Office Cleaning Service vs. In-House Cleaners: Pros & Cons

When businesses decide to outsource their office cleaning needs, the first question they may ask is “Should we hire full-time in-house cleaners or hire a cleaning company?”. While both options are viable depending on specific cleaning needs, hiring an office cleaning company offers more benefits, including high cleaning standards and cost-effectiveness.

In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of both office cleaning arrangements and discuss which one is suitable for your company.

Daily Office Cleaning Services

One of the trends in the commercial cleaning industry is the growing demand for office cleaning services among companies. The growth, which started shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19, indicates the many benefits of daily office cleaning service as well as several other benefits that go beyond cleanliness and hygiene.

Office cleaning services operate on a contract basis, sending a professional cleaner to undertake regular cleaning on a schedule that suits the office, typically for a few hours per day when the office is vacant.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of contract office cleaning services.

Who Needs Daily Office Cleaning Services?

A clean and hygienic workspace is an essential requirement for every successful business. Office cleaning services are great solutions to ensure cleaning standards in the workplace never fall short.

In general, every office, even with 1 or 2 employees, requires a cleaning service on a regular basis. Therefore, regardless of the industry and sector, almost all companies require office cleaning services. The frequency, however, depends on the number of employees working on-site.

Any company with 1 to 35 employees require cleaning, and depending on the size of the office and the number of employees, the frequency can range from 1 day per week to daily cleaning.

In-House Cleaners

On the other hand, in-house cleaning is the traditional form of cleaning service for offices. In-house cleaners are employed directly by the company, meaning vetting, recruitment, training and background checks are done by the company rather than a cleaning contractor or a recruitment agency.

In-house cleaners often work full-time daily, providing cleaning during the office working hours. They are managed by the office manager or the company’s HR department, and, if they are highly skilled, they will provide the same level of cleaning standard as modern office cleaning services.

However, while in-house cleaning may offer the same service quality, it has its own drawbacks that discourage many companies from hiring one.

Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of in-house office cleaners.

Who Needs In-House Cleaners?

In-house cleaning has been the cornerstone of cleaning services in many offices for many years. But as the cleaning and hygiene goals change, cleaning services have turned into an investment rather than an expense. Therefore, businesses want to achieve higher ROI with the best quality standards possible.

However, in-house cleaning is still required in certain workspaces, most likely as a complementary service to the daily office cleaning services. Companies with over 35 employees working on-site or those in large open-plan offices require in-house cleaning services on top of their daily office cleaning.

In this case, in-house cleaners handle light work and tasks during office hours, like washing dishes, keeping toilets maintained and dealing with emergency cleans, while daily office cleaning provides a deeper, comprehensive cleaning service after working hours, like vacuuming, dusting, sanitation, toilet deep cleaning and mopping.

One of the best places to find local in-house cleaners is through recruitment websites like Jooble. But instead of searching among profiles, you can publish an ad for an office cleaner to grab applicants’ attention. When they apply, you can check their applications and CVs to shortlist a few and hire the best one that reflects your organisational values.

Why Is Office Cleaning Service a Better Investment?

Based on what we discussed in this article, we can point to three main reasons why signing an office cleaning contract with a cleaning company is a better investment than hiring in-house, full-time cleaners.

First, although office cleaning services are more expensive per hour, it is still a lot cheaper than full-time, in-house cleaners, since professional office cleaners can achieve the same, and even better, cleaning standards in a few hours, resulting in overall lower cleaning costs. This is also the reason office cleaning services offer a higher return on investment in the long run.

Second, professional office cleaners are fully managed by the cleaning contractor. Therefore, the company and its HR department don’t need to invest time in managing the service, dealing with complaints, finding covers or dealing with the cleaner’s HRM. This frees up their time, which they can invest in growing the business.

And third, professional office cleaners are trained by certified experts and have higher experience cleaning corporate spaces. Therefore, they can provide cleaning and hygiene services with a higher standard compared to in-house office cleaners. They follow professional office cleaning checklists that are tailored and optimised, helping them to achieve total cleanliness in just a few hours.

How About Managed Full-time Office Cleaners?

Another option to integrate in-house cleaning with modern office cleaning services is to have full-time office cleaners. This is often referred to as a business concierge or premises caretaker.

Managed in-house cleaners as a complementary service to the daily office cleaning service is the best strategy to benefit fully from managed cleaning services. However, this is also a huge investment, even for the largest companies with high turnover.

As a commercial and office cleaning company in London, we only suggest it to clients who meet all of the criteria. Otherwise, they are better off with only daily office cleaning services after working hours.

Professional Office Cleaning Services in London

If you’re looking to review your cleaning arrangements or require office cleaning services or in-house office cleaners, we can help you throughout the journey.

We provide a bespoke quote and tailored cleaning plan for offices all over London. Our quotes are free and valid for up to 12 months without any obligation or hidden fees. Therefore, you have plenty of time to make the right decision.

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Conclusion

The decision between hiring in-house cleaners and contracting a professional office cleaning service depends on your business size, budget and hygiene expectations. While in-house cleaners may seem convenient for smaller tasks and immediate needs, the long-term return on investment, higher cleaning standards and flexibility offered by daily office cleaning services make them the smarter choice for most companies. Professional office cleaners bring expertise, specialist equipment and proven cleaning practices that ensure your workplace remains spotless, hygienic and safe for employees and clients.

Outsourcing your office cleaning not only reduces HR responsibilities but also guarantees consistency, as cleaners are trained, supervised and provided with cover when needed. This means your business avoids disruptions and benefits from a reliable, high-quality cleaning solution tailored to your office schedule. Whether you operate a small office with a handful of employees or a large corporate space, professional office cleaning services provide the flexibility to meet your needs while improving staff wellbeing and productivity.

For businesses seeking cost-effective, professional cleaning solutions in London and across the UK, outsourcing remains the best investment. By choosing a trusted office cleaning company, you ensure lasting value, healthier workspaces and the peace of mind that your office is always in safe hands.