How can I save money on janitorial services?

How much you end up paying for janitorial services depends a lot on you.  When gathering estimates, be sure you know what you want done, and how often.  A very common mistake is to tell one office cleaning company one set of tasks to be done, and a different company a different set.  Although these differences may be minor, by doing this you risk of getting several bids that, while similar, may not give you the best value for your dollar in the end.  So how are you supposed to know what to ask for?  The following rundown of common tasks ranked by their impact on your bottom line will provide a helpful guide.

1.  How often do you need service? 
Answering this one question will have the most impact on how much you will pay for your janitorial services than any of the others that follow.  If you require cleaning service five times a week, then you can expect to pay roughly five times more than if you can get by with having cleaning done once a week.  It's not a strict mathematical relationship like that, but it's a good rule of thumb to keep in mind.

2.  How often do you want dusting done?  
Usually, general dusting once a week is sufficient.  But of course, not all commercial facilities are the same in this regard.  Only you can be the judge of how often this task should be done.  Some offices need more, some less.  Do not let a janitorial service contractor persuade you that this is something they will do every day in the context of a five-times-a-week contract.  If they do offer this unsolicited, they will probably end up charging for it, but in reality only dust once or twice a week.  Of course, if every day dusting is required for your facility, then you should let your contractor know during the bidding process.  That way, you can be assured that you are getting what you pay for in this regard.

3.  What about windows?  
Window washing can have a big impact on the price you pay for cleaning services.  Factors include frequency, number and kind of windows, outside and/or inside cleaning, importance, and ease of access.  For frequency, see question #1 above.  Door glass should be cleaned frequently, while office windows to the outside less so.  The outsides of windows generally need cleaning more often than the inside.  It's more important for showroom windows to be cleaned than those in a warehouse.  First floor windows can be cleaned easily, while higher ones require more labor.  It's a good idea to consider these factors before calling around for bids so all of your suitors get the same information.  But maybe you can get by without having your windows done at all.  All the better for your bottom line!

4.  What about vacuuming?  
That's your call.  On a daily service schedule vacuuming may need to be done every time, or maybe only twice a week.Think about it and let us know.  Every duty that's done less frequently than necessary saves you money.

5.  Et Cetera. 
There are some things that just need to be done all the time.  Restroom cleaning, trash collection, and kitchen areas are all chores that need to be done as often as you determine the answer to question #1 above.  But with a little forethought, you can save your company a decent amount of money with a smart allocation of the office cleaning tasks you need.  Remember, you are the expert on your facility and can best answer these questions.  But we at Springs Cleaning are here to help with any recommendations and advice on these matters.  Just call or email and we'll be right out!