APPA'S Five Levels of Cleanliness

APPA specifies five levels of cleanliness that many institutions, including colleges and universities, use to manage their cleaning efforts. What follows is a summary of APPA’s five levels. A more detailed rundown is available on the APPA website (www.appa.org).

Level 1: Orderly Spotlessness:
Floors and base moldings are bright and clean; colors are fresh. Vertical and horizontal surfaces look freshly cleaned or polished. No build-up in corners. The lights work and the fixtures are clean. Washroom and shower fixtures and tiles gleam. Adequate cleaning supplies are on hand. Trash containers contain only daily waste.

Level 2: Ordinary Tidiness:
Virtually the same as level one, but there may be up to two days of dust, dirt, stains, or streaks.

Level 3: Casual Inattention:
Floors are swept or vacuumed clean, but close observation may reveal stains and dirt build-up may be apparent in corners and along walls. In addition, there may be dull spots, matted carpet, and streaks on base molding. Vertical and horizontal surfaces have dust, dirt, marks, smudges, and fingerprints. Lamps work and fixtures are clean. Trash containers have daily waste only.

Level 4: Moderate Dinginess:
Floors are swept and vacuumed clean but may be stained. Dirt buildup is evident. Carpets show paths of use. Molding is dirty. Surfaces are obviously dusty and dirty. Trash containers have old trash and may give off a sour smell.

Level 5: Unkempt Neglect:
Dull, dirty scuffed floors and carpets. The corners and base moldings are obviously dirty. Dirt has accumulated on all vertical and horizontal surfaces. Light fixtures are dirty, and some lamps are burned out. Trash containers are overflowing and have begun to smell.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management October 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Greenheck Launches New Series of Rooftop Units

    Air movement, control, and conditioning solutions provider Greenheck recently launched a new line of rooftop units that merge the conveniences of traditional rooftop ventilators and dedicated outdoor air systems, according to a news release. The Model RT controls temperature and humidity for indoor comfort.

  • Clemson to Launch North America’s Largest College Campus Smart Parking Program

    Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., recently announced a partnership with smart parking and curbside management solutions provider eleven-x to launch a smart parking initiative for its population of 29,000 students and faculty, according to a news release.

  • Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

    Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

  • KI Wall Demonstrates New Solutions at NeoCon 2025

    KI Wall attended NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, Ill., last month to showcase its new architectural wall systems and collaborations, according to a news release. Its customizable, design-forward wall solutions are intended to support creativity in work, education, and healthcare environments.

Digital Edition