Facility maintenance isn’t just about reacting to problems, it’s about seeing them before they escalate. And no one sees more of what’s happening in your building than your janitorial and maintenance crew.
At Moreno & Associates, we’ve spent over 30 years supporting commercial properties across the Bay Area. Our teams clean, inspect, patch, polish, and troubleshoot facilities of all shapes and sizes and we’ve picked up a few things along the way. Here’s what your maintenance crew likely wishes you knew.
1. Small Issues Become Big Ones… Fast
Scuffed vinyl flooring, dirty air vents, or a leaky faucet might seem like minor annoyances, but they’re often early indicators of more costly problems. A drip today could be mold tomorrow. A loose floor tile could become a tripping hazard lawsuit next month. A stained ceiling tile could mean a full roof leak.
How to fix it: If you don’t already have one, create a simple facility checklist for your team or vendor to flag these items monthly, daily, weekly, quarterly, or yearly depending on the task. The fix is always cheaper now than it will be later.
2. Floors Need More Love Than You Think
Floors take the most abuse in any facility. Without a regular care schedule- including machine scrubbing, stripping and waxing, or carpet extraction- they wear out faster, become safety risks, and damage not only your properties image, but also the value of your building.
How to fix it: Schedule floor maintenance based on foot traffic and material type. Most likely your facilities team can offer bundled floor care plans so you never miss a beat.
3. Clean Glass, Painted Walls, and Well-Lit Spaces Matter
Your visitors and tenants form opinions in the first five seconds of entering your building. Dirty windows, dim lighting, or chipped paint send the message that no one’s paying attention.
How to fix it: Walk your building from the front door as if you are a guest. Take a moment to pause and notice anything that might need attention. What to look for? Clean streak-free windows, all entry furniture dusted/ wiped down, vents dusted, lights (interior and exterior) working properly, rugs, carpet, & floors are clean, ceiling tiles free of stains, baseboard dusted, paint is fresh and free of chips (interior and exterior). If anything looks like something you would judge in another person’s building, then you know it needs to be addressed.
4. Quick Fixes Add Up and Delay Bigger Projects
Your crews are likely bogged down with repetitive service tickets for things like overflowing dumpsters, flickering lights, minor paint patching. These small tasks can steal time from larger initiatives like seasonal deep cleaning or floor maintenance.
How to fix it: Work with a vendor that offers both reactive and planned services under one roof. At Moreno, we handle the little things while also helping you plan for the bigger picture. So if your current team is only handling your basic janitorial while you’re juggling 5 different vendors for all these facility projects… It’s time to look into a facility maintenance company that can handle more than just basic cleaning. Remember, you get what you pay for.
5. Your Crew Sees Things You Don’t
Janitors and maintenance techs work behind the scenes, often after hours. They see what your staff or tenants don’t. Leaks behind toilets, signs of pests in utility closets, heavy wear in high-traffic zones. And they often don’t get asked about it.
How to fix it: If you have a good vendor, they will more often than not point these things out to you, but we’re human, not robots- we might miss something here or there! So schedule a walk-through with your vendor or make sure your maintenance rep is on scheduled visits to do quality control on your facility. You’d be surprised how much preventative insight they can offer by simply walking your site.
6. Your Tenants Don’t Know What We Do
You might be well versed with your maintenance team’s tasks, but your team and/or tenants have no clue. There could be an issue they try to fix themselves because they think that is the best option or perhaps issues will magically resolve themselves. They might even waste their valuable time finding another vendor to perform the task when you know your facilities team (who is well versed with your property already) can handle it… and usually for a better price tag.
How to fix it: Let your tenants and internal teams know who we are and what we handle. A quick intro email, signage in common areas, or a shared reporting process goes a long way in strengthening collaboration, trust, and response time. When expectations are clear and communication is open, issues get resolved faster and the entire facility runs like a well-oiled machine. Having everyone on the same page will help us and you make sure when something needs attention, it’s handled promptly and professionally.
7. We’re Your Partner
It’s easy to think of your facility services crew as just “the cleaning company” or a group of contractors who show up after hours. But the truth is, your maintenance team is an extension of your brand. When we show up, we represent you- to tenants, employees, vendors, and visitors alike. Your facility crew sees what others miss. We fix what breaks. We notice what looks off. And when we’re treated as a true partner, everything runs smoother, faster, and more professionally.
How to fix it: Start treating your facility crew as part of your core team, not just the janitor. Introduce us to your staff and tenants. Include us in communications about building needs. A little recognition and alignment goes a long way. The more connected we are to your day-to-day, the more value we bring.
From the Moreno Team: What We See Most Often
- Mold risk from unreported water damage/stains
- Broken fixtures that “everyone just got used to”
- Floor damage from old matting or poor sealing
- High reach areas (ac ducts, etc.) that haven’t been dusted in years
- Grout that is 10 shades darker in the center of your bathroom or kitchen than it is on the perimeter
- Exterior dirt buildup or graffiti no one reported
If you’ve made it through this article then we know you want more. You want Moreno.
👉 Schedule your free facility walk with us today.
📧 info@morenoclean.com | ☎ 408-924-0353
