Introduction

End of tenancy cleaning refers to a one-off deep cleaning process that is carried out by a professional cleaning company at the end of a rental agreement, and typically marks the conclusion of a tenancy contract. The majority of rental agreements will have liability clauses that places the onus on the tenant to leave the accommodation in a condition as described in the contract, taking into account reasonable wear and tear. However, this condition is never sufficiently high enough for the next tenants.

The purpose of end of tenancy cleaning is to ensure that the property is cleaned and ready (fit for purpose) for the next customer. The focus for the cleaners is steered away from the obligations of the contract (the contract is still important) and the potentially mindless tick box exercise to what are the customer’s expectations? What does it take to get the property ready for the next customer? The focus is always forward looking towards the customer.

Course Structure

Part 1 – It’s All About the Customer

From the very outset it is important to stress the number one most important person in this type of cleaning – the customer. Every aspect of deep cleaning is customer focused and seeks to meet the expectations of the customer, and not to be solely contract focused. It is a service that has a direct impact on customers.

The part covers:

• Understanding customer’s expectations and perceptions
• Practical quality and standards in cleaning
• Demonstrating customer satisfaction in cleaning

Part 2 – Essential Cleaning Principles

This section takes the knowledge about the customer and their expectations and perceptions from the previous part and uses that to inform how cleaning is delivered by the cleaners.

Cleaners have a critical role to provide the best standard of cleaning service to the customer, and to do so with a duty of care to the employer, customers, themselves, and others.

However, cleaners and housekeepers are often unaware of the consequences of their actions or inactions and the impact they have on the organisation, its staff, customers and public. It is vitally important for cleaning and housekeeping staff to understand that the standard of cleaning has a direct and significant impact of the successful operation of an organisation. Everyone – staff, customers and the public, must have confidence that the organisation can provide a safe and clean place, no exceptions.

This part starts by establishing the core essential cleaning principles by looking at the impact cleaning has on the organisation, its customers, staff and the public. To do that, the following topics are covered:

• The four critical roles cleaners carry out every time: Cleaning for Appearance, Cleaning for Hygiene, Cleaning for Safety, and Cleaning for ‘Fit for Purpose’
• The consequences of a poor appearance and visual standards
• The risks of poor or insufficient cleaning on surfaces for infection control
• The risk of injury to people from poor or lack of good cleaning practices

Part 3 – Deep Cleaning Principles and Practices

The previous part described the essential cleaning principles which were built on an understanding of the customer. Establishing a good firm foundation of essential cleaning principles is vital to build deep cleaning on. Deep cleaning is not just ‘doing more cleaning’ as is often portrayed, but is a process that involves planning from surveying through to completion, deep cleaning is much more demanding.

The key to a successful deep clean is planning. Not just planning what cleaning tasks to carry

This part covers the 5 stages of a deep clean:

1. Survey

Look – It is important to know and understand the full extent of the work that needs to be done. There are two parts to ‘looking’:

1. Record the current condition of the property and contents and report any damage. This task may have been completed ahead of time, but it is easy to miss things.
2. Identify hazards – biological, electrical, chemical, pests, fire, flammable and asphyxiant gases, air and water pressure, heavy machinery.

Search and Clear – Where there is a suspicion involving needles (even legitimate use as in the case of diabetics) or blades, or during the initial look around, broken glass or other sharp items were found, conduct a careful search and clear procedure.

2. Preparation

• What cleaning and non-cleaning tasks need to take place?
• What cleaning equipment and chemicals are required?
• What PPE will be required?
• What are the access requirements? Are there any access problems?
• Establish control zones – buffer zone, clean zone and dirty zone
• Isolate hazards if applicable

3. Procedure

• How are you going to complete the tasks?
• What order are you going to complete the tasks?
• What is the order of cleaning from room to room?

4. Review

• Did you reach the cleaning standards as required?
• Are there ways to improve?

5. Return

• Return the property ready for the next customer – presentation standards.
• Record the work (evidence that the work was carried)

Part 4 – Principles of Infection Control

The first section starts with the important principle of how an infection spreads from person to person – the chain of infection. This lays the foundation for the risk posed by this virus and any other pathogen, and how routine day-to-day cleaning acts to control the spread and decontaminate rooms (deep clean) after an outbreak.

This section covers:

• The nature of the virus and the most common pathogens that you will encounter and where you are likely to find them
• The chain of infection
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for routine and deep cleaning procedures
• Equipment colour-coding
• Understanding cleaning, disinfection and sanitisation processes
• Understanding biocides and how to correctly use them
• Correct handwashing procedure

Part 5 – Health and Safety

The section covers the essential knowledge of risks and hazards and how they apply to the worksite. Also, safe working practices and chemical safety are covered too.