When you go out to tender for cleaning, you will be asked for a specification, given a schedule, or both — and the two words get used as if they mean the same thing. They don't. Getting them straight is the difference between a contract you can hold a supplier to and one that quietly lets standards drift. Here is what each is for.
The specification: what "clean" means
A cleaning specification defines the standard — the *what* and *to what level*. It describes each area and the tasks within it, and the condition the area should be left in. A good spec for a washroom does not just say "clean washroom"; it lists the basins, the cubicles, the high-touch points, the restocking, and the standard each should reach.
The spec is your definition of done. Without it, "clean" is whatever the cleaner decided was good enough that night, and you have no objective basis for a complaint.
The schedule: when each task happens
The schedule defines *when* and *how often*. It takes the tasks from the spec and assigns each a frequency — daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly — and a time window. The same task can sit at different frequencies in different areas: high-touch points daily, deep carpet clean quarterly.
The spec says what good looks like. The schedule says how often you pay for it. You need both, and they need to agree.
Why you need both, written down
A spec without a schedule tells you the standard but not the rhythm — you don't know if you are paying for a daily clean or a fortnightly one. A schedule without a spec tells you the rhythm but not the standard — the cleaner turns up on time and does an undefined amount of work. Plenty of disputes come down to a contract that had one and not the other.
When both exist and align, you can answer two separate questions cleanly: *was the standard met?* (check against the spec) and *did the visit happen when it should?* (check against the schedule). Mixing them up means you can never quite pin down what went wrong.
How proof connects to both
This is where evidence earns its place. A ticked checklist mapped to the spec proves the standard was met. A timestamp on each visit proves the schedule was kept. Photos cover both. Without that record, the spec and schedule are just intentions on paper.
Get a spec and schedule that actually match
Every Lume contract is built from a clear specification and a schedule that align, agreed with you at a free walk-round, with photo proof mapped to both. If your current arrangement has one but not the other — or neither written down — get a free quote and we will scope your site properly so you know exactly what you are paying for and when.