09/28/2026
A spotless lobby doesn’t mean a healthy building. Most cleaning contracts cover only 1 of these 4 layers.
Here’s the difference:
1. APPEARANCE: what you see.
Floors vacuumed, trash emptied, surfaces wiped. This is what a walkthrough grades, and usually the only layer a contract includes.
2. SANITATION: what you don’t see.
Sanitizing reduces germs to a safe level. It takes the right product, the right dilution, and full dwell time. Skip the dwell time and you’ve wiped, not sanitized.
3. HIGH-TOUCH: where it counts.
Door handles, push plates, elevator buttons, light switches, faucets, shared keypads, handrails. A small share of your square footage, touched by nearly everyone.
4. ONGOING MAINTENANCE: what keeps it that way.
Documented scope, trained crews, scheduled floor and carpet care, quality checks. Cleaning is a system, not a visit.
QUESTIONS WE GET ASKED:
What’s the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting?
Cleaning removes soil. Sanitizing reduces germs to a safe level. Disinfecting kills germs. Three different jobs, and a room can be cleaned without being sanitized.
How often should high-touch surfaces be disinfected?
In most commercial facilities, at least daily. Healthcare, education, and manufacturing facilities with shift changes need it more often.
What is production facility cleaning?
Specialized industrial cleaning for manufacturing and production areas. It requires specific personnel, methods, and equipment, and it is a critical part of any quality management plan.
If your vendor can’t tell you which of the four they deliver, that’s your answer.
Total Property Service provides commercial cleaning and facility maintenance across Southern Maine and New Hampshire. 25 years serving Cumberland and York County. ISSA-trained crews. Avetta certified. Offices, medical facilities, schools, manufacturing and production plants.
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