There’s no such thing as a typical day in commercial cleaning. One day, you’re buffing marble floors in a Knightsbridge showroom. The next, you’re battling a mystery smell under a CEO’s desk in Shoreditch. Spilt coffee, broken vacuums, late staff, fussy clients—cleaning in London is as much about thinking on your feet as it is about mops and microfibre cloths. So why is problem solving the most important skill in the job? Because it’s the one thing that keeps everything moving.
I’ve cleaned commercial spaces across this city for over fifteen years. Offices, shops, music venues, you name it. And I can tell you straight: the people who thrive in this game aren’t the ones who know how to scrub grout the fastest. They’re the ones who know what to do when the grout turns out to be a glue spill from six months ago. They’re the ones who get the job done, no matter what weird surprises pop up. In short, they solve problems. Fast.
If you run a cleaning business or manage facilities, you’ve probably seen this yourself. The cleaners who bring the most value aren’t the ones waiting for instructions. They’re the ones coming to you with solutions before you’ve even had time to stress about the problem.
So, yes, problem solving is the number one skill in London commercial cleaning. Not a nice-to-have. A must. Let me explain why—and how you can build a team that’s got this mindset baked in.
It’s Built Into The Job
Surprises Around Every Corner
Commercial cleaning isn’t just physically demanding—it’s unpredictable. Every office has its quirks, every building its hidden corners, and every client their own version of “clean enough”. I once walked into a job where the toilet cubicle doors had been glued shut. Why? No one knew. But someone had to sort it. And quickly.
This job doesn’t run on perfect plans. Even the best schedules get thrown off by building access issues, deliveries blocking fire exits, or entire floors being double-booked. Problem solving isn’t a bonus trait in this line of work—it’s the engine that keeps things ticking.
You Won’t Last Without It
I’ve seen excellent cleaners struggle simply because they panic when things don’t go as planned. You can be the fastest hoover in Westminster, but if you freeze up the moment the bin bags go missing or the alarm system starts shouting, you’ll hold the whole team back.
London moves fast. Clients expect smooth service with minimal fuss. If you need someone to tell you every step, you’ll always be behind. That’s why the best cleaners think like mini-operations managers. They see a snag and fix it, often before anyone else notices.
Creating A Problem-Solving Culture
Hire For The Mindset, Not Just The Mop Skills
You can teach someone how to clean a carpet. You can’t teach common sense in a half-hour induction. That’s why I always look for curiosity and calm thinking in new hires. Do they ask good questions? Can they think through a scenario without needing their hand held?
During interviews, I throw in a few strange but real-life cleaning situations and ask what they’d do. Not looking for the perfect answer—just whether they’ve got a bit of spark and creativity. If they do, the rest is trainable.
Encourage Initiative From Day One
From their first day, I want my team to know they’re not just cleaners—they’re thinkers. I tell them straight: “Don’t wait for me. If something doesn’t look right, sort it. If you’re stuck, try one thing before calling me.” Giving them permission to act is a game-changer.
We also do regular debriefs—not boring, corporate meetings, just five-minute chats at the end of a shift. What went wrong? What went right? What did we fix on the fly? That way, we share ideas and solutions without judgement.
What If A Cleaner Doesn’t Think That Way?
Use The Power Of The Team
Not everyone’s naturally a fixer. Some people are brilliant at the cleaning side but freeze when something odd comes up. That’s okay—as long as the team around them has balance.
I always pair up my thinkers with my steady hands. One will spot the issue; the other will execute the fix beautifully. The trick is to build teams where strengths cover weaknesses. You don’t need everyone to be Sherlock Holmes—you just need enough people who can spot when something’s off.
A Good Manager Makes All The Difference
If you’re managing commercial cleaning teams, your attitude sets the tone. Are you calm when things go wrong? Do you reward staff for solving problems or punish them for trying and failing? People follow your lead.
One of the best things I ever did was start asking, “What would you do?” before giving my own answer. It gives my team room to think. And if their answer’s better than mine? Even better. I learn something too.
A good manager turns quiet, shy workers into confident problem-solvers. You just need patience, trust, and the odd cup of tea and biscuit chat to bring it out.
Facing Fussy Clients Head-On
Don’t Argue—Solve
Problem solving isn’t just about fixing broken hoovers or surprise spillages. It’s also your best tool for dealing with tricky clients.
We’ve all had them—the ones who say, “This wasn’t cleaned,” when it clearly was. Or the ones who move the goalposts mid-shift. You can argue. Or you can solve.
I once had a client in Holborn who kept complaining about a “greasy smell” in the meeting rooms. We’d cleaned everything to spec. I could’ve pushed back. Instead, I got curious. We sniffed around (yes, actually sniffed), and tracked it down to old takeout containers stuffed behind the radiator. No argument. No drama. Just sorted it.
Problem Solving Calms Everyone Down
Clients get stressed. Buildings don’t clean themselves. Timelines are tight. The last thing they want is a defensive cleaner. But show them you’re trying to help, that you’ve spotted something they hadn’t, and you’ve got their trust for life.
Even when it’s not your fault—say, the bins weren’t emptied because the council missed a pickup—you can still offer something. “We’ve put the bags aside, and we’ll check again at 10.” That small act of ownership changes everything.
Build A Reputation, Not Just A Business
Go-Getters Get More Work
London’s full of cleaners. Every street has ten cleaning companies offering “reliable, professional, affordable” services. What makes you stand out isn’t your rates or your uniform. It’s your reputation for getting stuff done.
Clients talk. Office managers move from firm to firm and take their favourite suppliers with them. If your team is known as the one that handles problems without fuss, you’ll never have to chase work. It comes to you.
Word Of Mouth Beats Any Flyer
I got one of my longest-standing contracts from a single moment of problem solving. The client’s security keypad had jammed, and their own facilities manager had gone AWOL. I jimmied it open with a spatula, got in, and cleaned the boardroom in time for a big meeting. I didn’t charge extra. Just did it.
A week later, they cancelled their old cleaning company and hired us full-time. That was ten years ago.
People remember the person who helped when things went sideways. Not the one who moaned or waited.
Final Thoughts
If you want a team that clients rave about, build one that solves problems. Teach them to stay calm under pressure. Reward initiative. Build confidence. And when you see someone fixing something quietly in the background—celebrate them. That’s the heart of good cleaning.
Problem solving isn’t just helpful in commercial cleaning. It is commercial cleaning. Everything else—products, routines, tools—comes after. The person who sorts things out, who makes life easier for everyone else, will always be in demand. And in a city like London, that’s the person who builds a business that lasts.