In-House Cleaning or Professional Cleaning Contractors?

Food businesses can manage their cleaning responsibilities in several ways. Some use their own employees for all cleaning tasks, others employ specialist cleaning contractors, and many use a combination of both approaches.

Whichever cleaning arrangement is chosen, the food business remains responsible for maintaining appropriate food safety and hygiene standards.

What Is In-House Cleaning?

In-house cleaning is carried out by the food business’s own employees. It is commonly used for routine daily cleaning tasks, including:

• Cleaning and disinfecting food-contact surfaces
• Cleaning worktops and preparation areas
• Washing equipment and utensils
• Cleaning floors and walls
• Emptying waste containers
• Cleaning storage areas
• Cleaning staff and customer facilities
• Completing end-of-shift cleaning procedures

Employees carrying out cleaning must receive suitable information, instruction, training and supervision.

What Is Contract Cleaning?

Contract cleaning involves employing an external company to complete some or all of the business’s cleaning work.

A professional cleaning contractor may be used for routine cleaning or for specialist work requiring additional skills, equipment or safety precautions.

Examples of Specialist Cleaning Tasks

Specialist cleaning services may include:

• Deep cleaning kitchens and food-production areas
• Cleaning extraction and ventilation systems
• Removing grease from canopies, ducts and equipment
• Cleaning ovens, fryers and other commercial appliances
• Cleaning after a pest infestation
• Dealing with drainage contamination or blockages
• Cleaning high-level or difficult-to-reach areas
• Specialist floor cleaning
• Cleaning cold rooms and refrigeration equipment
• Cleaning following flooding, sewage leaks or other incidents

Benefits of Using a Professional Cleaning Contractor

Using a reputable cleaning contractor can provide several benefits to a food business.

Specialist Knowledge and Experience

Professional contractors may have specialist training and experience in demanding cleaning tasks. They may understand how to clean complex equipment and areas that cannot be managed effectively through routine daily cleaning.

Access to Specialist Equipment

A contractor may have access to:

• Industrial cleaning machinery
• Steam-cleaning equipment
• Pressure-washing systems
• Specialist degreasers
• High-level access equipment
• Specialist protective equipment
• Commercial extraction-cleaning systems

These resources may not be practical or cost-effective for the food business to purchase and maintain itself.

Reduced Workload for Employees

Outsourcing some cleaning tasks can reduce the workload placed on internal staff, allowing them to concentrate on their main duties.

This can improve operational efficiency, particularly when specialist cleaning must be completed outside normal working hours.

Insurance and Professional Protection

A reputable contractor should have appropriate insurance for the work being undertaken. Depending on the service, this may include:

• Public liability insurance
• Employers’ liability insurance
• Professional indemnity insurance, where relevant
• Cover for accidental damage

The food business should verify the contractor’s insurance rather than simply assume that suitable cover is in place.

Improved Appearance and Customer Confidence

A professional contractor may help a business maintain a consistently high visual standard of cleanliness. Clean premises can improve customer confidence and create a more professional working and dining environment.

However, visual cleanliness alone does not prove that an area is hygienically safe. Effective cleaning and disinfection procedures must also control food safety hazards.

Potential Risks of Outsourcing Cleaning

Outsourcing cleaning does not automatically guarantee better standards. Poorly managed contract cleaning can create food safety, operational and financial risks.

Unclear Cleaning Responsibilities

One of the greatest risks occurs when cleaning responsibilities are not clearly defined.

Without a detailed cleaning contract or specification:

• Important tasks may be missed
• Cleaning standards may vary
• Some areas may be overlooked
• Responsibility for problems may be unclear
• Cleaning may interfere with food-production activities
• Incorrect chemicals or methods may be used

Choosing a Contractor Based Only on Price

The cheapest contractor may not provide the most suitable or cost-effective service.

A low-priced service may involve:

• Insufficient cleaning time
• Poorly trained workers
• Inappropriate cleaning chemicals
• Inadequate equipment
• Weak supervision
• Inconsistent standards
• Important tasks being excluded from the contract

Price should be considered alongside competence, experience, reliability and the quality of the proposed cleaning service.

What Should a Cleaning Contract Include?

A cleaning contract or service specification should clearly explain what the contractor is expected to do.

It should include:

• The rooms, areas and equipment to be cleaned
• The tasks included in the service
• How frequently each task will be completed
• The required cleaning and hygiene standards
• The cleaning methods to be used
• The chemicals and equipment to be used
• The required chemical contact times and dilution rates
• Who will provide cleaning products and equipment
• How cleaning will be recorded
• Who will inspect and approve the completed work
• How problems and missed tasks will be reported
• How corrective action will be managed
• Any access, security and key-holding arrangements
• Waste-removal responsibilities
• Insurance requirements
• The price and any additional charges

Selecting a Suitable Cleaning Contractor

Before appointing a contractor, a food business should assess whether the company is competent to complete the required work safely and effectively.

Questions to ask include:

• Does the contractor have experience in food premises?
• Are its employees suitably trained and supervised?
• Can it provide references from similar businesses?
• Does it have appropriate insurance?
• What cleaning chemicals and equipment will it use?
• Does it complete risk assessments and safe working procedures?
• How will it prevent chemical and microbiological contamination?
• How will cleaning standards be checked and recorded?
• How quickly will it respond if cleaning is unsatisfactory?
• Are all costs and exclusions clearly explained?

Food Safety Responsibilities When Cleaning Is Outsourced

Employing a cleaning contractor does not transfer the food business’s legal responsibility for food safety and hygiene.

Management must continue to:

• Set appropriate cleaning standards
• Provide the contractor with relevant food safety information
• Explain contamination risks and restricted areas
• Coordinate cleaning with food preparation and production
• Monitor the contractor’s performance
• Check that cleaning has been completed effectively
• Keep relevant cleaning records
• Take corrective action when standards are not achieved

The business should not assume that work has been completed correctly simply because a contractor has attended the premises.

Monitoring a Cleaning Contractor

Contract cleaning should be monitored through regular inspections and performance reviews.

Monitoring methods may include:

• Visual inspections
• Signed cleaning records
• Supervisor checks
• Cleaning audits
• Microbiological surface testing where appropriate
• ATP testing where suitable
• Customer or employee feedback
• Photographic evidence
• Regular contractor review meetings

Any failure should be recorded, investigated and corrected. Repeated problems may require retraining, changes to the cleaning specification or the appointment of a different contractor.

Benefits of Keeping Cleaning In-House

Using internal employees for cleaning can also provide important benefits.

Knowledge of the Business

Internal staff often have a detailed understanding of:

• The premises and its layout
• The equipment being used
• Daily food-production activities
• High-risk areas
• Allergen controls
• Cleaning priorities
• Operational schedules

Greater Control

Managing cleaning internally can give the business greater control over:

• Cleaning standards
• Cleaning schedules
• Staff training
• Supervision
• Cleaning chemicals and equipment
• Immediate responses to spills or contamination

Consistent Routine Cleaning

Well-trained employees following an effective cleaning schedule can provide consistent results, particularly for routine daily and end-of-shift cleaning.

Internal staff are also available to respond immediately when cleaning is required during food preparation or service.

Potential Disadvantages of In-House Cleaning

Managing all cleaning internally may present challenges, including:

• The cost of purchasing specialist equipment
• The need to train and supervise employees
• Staff shortages or competing duties
• Limited specialist knowledge
• Cleaning tasks being rushed during busy periods
• Additional storage requirements for chemicals and equipment
• Maintenance and replacement costs

Managers must ensure that staff have enough time, training and resources to complete cleaning properly.

Using a Combined Cleaning Approach

Many food businesses benefit from combining in-house cleaning with specialist contract cleaning.

For example:

• Employees complete routine daily cleaning
• Supervisors monitor hygiene standards
• Specialist contractors complete scheduled deep cleans
• Qualified contractors clean extraction and ventilation systems
• Specialists respond to unusual contamination incidents

This approach allows the business to retain control over routine cleaning while accessing specialist expertise when required.

Choosing the Right Cleaning Arrangement

When deciding whether to clean in-house, outsource the work or use a combination of both, consider:

• Does the business have the necessary skills and knowledge?
• Is suitable cleaning equipment available?
• Do employees have enough time to complete the work?
• Would a specialist contractor provide additional value?
• Are all costs fully understood?
• Can cleaning standards be monitored effectively?
• Are there high-risk or specialist areas requiring expert attention?
• Can the arrangement support the business’s food safety management system?

Maintaining Effective Food-Premises Cleaning

Whether cleaning is completed by employees, specialist contractors or both, the priority remains the same: maintaining consistently high cleaning and hygiene standards to protect food and customers.

Clear responsibilities, trained personnel, detailed cleaning schedules and effective monitoring are essential for ensuring that cleaning is completed safely and correctly.