This glossary defines the terms most often used in commercial cleaning, janitorial service, facility maintenance and aerial inspection, in plain language. Each definition is short enough to quote. Terms are grouped by topic, and links point to longer guides where a term needs more explanation.
Cleaning and janitorial terms
Janitorial service
Routine, recurring cleaning of an occupied building, such as trash removal, restrooms, floors and dusting, performed on a fixed schedule. See janitorial vs commercial cleaning.
Commercial cleaning
The broad term for cleaning non-residential property, including recurring janitorial work and one-time or specialty projects.
Custodial services
A term common in schools and public institutions for routine building cleaning; essentially the same as janitorial service.
Scope of work
The document defining which tasks a cleaning provider performs, in which areas, how often, and under what rules. See our scope of work template.
Production rate
The square footage a trained cleaner can service per hour for a given space type and task list. Used to estimate labor hours.
Cleanable square footage
The floor area actually cleaned, which may exclude mechanical rooms, storage or other unserviced spaces.
Split schedule
A schedule that cleans high-impact areas such as restrooms, kitchens and trash more often than lower-impact tasks.
Day porter
A cleaner stationed in a building during business hours to handle ongoing tasks. Northmark does not offer day porter service.
Periodic tasks
Tasks done less often than every visit, such as weekly, monthly or quarterly work like high dusting and baseboards.
Touchpoints
Frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, light switches, elevator buttons and faucet handles.
Walk-off matting
Entry mats designed to capture soil and moisture before it spreads into a building.
Disinfection terms
Cleaning
Removing dirt and many germs from surfaces with soap or detergent and water.
Sanitizing
Reducing bacteria on a surface to safer levels with a product registered for that purpose.
Disinfecting
Killing the specific organisms listed on an EPA-registered disinfectant's label when used as directed. See cleaning vs sanitizing vs disinfecting.
Contact time (dwell time)
How long a surface must stay wet with a disinfectant for the product to work as its label claims.
Safety data sheet (SDS)
A document describing a chemical product's hazards and safe handling, required under OSHA's Hazard Communication standard.
Quality and management terms
Quality assurance (QA)
The process of checking cleaning results against the scope through inspections and correcting deficiencies.
APPA cleanliness levels
A five-level scale for describing facility cleanliness, from Level 1 "orderly spotlessness" to Level 5 "unkempt neglect." See APPA cleanliness levels.
Deficiency
A task in the scope that was missed or not done to standard, found during inspection.
Account manager or account lead
The person at a cleaning company responsible for a client's service, communication and issue resolution.
Building score
A weighted average of area inspection scores for a building. See QA inspection scoring.
Trust and contract terms
Insured
Carrying business insurance, such as general liability and workers' compensation, that pays for covered accidents and injuries.
Bonded
Having a bond, often a janitorial or fidelity bond, that responds to losses from dishonest acts of employees, subject to its terms. See bonded vs insured.
Certificate of insurance (COI)
A document summarizing a company's insurance coverage, limits and dates.
Additional insured
A party added to a policy so it receives certain protection under the vendor's insurance.
Indemnification
A contract clause allocating responsibility for losses between the parties.
Credential log
A record of which keys, fobs and alarm codes are issued to which people, and when they are returned.
Facility terms
Facility maintenance
Hands-on work keeping a building and its systems working: inspections, upkeep and repairs.
Facility management
The broader discipline of planning and coordinating everything a building needs to support an organization. See facility maintenance vs facility management.
Preventive maintenance
Scheduled inspection and upkeep designed to catch problems before they cause failures.
Property condition report
A dated, photo-based record of a property's visible condition.
Building envelope
The walls, windows, roof and foundation separating a building's interior from the outdoors.
Drone and aerial terms
Part 107
The FAA rules (14 CFR Part 107) governing commercial operation of small drones. See FAA Part 107 drone inspections.
Remote pilot certificate
The FAA certificate required to fly drones commercially under Part 107.
Controlled airspace
Airspace around certain airports where drone flights require FAA authorization.
LAANC
Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, the FAA system commonly used to authorize drone flights in controlled airspace.
Remote ID
The FAA requirement for most drones to broadcast identification and location information during flight.
Visual line of sight (VLOS)
The Part 107 requirement that the pilot or a visual observer can see the drone throughout the flight.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between cleaning and disinfecting?
Cleaning removes dirt and many germs. Disinfecting kills the specific organisms listed on an EPA-registered product's label when used as directed.
What does bonded mean for a cleaning company?
The company has a bond that responds to losses from dishonest acts of its employees, subject to the bond's terms.
What is a scope of work in cleaning?
The document listing tasks, areas, frequencies and rules for a cleaning contract.
What is LAANC?
The FAA system commonly used to authorize drone flights in controlled airspace near airports.
Sources
Published · Updated · Northmark Facility Services.