What Is Cleaning Offices Called? Understanding the Language Behind a Vital Workplace Service

 Walk into any office first thing in the morning and you’ll notice it—the bin's been emptied, the floors are spotless, the kitchen smells faintly like citrus spray, and the bathroom mirror doesn’t have a single splash on it. The transformation happens like clockwork, often after everyone else has gone home. But here’s the kicker: most people don’t know what to actually call that work.

So let’s answer the question plainly.

Quick Answer:

Cleaning offices is called office cleaning, and it falls under the broader category of commercial cleaning. Professionals who do the job are usually referred to as office cleaners or commercial cleaners.

It might sound obvious, but there’s more to the terminology—and the work—than meets the eye. Let's break down what makes office cleaning a category of its own.

What’s the Proper Term for Cleaning Offices?

The industry-standard term is office cleaning. This refers to professional cleaning services provided specifically for workspaces and administrative buildings. Office cleaning is a subcategory of commercial cleaning, which also includes environments like:

• Retail stores

• Schools and childcare centres

• Warehouses

• Medical and aged care facilities

• Hospitality venues

So, while all office cleaning is commercial cleaning, not all commercial cleaning is office cleaning. In short: it’s like calling a labrador a dog—not wrong, but not specific enough if you’re hiring for the job.

What’s the Job Title for Someone Who Cleans Offices?

Depending on who hires them, you might see these terms used:

• Office cleaner – most common and specific

• Commercial cleaner – broader but accurate

• Cleaning technician – more common in formal job ads

• Contract cleaner – if hired through an agency

• Facility services staff – used in large organisations with mixed duties

Regardless of the label, the core duties remain focused on cleanliness, hygiene, and presentation in a professional workspace.

“I prefer ‘commercial cleaner’ because I also work in retail and hospitality sites—not just offices,” says Ellie, a Melbourne-based contractor with seven years of experience.

What Tasks Fall Under Office Cleaning?

If you think it’s just a quick vacuum and bin run, think again. In high-traffic business spaces, office cleaning is a structured, routine process that usually includes:

• Vacuuming carpets and mopping hard floors

• Dusting desks, shelves, and windowsills

• Disinfecting keyboards, phones, and shared surfaces

• Emptying bins and recycling

• Sanitising kitchenettes, coffee stations, and fridges

• Cleaning bathrooms and restocking supplies

• Wiping down glass partitions and internal windows

• Removing smudges from doors, handles, and lift buttons

And in some high-spec offices? Cleaners also handle light maintenance, restock hygiene products, and even monitor pest control. It’s more than just cleaning—it’s workplace presentation management.

Where Does Office Cleaning Sit in the Cleaning Industry?

Office cleaning is considered a routine commercial cleaning service, but its nature often demands more consistency, discretion, and after-hours availability than other jobs.

For example, compared to residential cleaning, office cleaning typically:

• Follows a strict schedule (daily, nightly, weekly)

• Requires team coordination (especially in larger buildings)

• Involves performance metrics (spot checks, client feedback)

• Demands OH&S compliance (for insurance and workplace safety)

In competitive urban centres like Office Cleaning Melbourne, cleaners might also be background-checked or security cleared to work in buildings with sensitive information.

Why the Right Term Matters

Language isn’t just semantics—it sets expectations. If a business advertises for “commercial cleaners” but means “office cleaning”, they could end up hiring someone with the wrong gear, wrong shift availability, or the wrong skill set.

Understanding that cleaning offices is its own category helps in:

• Writing job descriptions

• Drafting service contracts

• Meeting workplace health & safety requirements

• Budgeting for outsourced services

• Avoiding confusion with more general or residential services

“We once hired a ‘cleaner’ who turned out to specialise in construction site cleans. Great guy—but he showed up with steel caps and high-vis gear to clean an office with white carpets and MacBooks,” laughs Liam, a South Yarra building manager.

That story sticks because it’s a classic mix-up—wrong cleaner for the job, simply due to mislabelled expectations.

Quick FAQ: What Is Cleaning Offices Called?

Is office cleaning the same as janitorial work?

In the US, maybe. In Australia, janitorial isn’t a common term. We say office cleaning or commercial cleaning, depending on scope.

Is office cleaning different from home cleaning?

Yes. Office cleaning follows stricter schedules, often uses industrial-grade products, and must comply with workplace OH&S standards.

Is office cleaning always done at night?

Not always—but most is. Especially in busy CBD buildings where cleaning during office hours would disrupt business.

Final Thought

Cleaning an office isn’t just a tidy-up—it’s a quiet operation that underpins how a business presents itself. It creates that “fresh start” feeling every morning, and no one really notices… until it’s missed.

So next time someone asks, “What’s cleaning offices called?”, you’ll know the answer: office cleaning, a vital part of the broader commercial cleaning sector that keeps the gears of business turning behind the scenes.

And in a place like Office Cleaning Melbourne, where standards are high and competition is tighter than a boardroom agenda, this service is as much about professionalism as it is about presentation. For a deeper look at the comparison between office and commercial cleaning, this honest breakdown on Office Cleaning Melbourne will tell you everything you need to know.

Because sometimes, the best-run offices are the ones you never see being cleaned.