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Janitorial cleaning checklists not only keep your employees on track, but they also make for more satisfied customers.

Lists. It seems we need them for everything these days, as though there’s somehow more to do than there used to be. People make grocery lists and task lists, among others. And the reality is, it’s a good practice. That’s why introducing janitorial cleaning checklists to your clients and staff will win you more business than if you work without them.

Imagine, for example, that your cleaning staff shows up at a new client site for the first day of cleaning. The client wants to know if your team member has a checklist. The team member says no, we don’t use checklists, we just base it off the contract—except the team member doesn’t have a copy of the contract, either. What is a client to think?


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Janitorial Cleaning Checklist

Use checklists to make everyone happy

However good your cleaning staff may be, it’s likely that something will get overlooked on a new job (and perhaps on existing jobs) without janitorial cleaning checklists. Not only will that displease your customer, but it will also displease you and your cleaning staff as well. In that way, a checklist functions as a sort of safety net – an assurance that your company will provide all the services you agreed to provide.

In the same vein, a checklist helps protect your business. If a client thinks something should be cleaned but it’s not a part of their contract, a checklist provides some evidence that the work isn’t covered under the current payment terms (assuming you use the contract to make the checklist, that is).

Checklists can also help with inventory control. If you have a list of tasks to do on any given job, you can estimate the materials you’ll need for each of them and stock accordingly. If you’re significantly lower on materials than seems reasonable for a particular job or task, you’ll know you have something that you need to look into. (With some electronic checklists, you can even list the necessary supplies so that your staff knows what to expect of you and the client knows what they’re paying for.)

Janitorial Cleaning Checklist

What to include

So what should be on janitorial cleaning checklists? After all, not all of your customers are the same. While it can be helpful to start with a template, you’ll probably find that you need customized lists for each client. (An office cleaning checklist won’t do you much good in a factory.) Still, starting with the template will save you some time and give you some solid starting points.

For any client, checklists should include some basic things, like emptying trash receptacles, sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning bathrooms and replacing things like soap and paper towels. Those things you’ll probably need to do at just about any client site.

Janitorial Cleaning Checklist

Customize it

There will be some sites, however, that will need more specific janitorial cleaning checklists. If you have any medical or dental clients, you’ll want to include OSHA standards on those checklists. Or, maybe one of your client sites is a religious building, and there will be specific places or things that need cleaning that wouldn’t be on a standard checklist.

Customizing also helps make clients happy because it gives them choices. People love to have things tailored to their needs; it makes them feel attended to. Offering customization on checklists, with optional items, gives your business a longer reach, and will probably get more attention from prospective clients than cleaning businesses without checklists.

Janitorial Cleaning Checklist

Leveraging janitorial management software

With today’s technology, customizable janitorial cleaning checklists are easier to create than ever. With janitorial management software, you can create electronic checklists that both you and the client can view at any time. These checklists are easy to change, and there’s never a question of whether or not everyone has the most updated list.


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If you don’t use janitorial management software, you can still create great checklists for everyone on your team. Basic Microsoft Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint all have the capability to make lists. Even without janitorial management software, you can keep the lists electronic and send them through email for access on mobile devices.

And of course, there’s nothing wrong with using a manual paper checklist if that best suits you. Just remember to keep everyone updated on any changes and make sure everyone is looking at the same copy!

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