There is no single, stand-alone “aged care cleaning standard” in Australia. Instead, cleaning requirements come from the Aged Care Quality Standards, which every registered government-funded provider must meet, and from the infection prevention and control (IPC) system that each provider is required to have. That system must describe the cleaning practices used in your setting, and national healthcare infection control guidelines are the reference most providers build it on. In practice, that means the provider sets the cleaning requirements, and a cleaning contractor delivers them.
That distinction matters if you manage a facility or are choosing a cleaner. Below we explain where the requirements come from, what good cleaning practice looks like, and what to ask any contractor before you sign.
Where the requirements actually come from
1. The Aged Care Quality Standards
The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards took effect on 1 November 2025, replacing the previous standards that applied until 31 October 2025. According to the My Aged Care website, registered providers of government-funded services must meet them, and homes are being assessed against the strengthened standards over the next three years. There are seven standards, and Standard 4, The Environment, is the one most relevant to cleaning. It describes an environment that is clean, safe and comfortable for the people who live there.
2. The infection prevention and control system
The most specific requirement sits under Outcome 4.2: the provider must have an appropriate infection prevention and control system. According to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, that system must describe the standard and transmission-based precautions for the setting, including cleaning practices, hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette and waste management. Residential care homes are also expected to appoint a suitably qualified infection prevention and control lead, manage their supply and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and have outbreak management plans in place.
The Commission notes that this guidance is being updated to align with the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Aged Care Rules 2025, so always check the current instruments.
3. National infection control guidelines
The Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2019), produced by the NHMRC with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, are the main national reference for healthcare infection control. They are written for all those working in healthcare, including support staff, and cover long-term care settings. Their summary document sets out routine environmental cleaning recommendations, and facilities are expected to assess their own risks when applying them.
4. Your own policies
Because the Standards ask each provider to describe its own cleaning practices, your internal policies and procedures become the day-to-day rulebook. A good cleaning contractor works to that rulebook, not to a generic checklist.
What good cleaning practice looks like
Based on the NHMRC guidance, routine environmental cleaning in healthcare settings generally means:
- Frequently touched surfaces (handrails, door handles, call buttons, light switches, tables) are cleaned with a detergent solution at least daily, when visibly soiled and after any known contamination.
- General surfaces and fittings are cleaned when visibly soiled and immediately after spills.
- Shared equipment is cleaned with detergent between uses and disinfected where indicated.
- Detergent comes first. Cleaning removes soil, which is what lets disinfection work.
- Outbreaks and terminal cleans may call for additional measures. The guidelines suggest sodium hypochlorite as an adjunct to standard cleaning, mainly for terminal cleans and in situations such as C. difficile outbreaks, and that decision belongs in your IPC plan, not with an individual cleaner.
These are general healthcare recommendations, and the right frequency for your site depends on your risk assessment and your IPC lead’s advice.
Disinfectants: ask about the product, not just the claim
Not all cleaning products are equal. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates certain cleaners and disinfectants, depending on the claims made on the label. Ask your contractor which products they use, what each is used for, and whether they follow the label’s dilution and contact-time instructions. Safety data sheets for every chemical should be on site.
What to ask a cleaning contractor
Whether you are renewing a contract or running a tender, these questions separate a cleaner who understands care settings from one who is simply good at offices:
- Experience: Have they worked in aged care or healthcare settings, and can they describe the work in detail?
- Scope: Will they work from a written scope tied to your IPC plan, with tasks and frequencies for each area?
- Training: How are cleaners trained in infection control, PPE, hand hygiene and chemical handling, and how often?
- Checks: Do staff have police checks, and how is turnover managed so residents see familiar faces?
- Outbreak response: Can they respond to an outbreak or a deep-clean request at short notice, and who decides what is done?
- Products: What products and equipment are used, and are the safety data sheets available?
- Records: How is cleaning documented, and can you audit it?
- Supervision: Who inspects the work, and how are issues reported and fixed?
- Discretion and dignity: How do cleaners behave around residents, families and private spaces?
- Insurance and contract terms: What cover do they hold, and what are the notice and exit terms?
For more on evaluating providers in general, see our guides on how to choose a commercial cleaner and the commercial cleaning contract guide.
Where Office Cleaning Solutions fits
Office Cleaning Solutions provides commercial cleaning across Melbourne, including medical and health cleaning for medical centres and clinics, with staff trained for medical cleaning requirements and police-checked. If your facility has particular infection control requirements, the right starting point is a site inspection and a clear written scope of works, agreed with your IPC lead, before any work begins. You can learn more about us.
Frequently asked questions
What cleaning standards are required for aged care facilities in Australia?
There is no single cleaning standard. Registered providers must meet the Aged Care Quality Standards, which include having an appropriate infection prevention and control system that describes cleaning practices for the setting. National healthcare infection control guidelines are the usual technical reference.
When did the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards start?
They took effect on 1 November 2025. The previous standards applied until 31 October 2025, and homes are being assessed against the strengthened standards over the next three years.
Who is responsible for infection control in an aged care home?
The registered provider. For residential care homes, the Commission describes appointing a suitably qualified infection prevention and control lead as one of the key actions.
How often should an aged care facility be cleaned?
It depends on your risk assessment and IPC plan. The NHMRC guidelines recommend cleaning frequently touched surfaces with detergent at least daily, when visibly soiled and after known contamination, and cleaning spills immediately.
Do cleaning products need to be approved?
Some disinfectants are regulated by the TGA depending on the claims they make. Ask your contractor for the product list and safety data sheets, and check the label for instructions on dilution and contact time.
What should I look for in an aged care cleaning contractor?
Look for relevant experience, a written scope tied to your IPC plan, trained and police-checked staff, outbreak response capability, documented records and clear supervision.
Does Office Cleaning Solutions clean medical centres, showrooms, and retail spaces in Melbourne?
Yes. Office Cleaning Solutions provides commercial cleaning for a wide range of business types across Melbourne beyond standard office environments, including medical rooms and centres, showrooms, retail spaces, shopping centres, factories, and industrial premises. The same trained and police-checked team that handles office cleaning services medical centres and retail spaces using the same eco-friendly products, strict per-visit checklists, and 100% re-clean guarantee that applies across all services. For medical environments where hygiene standards are elevated and cleaning must be thorough and documented, the team’s background-checked status and consistent staff model — low staff turnover means the same cleaners return each visit — provides the continuity that medical settings require. For showrooms and retail spaces where client-facing presentation is critical and cleaning must be completed before opening hours, the after-hours scheduling model ensures the space is ready before the first customer arrives. The business has provided commercial cleaning across Melbourne for 40 years as a family-owned operation, based at Level 5, 365 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Call 1800 000 220 for a quote.