Regular cleaning with clear tasks and costs
Regular cleaning removes recurring everyday dirt. How often and how thoroughly each area is cleaned depends on its use, condition and agreed result. A good specification therefore says more than the floor area and a monthly price.
What does regular cleaning include?
Typical tasks cover floors and accessible surfaces, bathrooms and toilets, and emptying agreed waste bins. A household has different needs from an office or shared building. The actual included work belongs in a written task list.
An intensive initial or deep clean, windows and blinds, appliance interiors and specialist stain treatment are not automatically included on every visit. These can be separate tasks at longer intervals.
| Area | Specify the work |
|---|---|
| Floors | Flooring, accessible area and suitable care for the material |
| Surfaces | Clear tables, shelves and touchpoints; no unagreed handling of documents or equipment |
| Bathrooms and toilets | Toilets, basins, showers and mirrors, plus replenishing consumables |
| Kitchen / kitchenette | Worktops and sink; dishes and appliance interiors listed separately |
| Shared areas | Entrance, stairs, lift and ancillary rooms within the actual contract |
Different areas can need different frequencies
User numbers, public access, opening hours and incoming dirt affect the need. A rarely used meeting room may not need a full clean at every visit. Busy toilets may need more frequent attention.
A cleaning plan links each area to its tasks and frequency. Agree a fixed schedule, cleaning based on assessed need or a combination. Needs-based cleaning should not quietly remove essential tasks without a traceable agreement. Practices and other sensitive premises also require their operational hygiene instructions to be considered.
Compare hourly rates and monthly fees correctly
Hourly rates often apply to one person. A monthly fee covers an agreed scope and frequency. A square-metre price is only comparable when its period is clear: per visit, per month or another basis.
Two individual public Swiss tariff examples checked in October 2026: one regional company lists CHF 55 per person per hour, including VAT, materials and travel within its service area, with a CHF 110 minimum per visit. Another price list gives CHF 70.27 per hour including VAT for regular household cleaning and separately lists materials at CHF 32.43 per visit per employee. These are different inclusions, not a general market range.
Our own quantity example, with no assumed price: two people work one hour each, twice a week. That is four staff-hours a week and 16 over four weeks. Four weeks are not necessarily a calendar month. A monthly fee should therefore explain the visits included and how public holidays are handled.
Separate cleaning supplies from consumables
Cleaning products, cloths, vacuum cleaners and machines differ from toilet paper, hand soap and bin liners. Agree who supplies, stores and pays for each category. Refilling a dispenser does not necessarily include purchasing its contents.
The company should account for flooring and care instructions. More water or stronger products are not suitable for every surface. Specialist treatments, coatings and restoration need separate assessment from routine cleaning.
Agree access, cover and quality checks
A routine helps when responsibilities are clear. Nominate a contact and a suitable working window. Keys, alarm procedures and confidential areas are arranged with the appointed company, not included in a public request.
Ask how holidays, sickness and missed visits are covered. Agree how problems are reported, checked and corrected. A task sheet records completed work; occasional joint inspections also establish whether the agreed quality is being achieved.
What a comparable quote should include
Give every company the same requirements. A site visit can help assess access routes, furniture and intensity of use in large or unusual properties. The initial request does not yet need a complete specification.
- Scope and intervals. Rooms, tasks, frequencies and explicitly excluded extras.
- Pricing basis. Staff-hours or fixed fee, equipment, travel, consumables and VAT.
- Working arrangements. Hours, access, cover, public holidays and short-notice cancellations.
- Checks and agreement. Contact person, handling of concerns, duration and terms for changing or ending the arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
Is regular cleaning only for businesses?
No. It is also available for flats and houses. The term describes a recurring job, not exclusively a commercial customer.
Are windows cleaned on every visit?
Only if agreed. Windows often follow a different schedule from floors and toilets. Specify their scope and price separately.
Do I need to know how many working hours are needed?
No. Describe the area, tasks and preferred frequency. The company should estimate the workload and explain its quoting basis.
Is a deep clean necessary before starting?
Not always. It may help if dirt has built up. Ask for an assessment and have any initial clean priced separately from the recurring service.
Does everything need cleaning equally often?
No. A suitable plan can use different intervals. Start with your preferred main frequency; individual areas can be agreed afterwards.
