You’ve signed the lease. The keys are in your hand. After months of working from home, cafés and coworking hot desks, your team finally has an office of its own.
There’s a long list of things to sort out: internet, furniture, coffee machine, signage. Cleaning is usually near the bottom, until week two, when the bins are overflowing, the bathroom needs attention and nobody is quite sure whose job it is.
Setting up cleaning properly from day one saves a lot of awkward conversations later. This guide walks Adelaide startups and growing businesses through what cleaning your first office needs, how often, what it costs and how to get it right from the start.
Quick answer: Start with a move in clean before your team arrives, then book professional cleaning 1 to 3 times a week, depending on team size. Focus on bathrooms, the kitchen, bins and floors. Decide early who buys supplies, set simple kitchen rules and agree on a written scope with your cleaner. Commercial cleaning in Adelaide usually costs $32 to $56 per hour, which works out to a modest monthly cost for a small office.
Step 1: Check Your Lease
Before you book anyone, read your lease:
- Who cleans the common areas? In shared buildings, the landlord usually handles lobbies, lifts and shared bathrooms, sometimes recovered through outgoings.
- Is cleaning of your space included? Usually not, but some serviced offices include it.
- Are there building rules? Some buildings limit when contractors can enter or require approved cleaners.
- What are the make good terms? Knowing how the office must be left at the end of the lease helps you look after it now.
Step 2: Book a Move In Clean
The office may look clean, but it’s often been empty for weeks or months, or just had a fitout.
A move in clean usually covers:
- Dust from fitout work or empty months
- Inside kitchen cupboards and drawers
- Bathrooms, including grout and fittings
- Carpets vacuumed or steam cleaned
- Windows, sills and glass partitions
- Floors scrubbed and mopped
Book it a day or two before your team moves in, after furniture delivery if possible.
Step 3: Choose How Often to Clean
| Team size | Suggested cleaning frequency |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 people | Once or twice a week |
| 5 to 10 people | Twice or three times a week |
| 10 to 20 people | Three to five times a week |
| 20+ people | Daily |
Adjust for how your team works. A hybrid team that’s only in two days a week may need cleaning after those days only. A team that eats lunch in the office every day will need the kitchen cleaned more often.
Step 4: Decide What Needs Cleaning
For most first offices, the priorities are simple:
Every clean
- Bathrooms cleaned and restocked
- Kitchen benches, sink, microwave and tables wiped
- Bins and recycling emptied
- Floors vacuumed and mopped
- High touch points such as door handles and light switches wiped
Weekly
- Clear desks wiped
- Fridge cleaned and old food removed
- Glass and partitions cleaned
- Dusting of sills and shelves
Every 6 to 12 months
- Carpet steam cleaning
- Window cleaning
- Full deep clean
Put this in writing as your scope of works. A professional office cleaning Adelaide provider will help you write it during a free site visit.
Step 5: Sort Out Supplies
Somebody has to buy toilet paper. Decide who now.
Supplies a small office needs:
- Toilet paper and hand towels
- Hand soap for bathrooms and kitchen
- Dishwashing liquid and dishwasher tablets
- Bin liners for every bin
- Sponges, dish brushes and tea towels
- Surface spray and cloths for staff spills
- Hand sanitiser for the entry
Options:
- Your cleaner supplies and restocks consumables, usually for an added cost
- Your office manager orders supplies and the cleaner restocks
- You order everything and restock yourselves
Ask whether consumables are included before you compare cleaning quotes.
Step 6: Set Simple Office Rules
Professional cleaning works best when your team does a few small things too.
- Wash or load your own dishes
- Wipe up spills straight away
- Label food in the fridge and clear it out on Fridays
- Put waste in the right bin
- Clear your desk at the end of the day
- Tell someone when supplies run low
Agree on these early, while the team is small. Habits set in the first month tend to stick.
Step 7: Choose the Right Cleaner
For a first office, look for a cleaner who:
- Visits before quoting and puts the scope in writing
- Offers a fixed price with no surprise extras
- Can start small and add more cleaning as you grow
- Carries public liability insurance
- Has a simple notice period, without a long lock in
- Gives you one point of contact
An experienced commercial cleaning Adelaide company will be used to working with small and growing teams.
What It Costs
Commercial cleaning in Adelaide usually costs $32 to $56 per hour, or about $1.76 to $3.44 per square metre per clean.
Example: A small office that takes about 1.5 hours to clean, twice a week, needs around 13 hours of cleaning a month. At Adelaide market rates, that’s roughly $415 to $730 a month, depending on the provider and what’s included.
This is a budgeting example only. Your actual price depends on your size, layout and the services you choose.
Growing Fast?
As your team grows, review your cleaning every few months:
- Add more cleaning days as headcount increases
- Add a daytime kitchen reset if lunchtime gets busy
- Update the scope when you add rooms or change the layout
- Book carpet and window cleaning on a regular schedule
Choosing a cleaner who can grow with you saves the hassle of switching later.
Why Growing Businesses Choose Ms Clean AU
Ms Clean AU provides commercial cleaning Adelaide SA businesses rely on, from our base at 71 Alexandra Street, Prospect.
- Move in cleans before your team arrives
- Flexible schedules from once a week to daily
- Free on site assessment and a written scope
- Fixed pricing with no surprise extras
- Carpet cleaning and window cleaning from the same team
- $20 million public liability insurance
- Quality inspections and reporting after every visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a professional cleaner for a small office?
Most small offices benefit from professional cleaning at least once or twice a week, especially for bathrooms, kitchens and floors.
How much does it cost to clean a small office in Adelaide?
Commercial cleaning usually costs $32 to $56 per hour. A small office cleaned twice a week might cost roughly $415 to $730 a month, depending on size and what’s included.
Who cleans common areas in my building?
Usually the landlord or building manager. Check your lease to confirm.
Should I get a move in clean?
Yes. Empty offices and new fitouts are often dusty, even if they look clean.
Who buys cleaning supplies?
Either your cleaner or your office manager. Decide early, and check whether supplies are included in your cleaning price.
How often should a startup office be cleaned?
Once or twice a week for very small teams, rising to daily as the team grows past about 20 people.
Start Your First Office the Right Way
Ms Clean AU helps Adelaide startups and growing businesses set up simple, reliable office cleaning from day one. We start with a free site assessment and give you a fixed written price.
Call 0480 321 027 or email service@msclean.au for your free quote.
Ms Clean AU, 71 Alexandra Street, Prospect SA 5082