Types of commercial cleaning: the 6 REFA categories compared.
From daily janitorial cleaning, interim cleaning, and traffic-area cleaning to thorough deep cleaning, protective treatment, and the final clean after building work: learn how REFA’s technical committee for commercial cleaning classifies each type of cleaning by when it is done, which methods it uses, and what clients need to watch for in a scope of work (Leistungsverzeichnis).
The REFA committee: the foundation of commercial cleaning.
In commercial cleaning, a clean building is no accident. It is the result of precisely defined trade processes. The REFA technical committee for commercial cleaning (REFA-Fachausschuss Gebäudereinigung, which grew out of the German association for work design, business organization, and enterprise development) has established authoritative benchmarks, terminology, and catalogs of methods. Across Germany, they serve as the yardstick for master-craftsman businesses (Meisterbetriebe), public tenders under the German procurement rules for services (VOL/A), and service specifications.
Classified by when the work is done
The REFA standard doesn’t group cleaning tasks arbitrarily. It sorts them systematically by when and how often they are performed over a building’s life cycle:
Day-to-day operations: Routine janitorial cleaning at fixed intervals to keep hygiene and appearance consistently up to standard.
As-needed intervals: Interim cleaning and traffic-area cleaning for a targeted refresh of heavily used walkways.
Periodic base care: Deep and intensive cleaning followed by protective treatment to preserve the surfaces for the long term.
Project completion: A final clean once building, conversion, or modernization work is finished.
Why it matters for law firms & businesses
When you compare quotes, the service descriptions are often vague. If a provider passes off a superficial interim clean as deep cleaning, or skips the protective treatment after deep cleaning, your floors and surfaces suffer lasting damage. Clear REFA definitions give you precise specifications, protect you from costly extra charges, and preserve the value of your office space in Hamburg.
Hamburg expertise: At Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg, all work is done by trained permanent employees only, following the standards of the trade. No subcontractor chains, no watered-down terminology.
The 6 cleaning types, explained in detail.
The REFA table divides the full range of the building-cleaning trade (Gebäudereiniger-Handwerk) into six clearly defined cleaning types. Each type has its own goal and relies on specific technical methods:
Routine janitorial cleaning
REFA definition: Routine janitorial cleaning (Unterhaltsreinigung) consists of recurring cleaning tasks performed at set intervals.
Goal & result: Continuously maintains the contractually agreed level of cleanliness, hygiene, and professional appearance in the workplace, day to day or week to week.
Typical frequency: 1 to 5 times a week (e.g., offices, restrooms, kitchenettes, hallways).
REFA methods: Sweeping, damp mopping, wet mopping (two-step method), wet scrubbing.
Interim cleaning
REFA definition: Interim cleaning (Zwischenreinigung) is an intensive clean that improves appearance and aims to push the next deep cleaning back as far as possible.
Goal & result: Removes stubborn scuff marks and films of grime; restores the look without stripping the entire protective film.
Cost advantage: Faster and less expensive than a full deep cleaning, since there are no lengthy drying or protective-treatment stages.
REFA methods: Polishing, vacuum polishing, spray buffing (spray cleaning with a single-disc machine).
Traffic-area cleaning
REFA definition: Traffic-area cleaning (Teilflächenreinigung) is limited to floor areas whose appearance suffers from heavy foot traffic. It, too, aims to postpone deep cleaning.
Focus areas: Main entrances, reception areas, corridors, coffee stations, and the tracks left by office-chair casters.
Efficiency: Easier on the budget, because only the high-wear walkways are treated, not the entire room.
REFA methods: Damp mopping, wet mopping, targeted polishing, spray buffing.
Deep & intensive cleaning
REFA definition: Deep cleaning (Grundreinigung, also Intensivreinigung) removes stubborn soiling and/or worn protective films or other residues that detract from the appearance of the surface. It is generally carried out only at longer intervals.
Goal & result: Clean all the way down to the base material; surfaces free of old coatings, discoloration, streaks, and stains.
Contract note: Can be scheduled on a regular cycle (e.g., once a year) or ordered as specialty cleaning.
REFA methods: Wet deep cleaning with neutralization, dry finish restoration.
Protective treatment & base care
REFA definition: In protective treatment (Einpflege or Grundpflege), care products are applied to surfaces to shield them from mechanical wear (preserving their value) and to make subsequent janitorial cleaning easier. Protective treatment requires a final clean or deep cleaning first.
Goal & result: A uniform protective film; satin or glossy protection against scratches; sure footing and slip resistance per DIN 51130.
Reversibility: A key REFA rule is that the applied protective film must come off completely during any future deep cleaning.
REFA methods: Wet mopping (finish mopping), machine or manual coating.
Final clean after building work
REFA definition: The final clean (Baufeinreinigung) is the same as what the industry commonly calls the closing clean (Bauschlussreinigung) or initial cleaning and care (Erstreinigung, Erstpflege). It takes place once new-build, conversion, or renovation work is complete.
Goal & result: Complete removal of tradespeople’s debris (plaster, mortar, varnish residue, paint and cement splashes, drilling dust), protective sheeting, and labels; free of dust, mop marks, and streaks.
Purpose: Prepares the property directly for the building owner’s acceptance inspection and first occupancy.
REFA methods: Sweeping, wet mopping, wet scrubbing, wet vacuuming.
Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg deliberately specializes in the ongoing care of high-quality B2B office space. We provide routine janitorial cleaning and scheduled deep cleaning. When you move into new premises or expand your law firm, our pre-move-in deep cleaning leaves the space fresh and ready to use.
Table 1 at a glance: REFA cleaning types & methods.
The overview below reflects the binding training and examination standard of the REFA committee for commercial cleaning. It sets all six cleaning types side by side with their goals and methods:
| Cleaning type | Official REFA definition | Goal / result | Cleaning methods & techniques |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routine janitorial cleaning | Recurring cleaning tasks performed at set intervals. | Varies with the cleaning tasks to be performed (hygiene & value retention). | Sweeping, damp mopping, wet mopping, wet scrubbing |
| Interim cleaning | Intensive cleaning that improves appearance and aims to push deep cleaning back as far as possible. | Results vary with the type of interim cleaning (improved appearance). | Polishing, vacuum polishing, spray buffing |
| Traffic-area cleaning | Limited to floor areas whose appearance suffers from heavy foot traffic; also aims to postpone deep cleaning. | Results vary with the type of interim cleaning (targeted treatment of specific zones). | Damp mopping, wet mopping, polishing, spray buffing |
| Deep / intensive cleaning | Removes stubborn soiling and/or worn protective films or other residues that detract from the appearance of the surface. Generally carried out at longer intervals. | Surfaces free of dirt and worn protective films; free of streaks and stains, in line with the current state of the art. | Wet deep cleaning, dry finish restoration |
| Protective treatment / base care | Applying care products to surfaces to shield them from mechanical wear (value retention) and make subsequent janitorial cleaning easier. Requires a final clean or deep cleaning first. | A protective film with a uniform look and no drawbacks for appearance or sure footing in daily use. | Wet mopping, coating |
| Final clean after building work | Identical to the closing clean and to initial cleaning and care. Takes place once new-build, conversion, or renovation work is complete. | Free of tradespeople’s debris (mortar, plaster, varnish, drilling dust), sheeting, and labels; free of dust, mop marks, and streaks. | Sweeping, wet mopping, wet scrubbing, wet vacuuming |
Under REFA’s technical guidance, the exact timing of a deep cleaning can be either fixed in the contract as an annual cycle or ordered flexibly as separate specialty cleaning. For the protective treatment that follows, one principle is mandatory: worn protective films must always remain removable later without leaving any residue (the principle of reversibility).
A glossary of cleaning methods: trade terms in practice.
Behind the pictograms in the REFA table lie sophisticated cleaning techniques. Every type of flooring — from linoleum and vinyl (PVC) to parquet and porcelain tile — calls for the right method:
Manual mopping and sweeping methods
The everyday foundation of office and janitorial cleaning:
Sweeping (Kehren): Dry removal of coarse dirt and loose debris with a broom or push broom. In modern offices, it has largely been replaced by HEPA-filter vacuuming.
Damp mopping (Feuchtwischen): Dust-binding mopping with barely damp, pre-treated mop pads. Picks up fine dust without wetting the floor and is gentle on sensitive flooring.
Two-step wet mopping (Nasswischen): In step 1, the cleaning solution is applied and loosens the dirt; in step 2, the dirty solution is picked up with a wrung-out mop pad. This keeps dirt from being spread around.
Finish mopping (Auftragswischen, for protective treatment): Wet mopping with special care emulsions that leave an ultra-thin protective film as they dry.
Machine-based intensive & care methods
Specialized machines for deep-acting, value-preserving care:
Wet scrubbing (Nassscheuern): Mechanically agitating and loosening stubborn soiling with a scrub brush or scrubbing pad on single-disc machines or auto scrubbers.
Spray buffing (Cleanern, spray cleaning): A cleaner is sprayed onto the floor and immediately buffed out with a high-speed single-disc machine. Removes scuff marks and partially restores the protective film.
Polishing & vacuum polishing (Polieren, Poliersaugen): High-speed compacting of the protective film for a deep shine and durability. In vacuum polishing, fine polishing dust is extracted at the same time.
Wet vacuuming (Nasssaugen): Fast, thorough extraction of the loosened dirty solution during deep cleaning, using industrial high-performance wet vacuums.
Dry finish restoration (Trockene Pflegefilmsanierung): Worn top layers are ground off with diamond or restoration pads, without chemicals or water — eco-friendly and time-saving.
Coating (Beschichten): Polymer dispersions are applied crosswise in 2 to 3 coats after deep cleaning to protect the floor surface for the long term.
REFA in practice: fair time allowances, not subcontractor pressure.
Why REFA makes for fair working conditions
The REFA committee defines more than cleaning methods. It also sets realistic productivity benchmarks (square meters per hour). Budget providers and broker platforms often base their pricing on unrealistic output rates of 500 or 600 m² per hour. The result is sloppy work, rushed and overstretched temps, and constant rework.
100% our own permanent staff: No temp agency workers (Leiharbeit), 0% subcontractors. Dedicated teams take reliable care of your law firm or office.
Fair pay: We pay above the collectively agreed wage — starting at €16.00 gross per hour. For comparison: in 2026, wage group 1 (Lohngruppe 1) under the collective wage agreement for commercial cleaning (Lohntarifvertrag Gebäudereinigung) is €15.00 gross per hour.
Hardly any staff turnover: Since we were founded in 2019, exactly one cleaner has left our team. The result: well-practiced routines and genuine trust.
Safety & environmental protection
Cleaning properly to REFA’s trade standards protects people, materials, and the environment alike:
HACCP & eco standards: We strictly follow the HACCP-compliant four-color system to prevent cross-contamination and use certified eco-friendly cleaning concentrates from Dr. Schnell with the EU Ecolabel. If damage does occur, our business liability insurance covers up to €5 million.
Frequently asked questions about the REFA cleaning types
The five most important questions about terminology, methods, and contract standards in practice.
Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg stands for careful, trade-quality cleaning, transparent pricing, and social responsibility. We are a member of the Hamburg Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer Hamburg) and of BG BAU (the statutory accident insurance institution for the construction and cleaning trades). More about us →
Sources: REFA-Fachausschuss Gebäudereinigung (REFA technical committee for commercial cleaning: work design and performance measurement) · DIN EN 13549 (cleaning services) · RAL-GZ 902 (Gütegemeinschaft Gebäudereinigung, the German quality assurance association for commercial cleaning). Responsible for content: Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg, Carl-Petersen-Straße 92b, 20535 Hamburg.
How does interim cleaning differ from deep cleaning?
Interim cleaning refreshes the protective film in targeted spots and puts off a time-consuming full deep cleaning. It usually relies on gentle methods such as spray buffing or polishing and does not strip the existing protective film entirely. Deep cleaning, by contrast, completely removes all old protective films and stubborn soiling, chemically or mechanically, right down to the flooring material itself.
Why is protective treatment essential after deep cleaning?
After deep cleaning, the surface of the flooring (e.g., linoleum, vinyl, or rubber) is left completely unprotected, open, and porous. Without a follow-up protective treatment with a protective polymer dispersion or care emulsion, dirt particles and mopping water penetrate deep into the material, leading to irreversible discoloration, embrittlement, and premature wear.
What does the REFA principle of reversibility mean for protective films?
Reversibility means that every protective film applied must be completely removable, without residue, during a later deep cleaning with suitable cleaning agents. In trade terms, non-reversible sealants (for example, permanent two-component polyurethane lacquers, known as 2K PU) count not as protective treatment but as a permanent surface finish.
Which cleaning methods are standard in routine janitorial cleaning?
According to REFA, janitorial cleaning primarily includes sweeping or vacuuming, damp mopping with a barely moist mop, one-step or two-step wet mopping, and, on hard floors that take heavier wear, machine wet scrubbing. In offices, most floors are cleaned using the two-step wet-mopping method or pre-soaked microfiber mops.
What is the difference between the rough clean and the final clean after building work?
The rough clean (Baugrobreinigung) takes place while building work is still underway and covers removing rubble, wood scraps, and packaging waste. The final clean (Baufeinreinigung, also called Bauschlussreinigung) happens only once all trade work is fully complete. It removes mortar splashes, varnish residue, drilling dust, and protective sheeting and leaves the space ready for handover and move-in, free of mop marks.
Meticulous cleaning for your Hamburg office.
100% our own permanent staff, cancel monthly, no subcontractors. Calculate your non-binding final price in under 30 seconds in the live chat, or request a non-binding quote within 24 hours.
Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg · Carl-Petersen-Straße 92b, 20535 Hamburg · Mon–Sat, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.