If you manage a medical facility in the Des Moines area—whether you're running a dental practice in Urbandale, a primary care clinic in Waukee, or a surgical center downtown—you already know your cleaning standards can't be the same as a regular office building.

But here's what many healthcare administrators don't realize until something goes wrong: the gap between standard commercial cleaning and proper medical facility cleaning isn't just about using better products. It's about understanding infection control protocols, knowing which surfaces harbor pathogens, recognizing high-risk vs. low-risk areas, and having staff trained to clean in ways that actively reduce disease transmission rather than just moving it around.

This guide explains exactly what goes into medical facility cleaning, why it costs 25-40% more than standard office cleaning, what Des Moines healthcare facilities should expect from their cleaning partners, and how to evaluate whether your current service actually meets healthcare standards or just claims to.

Why Medical Facility Cleaning Is Fundamentally Different

It's Not Just About Looking Clean—It's About Being Safe

Walk into any well-maintained office building and it looks clean. Shiny floors, dust-free surfaces, fresh-smelling restrooms. That visual cleanliness matters for offices because first impressions drive business success.

In medical facilities, visual cleanliness is just the starting point. What matters more is microbiological cleanliness—the elimination of pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), the reduction of viral and bacterial loads in high-traffic areas, and the prevention of cross-contamination between patient care spaces.

You can't see C. diff spores. You can't see MRSA bacteria. You can't see influenza virus particles. But they're there, and improper cleaning procedures can spread them rather than eliminate them.

This is why medical facility cleaning requires:

• Specialized training in infection control and disease transmission
• EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants with appropriate dwell times
• Color-coded cleaning systems to prevent cross-contamination
• Documentation protocols for compliance and liability protection
• Understanding of high-touch vs. low-touch surfaces and appropriate treatment for each

The Stakes Are Different

When an office building's cleaning company misses a spot, someone notices dusty blinds or a full trash can. Frustrating, yes, but not dangerous.

When a medical facility's cleaning company misses a spot—or worse, uses contaminated cleaning tools on multiple exam rooms—patients can get sick. Staff can get sick. Your facility can face liability claims, insurance complications, regulatory scrutiny, and reputation damage that takes years to repair.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that healthcare-associated infections affect 1 in 31 hospital patients on any given day. While proper medical care is the primary defense, environmental services (cleaning) plays a critical supporting role in preventing pathogen transmission.

Des Moines medical facilities can't afford to treat cleaning as a commodity service. It's a component of your infection prevention program, and it should be evaluated as such.

What Proper Medical Facility Cleaning Actually Involves

1. Patient Rooms and Exam Rooms: The Highest-Risk Environments

These spaces require the most rigorous cleaning protocols because they're where sick patients spend time, where bodily fluids may be present, and where cross-contamination risk is highest.

Terminal cleaning (between patients) includes:

• Removal of all trash and replacement of biohazard containers
• Complete surface disinfection with EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants
• Proper dwell time (the time disinfectant must stay wet to kill pathogens—typically 3-10 minutes)
• High-touch surface focus: door handles, light switches, bed rails, tray tables, call buttons, bathroom fixtures
• Floor cleaning with hospital-grade solutions (not just sweeping or dry mopping)
• Restroom complete disinfection if en-suite

Daily maintenance cleaning includes:

• High-touch surface disinfection multiple times per day in active patient areas
• Trash removal and biohazard container servicing
• Floor spot cleaning and end-of-day wet mopping
• Restroom cleaning and restocking

What makes this different from office cleaning: Office cleaning typically wipes surfaces with all-purpose cleaner that removes dirt but doesn't kill pathogens. Medical cleaning uses two-step processes (clean, then disinfect) or hospital-grade disinfectants that both clean and disinfect. The products are more expensive, the labor is more time-intensive, and the training requirements are higher.

2. Waiting Areas and Reception: High-Traffic Patient Spaces

Your waiting area is where sick people sit before being seen. It's also where healthy people (family members, staff) congregate. Controlling pathogen transmission in this environment requires more than vacuuming and dusting.

Proper waiting area cleaning includes:

• Multiple daily high-touch surface disinfection (door handles, chair arms, table surfaces, magazine racks, check-in counters, payment terminals)
• Restroom cleaning with medical-grade protocols (not office-grade)
• Floor cleaning that actually removes pathogens rather than spreading them
• Attention to toys, children's areas, and reading materials (which often harbor germs)
• Proper ventilation maintenance to ensure cleaning products don't compromise air quality

Why this matters: During cold and flu season, or during any infectious disease outbreak, your waiting room becomes a high-risk transmission point. Proper environmental services can dramatically reduce the likelihood of patient-to-patient transmission in this space.

3. Procedure Rooms and Surgical Areas: Sterile Environment Protocols

Surgical centers and procedure rooms in the Des Moines area require the highest level of cleaning protocols—approaching but not quite reaching operating room standards (which typically have dedicated surgical staff for cleaning).

These spaces require:

• Pre-procedural cleaning to prepare the environment
• Terminal cleaning between procedures with complete surface disinfection
• Proper disposal of biohazardous materials following Iowa regulations
• Specialized cleaning of surgical lights, equipment surfaces, and specialized furniture
• Floor cleaning with solutions approved for healthcare environments
• Documentation of cleaning for compliance purposes

Rodan Cleaning has experience with pristine surgical buildings through our construction cleaning work, where we've prepared facilities to meet the exacting standards required before patient care can begin. That experience translates to understanding what surgical cleanliness actually means—not just in theory but in practice.

4. Restrooms: Pathogen Breeding Grounds

Medical facility restrooms see higher pathogen loads than standard office restrooms. Patients may be dealing with GI illnesses, infectious diseases, or compromised immune systems. Your restroom cleaning can't be "good enough"—it has to be thorough.

Medical restroom cleaning protocols:

• Complete disinfection of all surfaces (toilets, urinals, sinks, counters, dispensers, door handles, light switches, baby changing stations)
• Proper floor cleaning with medical-grade disinfectants
• Attention to grout lines and tile where pathogens can harbor
• Restocking with appropriate soap (preferably antimicrobial), paper products, and sanitary supplies
• Ventilation attention to ensure moisture and odor control

Critical difference from office cleaning: Office restrooms typically get quick surface cleaning with all-purpose cleaners. Medical restrooms need legitimate disinfection with products that have kill claims for healthcare pathogens and proper application techniques that ensure effectiveness.

5. Administrative and Office Areas: Standard with Adjustments

The back office areas of your medical facility—billing, records, administrative offices—don't require the same intensive protocols as patient care areas. However, they still need attention beyond typical office cleaning because staff move between administrative and clinical spaces, creating cross-contamination opportunities.

These areas receive:

• Standard commercial cleaning with elevated attention to high-touch surfaces
• Trash removal with awareness of potential PHI (protected health information) in documents
• Floor maintenance appropriate to the space
• Restroom cleaning if dedicated staff restrooms exist
• Break room and kitchen cleaning with food safety awareness

The key difference is risk assessment—your cleaning company should understand which areas require medical-grade protocols and which can use standard (but still professional) commercial cleaning approaches.

The Products and Equipment That Make the Difference

EPA-Registered Hospital-Grade Disinfectants

This isn't marketing language—it's a specific EPA designation meaning the product has been tested and proven effective against healthcare-associated pathogens.

What to look for:

• EPA registration number clearly visible on product label
• Kill claims for relevant pathogens (MRSA, VRE, C. diff, norovirus, influenza, etc.)
• Appropriate contact time (dwell time) specified
• Compatibility with surfaces in your facility

What to avoid:

• Generic "antibacterial" cleaners without EPA registration
• Products claiming to "kill 99.9% of germs" without specifying which germs
• Cleaners that don't specify required contact time
• Using the same products in medical areas that you'd use at home

Rodan Cleaning uses only EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants in medical facilities because we understand that product selection directly impacts patient safety. The products cost more, but cutting corners on chemistry is never acceptable in healthcare environments.

Color-Coded Cleaning Systems

Cross-contamination is one of the biggest risks in medical facility cleaning. Using the same mop in a patient exam room and then in the restroom spreads pathogens rather than removing them.

Proper systems include:

• Different colored microfiber cloths for different areas (red for restrooms, blue for patient rooms, yellow for administrative areas, for example)
• Separate equipment for different risk zones
• Cleaning carts organized to prevent cross-contamination
• Staff training on why the color-coding matters and disciplined adherence to the system

This seems basic, but many cleaning companies serving small medical facilities in Des Moines skip color-coding because it requires more equipment, more training, and more discipline. They use the same cloths and mops everywhere, which actively undermines infection control.

Microfiber Technology

Old-fashioned cotton mops and rags move dirt and bacteria around. Microfiber technology actually captures and removes it.

Why microfiber matters:

• Removes up to 99% of bacteria from surfaces when used properly
• Reduces chemical usage because mechanical action does more work
• Decreases cross-contamination risk when combined with color-coding
• More effective at reaching textured surfaces where pathogens hide

The catch: microfiber only works when it's clean. Proper laundering protocols are essential, and disposable microfiber for high-risk areas is sometimes appropriate.

HEPA Filtration Vacuums

Standard vacuums can actually worsen indoor air quality by exhausting fine particles and allergens back into the air. In medical facilities where patients may have respiratory issues or compromised immune systems, this is unacceptable.

HEPA vacuums:

• Trap 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns or larger
• Prevent pathogen redistribution through air
• Reduce allergen exposure for staff and patients
• Required for truly thorough medical facility cleaning

Training That Actually Matters

What Des Moines Medical Facilities Should Demand

Your cleaning staff needs specialized training before they touch a single surface in your facility. Here's what that training should cover:

Infection Control Basics:

• How disease transmission occurs in healthcare settings
• Understanding of high-risk vs. low-risk surfaces
• Proper hand hygiene and PPE usage
• Bloodborne pathogen awareness and handling

Cleaning vs. Disinfection:

• The difference between removing soil and killing pathogens
• Proper product selection for different areas
• Understanding dwell times and why they matter
• Two-step cleaning processes where appropriate

Cross-Contamination Prevention:

• Color-coded cleaning system adherence
• Proper equipment handling and storage
• When to change cleaning solutions
• How to prevent spreading pathogens between spaces

Compliance and Documentation:

• What to document and why
• Incident reporting procedures
• OSHA requirements for healthcare cleaning
• Iowa-specific healthcare regulations

At Rodan Cleaning, every team member goes through our Cleaning University training program, which includes specialized modules for medical facility cleaning. We don't just hand someone a mop and send them into your dental office—we ensure they understand why medical cleaning is different and how to do it properly.

Ongoing Training and Quality Control

Initial training isn't enough. Medical facility cleaning requires ongoing education as protocols evolve, new pathogens emerge, and products change.

Look for cleaning companies that provide:

• Regular refresher training for all medical facility staff
• Updates on emerging infection control guidance
• Feedback loops where cleaners learn from audits and inspections
• Supervision by someone who understands medical cleaning, not just someone who supervises cleaners

Rodan's monthly audit system means every medical facility we serve gets inspected by our internal auditor regularly. He grades performance, identifies areas for improvement, and provides feedback to teams. You receive detailed reports showing how your facility scored—typically numbers like 95.64% with specifics on what was excellent and what needs attention.

This audit system catches problems before patients or staff do, and it creates accountability that keeps standards high month after month, year after year.

Why Medical Facility Cleaning Costs More

The Real Numbers: What to Expect

As we detailed in our complete pricing guide, Des Moines medical facilities should expect to pay 25-40% more than comparable standard office space.

If a 5,000 sq ft professional office might pay $1,200/month for quality 3x/week cleaning, a 5,000 sq ft medical clinic would be looking at $1,500-1,680/month for comparable frequency.

That premium reflects:

Higher labor costs (20-30% more time required)

• Proper disinfection takes longer than simple surface wiping
• Color-coded systems require discipline and care
• Documentation adds time to each cleaning
• More frequent high-touch surface attention throughout the day

More expensive products (30-40% higher chemical costs)

• Hospital-grade disinfectants cost significantly more than all-purpose cleaners
• Product usage rates are higher (proper application requires generous coverage)
• Specialized products for different surfaces (stainless steel, glass, medical equipment)
• EPA-registered products with healthcare kill claims command premium pricing

Specialized equipment (higher capital and maintenance costs)

• HEPA vacuums cost 3-4x standard commercial vacuums
• Color-coded microfiber systems require larger inventories
• Proper laundering facilities and protocols for reusable materials
• Replacement schedules to maintain effectiveness

Training and oversight (10-15% overhead)

• Specialized training programs for all medical facility staff
• Ongoing education and certification maintenance
• More intensive supervision and quality control
• Audit and documentation systems

Insurance and compliance (5-10% overhead)

• Higher liability coverage for healthcare work
• Additional bonding requirements
• Regulatory compliance costs
• Bloodborne pathogen training and documentation

Why "Cheap" Medical Cleaning Is Expensive

Some Des Moines cleaning companies will bid your medical facility at office cleaning rates. They're either ignorant of what medical cleaning requires or they're planning to deliver office-grade service and hope you don't notice the difference.

Here's what happens with cut-rate medical cleaning:

Month 1-3: Things look okay because they're doing basic cleaning. Visual cleanliness masks the lack of proper disinfection protocols.

Month 4-6: Staff starts noticing issues. High-touch surfaces aren't actually being disinfected. The "clean" smell isn't the scent of cleanliness—it's air freshener covering up inadequate cleaning.

Month 7-12: Patterns emerge. More staff calling in sick. Patients commenting on facility conditions. You're doing more oversight than you should need to.

Month 13+: You're researching new cleaning companies, but now you're also dealing with the aftermath of a year of substandard infection control. Was that flu outbreak in your clinic related to inadequate environmental services? You'll never know for sure, but you know it didn't help.

The cost of a healthcare-associated infection—in patient care, liability risk, reputation damage, and regulatory scrutiny—dwarfs any savings from choosing the cheapest cleaning company.

What Des Moines Medical Facilities Should Look For

Questions to Ask Prospective Cleaning Companies

Before you sign with any cleaning company for your Des Moines medical facility, get clear answers to these questions:

About Medical Facility Experience:

1. How many active medical facility clients do you serve? (Names and references)
2. What types of medical facilities? (Dental, primary care, urgent care, surgical, etc.)
3. How long have those relationships lasted? (Look for multi-year relationships)
4. Can you provide references from medical clients I can contact?

About Training and Protocols:

‍5. What specialized training do cleaners receive for medical facilities?

6. Do you use color-coded cleaning systems to prevent cross-contamination?

7. What specific infection control protocols do you follow?

8. How do you stay current on CDC and OSHA guidelines for healthcare cleaning?

About Products and Equipment:

‍9. What disinfectants do you use? (Ask for EPA registration numbers)

10. What kill claims do those products have? (MRSA, C. diff, norovirus, etc.)

11. Do you use HEPA filtration vacuums in medical facilities?

12. How do you ensure proper product dwell times are maintained?

About Quality Control:

‍13. How do you verify that proper disinfection protocols are being followed?

14. Do you provide any cleaning documentation or audit reports?

15. Who inspects your work and how often?

16. What happens if inspection reveals deficiencies?

About Insurance and Compliance:

‍17. What liability coverage do you carry specifically for medical facility work?

18. Are your employees trained in bloodborne pathogen procedures?

19. Do you maintain OSHA compliance for healthcare cleaning?

20. Can you provide certificates of insurance directly from your carrier?

Companies that can't answer these questions confidently shouldn't be cleaning your medical facility. Period.

Red Flags to Watch For

Be extremely cautious if a cleaning company:

• Quotes medical facility cleaning at the same rate as office cleaning
• Doesn't ask detailed questions about your facility type and patient population
• Has never heard of color-coded cleaning systems
• Can't name the specific disinfectants they use
• Doesn't mention training or infection control protocols unprompted
• Provides generic proposals without medical-specific language
• Doesn't carry adequate insurance for healthcare work
• Can't provide current medical facility references
• Offers to "figure it out as we go" rather than having established protocols

These red flags indicate a company that doesn't understand medical facility cleaning and is treating your healthcare environment like any other office building. That approach puts your patients, staff, and practice at risk.

The Rodan Cleaning Approach to Medical Facilities

At Rodan Cleaning, we recognize that medical facilities require a fundamentally different cleaning approach. Here's how we deliver it:

Specialized Training Through Cleaning University

Every Rodan team member who works in medical facilities completes our Cleaning University program with additional medical facility modules covering:

• Healthcare infection control principles
• Proper use of EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants
• Color-coded cleaning system adherence
• High-touch vs. low-touch surface identification
• Cross-contamination prevention
• Documentation and compliance requirements

We don't send untrained staff into medical facilities hoping they'll figure it out. They're prepared before they enter your building.

Audit-Verified Quality in Healthcare Settings

Our internal auditor inspects every medical facility account monthly, evaluating:

• Proper disinfectant selection and use
• Color-coded system adherence
• High-touch surface disinfection thoroughness
• Restroom sanitation standards
• Floor cleaning effectiveness
• Overall infection control protocol compliance

You receive detailed audit reports—typically showing scores like 95.64%—with specifics on what met standards and what needs improvement. This transparency keeps standards high and gives you documentation for your own compliance purposes.

Experience with Medical-Grade Cleanliness

Through our construction cleaning work on projects like pristine surgical facilities, we've developed deep understanding of what medical-grade cleanliness actually requires. We've prepared healthcare environments for patient care, which means we understand the standards your facility needs to maintain every single day.

That experience translates directly to our recurring medical facility cleaning services. We know the difference between "looks clean" and "is safe."

Direct Owner Access

When you work with Rodan, you don't navigate layers of management to report an issue in your medical facility. You have owner Zach Vander Ploeg's direct cell phone and email. If something needs attention, you reach out and it gets handled immediately.

In a medical environment where infection control impacts patient safety, rapid response to issues isn't a luxury—it's essential. We make it standard practice.

25+ Years of Des Moines Trust

Since 1998, founder Dan Vander Ploeg built Rodan Cleaning's reputation on delivering what we promise. When Zach took over, he maintained that commitment because long-term relationships prove the system works. Many clients have trusted us for 20+ years because consistent quality isn't accidental—it's the result of systems, training, and accountability.

Medical facilities deserve that same reliability. Your cleaning shouldn't be something you worry about. It should be something that just works, every time, at the standard your patients deserve.

Making the Right Choice for Your Des Moines Medical Facility

Start with a Proper Assessment

Before you make any decision about medical facility cleaning, get a proper assessment from qualified providers. This should include:

Facility walkthrough where the provider asks detailed questions about:

• Patient volume and types of conditions typically treated
• Specific high-risk areas in your facility
• Current cleaning pain points or concerns
• Regulatory or insurance requirements specific to your practice
• Special equipment or surfaces requiring specialized care

Detailed proposal that specifically addresses:

• Medical-specific cleaning protocols for each area
• Products and equipment to be used (with EPA registrations)
• Training and quality control measures
• Frequency and scope of service
• Clear pricing with medical facility premium explained
• Documentation and audit processes

References and verification:

• Talk to actual medical facility clients (not just any clients)
• Verify insurance directly with carrier (don't just accept certificates)
• Check for OSHA compliance and bloodborne pathogen training
• Confirm staff background checks if required by your insurance

Evaluate Total Value, Not Just Price

The cheapest medical facility cleaning is rarely the best investment. Consider:

What's your time worth? How many hours per month will you spend managing an unreliable cleaning company? If you're paid $75/hour (typical for practice managers) and you spend 3 hours/month dealing with cleaning issues, that's $225/month in hidden costs. A cleaning company that charges $150/month more but requires zero oversight is actually cheaper.

What's your reputation worth? Patient online reviews increasingly mention facility cleanliness. One negative review citing dirty restrooms or unkempt waiting areas can drive prospective patients away. The cost of lost patients dwarfs any cleaning savings.

What's your liability exposure? In the unlikely but possible event that inadequate cleaning contributes to disease transmission, your liability risk is significant. Proper medical facility cleaning is a form of risk management and insurance against that exposure.

What's peace of mind worth? As a healthcare administrator, you have countless responsibilities. Knowing that your facility's cleaning meets proper infection control standards—without you having to verify or worry about it—has genuine value.

Understanding the Investment

For typical Des Moines medical facilities, proper medical facility cleaning represents:

Small primary care practice (2,000-3,000 sq ft):

• 3x per week: $500-750/month
• 5x per week: $800-1,200/month

Medium medical clinic (5,000-8,000 sq ft):

• 3x per week: $1,500-2,100/month
• 5x per week: $2,400-3,400/month

Large medical facility (10,000+ sq ft):

• 3x per week: $2,800-4,500/month
• 5x per week: $4,500-7,200/month

These ranges reflect proper medical facility cleaning with all appropriate protocols, products, training, and oversight. Lower pricing typically indicates standard office cleaning being applied to a medical environment—a false economy that creates risks rather than managing them.

The Connection Between Financial Planning and Facility Management

Smart medical practice management recognizes that every operational expense should be evaluated as an investment in practice success. Cleaning isn't an exception—it's an investment in patient safety, staff satisfaction, and practice reputation.

Performance Financial LLC, which works with many Des Moines businesses on financial planning and operational budgeting, understands that facility maintenance costs need to be viewed in the context of total practice economics. A medical practice that under-invests in proper facility cleaning may achieve short-term budget wins but creates long-term risks and costs.

When building or reviewing your practice's facility budget, consider:

• The total cost of ownership for cleaning (not just monthly invoices)
• The risk mitigation value of proper infection control
• The reputation and patient retention impact of facility presentation
• The staff satisfaction and productivity benefits of a properly maintained environment

Financial planning for medical practices should account for facility maintenance as a critical operational expense, not a discretionary cost to minimize. Your financial advisors should understand that medical facility cleaning is a healthcare practice investment, not a commodity service.

Resources for Des Moines Medical Facility Managers

Infection Control Guidance

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Healthcare-Associated Infections - Comprehensive HAI prevention guidance
• Environmental Infection Control Guidelines - Specific cleaning protocols

Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE):

• Professional resources and certification for healthcare environmental services professionals

Iowa Healthcare Regulations

Iowa Department of Public Health:

• Healthcare facility licensing and regulation information
• Infection control requirements for Iowa medical facilities

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard:

• Requirements for facilities where occupational exposure may occur
• Training and compliance obligations for healthcare cleaners

Selecting and Managing Cleaning Services

ISSA - The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association:

• Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) for evaluating cleaning companies
• Healthcare cleaning best practices and standards

EPA Registered Disinfectants:

• List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2
• Search tool for EPA-registered antimicrobial products

Take the Next Step Toward Proper Medical Facility Cleaning

If you manage a medical facility in Des Moines, Urbandale, Waukee, or anywhere in the metro area, and you're questioning whether your current cleaning service actually meets healthcare standards, it's time for a proper assessment.

Call Zach Vander Ploeg directly at 515-276-1618 to discuss your medical facility's specific needs. He'll ask detailed questions about your practice, patient population, and current cleaning challenges to determine whether Rodan's medical facility cleaning approach is the right fit.

Email info@rodancleaning.com with information about your facility type, size, and location, and we'll follow up within one business day to schedule a site assessment.

Schedule a free medical facility cleaning assessment where we walk your space, evaluate current practices, identify areas requiring enhanced protocols, and provide a detailed proposal specifically designed for healthcare environments.

Why Choose Rodan for Medical Facility Cleaning

Since 1998, Des Moines area businesses have trusted Rodan Cleaning for service that consistently delivers on promises. When it comes to medical facilities, that reliability takes on even greater importance because patient safety is involved.

We're not the cheapest option for medical facility cleaning—we're the option that understands what healthcare environments require and delivers it without compromise. Our pricing reflects the reality of proper medical facility cleaning: specialized training, hospital-grade products, rigorous protocols, and monthly audits that verify performance.

If your medical facility deserves cleaning that meets genuine healthcare standards rather than just making the place look presentable, Rodan Cleaning is ready to demonstrate what proper medical facility cleaning actually looks like.

For information on other specialized cleaning services, visit our pages on Office Cleaning, Construction Cleaning, School and University Cleaning, Financial Institution Cleaning, and Fogging Disinfection Services.

Need help evaluating your medical practice's overall operational budget, including facility maintenance costs? Performance Financial LLC works with Des Moines businesses on financial planning and expense optimization.