Why We Set Out to Be the Best Office Cleaning Service

When we started Metropolitan in 1980, we didn’t set out to be just another office cleaning service. Our goal was to create a reliable, quality-first cleaning partner for businesses tired of switching cleaners every year.

But as we expanded our business with more clients unhappy with their cleaners, we discovered the most common frustrations:

• “Our current cleaning service is inconsistent and unresponsive.”
• “We’re locked into long contracts, but the quality keeps dropping.”
• “Our cleaners don’t seem trained or professional enough to handle our specific needs.”
• “We want eco-friendly cleaning, but can’t find a company that delivers on it while maintaining the quality of cleaning.”

We took these concerns seriously and decided to develop a service that addresses them head-on.

Below, we share how Metropolitan is different from typical commercial cleaning services and why our clients stay with us for an average of 15 years.

Why Most Office Cleaning Services Don’t Meet Expectations

From our experience, there are four key reasons why many janitorial cleaning services fall short:

1. They treat cleaning like a numbers game.
Many companies try to cut costs by sending minimal staff or rushing through jobs, sacrificing quality for volume. This leads to inconsistent results, missed spots, and unhappy tenants, employees, and owners.

2. They focus on generic services instead of customized solutions.
Every office is unique, yet many cleaners use one-size-fits-all plans without tailoring schedules or tasks to your building’s specific needs and when it least interferes with business.

3. They lack transparency and responsiveness.
Some services lock clients into long contracts but don’t provide clear communication or fast issue resolution, leaving clients stuck with subpar cleaning and lots of frustrations.

4. They overlook workplace health and green cleaning.
Using harsh chemicals or ignoring allergen control can harm employee health, impact productivity, and damage your company’s reputation.

How Metropolitan Solves These Problems

We built our office cleaning service around three pillars: reliability, customization, and customer care.

Canadian-owned and operated: Decisions are made locally, ensuring accountability and fast response. We invest in our community by building strong relationships.

40+ years of experience: We know the Lower Mainland and its unique cleaning requirements inside and out.

Trained professionals: Our staff follow standardized procedures and safety protocols. 

Personalized, on-site quotes: We assess your facility in person to create a detailed, transparent cleaning plan tailored to your needs.

Green cleaning commitment: We use EcoLogo-certified, Health Canada-approved products to improve indoor air quality by decreasing VOCs and reducing environmental impact.

Flexible contracts: No long-term lock-ins—just a one-month termination clause so you can have peace of mind.

Rapid issue resolution: If a problem arises, a manager visits your site immediately to fix it.

Excellent customer care: We provided quarterly “how are we doing” forms for you to share any concerns.

Proof of Insurance: We carry general liability insurance, and bonding is non-negotiable for protecting your assets against accidental damage, theft, or liability for worker injuries.

Comprehensive insurance: We carry general liability and workers’ compensation coverage to protect your assets.

Fair Wages for Staff: We pay our staff well and provide them with lots of support, so we keep our technicians long term, which improves quality and consistency.

Consolidated Building Maintenance: By providing our customers with daily custodial services, complete floor maintenance with carpets and strip & wax services, exterior window cleaning, construction cleanups, janitorial supplies, and special emergency response for floods to our existing clients, you can find everything you need with one point of contact.

What is our Quality Guaranteed Service?

At Metropolitan, we are always striving to improve the client’s experience and the quality of our work. We seek to make sure any issues that arise are dealt with right away, whether we’re providing regular daily janitorial tasks or a large one-time strip and wax service.

We are a quality-first business, and therefore, we seek to resolve issues of quality at no charge to the customer.

How Metropolitan Compares to Companies Like Jani-King, ServiceMaster Clean, and Bee Cleaning Services

Jani-King: Franchise Reach with Some Limitations

Jani-King operates through a franchise-based system with a broad national and international presence. This extensive network allows them to serve many clients across various regions. However, this franchise structure can sometimes lead to slower response times because issues often must be routed through multiple layers of management before resolution. Additionally, local expertise may vary widely between franchises, which can impact service consistency, quality, and understanding of specific commercial cleaning requirements in the Lower Mainland.

Strengths:

• Wide geographic coverage and brand recognition
• A variety of commercial cleaning features are offered

Weaknesses:

• Potential delays in responsiveness due to franchise layers
• Variable quality depending on local franchise management
• Less personalized service and fewer bundled offerings

ServiceMaster Clean: Professionalism with Franchise Challenges

ServiceMaster Clean also follows a franchise model that emphasizes professional cleaning standards and comprehensive training. They offer a range of commercial cleaning services, including sanitizing services and green cleaning options. However, as with many franchise systems, there can be challenges in maintaining consistent communication and fast issue resolution due to decentralized management. Additionally, some clients report variability in janitorial staff expertise, which can affect the overall professional cleaning outcome.

Strengths:

• Strong focus on green cleaning and commercial sanitization
• Structured training programs for cleaning specialists

Weaknesses:

• Franchise structure may hinder quick responsiveness
• Inconsistent service quality depending on franchise location
• Limited bundled services beyond basic janitorial offerings

Bee Cleaning Building Maintenance: Local but Limited Scope

Bee Cleaning Building Maintenance serves commercial properties with a focus on janitorial services and basic building maintenance. While they have a local presence, their service offerings tend to be narrower compared to Metropolitan. Bee Cleaning may not provide the same breadth of value-added services, such as parking lot cleaning, construction cleanup, or emergency flood response. This can result in property owners needing to coordinate multiple vendors for full building maintenance, complicating scheduling and accountability.

Strengths:

• Local knowledge and presence
• Focus on core janitorial services

Weaknesses:

• Limited range of bundled building maintenance services
• Lack of emergency response capabilities
• Less emphasis on green cleaning and ongoing quality follow-up

How Our Commercial Cleaning Process Works

Getting a specialized commercial cleaning service doesn’t have to be complicated. At Metropolitan, we’ve designed a straightforward process that dovetails with your schedule and budget, ensuring clarity and excellent service from start to finish.

Our process begins with–

Step 1: Free On-Site Assessment

• Reach out to us for a complimentary visit anywhere in the Lower Mainland.
• Our experienced team will walk through your office spaces to assess the scope of work and craft a customized cleaning plan tailored specifically to your business needs.
• We discuss every detail upfront to eliminate surprises, giving you clear expectations about the commercial cleaning services we’ll provide.

Step 2: Customized Service Implementation

• Our technicians deliver cleaning protocols precisely tailored to your facility.
• Daily maintenance, weekly deep cleans, or monthly specialty services, we adapt the plan to meet your unique requirements.
• We educate our customers to better understand how to keep their facility clean, like stopping dirt at the door.
• Using professional equipment and green cleaning products for carpets, windows, floors, and more, we maintain open communication throughout to ensure your satisfaction.

Step 3: Continuous Service Excellence

• Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction doesn’t end after the initial service or first month.
• We continuously monitor our work and actively seek your feedback to uphold exceptional standards.
• Beyond reliability, we aim to educate our clients, empowering you with the knowledge to maintain your space optimally.
• When adjustments are needed, we respond promptly to keep your environment clean, healthy, and welcoming.

Core Recurring Janitorial Services

Our core janitorial services cover daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly schedules, customized to fit your office’s needs. This flexibility allows us to provide the right level of cleaning frequency to maintain a constant flow of cleanliness to meet expectations. This includes night cleaning options to avoid disruption of the staff and daily operations.

Basic Services include:

• General office cleaning: dusting, garbage removal, recycling, surface sanitation, spot-cleaning glass, and kitchenettes
• Restroom cleaning: sanitation services, restocking consumables, washing mirrors and counters.
• Kitchens/Lunchrooms: wiping counters, tables, cupboards, cleaning out appliances, and removal of garbage, recycling, and compost to facility bins.
• Floors: mopping and dust sweeping hard surface flooring, vacuuming carpets, and using disinfectant on kitchen and washroom floors.

For every office, the daily, weekly, and monthly janitorial items are key–but many locations require deeper cleaning, such as hot water extraction for carpets or stripping and waxing of floors or high-touch point disinfection to decrease potential germ transmission. Metropolitan can provide these additional services as a part of a bundle or as one-time items whenever required.

Carpet Cleaning Services

Carpet cleaning is essential for removing deeply embedded dirt, pet hair, pollutants and allergens that accumulate in the fibres over time.

We use portable hot water extraction carpet cleaning units and trained staff to provide spot cleaning and thorough carpet restoration. This service helps maintain indoor air quality in modern facilities and supports allergen control invisible to the naked eye. If you’re new to hiring this type of service, take a look at some basic details to understand how to get the most out of whatever company cleans your carpets.

Floor Stripping and Waxing

Maintaining specialty flooring requires expert care. We provide floor stripping and waxing services for vinyl composite tile (VCT), linoleum, sheet vinyl, terrazzo, and more. Not sure if it’s time, get a sense of the signs that you need a strip and wax for your floors.

Our process removes old layers of wax and soil prior to applying multiple layers of new wax, enhancing durability and shine while preserving the floor’s appearance. This contributes to the overall professional atmosphere of your workspace and creates a barrier to prevent damage to the floor itself.

Window Washing

Our window washing services cover interior partitions, block glass, and exterior windows up to three storeys. We also clean aluminum overhangs and glass awnings, ensuring every exterior surface reflects your business’s standards.

Clean windows improve natural light and impact client impressions; it also has a large impact on employee well-being, all of which is essential for company success.

Construction Cleanup Service

Whether renovating, relocating, or moving into a new commercial build, our construction cleanup service provides a deep clean from top to bottom, removing dirt, debris, and damaged property safely and efficiently, while washing all surfaces and making sure the space is ready for day one of operations.

This includes detailed cleaning of walls, baseboards, fixtures, floors, and interior windows. We also sanitize kitchens and bathrooms to restore a healthy environment quickly.

Flood and Leak Emergency Response

For existing clients, we offer flood and leak emergency cleanup with green anti-bacterial and anti-mould treatments.

Our fast response minimizes damage and restores safety, addressing safety worries that arise during such incidents.

Parking Lot Cleaning

Metropolitan also provides parking lot cleaning to keep your property tidy and welcoming. Services include sweeping, garbage removal, pressure washing, and drain cleaning, which contribute to a positive overall professional atmosphere that starts right when staff arrive.

Occasional Cleaning and Customized Clean Programs

We understand that some clients require occasional commercial cleaning services or a customized clean program that is irregular.

Whether it’s seasonal deep cleaning or specialized disinfection services, we create flexible plans that fit your schedule and budget.

Disinfection Services

Metropolitan offers specialized disinfection services using Health Canada-approved products.

These services target high-touch areas such as door handles, light switches, and file cabinets to reduce the spread of germs in fast-paced collaborative workspaces and coworking spaces.

By allowing disinfectants to dwell on these surfaces for upwards of 10 minutes, the disinfection process is ensured. Rinsing with potable water means leaving no chemicals behind, and as such, this service takes much longer than the standard sanitation done during regular commercial cleaning services–use our nifty infographic for the full range of details.

Disinfection like this is not needed every day, but more so during flu season or other seasonal periods of sickness, and is ideal for times like COVID–but we also make sure our customers know that staff education is as important for decreasing the spread of contamination.

---

Green Cleaning and Workplace Health & Safety

Environmental responsibility and workplace health are now core expectations for any commercial business.

The commercial cleaning industry has evolved to prioritize environmentally friendly practices, utilizing eco-conscious products and methods to improve indoor air quality and reduce environmental impact. But many other commercial cleaning services still do not adopt green and sustainable methods.

Metropolitan’s Green Cleaning program:

• EcoLogo certified, low-toxicity cleaning products
• Health Canada-approved disinfectants for high-touch areas
• Procedures that minimize airborne dust and allergens (proper vacuum filtration, scheduled deep carpet cleaning, use of microfibre clothes)
• Recycling-friendly practices and correct waste segregation

Workplace allergens such as dust, mould spores, pollen, pollutants, and VOCs can undermine employee health and create Sick Building Syndrome, leading to more frequent sick days and decreased productivity.

In collaborative workspaces, the close proximity of individuals increases the risk of infectious illnesses spreading through shared desks and communal surfaces, necessitating robust germ control measures.

Are Metropolitan’s Commercial Cleaning Services Right for You?

Are you happy with your cleaners? A consistently clean office creates a positive, lasting first impression on clients and visitors. A clean, organized workspace allows staff to focus more effectively on their primary tasks, increasing productivity and morale–don’t let a poor cleaning service disrupt your operations.

Signs it’s time to change providers:

• Recurring complaints about washrooms, kitchens, or odours
• Inconsistent cleaning quality depending on the day or crew
• Slow or dismissive responses when issues are reported
• No proactive suggestions for improvements
• Feeling like “just another account” with a large franchise

Metropolitan is best suited for:

• Office buildings, business parks, and corporate headquarters in the Lower Mainland
• Medical, educational, and professional service offices requiring dependable cleaning
• Property managers who prefer long-term, relationship-driven contracts
• Organizations that value green cleaning and a Canadian-owned partner

As a quality-first commercial cleaning company, Metropolitan doesn’t just want you to be happy with your experience and the cleaning itself; we want to build a long-term relationship that is easy–check out our cleaning services, or reach out!

📞 Call us at 778-565-5435

Or Request a Quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an office cleaning service with Metropolitan typically cost?

Pricing varies based on total square footage, number of washrooms, frequency, specialized floor types, and whether carpets or windows are included. Routine cleaning services can be scheduled based on the specific needs of a business, including daily, weekly, or monthly frequencies. We don’t give one-size-fits-all prices over the phone—we provide a free, detailed on-site quote so there are no surprises.

What commercial spaces do you serve in the Lower Mainland?

We serve Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Langley, and nearby communities. Concentrating on this geography helps us honour our promise to come on site quickly if there’s a problem.

Can you work around our office hours and tenant schedules?

Yes. We schedule cleaning early morning, evening, overnight, or weekends to minimize disruption. During the initial walk-through, we discuss building access, security requirements, and quiet-hour restrictions. We can also adjust frequencies seasonally—more frequent lobby and washroom cleaning during flu season, for example.

Do you provide one-time office cleaning or only ongoing contracts?

While we specialize in ongoing janitorial contracts, we also take on one-time projects for existing and select new clients. Examples include post-construction cleanup, pre-move-in deep cleaning, floor stripping and waxing, or carpet restoration. For one-time work, we still perform an on-site assessment to provide an accurate scope and price.

What happens if we’re not happy with a particular clean?

We back all services with a service guarantee. If you flag a concern, we send a supervisor or manager to review the area and arrange a prompt re-clean at no additional cost. We use this feedback to adjust checklists, training, or frequencies so the issue doesn’t recur. This fast, on-site problem resolution is a key difference between Metropolitan and many franchise-based competitors.

How do you approach maintaining specialty flooring in commercial spaces?

At Metropolitan, maintaining specialty flooring such as vinyl composite tile (VCT), linoleum, hardwood, and terrazzo requires expert care and tailored cleaning techniques. Our trained professionals use appropriate stripping, waxing, and polishing methods to preserve the floor’s appearance and durability. Regular maintenance not only enhances the professional look of your workspace but also extends the lifespan of your flooring, reducing long-term replacement costs.

What cleaning considerations are important for modern facilities?

Modern facilities often feature diverse materials and high-traffic areas that demand customized cleaning solutions. Metropolitan implements effective strategies that include green cleaning products, scheduled deep cleans, and allergen control to improve indoor air quality. We also offer specialized services like disinfection to reduce potential germ transmission, ensuring your workspace remains healthy and welcoming for employees and visitors alike.