General cleaning is the routine work done daily, such as disinfecting high-touch surfaces, cleaning bathrooms, and tidying common areas to maintain everyday hygiene. Deep cleaning (or periodic cleaning) is a much more intensive, scheduled service that addresses areas missed by daily routines, such as high-level dusting, scrubbing and disinfecting walls and ceilings, and thoroughly sanitizing all air vents and light fixtures. This is vital for removing hidden grime and pathogens. For instance, SCS Group schedules these deep cleans using advanced equipment like steam cleaners and specialised floor machines to ensure the integrity and longevity of the facility's environment.

Aged Care Cleaning is a highly specialised service that combines routine tidiness with rigorous health and safety requirements for vulnerable residents. Unlike cleaning a regular office, it prioritises infection control (sanitising clinical and high-touch areas), resident dignity (working non-disruptively in personal living spaces), and regulatory compliance. It is a continuous health service, not just a maintenance service. SCS Group understands this distinction completely, applying our extensive experience in both commercial and health care environments to provide a service that prioritises resident well-being above all else.

A compliant service will provide full transparency and documentation. This means maintaining detailed, auditable records of all cleaning and disinfection tasks completed, especially in high-risk areas. Cleaning protocols should be specifically designed to align with and support your national Aged Care Quality Standards. With a dedicated account management system and real-time reporting, like the one offered by SCS Group, you gain the necessary accountability and evidence required to confidently meet quality and accreditation requirements.

The most important role of a cleaning service in an aged care facility is preventing the spread of infection. This is achieved by strictly following a two-step process: first, thoroughly cleaning to remove dirt, and second, applying hospital-grade disinfectants to kill germs. All staff must be extensively trained in hygiene protocols, correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and using separate, colour-coded equipment for different areas (like kitchens vs. bathrooms) to eliminate cross-contamination risks.

Professional cleaning companies must prioritize the safety and dignity of residents. This starts by ensuring all staff undergo thorough police checks and background vetting before stepping on site. Furthermore, cleaners must be trained to work with minimal disruption, understand the needs of residents with different mobility or cognitive issues, and always treat the environment as the resident's home. SCS Group ensures this by hiring and training highly compassionate staff, and coordinating cleaning times closely with facility management.

Cleaning for an aged care facility is more complex than regular commercial cleaning. It includes all routine daily tasks (resident rooms, common lounges, dining areas, bathrooms, and kitchens) but also requires specialized services. These services often include deep sanitization of high-risk areas, professional floor care (stripping, sealing, and polishing), and thorough deep cleaning of carpets and upholstery to maintain a comfortable and hygienic environment. SCS Group's approach is to co-design a plan that ensures a consistently clean, hygienic, and comfortable environment for all residents, staff, and visitors.

Commercial cleaning companies often assign a dedicated point of contact to each client to ensure clear communication and efficient issue resolution. This account manager typically is the primary contact for all inquiries and will conduct regular site visits. At SCS Group in Australia, all client sites, regardless of size, are allocated a dedicated Customer Service Manager as their primary point of contact. This manager is your 24/7 go-to person for any and all queries and will visit your site at a mutually agreed-upon frequency.

Cleaning companies often provide reports tailored to client needs, sometimes online. SCS Group offers customisable monthly reporting, including weekly informal checks and detailed monthly audits, available live in your client portal.

Cleaning companies usually give their workers basic training on how to do the job and what's expected. At SCS Group, all our staff go through a mandatory training course where they have to show they can do the cleaning tasks and also understand the rules in writing.