APPA's custodial cleanliness levels are a five-step scale for describing how clean a facility appears, developed by APPA (Leadership in Educational Facilities) in its operational guidelines for custodial work. Level 1 is "orderly spotlessness," Level 2 "ordinary tidiness," Level 3 "casual inattention," Level 4 "moderate dinginess" and Level 5 "unkempt neglect." Many schools, universities and other organizations use the levels to set targets, estimate staffing and inspect results. Most commercial offices aim for Level 2, with Level 1 for high-visibility spaces.
Why a shared scale helps
"Clean" means different things to different people. A facility director, a tenant and a cleaning supervisor can walk the same restroom and reach different conclusions. A defined scale gives everyone the same reference points, which helps when:
- Writing a scope or RFP
- Estimating how much labor a building needs
- Inspecting work
- Discussing budget trade-offs with leadership
The five levels
| Level | Name | What it looks like (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orderly spotlessness | Floors and surfaces gleam; no dust, marks or streaks; trash containers empty and clean; restrooms spotless and odor-free |
| 2 | Ordinary tidiness | Floors and surfaces clean with minor dust or marks in places; trash emptied; restrooms clean and supplied |
| 3 | Casual inattention | Visible dust and some soil, especially in corners and edges; floors show traffic patterns; restrooms acceptable but not detailed |
| 4 | Moderate dinginess | Noticeable dust, dull floors, some trash accumulation, restroom odors; occupants begin to complain |
| 5 | Unkempt neglect | Heavy soil, overflowing trash, unsanitary restrooms; a clearly unacceptable condition |
These summaries paraphrase the APPA descriptions. APPA's published guidelines contain fuller criteria for floors, vertical and horizontal surfaces, washrooms, fixtures, trash and odor.
How levels connect to labor and cost
APPA's guidelines link cleanliness levels to staffing: higher levels require more labor per square foot. That relationship is the most useful part of the framework for budgeting. If leadership asks for lower costs, the honest answer is often "we can move from Level 2 to Level 3 in these areas," rather than pretending the same result can be had for less. See our commercial cleaning cost guide.
Choosing a target level by area
Most buildings do not need one level everywhere:
| Area | Common target |
|---|---|
| Main lobby, executive areas, patient waiting rooms | Level 1 |
| Restrooms | Level 1 or 2 |
| General offices and classrooms | Level 2 |
| Back-of-house corridors, storage | Level 3 |
| Mechanical and rarely used storage | Level 3 to 4, by choice |
Setting levels by area lets you put budget where it matters most.
Using levels in a contract
- State target levels by area in the scope.
- Define the inspection method: who inspects, how often, which sample of rooms. See janitorial QA inspection scoring.
- Define remedies when an area scores below target.
- Review targets annually against budget and occupant feedback.
Our scope of work template has a place for target levels.
Limits of the framework
- APPA levels are appearance-based. They do not measure microbial cleanliness, which matters in healthcare and childcare.
- Ratings involve judgment. Calibrate by inspecting together at first.
- The guidelines were developed for educational facilities, though many other organizations adapt them.
Other industry frameworks, such as ISSA's management standards, focus on how a cleaning organization is run rather than how a room looks. The two approaches complement each other.
How Northmark uses APPA levels
Our standard quality assurance program scores areas against the written scope. Clients who use APPA levels, particularly schools and education facilities, can have targets and reports expressed in APPA terms.
Calibrating levels in your building
Because levels involve judgment, inspect a few representative rooms together with your vendor at the start and agree which level each one shows. Photograph examples of Level 1, 2 and 3 conditions in your own building. Those reference photos make later inspections faster and far less contentious, and they help new supervisors or facility staff apply the same standard.
Frequently asked questions
What are the APPA cleaning levels?
Level 1 orderly spotlessness, Level 2 ordinary tidiness, Level 3 casual inattention, Level 4 moderate dinginess and Level 5 unkempt neglect.
What APPA level should an office target?
Most offices target Level 2 overall, with Level 1 for lobbies, executive areas and sometimes restrooms.
Do APPA levels measure germs?
No. They describe appearance. Healthcare and childcare settings also need product and procedure standards.
Are APPA levels only for schools?
They were developed for educational facilities, but many other organizations adapt them for offices and other buildings.
Sources
Published · Northmark Facility Services.