If you're shopping for cleaning in Edmonton, you'll see companies advertise "janitorial services" and "commercial cleaning", sometimes as if they're the same thing. There's a lot of overlap, but the difference matters when you're writing a scope or comparing quotes.
Janitorial services: routine daily maintenance
Janitorial work is the recurring, everyday upkeep that keeps a building clean and functional:
- Emptying garbage and recycling
- Cleaning and restocking washrooms
- Vacuuming, sweeping and mopping
- Wiping kitchens, lunchrooms and high-touch points
- Day porter service: spills, restocking and lobby care during business hours
- Managing consumables like paper towel, toilet paper and soap
It's usually done daily or several times a week, on a fixed schedule and a monthly contract.
Commercial cleaning: the broader category
"Commercial cleaning" covers all cleaning for businesses, including janitorial, plus the periodic, deeper and specialty work that routine cleaning doesn't handle:
- Deep cleaning and spring cleaning
- Floor care: strip and wax, scrubbing, burnishing, carpet extraction
- Post-construction and renovation cleaning
- High dusting of vents, lights, beams and racking
- Specialty cleaning for medical clinics, industrial sites and food service
Side by side
| Janitorial | Commercial cleaning | |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Daily or several times a week | Ongoing plus periodic or one-time |
| Focus | Maintenance and upkeep | Maintenance, restoration and specialty work |
| Equipment | Vacuums, mops, carts | Plus auto-scrubbers, extractors, lifts |
| Pricing | Fixed monthly | Monthly plus per-job or hourly |
Which does your building need?
Most businesses need both: a janitorial program for day-to-day cleanliness, and scheduled commercial cleaning for floors, deep cleans and seasonal work. Hiring one company for both avoids gaps between contractors and gives you one point of contact. Learn more about our janitorial services and commercial cleaning in Edmonton.