In most Palm Beach County HOAs and condominium associations, the board is responsible for keeping the common areas clean. The board usually does not do the work itself. It assigns the job to its property management company, to on-site maintenance staff, or to an outside commercial janitorial company under a written contract. In larger communities, all three are often involved, so the most important step is writing down who handles what.
Who is responsible, and who does the work
- The board decides the standard of cleanliness, approves the budget and signs or approves vendor contracts.
- The property or community association manager usually manages the cleaning vendor day to day: scheduling, access, inspections and complaints.
- On-site maintenance staff, where a community has them, often handle quick fixes, light trash runs and pool-deck or grounds tasks.
- A commercial janitorial company handles the recurring interior cleaning of shared spaces: lobbies, elevators, corridors, stairwells, clubhouses, fitness rooms, common restrooms, mail and package areas, management offices and trash rooms.
Owners and residents are responsible for their own units. A commercial janitorial company like Stratus Clean Palm Beach cleans association-managed common areas only, not individual units.
What daily janitorial work usually covers in a large HOA
- Lobby floors, entry glass, door touchpoints and reception surfaces
- Elevator interiors, buttons and landings
- Corridors, breezeways, stairwells and railings
- Clubhouses, community rooms and kitchens after events
- Fitness rooms, mirrors and approved equipment touchpoints
- Common restrooms, including restocking
- Mailrooms, package rooms and trash or recycling rooms
Large or busy communities often add a day porter to keep lobbies, restrooms and amenity spaces presentable between scheduled cleanings.
What usually stays with maintenance or other vendors
Landscaping, pool chemistry, pest control, HVAC, repairs and painting are normally handled by maintenance staff or specialty vendors. Periodic projects such as carpet cleaning, hard floor care, interior window cleaning and pressure washing can be contracted separately or added to the janitorial plan. Writing them into the same schedule helps the manager plan the budget.
How to divide responsibilities in writing
- List every common area and who cleans it.
- Set a frequency for each area: daily, several times a week, weekly or monthly.
- Name one property contact for the cleaning vendor and one escalation path.
- Document access: keys or credentials, parking, elevator use and quiet hours.
- Agree on how inspections are done and how issues are reported and closed.
- Review the scope before season, when occupancy and events increase.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HOA board or the property manager responsible for common-area cleaning? The board is ultimately responsible and approves the contract. The property manager usually manages the cleaning vendor day to day.
Does a janitorial company clean inside condo units? No. Stratus Clean Palm Beach cleans association-managed common areas only. We do not clean occupied or vacant units and do not provide maid, housekeeping, or move-in or move-out service.
Do large HOAs need daily janitorial service? Busy lobbies, elevators, restrooms and amenity spaces often need daily attention, and quieter areas can be serviced less often. The right frequency comes from a walkthrough of how the property is used.
Can one cleaning contract cover several buildings and a clubhouse? Yes. One written scope can list each building and amenity with its own frequency, so the board and manager can compare inspections to the plan.
What should a board prepare before asking for a cleaning quote? Common-area square footage, building and floor counts, floor materials, restroom and amenity details, current frequency, access procedures, event schedules and any recurring complaints.
Next steps
See how we approach condominium and HOA common-area cleaning, with local pages for West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. For more detail, use the condominium common-area cleaning checklist, the HOA cleaning RFP and vendor checklist, and the condo and HOA cleaning cost guide. For daytime coverage, see day porter services. Ready to talk? Request a quote or call 561-469-8795.