6 min read · Updated September 2026
Recommended frequency by facility type
| Facility | Janitorial frequency | Carpet / floor cycle | High dusting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office (daily occupancy) | 5x weekly | Carpet 2x yearly | Semi-annual |
| Office (hybrid, 2–3 days) | 2–3x weekly | Carpet yearly | Annual |
| Medical / dental clinic | 5–7x weekly | Floors quarterly | Semi-annual |
| Retail storefront | 5–7x weekly | Floors monthly | Semi-annual |
| Restaurant | 7x weekly | Floors weekly deep | Quarterly |
| Warehouse / industrial | 3–5x weekly | Scrub weekly | Quarterly |
| School / institution | 5x weekly | Summer refinish | Semi-annual |
| Condo common areas | 6–7x weekly | Carpet 2x yearly | Semi-annual |
What drives frequency up
- Headcount and foot traffic — the single biggest factor.
- Public access: buildings the public walks into need more washroom attention than staff-only spaces.
- Food on site: kitchens, cafeterias, and lunchrooms accelerate everything.
- Winter in the GTA: salt and slush from November through March justify a seasonal increase in entrance and floor care.
- Regulatory or accreditation requirements in healthcare, food, and childcare settings.
- Client-facing space: showrooms, reception, and boardrooms are judged constantly.
Where hybrid workplaces get it wrong
Many GTA offices cut cleaning to once a week when hybrid work reduced occupancy, then found washrooms and kitchens became the top staff complaint. The better adjustment is to reduce full-service nights but keep washroom and kitchen service on every occupied day — those areas are driven by usage on the day, not by weekly averages.
Match your schedule to your busiest days. If Tuesday through Thursday are full and Monday and Friday are quiet, clean Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights rather than spreading visits evenly across the week.
Don't skip the periodic cycle
Daily cleaning maintains; periodic work restores. Carpet that never gets extracted wears out years early, VCT that never gets recoated has to be stripped down to the tile, and dust on high ledges eventually becomes an air quality complaint. Budget periodic work annually rather than treating it as an emergency purchase.
A simple way to test your current frequency
For four weeks, log every cleanliness complaint by area and time of day. If washroom complaints cluster on the same weekday, you have a frequency problem in that area specifically — not a contractor problem. If complaints are spread evenly across all areas and days, the total hours on site are too low.
Frequently asked questions
How often should an office be cleaned?
Offices with daily occupancy typically need service five nights a week. Hybrid offices can run two or three nights, matched to their busiest days, with washroom service on every occupied day.
How often should commercial carpets be cleaned?
Twice a year for general office areas and quarterly for high-traffic corridors and reception. Regular extraction significantly extends carpet life.
How often should commercial floors be stripped and waxed?
With regular scrub-and-recoat maintenance, a full strip is typically needed every one to three years depending on traffic.
Should cleaning frequency change in winter?
Yes. GTA salt and slush from November through March justify increased entrance matting service and floor care to protect finishes and prevent slip hazards.