A number of cleaning companies now use words like strata cleaning quite often. It has become one of the most popularly used buzzwords, but most people still don’t understand exactly what it is. Strata cleaning is essentially an Australian concept that was created to provide an effective solution for cleaning shared commercial spaces with shared subdivided areas in large buildings that are owned by private establishments. For instance, a shared industrial space or a business park are both common examples. Other examples include gyms, elevators, entrances, and even recreational areas such as parks or swimming pools.
Understanding the Definition
If you are the owner of an apartment or own property that is situated in a subdivided building, you will have to adhere to strata laws. These laws are widely adopted across the globe, including countries such as India, Canada, and even New Zealand. Basically, individual ownership is granted to the owners over the space. But, for controlling the cleaning in common areas, such as the pools and the corridors and the gyms, a separate committee is created.
These committees are responsible for hiring strata cleaning services to ensure that the shared spaces remain clean. As you can imagine, this method is quite different than hiring a cleaner for your house, as those people would only be responsible for cleaning the inside of your house. In this case, only shared and common spaces are included.
Now, there are several tasks involved in strata cleaning, and it’s important that they be defined before a company is hired for the process.
Cleaning Costs
It is also important to note that the strata cleaning costs also differ dramatically based on the size of the building, the facilities, and the unit quantity. The greater the numbers, the greater the costs. For instance, if a building has a shared swimming pool, they will obviously pay more than those buildings that don’t have a pool.
On the other hand, a building that has 40 units is going to incur a higher cleaning bill than a building with 20 units, for example. When hiring a cleaning company, it is best to ask for quotes before you decide to call any company for their cleaning services.
What’s Included in Strata Cleaning?
There are a number of different services that are included in strata cleaning, and it’s one of the main reasons why most companies charge a hefty fee. This is widely considered to be an all-inclusive cleaning service, though you can always discuss with the cleaning company and remove or add different services. Here are some major services that are offered by strata cleaning companies.
Cleaning the Floors
The different floor surfaces in shared areas are going to be properly cleaned. This includes buffing and stripping and also sealing parts of the surfaces to prevent moisture from seeping inside. Because of the increased footfall in these areas, proper cleaning is essential to ensure that the area remains neat and clean. Cleaning the floors, as a result, is one of the most common services.
Carpet Cleaning
Similarly, carpets are also commonly found in lobbies and other areas, and they need to be cleaned thoroughly. Carpet cleaning involves steam cleaning and then thorough vacuuming to get rid of bacteria and debris that usually gets stuck in the fabric.
Disinfecting the Staircases
All of the walkways and the staircases in the shared spaces also need to be properly cleaned. Because of the number of people who walk through the staircases and the walkways, a thorough cleaning is necessary to keep the area clean and reduce the risk of infections.
Cleaning and Checking the Lights
All of the lighting in the shared spaces, including the fittings and the emergency lights, need to be thoroughly cleaned. This means that all of the light bulbs and the fittings inside are going to be properly checked and cleaned, and if there is a problem with any of the bulbs, it will be changed.
Cleaning the Common Area
This service includes cleaning all of the surfaces in the common area, including the countertops, the sofas, the tables, and the windows, of course. Everything is properly cleaned and disinfected. The windows are cleaned both from the inside and the outside as well because they are usually quite large in shared spaces, and as a result, need to be properly maintained.
Cleaning the Bins
The waste bins are also taken out and emptied, and new garbage bags are added. These are located in public areas, so there is no “one” specific person who takes responsibility. As a result, the responsibility is given to strata cleaning companies.
Strata cleaning involves the cleaning of shared spaces thoroughly, including disinfecting the surface and cleaning the floors. It’s important to maintain the health and safety of these spaces. It also makes organisation much easier for the entire group of people living in the building.