A practical protocol for giving a cleaning contractor access to your building without creating a security or liability problem.
After-hours office cleaning requires a functioning access protocol. Most cleaning relationships that start poorly do so because the access setup was informal — a key copied on day one, an alarm code texted to someone's personal phone, no written record of who holds what. When a problem occurs (an alarm trip, a missing item, a door left unlocked), the informal setup makes it impossible to establish accountability.
This guide describes the access protocol we use for all accounts, adapted to the specific requirements of Tolleson-area commercial facilities.
Before the first cleaning visit, identify every access point the crew will use: the primary entry, any interior doors with separate locks, stairwell access points if relevant, and the exit. For multi-tenant buildings, distinguish between common-area access (often via a building master key) and tenant-specific access (a separate key or fob for your suite).
This documentation becomes part of the written scope. If the scope doesn't describe the access points, the crew may encounter a locked door mid-clean with no documented escalation procedure.
Keys should be issued to the cleaning company via a written key log — a simple document recording the key number or description, the date issued, and the name of the supervisor receiving it. We maintain a key log for every account and can provide you with a copy of the key custody record on request.
Do not copy keys for cleaning personnel informally. If a key needs to be duplicated for backup crew access, that duplication should be documented and the key number recorded.
Alarm codes should be documented in writing as part of the scope — not texted as a casual communication. The written protocol should specify: the code to disarm on entry, the code to rearm on exit, the time window within which the alarm must be addressed after entry, and the escalation contact if the alarm is tripped accidentally.
We recommend against giving a cleaning crew the master alarm code for a multi-zone system. If your system allows for a user-specific code with limited permissions, set up a cleaning-crew-specific code. That code can be deactivated immediately if the cleaning relationship ends, without changing your primary code.
The scope should include: a facilities contact reachable during the cleaning window (not just during business hours), the alarm company's name and phone number for confirmation that an accidental trip is occurring, and a secondary contact if the primary is unreachable.
We maintain a contact list for each account and use it in the rare case of an unexpected situation — a door that won't lock, an alarm that won't disarm, or something discovered during the cleaning visit that requires the facilities manager's attention.
When a cleaning relationship ends, recover all keys and deactivate all cleaning-crew-specific alarm codes on the last day of service — not after the 30-day termination notice period has passed. The written key log makes it clear exactly what needs to be returned.
In multi-tenant buildings — common in the Tolleson I-10 corridor where converted warehouses and older professional parks have multiple office suites — the building manager may control common-area access. Confirm with your building manager whether the cleaning crew needs to check in with building management, and whether a building security log entry is required for each visit. Some buildings require a contractor log entry at the security desk regardless of after-hours access type.