A clean and well-maintained commercial and office space generates a huge impact with regular customers, creates an affirmative impression with potential clients, and positively affects staff morale and productivity. It is therefore advantageous for management to maintain a clean commercial and work space suitable for regular office work, staff meetings, and client visits. This task requires specialized services that may be provided by professional companies or experienced individuals.

A business can choose to utilize a custodial or janitorial professional service for facility and office clean-up or maintenance. The range of services provided by professional custodial and janitorial agencies is similar in certain aspects but also distinct in some areas. Janitors and custodians may be hired as permanent employees by management. Aside from regular hiring, the most common practice is to outsource the service to experienced companies. This arrangement allows the service company to directly manage their pool of janitors and custodians.

Janitorial service companies limit their tasks to keeping the commercial business space clean. Tasks that may be included in a service contract consist of indoor and outdoor clean-up and maintenance duties. Indoor tasks may include cleaning bathrooms, carpeting and floors, cleaning tables and workrooms, and emptying the trash and recycling bin.

In addition to the provision of cleaning service, custodial professionals may include light to heavy maintenance and management work in office facilities in their list of tasks. Such over-all responsibilities may include regular repairs, replacement of component, corrective action, unplanned remedial maintenance, and other tasks.
Other example of basic tasks that may be provided by the custodial agency includes heavy cleaning, painting, and replacing light fixtures. Depending on the contract, the custodial service may be allowed to seek other services, on behalf of management, for more serious maintenance issues. Custodial agencies may be contracted to work beyond office hours, perform basic security functions, and do larger facility inspection and maintenance projects.