Every one of us knows that a clean office can help boost employee productivity and improve their morale at work. Even though you clean their spaces daily, it is possible to make some mistakes and not clean properly.
These simple and small mistakes can make them feel dissatisfied with the cleaning practice. This results in losing their interest in work. In the long run, it indirectly affects the organization and reduces productivity.
Let’s explore some common office cleaning mistakes and how hiring a commercial cleaning service can solve them in the long run.
List of Common Mistakes in office cleaning – Solved by Commercial office cleaning Services
These are the top issues to be resolved by commercial office cleaning services. Also, we suggest you hire the best cleaning services near you.
- Inconsistent Cleaning Schedules
- Wrong Cleaning Products – Used
- High-touch Areas and Hidden Areas – Hidden
- Trash Bin Problems – Daily
- Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning – Neglected
- Restroom Sanitation – Neglected
- Floor Maintenance – Skipped
- Storage and organizing Skills – No
- Employees – Cleaners
- Quality Control and Accountability
Inconsistent Cleaning Schedules – Common Mistake
The Mistake:
Many offices operate without a fixed cleaning schedule, relying on ad hoc or reactive cleaning, often only when the space looks dirty. This leads to built-up grime, lingering germs, and an unprofessional appearance.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Commercial office cleaning services work on structured cleaning schedules tailored to your office size, foot traffic, and business needs. Whether you need daily vacuuming, weekly deep cleans, or monthly disinfection, these companies ensure tasks are done consistently, so nothing gets missed or delayed.
Using the Wrong Cleaning Products
The Mistake:
From using window cleaner on desks to harsh chemicals on electronics, untrained staff often use incorrect or overly abrasive products. This can damage surfaces and create hazardous fumes in closed spaces.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Professionals know which products to use for each material—wood, glass, plastic, leather, and more. Most commercial office cleaning companies also use eco-friendly or hospital-grade disinfectants to balance safety and effectiveness. They minimize risks to people, surfaces, and the environment.
Ignoring High-Touch and Hidden Areas
The Mistake:
DIY or in-house cleaning staff may focus on visible areas like floors and windows, but overlook critical high-touch zones—door handles, elevator buttons, keyboards, light switches, and shared kitchen appliances.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Professional cleaners follow comprehensive checklists that include all overlooked areas. Their training ensures they target hotspots for bacteria and viruses, helping reduce the spread of illness and maintaining a hygienic office environment.
Not Emptying Trash Bins Daily
The Mistake:
Overflowing trash bins not only look bad, but they also smell, attract pests, and can spread bacteria. Many offices forget to empty bins daily, especially in lower-traffic areas like meeting rooms or private offices.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Daily waste removal is a basic but essential task in any commercial office cleaning package. Ensuring trash bins are cleaned daily by professionals.
Neglecting Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
The Mistake:
Carpets and office chairs often accumulate dust, allergens, and stains over time. Without regular deep cleaning, they become breeding grounds for mold and bacteria, triggering allergies and respiratory issues.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Professional cleaning services offer steam cleaning, vacuuming, and upholstery sanitation as part of their regular or seasonal offerings. This helps maintain indoor air quality and extends the life of office furnishings.
Overlooking Restroom Sanitation
The Mistake:
Restrooms are one of the most sensitive areas in any office. Inadequate cleaning here can lead to unpleasant odors, germ spread, and employee complaints. Spot-cleaning without deep sanitation doesn’t cut it.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Commercial cleaners use specialized disinfectants, odor neutralizers, and detailed routines to clean restrooms thoroughly. They sanitize toilet seats, sinks, faucets, door handles, and restock supplies regularly, ensuring a safe, hygienic experience for all employees and visitors.
Skipping Regular Floor Maintenance
The Mistake:
Dusty corners, stained tiles, and slippery floors result from irregular or improper floor maintenance. DIY cleaning often lacks the tools and knowledge to maintain flooring properly, leading to long-term damage or safety issues.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Commercial floor cleaning teams use industrial-grade equipment and suitable floor care techniques, mopping, polishing, buffing, and stripping, based on your floor type (wood, tile, laminate, or concrete). They also apply anti-slip treatments when needed, reducing accident risks.
Poor Storage and Organization of Cleaning Supplies
The Mistake:
Leaving cleaning products or equipment visible in office areas can look unprofessional. Worse, storing chemicals incorrectly can pose health and safety risks to staff.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
A commercial office cleaning company manages its supplies and stores them properly, off-site or in designated janitorial closets. Staff are trained in safe chemical handling and ensure nothing disrupts the office space or safety protocols.
Relying Solely on Employees for Cleaning
The Mistake:
Assigning cleaning responsibilities to admin staff or employees may save money in the short term, but it often leads to inconsistent cleaning, lower morale, and tasks being done poorly or skipped.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Outsourcing to professionals means your employees can focus on their core responsibilities. You gain peace of mind knowing that qualified cleaners are taking care of hygiene, with proper supervision, checklists, and accountability.
Not Adapting Cleaning Protocols Post-COVID
The Mistake:
Since the pandemic, many offices have returned to pre-COVID cleaning routines, neglecting high-frequency disinfection, indoor air quality, or hybrid workspace cleaning protocols.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Commercial cleaning providers now follow post-COVID cleaning standards, including fogging, electrostatic spraying, HEPA vacuuming, and frequent disinfecting of shared areas. They stay up to date with CDC or WHO guidelines, adapting services to your workspace model.
Bonus: Lack of Quality Control and Accountability
The Mistake:
With in-house or informal cleaners, there’s often no performance tracking, feedback loop, or consistent quality assurance. This leads to declining standards over time.
How Commercial Services Solve It:
Reputable commercial office cleaning services provide supervisors, audits, digital checklists, and customer service follow-ups. Some even offer online dashboards where clients can monitor tasks and raise concerns in real-time.
Final Thoughts: The Value of Getting It Right
A clean office is more than just a nice-to-have. It’s a key contributor to employee well-being, brand perception, and operational efficiency. While DIY efforts may seem sufficient at first, the hidden pitfalls and long-term costs of poor cleaning practices can be significant.
Commercial office cleaning services bring expertise, consistency, and reliability to the table, ensuring your workspace stays spotless, safe, and professional.
If you’ve been making any of the mistakes mentioned above, now is the time to reassess your cleaning strategy. Partner with a trusted commercial cleaning provider and give your office the care it truly deserves.
Need help finding the right commercial office cleaning partner?
Look for companies with proven experience, customizable plans, eco-friendly products, and clear communication channels. Or else just call our cleaning expert with decades of experience and get a free quote.