A building's glass facade and shared areas — entrances, corridors, elevators — are the "face of the building" before visitors and clients. The cleanliness of these areas isn't measured only by how clean they are, but by the first impression they make in the mind of everyone who enters.
Why Do Facades and Shared Areas Deserve Special Attention?
- The first impression: A visitor forms their opinion in the first minutes of entering
- Collective use: All users pass through them, which raises the soiling rate
- Shared responsibility: No single tenant is responsible for them — which causes them to be neglected sometimes
- Impact on the building's value: A clean building achieves higher rents and better occupancy
💡 A marketing truth: A visitor who sees a clean, gleaming entrance automatically expects a higher level of professionalism from the facility as a whole — before meeting anyone.
Glass Facades: The Challenge and the Solution
Large glass facades are common in modern buildings but need specialized care:
Challenges
- The great height requires specialized equipment (lifts, ropes)
- Dust in Saudi Arabia accumulates quickly, especially in season
- Fingerprints and rain marks mar the appearance quickly
- Tinted or treated glass needs special materials
Types of Glass Facade Cleaning
| Type | Method | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Interior cleaning from the ground | Glass squeegee + dedicated solution | Weekly |
| Ground-floor exterior cleaning | Manual with specialized materials | Weekly–monthly |
| Full facade cleaning (height) | Ropes, lifts, or a rope-access system | Quarterly–annual |
| Pressure washing | High-pressure water | Semi-annual |
📌 A safety note: Cleaning exterior facades at heights requires a specialized company licensed for work at height. It's not delegated to an ordinary cleaning team.
Cleaning the Interior Shared Areas
The main entrance and reception lobby
The most important area in the building in terms of impression:
- Mopping and polishing the floor daily — accept nothing less
- Cleaning the glass entrance doors 3 times daily (fingerprints)
- Keeping the reception desk and seats clean continuously
- The entrance mat or rug is washed weekly
- Plants and decorations free of dust
Corridors and passages
- Daily sweeping and mopping of the main corridors
- Weekly polishing of marble and granite floors
- Cleaning walls and columns monthly
- Corridor lighting with no dust marks on the fixtures
Elevators
The elevator is a small but heavily used area:
- Cleaning the floor, walls, and buttons daily
- Polishing the mirror or stainless surfaces
- No footprints on the elevator floor at day's end
- Deep cleaning of the elevators weekly
Stairs and landings
- Daily sweeping of all stair steps
- Wiping the handrail daily (often neglected)
- Cleaning corners and edges weekly
Parking and Exterior Entrances
- Exterior entrances: Daily sweeping, weekly washing
- Parking: Weekly sweeping, monthly washing
- Sidewalks and exterior walkways: Daily sweeping in dusty seasons
- Drip points: Treating oil stains as soon as they appear
The Recommended Shared-Area Cleaning Schedule
| Area | Daily | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrance and lobby | 3 times | Polishing | Deep |
| Main corridors | Twice | Polishing | Walls and ceilings |
| Elevators | Twice | Deep | Comprehensive |
| Stairs | Once | Handrail | Corners |
| Interior glass | Main doors | Full | — |
| Outdoor entrances | Sweeping | Washing | Pressure water |
Conclusion
Cleaning facades and shared areas is an investment in the building's image and value. Caring for these areas reflects the management's professionalism and sends a positive message to everyone who passes through them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually the owner or building management is responsible for cleaning the shared areas. In commercial complexes, the cost may be distributed among tenants as part of the shared-services fees.
No. Cleaning exterior facades at heights requires specialized equipment and training in safety for work at height. A specialized company must be engaged for this type of work.
In the Saudi climate with frequent dust, exterior facade washing is recommended at least once every 3 months, with an increase in dusty seasons (spring).