The commercial cleaning industry has a retention problem. Average contract length hovers around 18 months. Understanding why reveals a structural issue with how most businesses approach facility maintenance.

In an industry built on appearances, most cleaning services optimize for what shows up in photos. The problem is, your clients and employees aren't experiencing your space through a camera lens.

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There's a threshold most commercial cleaning services aim for: “visible cleanliness”. This means the trash is removed, the floors swept, surfaces wiped. It photographs well. Passes a quick walkthrough.

And for some properties, it's considered sufficient.

But "clean enough" creates a gap between perception and reality. The gap shows up in employee sick days that cluster seasonally. In clients who unconsciously wipe down conference room tables before placing their materials. In the gradual degradation of surfaces that weren't meant to be cleaned with whatever was cheapest that month.