School Cleaning FAQs: Answers for Perth Principals and Facility Managers

Managing a school means juggling a lot of competing priorities — and ensuring the building is clean, safe, and well-maintained sits near the top of that list. Whether you’re reviewing your current contract, sourcing school cleaning services in Perth for the first time, or responding to parent and staff concerns, it helps to have clear, practical answers to the questions that come up most often.

This guide addresses the most common questions we hear from principals and facility managers across Perth metropolitan and surrounding areas.

Cleaning Frequency and Scheduling

How often should a school be cleaned?

The right cleaning frequency depends on the size of your school, the number of students, and which areas see the heaviest use. As a general guide:

• Daily cleaning is standard for toilets, hand basins, high-touch surfaces, classrooms, and common areas.
• Weekly tasks typically include thorough mopping of hard floors, dusting of shelves and window sills, and cleaning of internal glass.
• Periodic deep cleans — quarterly or during school holidays — cover areas like gymnasium floors, science lab benches, canteen equipment, and carpet steam cleaning.

A reputable cleaning provider will assess your site before recommending a schedule, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

When does cleaning actually take place?

Most school cleaning in Perth is scheduled outside of student hours — either early morning before school starts or in the afternoon and evening after dismissal. This minimises disruption to teaching and reduces the risk of students or staff coming into contact with wet floors or cleaning products.

Some tasks, such as toilet checks and spot-cleaning of spills, may be carried out during the school day by a dedicated on-site staff member. Discuss this with your contractor if continuous daytime coverage is important to you.

What happens during school holidays?

Holiday periods are ideal for more intensive cleaning work that isn’t practical during the term — deep carpet cleaning, stripping and resealing hard floors, washing walls, and sanitising furniture. A good contractor will build a holiday cleaning schedule into your agreement so these tasks don’t get overlooked year after year.

Can cleaning schedules be adjusted for events or inspections?

Yes, and any quality school cleaning provider should accommodate reasonable requests for additional cleans before open days, sports carnivals, P&C meetings, or facility inspections. Make sure your contract includes a clear process for requesting ad hoc services and how they are priced.

Costs, Contracts, and What’s Included

How are school cleaning contracts typically structured?

Most commercial cleaning contracts for schools in Perth are structured as ongoing agreements — monthly or annually — with a defined scope of works. This scope outlines which areas are cleaned, how often, and what tasks are included. Pricing is usually set on a per-visit or monthly-rate basis.

Fixed-term contracts (commonly 12 or 24 months) offer pricing stability, while shorter arrangements may provide more flexibility but can cost more over time. Always read the termination clauses carefully.

What should a school cleaning contract include?

At minimum, a well-written contract should specify:

• A detailed scope of works (which rooms, which tasks, which frequency)
• Scheduled hours of service
• Responsibilities for consumables (toilet paper, soap, bin liners)
• Insurance requirements, including public liability and workers’ compensation
• Police clearance or Working With Children Check requirements for staff
• A process for raising complaints or requesting additional work
• How performance is monitored and quality is verified

Are consumables like soap and paper towels included?

This varies between providers. Some include consumables in the overall fee; others supply and charge separately; and some expect the school to procure consumables independently. Clarify this upfront — the cost of consumables across a large school adds up quickly and can significantly affect your total budget.

What does school cleaning typically cost in Perth?

Pricing depends on the size of your school, the frequency of service, the tasks included, and whether holiday deep cleans are part of the package. Rather than quoting figures that may not reflect your situation, the most reliable approach is to request itemised quotes from at least two or three providers and compare them on a like-for-like basis. Make sure each quote covers the same scope so the comparison is meaningful.

Can we tender for school cleaning services?

Government schools in Western Australia typically follow procurement guidelines set by the Department of Education, which may require a formal tender or quotation process above certain thresholds. Independent and Catholic schools generally have more flexibility. Check with your governing body or business manager if you’re unsure what process applies to your school.

Safety, Chemicals, and Student Wellbeing

What cleaning products are safe to use in a school environment?

This is one of the most important questions to ask any prospective cleaning provider. Schools house children across a wide age range, including those with asthma, allergies, or chemical sensitivities. Professional cleaning companies working in schools should be able to demonstrate:

• Use of TGA-listed or commercially approved disinfectants where required
• Access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all products used on site
• Preference for low-VOC or fragrance-free products where possible
• Proper dilution practices to avoid unnecessarily high chemical concentrations
• Secure, labelled storage of all cleaning chemicals away from student access

Ask your provider directly whether they offer environmentally preferable or green cleaning options. Many reputable companies now carry product lines that perform effectively while reducing chemical exposure — a reasonable expectation for any school environment.

Do cleaning staff need Working With Children Checks?

In Western Australia, anyone who works in a school environment — including contractors — may be required to hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC) or be subject to the school’s visitor supervision policy. Requirements can vary depending on whether cleaners work before, during, or after school hours and whether they have unsupervised access to areas used by students.

Check the current requirements with the Department of Education or your school’s governing body, and confirm in writing that your cleaning contractor meets those requirements before work commences.

How do I know cleaning staff have been properly vetted?

Ask for documentation. A professional cleaning company operating in schools should be able to provide evidence of WWCC compliance for all staff assigned to your site, along with proof of public liability insurance and, where relevant, police clearances. Don’t accept verbal assurances — ask for copies and keep them on file.

What infection control measures should be in place?

Schools are high-traffic environments where illnesses spread quickly, particularly during cold and flu season or during periods of heightened public health concern. Your cleaning provider should have a clear protocol for:

• Disinfecting high-touch surfaces (door handles, light switches, tap fittings, desk surfaces) daily
• Responding promptly to illness-related incidents such as vomiting
• Adjusting cleaning intensity during periods of increased illness in the school community
• Using colour-coded cloths and mop heads to prevent cross-contamination between toilets and food preparation areas

What if a student or staff member has an allergy to a specific product?

Raise this with your provider immediately. A professional company should be willing to substitute products where a documented allergy or medical condition requires it. Request the SDS for any product in use and share it with your school nurse or relevant staff member. Open communication between school administration and the cleaning contractor is essential here.

How are hazardous materials like mould or blood handled?

General cleaning staff are not typically trained or equipped to handle mould remediation or biohazardous material removal — these require specialist contractors. Your cleaning agreement should clearly state what falls within the standard scope of service and what requires separate engagement. If mould is identified during routine cleaning, the contractor should notify you promptly so the appropriate response can be arranged.

Working Effectively With Your Cleaning Provider

How do I raise concerns about cleaning quality?

Establish a clear communication channel from the start. Most cleaning companies assign a dedicated account manager or supervisor for school contracts. Know who that person is, how to contact them, and what the expected response time is for complaints or urgent issues. A log of concerns — even informal ones — helps both parties track patterns and address recurring issues constructively.

Should we conduct our own cleaning inspections?

Yes. Periodic walkthroughs by the facility manager or school business manager are a healthy part of contract management. Some schools use a simple checklist to document observations; others review cleaning quality at regular meetings with their provider. This doesn’t need to be adversarial — it’s simply good practice to verify that the service matches what you’re paying for.

What questions should I ask when choosing a school cleaning service in Perth?

When evaluating school cleaning services in Perth, consider asking:

• Do you have existing school contracts in Perth, and can you provide references?
• Are all staff trained in safe chemical handling and infection control?
• How do you handle staff absences — is there a reliable backfill system?
• Are your staff employed directly or subcontracted?
• What is your process if we’re not satisfied with a clean?
• Can you provide a site-specific cleaning schedule before we sign?

The answers to these questions will tell you a great deal about how a company operates — and how they’ll respond when something inevitably goes wrong.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right school cleaning provider isn’t just about price — it’s about finding a partner who understands the unique responsibilities that come with working in an environment where children’s safety and wellbeing are always the priority. Taking the time to ask the right questions, review contracts carefully, and maintain open communication will put your school in a much stronger position than simply accepting the lowest quote.

If you’re reviewing your current arrangements or exploring school cleaning services in Perth for the first time, use this guide as a starting point for the conversations you need to have with potential providers.