, the practice must have the appropriate response professionally determined. A routine contract does not cover every exceptional disinfection task.
Organise timing, access and confidentiality
Agree times when rooms are actually available, including when they can be used again afterwards. Early morning or evening may suit the practice but is not essential everywhere. Frequency follows the agreed need; external cleaning visits do not represent all hygiene measures carried out in the practice.
A team familiar with the site, organised cover and a reachable contact help maintain continuity. Keys, alarms, storage and separation of clean and used utensils belong in the site briefing.
Patient records and screens should not appear incidentally in cleaning photographs. Set rules for confidential information and permitted images. The initial quotation request needs no patient data or access codes.
Judge quality through verifiable work
Ask about experience in comparable practices, training, site induction and handling of deviations. A marketing word such as ‘hygienic’ does not define a verifiable service. What matters is whether agreed tasks are reliably completed and can be traced when needed.
- Before starting. Review rooms, tasks and responsibilities together. Agree products, material compatibility and special areas.
- During the contract. Record visits and relevant deviations under the agreed process. Assign a contact for missed tasks and corrective work.
- When things change. Update the plan for new rooms, procedures or opening hours. Confirm the scope and price of extra services.
Information that helps with a suitable quote
Practice type, selected rooms, approximate area, number of treatment or specialist rooms, frequency, available hygiene instructions and access times are enough to frame an initial enquiry. A site visit can establish details afterwards.
Compare routine work separately from extras. Windows, blinds, intensive floor care, laundry and consumables are not automatically included. A cheaper quote with fewer visits or omitted rooms is not an equivalent service.
Frequently asked questions
Is ordinary office cleaning sufficient?
That depends on the areas included and their requirements. Treatment and specialist rooms need appropriate procedures. The specification must distinguish those needs.
Does everything need disinfecting every day?
One blanket rule for all practice surfaces is inappropriate. Responsible practice staff determine needs based on use, risk and professional requirements. The contractor follows the agreed plan.
Are instruments and medical devices included?
Not automatically. Instrument reprocessing and technical servicing are separate specialist tasks. Even external device surfaces need an explicit agreement covering responsibilities and appropriate manufacturer instructions.
Can the practice supply its own products?
Yes, if agreed with the contractor and consistent with hygiene requirements. Purchasing, dosing, storage and material compatibility must be clear. A lower hourly rate may mean paying for materials separately.
Is a monthly fee better than an hourly rate?
A fixed fee helps planning when tasks and visit numbers are defined. Hourly billing may suit variable work. A complete specification and transparent total cost matter most.
