A cleaning plan starts with a survey: area in m², zones, and frequencies. Here is the methodology — how you survey cleaning surfaces, select frequency according to INSTA 800 level, account for programming factors, and move from plan to tour plan and quotation. With a performance rate (m²/hour) you can calculate time and team size — but performance rate is always an estimate.
Introduction
A cleaning plan is based on a survey. You measure the area (m²), divide it into zones with different needs, set the frequency (how often each zone is to be cleaned) and use a productivity figure to convert area into time.
Measurement method step by step
- 011) Divide the building into room types — office, toilet, kitchen, corridor, meeting room, stairs etc. Rooms of the same type can be treated the same way.
- 022) Measure the area per room — as a starting point the floor area in m² (length × width). Also note rooms requiring special access or equipment.
- 033) Distinguish between floor area and cleaning surfaces — the surface that actually needs cleaning is not just the floor: furniture, contact surfaces, sanitation and glass count in the time consumption, even though they do not fill in m².
- 044) Assess furnishing degree/accessibility degree — a heavily furnished room takes longer per m² than an empty one, because you have to walk around things.
- 055) Note the dirt and use level — how heavily is the room used, and how much dirt accumulates (entrances, canteens and workshops are heavier than a quiet office).
| Field in the survey form | Notes |
|---|---|
| Room/zone (name/no.) | (to be filled in) |
| Room type | (office / toilet / kitchen / corridor / …) |
| Floor area (m²) | (to be filled in) |
| Floor type | (linoleum / vinyl / clinker / …) |
| Furnishing level | (low / medium / high) |
| Soil grade | (low / medium / high) |
| Desired quality level (INSTA 800) | (1–5) |
| Frequency | (times per week/month) |
Frequency: choose by quality level
An important point from DS/INSTA 800: the quality level drives the frequency — not the other way round. You agree how clean it should be (level 1–5), and then choose a frequency that can maintain that level. A high-traffic, high-level room needs more frequent cleaning to keep the standard; a little-used archive can manage with infrequent cleaning.
| Room type | Typical INSTA 800 level | Typical frequency (example — agreed concretely) |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet, heavily used | Loud | Daily or several times daily |
| Office, general use | Between | 1–5 times per week |
| Meeting room | Between | After use / a few times per week |
| Corridor/stairs | Between | Several times per week |
| Arkiv/depot | Low | Rarely (e.g. monthly) |
Programming factors
The output (how many m² per hour) depends on more than the area. When programming/scheduling a plan, adjustments are made for:
- 01Furnishing/fitting density — lots of furniture and items reduce performance.
- 02Dirt grade — the more dirt, the slower.
- 03Method — dry/damp flat mop is faster than bucket-and-cloth; pre-wetting saves time.
- 04Machines — a floor scrubber on large open areas significantly increases performance compared to manual mopping.
- 05Access and distances — transport between rooms, elevators and locking costs time that is not cleaning.
From plan to route plan and quote
When rooms, levels and frequencies are in place, they are converted into a tour plan (work sheet): the order of rooms for an individual employee on a shift, so the route is logical and the equipment follows. The sum of times across rooms and frequencies gives the weekly hour requirement, which is the basis for staffing and for a quote. The calculation places wages, equipment, consumables and contribution margin on top of the hours.
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