Before you start

• •Client access code or key confirmed before departure
• •Correct color-coded microfiber cloths packed (standard: red=restrooms, blue=glass, yellow=surfaces, green=kitchen)
• •Client's special instructions reviewed (areas off-limits, preferred products, any allergy alerts)

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Sign in and document arrival time

   Log entry time in the client's access log or your company app. Your entry timestamp is your proof of service. If a client claims 'nobody showed up,' the log wins the dispute.

2. 2

   Set up — cart at start of first zone, never blocking exits

   Cart positioned at the elevator bay or stairwell — never blocking a corridor, exit door, or ADA path. Wet floor signs out before any mopping or product application. OSHA requires wet floor warnings even in unoccupied buildings — slip-and-fall liability follows the business, not the absence of witnesses.

3. 3

   Restrooms first — always first

   Restrooms first so cross-contamination flows toward cleaner areas, not from them. Procedure: empty trash, scrub toilet (inside bowl + seat + base), clean sink, wipe mirror with glass cloth, mop floor last. Restock paper and soap. Red cloths only. Red cloths do not leave the restroom.

4. 4

   Kitchen and break room — appliance surfaces and sink

   Wipe microwave inside and out, counters, cabinet fronts (handle area). Clean sink basin and faucet. Empty trash and replace liner. Note: do not rearrange items on a counter — straighten only. Moving a client's personal items generates more complaints than any other cleaning action.

5. 5

   Workstations — dust and wipe with client's protocol

   Most clients specify: wipe desk surface + monitor + keyboard tray, do not move papers or personal items, empty personal trash bins. Confirm the client protocol before first service — some clients request phones wiped, others prohibit touching electronics.

6. 6

   Glass — conference room tables and door glass

   Blue cloth + streak-free glass cleaner on all glass surfaces. Conference table: wipe in direction of wood grain (for wood tables) or in one direction (glass tables). Finish glass doors last — glass fingerprints from the door are the most visible close-miss in a building walkthrough.

7. 7

   Floors — vacuum before mop, mop from back to door

   Vacuum all carpet areas before any wet mopping begins — mopping over grit scratches hard floors. Mop from the furthest point back toward the exit. Do not mop yourself into a corner and walk across the wet floor to leave.

8. 8

   Final walk — lights off, doors locked, exit logged

   Walk every room against the scope checklist before leaving. Lights off in all serviced areas. Verify exit door locked (turn handle after pulling — do not assume latched). Log departure time. Leave a service card or send a completion notification — it's proof of service and a soft reminder that you were there.

Verify when done

• ☐Arrival time logged
• ☐Red cloths never used outside restrooms
• ☐Wet floor signs placed before mopping
• ☐Exit door lock tested before leaving
• ☐Departure time logged

Common mistakes

• ✕Mopping before vacuuming — grit scratches floors
• ✕Using the wrong color cloth
• ✕Moving client personal items
• ✕Not logging arrival and departure times

Trainer notes

The color-coded cloth rule is the one most new technicians resist ('I'll remember which one I used'). They don't. One cross-contamination incident in a restroom-to-kitchen cloth swap generates a client complaint, a health concern, and potentially a lost contract.

Common questions