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Maintaining a clean and well-organised strata property is essential for ensuring the comfort, safety, and satisfaction of all residents. Cleanliness not only affects the aesthetic appeal of the property but also contributes to its long-term value. Furthermore, regular cleaning is crucial for maintaining health and safety standards in shared spaces. Whether it’s keeping communal areas tidy, managing waste, or ensuring regular deep cleans, strata cleaning is an integral part of property management that requires careful planning and attention to detail.

In this article, we will explore why cleaning matters in strata properties, outline the cleaning responsibilities for owners and managers, discuss which areas require regular cleaning, and provide a guide on how to engage professional cleaning services and implement sustainable practices.

Why Cleaning Matters in Strata Properties

Strata properties house multiple residents, and maintaining cleanliness across both internal and external spaces is crucial to fostering a safe and pleasant living environment. Regular cleaning ensures that communal areas are hygienic and inviting, reducing the risks of contamination and contributing to the overall upkeep of the property.

A clean strata property also plays a significant role in:

• Enhancing Property Appeal: Clean properties are more appealing to prospective buyers or tenants, which can help maintain or increase property value.

• Ensuring Health and Safety: Regular cleaning reduces the risk of accidents such as slips, trips, and falls, particularly in high-traffic areas.

• Preventing Odour and Pest Issues: Unclean areas can become breeding grounds for pests and cause unpleasant odours, affecting the quality of life for residents.

• Maintaining Legal Compliance: Strata schemes must adhere to local health and safety standards, making cleaning a crucial part of maintaining regulatory compliance.

Ensuring cleanliness within a strata scheme directly impacts the living standards of its residents, which is why cleaning should never be overlooked.

Understanding Cleaning Responsibilities

In a strata scheme, cleaning responsibilities are shared between the owners corporation and individual owners, with the strata manager playing a key role in supporting the owners corporation in fulfilling its obligations. It’s essential to understand these divisions of responsibility to ensure the cleaning process is effectively managed, and that all tasks are completed efficiently and on time.

Owners Corporation vs Individual Owners

In a strata scheme, the owners corporation is responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of common property, while individual owners are responsible for maintaining their private units.

• Common Property: The owners corporation is responsible for cleaning and maintaining shared spaces such as lobbies, hallways, stairwells, lifts, gardens, and car parks. These areas must be kept in good condition to ensure safety and compliance with local regulations.

• Individual Units: Owners are responsible for cleaning and maintaining their own units, including interior spaces like floors, walls, and bathrooms. However, any issues related to leaks or other issues that affect common property should be reported to the owners corporation.

Strata owners should be aware of the distinction between what is their responsibility and what falls under the owners corporation’s obligations. Proper communication and clarification of these responsibilities can prevent misunderstandings.

Role of the Strata Manager

The strata manager plays a key role in organising cleaning services for common property areas. This involves sourcing and liaising with professional cleaning companies, ensuring cleaning schedules are adhered to, and addressing any cleaning-related concerns from owners.

The strata manager also ensures that cleaning tasks are incorporated into the property’s overall maintenance plan. This includes:

• Monitoring the performance of cleaning contractors

• Arranging regular inspections to evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning

• Coordinating with the owners corporation to meet cleaning needs and budget constraints

The strata manager acts as a liaison between the owners corporation, cleaning services, and residents, ensuring a seamless and efficient cleaning operation.

Areas That Require Regular Cleaning

Strata properties have several areas that require frequent attention to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. These areas are essential for the comfort and safety of residents and should be maintained regularly.

Internal Common Areas

Common areas inside the building, such as lobbies, hallways, stairwells, and lifts, receive heavy foot traffic and require consistent cleaning to ensure they remain presentable and safe for residents. Tasks include:

• Cleaning floors: Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming to ensure floors are free of debris.

• Wiping down surfaces: Cleaning handrails, light switches, and door handles to maintain hygiene.

• Emptying trash bins: Ensuring bins are emptied regularly to avoid waste buildup.

• Spot cleaning walls and windows: Removing marks or fingerprints to keep areas looking fresh.

These spaces should be cleaned regularly, particularly in high-traffic buildings, with deeper cleans on a weekly or monthly basis.

External Surfaces and Outdoor Spaces

The external surfaces of the building, including windows, facades, and outdoor spaces, are the first things visitors see, making them crucial to maintaining a building’s curb appeal. Regular maintenance and cleaning ensure these areas are presentable and functional.

• Window cleaning: Regular cleaning of windows, especially in high-rise buildings, prevents the buildup of dirt, dust, and grime.

• Façade cleaning: Washing the building's exterior to remove pollutants, mould, or mildew.

• Outdoor garden areas: Maintaining gardens, lawns, and walkways through routine gardening and waste disposal.

• Car park maintenance: Sweeping and cleaning car parks to prevent litter and ensure a safe environment for vehicles.

These areas should be cleaned on a weekly or monthly basis, with more thorough cleaning performed during seasonal deep cleans.

Recommended Cleaning Schedules

A well-managed cleaning schedule is essential to keep the property looking its best and to prevent long-term issues. The frequency of cleaning tasks depends on the type of area being cleaned and its usage. A regular cleaning schedule will also help ensure that there are no missed areas, and that the cleaning is done in a timely manner.  While the requirements of buildings will vary, the below is a general guide for larger buildings.

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Tasks

• Daily tasks: High-traffic areas like entryways, lobbies, and lifts should be cleaned daily to ensure cleanliness and safety.

• Weekly tasks: General cleaning of floors, surfaces, and waste removal should be done weekly for communal areas.

• Monthly tasks: Tasks such as window washing, high-pressure cleaning, and deep carpet cleaning can be scheduled monthly to maintain a pristine environment.

A set cleaning schedule helps maintain consistent standards and ensures the strata scheme remains clean and welcoming.

Seasonal and Annual Maintenance

In addition to regular cleaning, seasonal and annual maintenance tasks are important for keeping the property in top condition:

• Seasonal tasks: This could include gutter cleaning, leaf removal in autumn, or pressure washing walkways after a rainy season.

• Annual tasks: Deep cleaning tasks like carpet cleaning, window washing for high-rise buildings, or high-touch area disinfection should be scheduled annually to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.

Scheduling these tasks in advance ensures that they are not overlooked and are performed at the optimal time.

Engaging Professional Cleaning Services

While some cleaning tasks may be handled by the owners themselves, most strata properties benefit from engaging professional cleaning services. These services ensure that cleaning tasks are performed to a high standard and on schedule.

When engaging professional cleaning services, strata managers should:

• Vet contractors: Ensure that the cleaning company is experienced, licensed, and insured.

• Negotiate contracts: Establish clear terms regarding frequency, tasks, and pricing.

• Monitor performance: Regularly evaluate the quality of service and ensure that all contracted tasks are completed on time and to standard.

Professional cleaners have the expertise and equipment necessary to manage cleaning efficiently across large strata properties, ensuring that the property remains clean and well-maintained.

Monitoring and Reporting Cleaning Standards

To ensure that cleaning standards are maintained, the owners corporation and strata manager should implement monitoring systems. Regular inspections and feedback from residents can help maintain a high standard of cleanliness.

This process involves:

• Routine inspections of the common areas are conducted by strata managers or appointed personnel.

• Feedback systems allowing residents to report cleaning concerns and provide suggestions for improvement.

• Cleaning reports, documenting the tasks completed and any areas that need further attention.

By actively monitoring cleaning efforts, owners corporations can address issues before they escalate and maintain a clean living environment.

Sustainability and Safe Cleaning Practices

As environmental concerns grow, it’s important for strata schemes to implement sustainable cleaning practices. This not only benefits the environment but also promotes a healthier living space for residents.

Environmentally Friendly Products

Using eco-friendly cleaning products reduces the impact on the environment while ensuring that cleaning is done safely for residents. Green cleaning products are typically non-toxic, biodegradable, and free from harsh chemicals that can affect indoor air quality.

Cleaning companies should aim to incorporate these products into daily and weekly cleaning routines, contributing to both environmental and health benefits for residents.

Waste Management and Recycling

Proper waste management is crucial in strata properties. Ensuring that waste is disposed of correctly and that recycling initiatives are in place helps reduce environmental impact. Owners Corporations should:

• Provide adequate waste bins in communal areas for recycling and general waste.

• Educate residents on recycling best practices and waste minimisation efforts.

• Partner with local waste disposal services to ensure that waste is collected and recycled responsibly.

These steps reduce the carbon footprint of the property while ensuring that the environment is safe and clean for all residents.

Speak With the Strata One Team

Maintaining cleanliness in a strata property requires a coordinated effort. Whether you’re looking for advice on cleaning schedules, engaging professional cleaning services, or implementing sustainable practices, Strata One is here to help.

Our team can assist with creating effective cleaning plans, overseeing professional services, and ensuring that your property remains clean and well-maintained year-round.

Contact Strata One today to learn how we can help streamline your strata cleaning management and ensure that your property stays in pristine condition.