Commercial cleaning company · Greater Melbourne
A Melbourne Cleaning Company That Finishes the Job
Cleaningia is a cleaning company in Melbourne for jobs with a date attached: builders and post-construction cleans, floor polishing, graffiti removal, and vacate and pre-sale cleaning. Builders, property managers, agents and business owners bring us in when a handover, a settlement or an opening can't slip. Browse every cleaning service we offer, or pick the job below.
- Written scope with every quote
- Walk-through and sign-off at the end
- Site-inducted construction crews
- Rough clean
- Practical completion
- Final clean and sign-off
- What we are
- A commercial cleaning company. We don't manage facilities or sell products.
- Our flagship
- Builders cleans, staged against the build programme.
- Where we work
- Greater Melbourne, from the CBD out to the growth corridors.
- How every job ends
- A walk-through with you and a signed-off scope.
Who we are
What kind of Melbourne cleaning company is Cleaningia?
Cleaningia is a commercial cleaning company in Melbourne that takes on cleans with a deadline and a standard to meet: builders handovers, floor restoration, graffiti, vacates and pre-sale presentation. We scope each job in writing, clean it with our own crew and walk it with you before we call it finished.
There's no shortage of cleaning companies in Melbourne. Most are built around the weekly office run, which is steady work and a different skill. A builders clean at practical completion, or a vinyl corridor that needs its old sealer stripped overnight, asks for other things: the right machines, crews who can work around trades, and someone who reads the brief before turning up.
That is the work we chose. A commercial cleaning company earns its keep on the jobs where a missed detail costs somebody money, like a defect list that holds up handover, a bond dispute, or a listing photographed with dust on the skirting boards. We would rather be judged on those.
"Finishes the job" is a plain promise. The scope is agreed before we start, the crew works to it, and the last hour on site is spent checking against it with you, not packing the van. If something on the list isn't right, it gets fixed while we are still there.
You can read more about the Cleaningia team and the way we work.
What we take on
- Builders and post-construction cleans, all three stages
- Floor polishing, strip and seal, tile and grout restoration
- Graffiti removal from brick, render, metal and glass
- Vacate, make-good and pre-sale cleans
- Event cleaning before, during and after
- Office cleaning programmes and commercial seating
What we leave to others
- Facilities management and building maintenance
- Sanding timber back to bare boards, which is a flooring trade
- Asbestos, biohazard and trauma cleaning
- Work at height beyond safe ladder or platform access
If your job sits in this column, we'll say so in our first reply and point you to the right trade where we can.
Who books us
The clients we build for are the repeat kind. A builder needs a clean at every stage of every project, an agent needs a pre-sale clean for listing after listing, and a building manager needs someone to answer the moment a wall gets tagged. That work only comes back if the first job went well, which keeps us honest.
Flagship service
What does a builders clean in Melbourne involve?
A builders clean takes a building from construction site to handover, and it usually runs in three stages: a rough clean once the trades finish, a detailed clean at practical completion, and a final clean just before the keys change hands. We book each stage against your build programme.
Builders, developers, site managers and fitout contractors book most of our builders cleaning in Melbourne, on houses, townhouse developments, apartment floors, offices and retail fitouts. Each stage clears a different layer of mess, so the tabs below show what the crew is there to do at each point in the build.
Stage 1: the rough clean
The bulk comes out first. Offcuts, packaging and debris are cleared, floors are swept and vacuumed, and the heavy dust comes off sills, benches and ledges so the finishing trades and inspectors can see what they are looking at.
- Debris, offcuts and packaging removed from every room
- Floors swept and vacuumed with HEPA machines
- Heavy dust taken off sills, ledges and benchtops
- Concrete splatter and mortar knocked back
- Site amenities cleaned for the trades still working
Stage 2: practical completion
This is the detailed clean. Every surface a client will touch or look at gets wiped, and the residue trades leave behind comes off without scratching new finishes. Most defect inspections happen straight after it.
- Paint overspray and adhesive off glass and frames
- Silicone smears and protective film cleared
- Stickers and labels off windows, appliances and tapware
- Joinery wiped inside and out, drawer runners included
- Light fittings, switches and vents dusted
Stage 3: the final clean
The last pass happens once the defects are fixed and the dust from those repairs has settled. Floors are finished, glass is streak-free and the site is walked with the site manager against the handover list.
- Fine dust removed from every surface, top to bottom
- Floors mopped, buffed or sealed to suit the finish
- Internal glass and reachable external glass cleaned
- Kitchens and bathrooms detailed for first use
- Walk-through with the site manager, then sign-off
Timing is most of the skill. Clean too early and the next trade undoes the work; clean too late and the handover date slips while the site waits for us. We ask for the programme when we quote, pencil each stage against it, and stay in touch with the site manager as dates move, because on most builds they do. When a trade runs late, we move with it rather than cleaning around a painter.
Builders clean, after builders clean or site cleaning?
The names get used loosely, so it helps to know which one you are asking for. Owners who arrive after the builder has gone usually want our after builders cleaning service, which chases the fine dust that keeps settling out of vents and joinery for weeks. Commercial fitouts and live sites fall under post-construction cleaning.
If you need a figure for a tender, the builders cleaning prices page explains how we price per square metre, per stage or by the hour.
| Question | Builders clean | After builders clean | Site cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who books it | Builder, developer or site manager | Homeowner or business owner | Head contractor on a live site |
| When | In stages, up to handover | After the builder has left | Throughout the build |
| Main job | Bring the site up to handover standard | Remove the dust left behind before moving in or opening | Keep amenities, site sheds and common areas usable |
| Signed off by | Site manager, against the handover list | The owner | Site manager, each visit |
Anyone doing construction work on a Victorian site needs a construction induction card, the white card, and WorkSafe Victoria only issues one after face-to-face training with an approved provider (see WorkSafe's white card rules). Our crews carry theirs, sit your site induction and work under the principal contractor's safe work method statements wherever the task calls for one.
Floor care
Which commercial floors can you polish, strip and seal?
We look after sealed vinyl, tile and grout, polished concrete and coated timber. Vinyl is the floor we strip and reseal most often, concrete and tile are machine-scrubbed and burnished, and timber gets a maintenance buff or recoat. Sanding boards back to bare timber belongs to a flooring trade, and we say so.
Floor polishing in Melbourne means two different things depending on who you ask. In the cleaning trade it means buffing or burnishing a sealed floor with a rotary machine until the finish comes back. For timber, many people mean full sanding and coating, which is a floor sander's job. Knowing which one you need saves a wasted visit, so here is how we handle each floor.
Sealed vinyl
- Method
- Strip and seal, then regular burnishing
- Usual sites
- Corridors, kitchens, retail back-of-house
Most worn vinyl can be brought back without replacing it.
Tile and grout
- Method
- Machine scrub, grout detailing, optional sealing
- Usual sites
- Amenities, foyers, food areas
Grout darkens first, and that is where the hours go.
Polished concrete
- Method
- Scrub and burnish, guard coat top-ups
- Usual sites
- Offices, showrooms, new builds
Dull traffic lanes usually need a burnish, not a regrind.
Coated timber
- Method
- Clean, buff and maintenance recoat
- Usual sites
- Halls, offices, homes going to market
Scratches through the coating need a sander. See timber floor polishing options.
Tile and grout restoration is the job people underestimate. A mop spreads dirty water into the grout lines, so over time a light grout turns grey and no amount of daily mopping brings it back. We scrub the tiles and grout with a machine and brushes, extract the dirty solution rather than leaving it to dry, and seal the grout afterwards if you want it to stay lighter for longer.
How does a strip and seal work?
A floor strip and seal is the reset for vinyl that has gone grey and patchy. We run most of them after hours or across a weekend, because the floor has to stay closed while each coat dries. The number of coats, and how long before people can walk on it, depend on the product and the room, and both are written into the quote.
- StripA stripping solution softens the old sealer and the grime locked in it.
- ScrubA rotary machine with a stripping pad lifts it off the vinyl.
- RinseThe slurry is vacuumed up and the floor rinsed with clean water.
- NeutraliseThe surface is brought back to neutral so the new sealer bonds.
- SealFresh coats go down, each one dry before the next.
Graffiti removal
How do you remove graffiti without damaging the surface?
By matching the method to what is underneath. Brick takes a remover and a low-pressure rinse, render needs a gentler system, painted walls are often better painted out in a matched colour, and etched glass is polished or filmed. Pressure alone tends to leave a ghost of the tag, or scar the wall.
Shop owners, building managers and owners corporations book most of our graffiti removal in Melbourne, usually wanting tags gone before customers or residents see them. Speed matters for a practical reason: fresh paint sits on the surface, while paint that has had weeks of sun soaks into porous brick and render and takes more work to lift.
| Surface | Usual method | What we watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Face brick | Remover, dwell time, low-pressure hot rinse | Soft older brick and mortar joints |
| Render | Gentle remover, soft brush, low pressure | Painted or sealed render that can lift |
| Painted walls | Colour-matched paint-out, or removal if the paint allows | Patchy squares that look worse than the tag |
| Metal and roller doors | Hand-applied solvent remover | Powder coat and factory finishes |
| Glass | Blade for paint, polishing or film for etching | How deep the etch goes |
Acid etching is its own problem. Light etching can be polished out of glass, while deep etching may mean the pane is cheaper to replace, and we will tell you which after a look. The acid-etched glass removal page covers where polishing stops working. For walls that get hit again and again, ask us about anti-graffiti coatings, which make the next clean-up quicker, and read the graffiti removal cost guide before you budget.
Vacate, pre-sale and events
What is the difference between a vacate clean and a pre-sale clean?
A vacate clean returns a property to the condition recorded when the lease began, so the bond or make-good can be settled. A pre-sale clean gets a property ready for the photographer and the first open. One is checked against a report, and the other is judged by buyers.
Vacate cleaning
Commercial tenants leaving shops and offices book most of our vacate cleaning in Melbourne, often alongside make-good works. We clean against the entry condition report or the lease's make-good clause, not a generic list, and landlords' agents get a clean they can tick off.
- Notice given
- Vacate clean
- Final inspection
- Bond or make-good settled
Pre-sale cleaning
Agents and vendors book pre-sale cleaning before the photographer arrives, then a quick refresh before each open. Glass, floors, kitchens and bathrooms carry the photos, so that is where the hours go. Agencies with a steady run of listings can set up a standing arrangement.
- Listing signed
- Pre-sale clean
- Photos and video
- Opens and refreshes
Commercial leases work differently from residential ones. The make-good clause decides what the tenant hands back, and it can ask for anything from a general clean to carpets shampooed, walls washed and every fitting left in working order. We read the clause with you before quoting, so the clean covers what the landlord can actually hold you to and nothing you are paying for twice.
What does a rental vacate clean have to meet?
For residential rentals in Victoria the test is simple. Renters must leave the property reasonably clean and in the condition it was in when they moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear, and Consumer Affairs Victoria points to the condition report as the key evidence if cleaning ends up in a bond dispute (see CAV guidance on condition reports). That is why we ask for the report before quoting. Our vacate clean checklist goes room by room, and the vacate cleaning prices page shows what moves the cost.
Event cleaning
Venues, festival organisers and companies running functions use our event cleaning in three blocks: a set-up clean, crews on bins and amenities during the event, and a reset so the venue goes back on time.
Offices and sectors
Do you clean offices and other commercial sites?
Yes. Alongside the specialist work, Cleaningia runs scheduled cleaning for offices and looks after construction, property, venue and community sites across Melbourne. Offices get a documented scope, the same crew each visit and cleaning done outside business hours.
Five questions to ask any office cleaner
Choosing between commercial cleaning companies in Melbourne mostly comes down to five things. Ask them of every contractor you talk to, us included.
- Is the scope written down, room by room, with how often each task happens?
- Will the same cleaners come each time, and who covers their leave?
- Who supplies consumables, and how are they reordered?
- How do you raise a problem, and how quickly is it fixed?
- Can you see the insurance certificate before the first clean?
Our office cleaning company page answers each one for Cleaningia.
Office programmes run in the evening or early morning, so desks are cleared by the time staff arrive and nobody works around a vacuum. The scope sets which tasks happen nightly, weekly and monthly, and consumables such as hand towel, soap and bin liners can be supplied and restocked by the crew or left to you. Either way, it is written down.
Construction and fitouts
Builders, developers and fitout contractors, from a single home to a whole office floor.
Offices
After-hours programmes for single tenancies and whole buildings.
Property and real estate
Vacates, make-goods and pre-sale cleans for agents, landlords and tenants.
Venues and events
Function rooms, halls and outdoor events, before, during and after.
Churches and community buildings
Halls, churches and community rooms, weekly or around events.
Commercial seating
Office chairs, booths and reception lounges, through our commercial upholstery cleaning.
Schools, childcare centres, warehouses and healthcare sites are handled by specialist teams. The page on the sectors we clean sets out who looks after what.
How a job runs
How does a Cleaningia job run from quote to sign-off?
Every job runs in four steps: quote, scope, clean and sign-off. You get a written quote, we agree exactly what is included, a supervised crew does the work, and we walk the site with you at the end. Nothing is finished until you have checked it.
1. Quote
Send the address, the job and the date. Small jobs are priced from photos and floor areas, while bigger or unusual ones get a site visit first.
2. Scope
The quote becomes a written scope listing rooms, surfaces, exclusions, access times and who signs off. Builders get it matched to the programme.
3. Clean
A supervisor runs the crew on site and works through the scope in order, with the right machines and chemicals for each surface.
4. Sign-off
We walk the site with you or your site manager, fix anything raised on the spot, then send the signed scope with photos.
Plenty of cleaners in Melbourne can do a good clean on the day. The difference shows up in steps two and four, which is where most disputes start, so that is where we spend the extra time. It is also why hiring a cleaner in Melbourne for a one-off job goes better when the scope is on paper first.
Get a quote
What do you need to send us for a quote?
The site address or suburb, the type of clean, a rough floor area and the date it has to be ready. Photos help, and plans help more for builders cleans. Most quotes come back within one business day, and larger sites get a walk-through before we put a price on paper.
- Floor area in square metres, or the plans
- Stage of the build and the handover date
- Access hours, parking and lift details
- Photos of the worst areas
- The condition report or make-good clause, for vacates
Site visits are free and usually take around half an hour. We measure up, note access and parking, look at the surfaces that need special care, and ask who will do the final walk-through with us.
Every quote sets out what is included, what is not, the access times we have assumed and how the job gets signed off. If anything changes on site, such as an extra floor or an earlier handover, we price the change in writing before doing it, so the invoice matches the quote.
Questions
What do clients ask a cleaning company before booking?
Straight answers to the things builders, agents and owners ask us first. If yours isn't here, put it in the quote form and we will answer it along with the price.
Ask with your quoteWhat does Cleaningia clean?
Do you do builders cleans?
Do you cover all of Melbourne?
Are you insured?
How fast can you quote?
Do you clean homes as well?
How is a builders clean priced?
Guides
Where can you read more before you book?
We write up the questions we hear most, with the checklists we use ourselves. Start with the four below, or browse all of our cleaning guides.
Got a handover, a settlement or an opening coming up?
Tell us the site, the stage and the date. We will come back with a written scope and a fixed price.