Campus Cleaning Standards and Schedule
A Shared Responsibility
University of Alberta campuses are friendly and welcoming spaces. Together we can help keep our campuses safe, clean, and accessible by following the shared responsibilities listed below.
Responsibilities for our community members
We need your help to keep our campuses safe, accessible, and clean. Do your part by following the tips below.
- Report urgent maintenance requests by calling 780-492-4833
- Submit general maintenance requests online using uab.ca/fixit
- Regularly wipe down high-touch surfaces in offices and labs
- Workbenches, laboratory benches, desktops, and cabinets
- Fume hoods
- Laboratory, research, athletic and maintenance equipment
- Common areas
- Meeting rooms and board rooms
- Empty garbages (offices and work spaces) into a central Zero Waste station following the guidance below:
- Dispose of food or liquid directly into Zero Waste stations to avoid odor
- Keep the bin liner (garbage bag)—you can simply dump your bin directly into the Zero Waste station and keep the liner for future use
For tips and instructions on cleaning, view this tip sheet.
Responsibilities for university cleaning staff
Cleaning and sanitizing
- High touch surfaces
- Daily cleaning of washrooms with spot checks during the day
- Emptying Zero Waste recycling and garbage stations
Taking care of common areas
- Common areas and lounges are fully serviced twice per week with ongoing checks and spot cleaning weekdays
- Cleaning entrances and lobbies twice per week
- Adding sanitizing stations at main entrances to buildings
- Increased sanitizing of high touch points like doorknobs and railings
Please do not submit a maintenance request for regular cleaning. Instead, contact your supervisor for additional cleaning services if required.
University custodians are responsible for cleaning a total area of over 12.5 million square feet on our campuses! This includes classrooms, labs, study spaces, offices, lounges, and so much more.
Our goal is to maintain a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors, in support of the university’s mission.
Cleaning standards
Our cleaning staff and contractors follow a set of cleaning standards, in accordance with Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA), to ensure the quality of cleanliness on campus.
Funded to maintain an average cleaning level of APPA 4 (Moderate Dinginess), our goal is to maintain a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors, in support of the university’s mission.
Quality assurance inspectors work in conjunction with area supervisors and cleaning teams to ensure cleaning tasks are completed in accordance with APPA standards. Each building undergoes a pre-scheduled cleaning inspection every two months or up to six times per year. Spot checks are completed between scheduled inspections to provide an overall assessment of cleanliness throughout the year. Trends and anomalies are identified through data analysis to optimize our service delivery model, while ensuring that required service levels are achieved and consistently maintained.
If you would like to arrange customized cleaning services beyond our current cleaning standards, please submit a department work requisition. Our team can customize your custodial services to best fit your department or faculty budget.
For questions or assistance, contact your facility area manager.
Cleaning schedule and frequency
| Site | Cleaning Frequency |
|---|---|
| Washrooms | Daily |
| Locker and change rooms | Daily |
| Classrooms, teaching labs, seminar rooms and libraries |
Weekly with checks and spot cleaning |
| Lounges, kitchens and lunch rooms | Twice a week with checks and spot cleaning |
| Offices (common, private and general) | Monthly |
| Reception areas and waiting rooms | Weekly with checks and spot cleaning |
| Gymnasiums and recreational studios | Daily |
| Patient treatment areas | Daily |
| Research labs | Weekly |
| Entrances and lobbies | Winter - daily Summer - twice per week |
| Main stairs, stairwells and landings | Weekly with checks and spot cleaning |
| Secondary stairs, stairwells and landings | Monthly |
| Main corridors and elevators | Dust mop daily. Wash twice a week or as needed |
| Secondary corridors | Dust mop weekly. Wash once every two weeks or as needed |
| Bleachers | As required |
| Loading docks and receiving areas | As required |
| Storage rooms | As required |
| Mechanical rooms | As required |