To give you more of an idea of the cleaning sectors covered in this toolkit, we'll start with the basics. As you read through the information below, think of people you know working in each sector--a conversation over coffee could bring you your first job!

CONSTRUCTION CLEANING: A HIDDEN NICHE

The construction industry is a massive, unstoppable machine (well over $1 trillion annually in the US). Most people in metro areas these days can’t escape the buzz and congestion of construction, and as the population grows, so will the industry. While there will always be work for trade skills here, there’s also room for people with very little experience to jump in and grab a piece of that gigantic pie. Construction budgets are often quite large, depending on the type of space being built. Where residential remodels can be less than $20K, new commercial construction often runs a price tag 100x higher. 

In many ways, cleaning is the transitional service between construction and occupancy. Despite typically being the last subcontractor to be hired and step onsite, the cleaning crew actually plays an important role: cleaners are directly responsible for both the final impression left upon the clients after construction, and also the first impression of the guests/tenants as they enter the newly built space. The better the place looks when it’s all complete, the happier the owner/tenant is with the GC. Happy GCs rehire subcontractors that do good work, which means business in the pipeline for months (if not years).

What’s more, the experience needed to effectively accomplish construction cleaning is as minimal as the startup cost. Instead, the cost is hard work because construction cleaning is more physically demanding than normal janitorial cleaning. However even that element of the business can be circumvented if larger, efficient crews are used, so anyone can be successful starting this business. As long as you have the right toolkit you can start a successful construction cleaning business, or add construction cleaning to your existing business quickly and cheaply.

As cleaning goes, construction cleaning, sometimes referred to as “make-ready cleaning” or “final cleaning”, is basically the process of wiping, sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping up dust. Yes, there’s obviously more to it, but at least 50% of the work will be containing dust.

The loose standard for construction cleaning is a three phase process:

• Rough Clean - This is the dustiest, dirtiest phase of cleaning that will involve removing larger debris yet won’t require intricate, detailed cleaning. Some jobs won’t require this first phase of cleaning, as site Superintendents can enlist day laborers or other subcontractors to clean their own messes. More often than not, though, you’ll be doing at least two phases of cleaning and should always bid out two phases. When you clean a space during this phase, your goal is to make the space look neater and cleaner for a round of inspections (health, fire, etc.), and set the space up for cosmetic work over the next several days/weeks. In other words, get as much dust as possible off of fixtures, walls, and floors.
• Final Clean - This phase involves the detailed work of getting the space ready to open for business. This means light fixtures need to be dusted, corners and drawers must be completely dust free, stainless steel must be peeled and polished, and all paint/putty splatters are scraped and gone. You want to leave the space sparkling and ready for tenants to move in the next day (which sometimes is exactly what happens). Double and triple check your work before you leave, ensuring all hidden drawers, rooms, and shelves have been attended to. 
• Powder Puff Clean - Sometimes referred to as simply a “puff” or “powder” clean, this phase is a light touch up in order to maintain the level of cleanliness achieved from the Final Clean. It typically involves a quick clean in the bathrooms, dusting surfaces, cleaning any minor work done since the last clean, and a sweep and a mop. These are typically quick and easy, and serve to not only handle the delicate transition between construction and occupancy (which your company helps to navigate), but also pads your invoice.

JANITORIAL CLEANING

Janitorial cleaning varies greatly among scope and frequency, as services are tailored to individual business needs, budgets, traffic, etc. At the end of the day, the key to successful janitorial cleaning is consistency. Typical cleaning duties aren't dissimilar to household cleaning tasks:

• Sweeping/Mopping floors
• Vacuuming carpets
• Trash rotation*
• Bathroom cleaning (toilets, urinals, sinks)
• Wiping/disinfecting surfaces*
• Dusting
• Mirrors/glass*

(*less frequent in nightly restaurant cleaning)

Depending on the type of establishment, janitorial cleaning may or may not require your own specific supplies. While some materials require special equipment and chemicals, many businesses require basic daily/weekly cleaning that anyone can do with minimal supplies. Though it's often very easy to accomplish once your foot is in the door, office and retail janitorial cleaning typically pays a little less than restaurant cleaning and is competitive in large cities. Medical, dental, and cosmetic offices are also excellent targets for nightly/weekly cleaning, as they pay slightly higher, though they’re often less frequent. They'll require more attention to detail, but you don't have to handle any hazardous materials, so no special certification is required (though depending on the business, your cleaners might be required to pass a background check).

RESTAURANT CLEANING

Restaurant cleaning is a little different than normal janitorial service, in that it requires less work in some areas, and more in others. Unlike most retail businesses, restaurants have dedicated staff devoted entirely to cleaning. Large corporate restaurants and chains typically have in-house janitorial programs, however there are many, many food service establishments that need nightly, weekly, and monthly cleaning.

Restaurant cleaning typically focuses on floors and restrooms, leaving trash and surfaces (like tables, chairs, booths, and bar tops) to staff. Don't be fooled, though--a busy bar/restaurant can look like a disaster area after a busy Saturday night, and floors alone can take hours to clean. This labor-intensive cleaning can become more challenging in the kitchen/food prep area (called "Back of House" or BOH), depending on the services requested and the standards of the chef team. But don't worry--it's easier than construction cleaning (especially if you've followed this model and cleaned the space DURING construction) and it becomes dramatically easier with the suggestions in this toolkit.

Restaurant cleaning can be competitive if you live in a city rich in dining culture, however good cleaning companies are often still difficult to find. Typical commercial cleaning companies that focus solely on office cleaning are seldom equipped to handle restaurant cleaning. Restaurant owners that hire big janitorial chains end up disappointed, creating the perfect opportunity for you to swoop in and do it correctly (or save them the headache and do it right from day one).

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As you progress through the sections beyond, you’ll learn first about the construction cleaning piece, followed by general commercial/janitorial cleaning, and then restaurant cleaning after that. The material is cumulative, so the sections will grow shorter as the course progresses. But don’t worry--what you need to know is all there and what you learn in the construction cleaning section will benefit you when you clean restaurants!