APPA Cleaning Standards: The 5 Levels of Clean Explained
APPA cleaning standards explained: what the 5 levels of clean mean, how to score a building against them, and how to use APPA scores to prove quality.
Ask five people whether a washroom is "clean" and you will get five different answers. That gap is where most disputes between cleaning contractors and their clients start. The APPA cleaning standards close it by giving everyone the same five-level scale to describe how clean a space actually is.
This guide explains the five APPA levels of clean, how to score a building against them during a janitorial inspection, and how to use APPA scores to set expectations, price contracts and prove the quality of your work.
Key takeaways
- APPA cleaning standards rate cleanliness from Level 1 (Orderly Spotlessness) to Level 5 (Unkempt Neglect).
- Most commercial buildings target Level 2 in client-facing areas.
- Score each area separately, weight critical items and fail any area where a critical item is Level 4 or 5.
- Photos and trends turn APPA scores into proof of service.
What are the APPA cleaning standards?
APPA (the association known today as APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities) publishes custodial guidelines in Operational Guidelines for Educational Facilities: Custodial. The guidelines were written for schools, colleges and universities, but the five appearance levels they describe have become a common language across commercial cleaning, facility management and property management.
The standard does two jobs:
- It describes what a space looks like at each level, attribute by attribute: floors, vertical and horizontal surfaces, washroom fixtures, trash, light fixtures and more.
- It links appearance to effort. A higher level of clean takes more labour hours per square foot, which is why APPA levels are useful when you staff and price a contract.
You can read more on APPA's cleaning operations page, and many universities publish their own summaries, such as the University of Oklahoma's APPA custodial appearance levels.
The 5 APPA levels of clean
Level 1 is the best and Level 5 is the worst. Most commercial buildings aim for Level 2, and many contracts accept Level 3 in low-traffic areas.
| APPA level | Name | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Orderly Spotlessness | Floors and surfaces gleam. No dust, streaks, smudges, litter or odour. Washroom fixtures shine. |
| Level 2 | Ordinary Tidiness | Clean overall. A little dust or a few marks if you look closely. Trash is emptied, washrooms are sanitary. |
| Level 3 | Casual Inattention | Noticeable dust, marks and some litter. Corners and edges collect grime. Most people would call it "fine, but not great". |
| Level 4 | Moderate Dinginess | Obviously dirty. Build-up on floors, stained fixtures, full bins, odour. Complaints start here. |
| Level 5 | Unkempt Neglect | Very dirty or unsanitary. Heavy build-up, overflowing trash, strong odours. A health and reputation risk. |
Level 1: Orderly Spotlessness
This is the "showpiece" standard for lobbies, executive floors, luxury hotels and anywhere first impressions matter most. Every surface is clean at all times, including high and low dusting, glass and light fixtures. It is expensive to maintain, so it is usually reserved for specific areas rather than a whole building.
Level 2: Ordinary Tidiness
Level 2 is the target for most offices, schools and healthcare common areas. Spaces are clean and fresh, with only minor dust or marks on close inspection. If you sell "high-quality commercial cleaning", Level 2 is what your client expects to see every day.
Level 3: Casual Inattention
Level 3 is where a building starts to look tired. Floors are swept but show edges and corners, surfaces have visible dust, and bins may be close to full. It can be acceptable for storage rooms, back-of-house corridors or low-traffic areas if the contract says so, but it is a warning sign in client-facing spaces.
Level 4: Moderate Dinginess
At Level 4 people notice the dirt without looking for it. Expect stained carpets, dull floors, smudged glass, full bins and odour. Clients complain, tenants leave and cleaning contracts get re-tendered.
Level 5: Unkempt Neglect
Level 5 means the space is unsanitary: overflowing trash, sticky floors, heavy build-up in washrooms and strong odours. It needs immediate corrective action, not a scheduled clean.
How to score an inspection on the APPA scale
A good APPA inspection is consistent: two supervisors walking the same floor should arrive at nearly the same score. Here is a simple method most teams can adopt.
- Break the building into areas. Score each lobby, washroom, elevator, office, kitchenette and stairwell separately, not the building as a whole.
- Use a checklist per area type. A washroom checklist covers toilets and urinals, sinks, mirrors, dispensers, partitions, floors and drains, bins and odour. An office checklist covers desks, floors, glass, bins and high and low dusting.
- Rate each item from 1 to 5. Use the level descriptions above, and mark items that do not apply as N/A rather than guessing.
- Weight what matters. A dirty toilet matters more than a dusty picture frame. Mark health-related items (toilets, sinks, food-contact surfaces, soap and paper stock) as critical.
- Average into an area score. A weighted average of the item ratings gives the area's APPA score, for example 2.3.
- Apply a critical-item rule. If any critical item is rated Level 4 or 5, the area fails, whatever the average says. A spotless washroom with an unsanitary toilet is not a Level 2 washroom.
- Compare against the target. Each area has a target level from the contract. An area passes when its score meets or beats the target.
- Take photos. Photograph anything rated Level 3 or worse. Photos turn "trust me" into evidence, and they show cleaners exactly what to fix.
Tip: Round scores to one decimal place before comparing them to the target. It stops arguments over whether 2.04 "counts" as Level 2.
Turning APPA scores into percentages clients understand
Many clients find a percentage easier to read than a 1 to 5 score. A common approach maps each level to a percentage and interpolates between them:
| APPA level | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 100% |
| Level 2 | 80% |
| Level 3 | 60% |
| Level 4 | 30% |
| Level 5 | 0% |
With this scale, an area scoring 1.5 reads as 90%, and a building averaging 2.3 reads as 74%. Keep the APPA level next to the percentage in reports so everyone can trace the number back to the standard.
Why cleaning companies use APPA inspections
Using a recognized cleaning standard pays off well beyond the inspection itself:
- Fewer disputes. "Level 3 in the east washroom" is specific. "It wasn't clean" is not.
- Better contracts. Agree on target levels by area type before you quote. Level 2 lobbies and Level 3 storage rooms price very differently.
- Smarter staffing. Scores show where labour hours are working and where they are not.
- Proof of service. Regular scored inspections with photos build a paper trail that protects you when a client questions your work.
- Earlier warnings. Trends show a building slipping from Level 2 towards Level 3 before the client notices.
For a ready-made list of what to check in each area, see our janitorial inspection checklist.
Common mistakes with APPA scoring
- Scoring the whole building at once. One bad washroom disappears into a building-wide average. Score by area.
- Inconsistent inspectors. Calibrate by walking a few areas together and comparing scores until your supervisors agree.
- No photos. Without evidence, low scores become a debate instead of a work order.
- Inspecting only when there is a complaint. Schedule inspections so scores reflect normal service, not the worst day.
- Ignoring trends. A single score is a snapshot. The trend over weeks is what tells you whether quality is improving.
Frequently asked questions
What does APPA stand for?
APPA began as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators. It now calls itself APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities and publishes guidelines for facility management, including the custodial appearance levels.
Which APPA level should an office building target?
Most office buildings target Level 2 (Ordinary Tidiness) for client-facing areas such as lobbies, washrooms and meeting rooms. Level 1 is usually limited to showpiece spaces, and Level 3 may be acceptable for low-traffic back-of-house areas if the contract allows it.
Can APPA standards be used outside schools?
Yes. Although APPA wrote the guidelines for educational facilities, the five appearance levels describe cleanliness in plain terms, so commercial cleaning companies, property managers and hotels use them too.
How often should I run APPA inspections?
Weekly inspections of high-traffic areas and monthly inspections of the whole building are a good starting point. Increase the frequency for any area that scores below its target.
Start scoring your buildings
APPA cleaning standards give your team, your cleaners and your clients one shared definition of clean. Score areas, weight critical items, photograph problems and track the trend, and quality stops being a matter of opinion.
NeatScore is built around exactly this workflow: inspectors score each area from 1 to 5 on their phone, critical items are enforced automatically, and clients get a branded report with scores and photos. Start a free 7-day trial and score your first building this week.
