← Insights
Soft services

Writing a cleaning specification people can measure

21 January 2026 · 5 min read

Describe the outcome and the frequency, not just the activity, and the monthly meeting gets shorter.

Specifications written as a list of rooms invite disagreement, because nobody stated what finished looks like. Specifications written as zones, tasks, frequencies and outcomes are checkable by both sides.

Zone by use and traffic rather than by floor. A reception and a back-of-house corridor on the same level need different frequencies and different standards.

Then agree the inspection: how often, by whom, against what, and what happens when a check fails. That last clause is the one that changes behaviour.