INSTA 800 – the common quality standard for cleaning
Object groups, quality levels, and visual inspection of a cleaned room
When is it clean? That question used to have as many answers as there were people in the room. DS/INSTA 800 is a shared Nordic standard that makes cleaning quality objective and measurable, so the customer and cleaning provider speak the same language. The standard does not describe how often or how you clean — only what result must be present when the inspection is carried out. It is results-oriented, not method-determined.
§What the standard does — and does not do
INSTA 800 establishes a system for agreeing, measuring and documenting cleaning quality. It says something about how much dirt may remain on a surface at the time of inspection – not which means, machines or frequencies you should use to achieve it. It's still your professional choice of method that determines how you reach the level. The standard makes the result what is assessed.
§Object groups—what is assessed
A room is divided into four object groups so the assessment becomes systematic and covers the entire room — not just what the eye falls on first. Each group is assessed on its own so a nice floor cannot hide dusty high surfaces.
| Object group | Examples of surfaces. |
|---|---|
| Fixtures and fittings | Tables, chairs, shelves, cabinets, equipment, contact points |
| Floors | Floor surfaces, skirting boards, corners and under furniture |
| Walls | Wall surfaces, panels, door panels and switches |
| Ceilings | Ceilings, ventilation slots and high-mounted surfaces |
§Impurities and impurity types.
What is assessed on surfaces is contamination: visible dirt that can be removed by cleaning. The standard distinguishes between contamination types so you assess the right place. Loose dirt like dust sand lint and debris sits on top of the surface while stuck contamination like stains lime and buildup requires more to come off. You typically assess the general condition of the surface and at the same time the places where dirt collects — edges corners and joints.
- 01PLACEHOLDER_47
- 02Stubborn dirt: stains, limescale, deposits and ingrained grime
- 03Places where safety and cohesion are important
§Quality levels
The standard works with quality levels from the lowest to the highest – in practice five used levels are mentioned, where the lowest allows the most remaining contamination and the highest requires surfaces to be largely free of visible dirt. The level is agreed per room type according to what the room is used for: an operating room and a storeroom have vastly different needs. The inspection determines whether the agreed level has been reached – not whether it subjectively 'looks nice'.
§How the concrete design work unfolds day by day
Inspection is a visual assessment of randomly selected rooms. You look at the object groups separately under normal lighting, and you look at both the general surface and the exposed areas where dirt accumulates. The result is compared with the agreed level and the room is approved or not. An important point: inspection tells something about quality at the time of inspection — not about the entire period. Therefore it is important that quality is maintained consistently each time, not just when inspection comes.
§What it means for you in everyday life
When you know the standard you know what's measured and can target your own control: go through all four object groups not just the floor and check exposed spots — edges corners and high-sitting dust often overlooked. Understanding the difference between loose and stuck dirt you also choose the right approach: loose is removed easily while stuck requires working time and mechanics.
“With a quality standard 'clean' no longer becomes a matter of opinion but something you can measure agree and document.”
— DS/INSTA 800 principle