Commercial Cleaning in Boston, MA
Facility services for Boston's apartments, condominiums, offices, and commercial buildings — from a company that has been working in this city's neighborhoods since 1977.
Boston's building stock is unlike anywhere else
Boston is one of the oldest cities in America, and its buildings show it — in the best possible way. Back Bay and Beacon Hill are composed almost entirely of condominiums and apartment buildings, with brownstones and rowhouses making up the vast majority of the residential building fabric. Move outward and the landscape shifts: triple-deckers and similar wood-frame buildings are common in many streetcar-era neighborhoods and remain a core part of the city's housing fabric. From the South End to Dorchester, Jamaica Plain to East Boston, the city is a patchwork of Victorian rowhouses, brick six-families, converted multifamily buildings, and modern mid-rises, often on the same block.
Each building type presents its own maintenance demands. Brownstones have deep entryways with tiled vestibule floors, intricate ironwork railings, and brass hardware that needs regular attention to stay presentable. Triple-deckers have stacked common stairwells, shared porches, and exterior wood trim that accumulates grime in ways a flat façade never does. Larger apartment buildings have lobbies, mailroom areas, laundry rooms, package rooms, and parking garages — each with its own cleaning frequency and standard.
Commercial Cleaning Service, Inc. has been cleaning Boston's buildings across all of these types for nearly 50 years. Our crews don't arrive at a Beacon Hill brownstone and treat it like a South Boston mid-rise. They know the difference, and so do our supervisors.
Services for Boston properties
Commercial Cleaning & Common Areas
Recurring cleaning programs for lobbies, hallways, stairwells, laundry rooms, package rooms, and all shared spaces — scheduled around your building and your residents.
Trash & Recycling Removal and Bin Return
Placement before collection windows and bin return same day — keeping your building compliant with Boston's trash ordinances without property managers having to manage the schedule.
Snow Removal & Ice Management
On-call response built around Boston's 3-hour clearance requirement for commercial properties and businesses. ADA-compliant 42-inch path clearing, curb cuts, building entries, and exterior stairs included.
Apartment & Condo Turnover Cleaning
Professional unit cleaning between tenants — essential in a city where most leases turn over on a single day. We book up fast around September 1st; property managers with ongoing contracts get priority scheduling.
Junk Removal & Cleanouts
Unit cleanouts, bulk item removal, and post-move debris disposal — handled in compliance with each city's bulk waste rules, so abandoned furniture and move-out junk doesn't become a code violation.
Post-Construction Cleanup
After renovations, gut rehabs, or new build-outs, we get your building back to resident-ready: construction dust removal, floor restoration, and common area cleanup.
Deep Cleaning
Targeted cleaning for areas outside the routine scope — light fixtures, basement storage areas, garage levels, bike rooms, roof decks, and more.
Floor Care
Carpet shampooing, tile stripping and waxing, and hardwood maintenance for lobbies and common area floors.
Porter & Event Services
On-site day coverage to maintain building cleanliness and presentation, or staffed support before and after building events.
Power Washing
Exterior building entrances, sidewalks, courtyards, and parking areas — including post-winter salt and debris removal and graffiti cleanup.
Landscaping, Cleanups & Planter Services
Spring and fall cleanups, planter maintenance, and seasonal grounds care for buildings with exterior landscaping and courtyard spaces.
Know the rules. Boston enforces them.
Boston's Inspectional Services Department and Code Enforcement Division actively patrol for property violations, and the fines are real. Here's what Boston property managers need to stay on top of:
Site Cleanliness Permit
Any residential building with six or more units is required to obtain a Site Cleanliness Permit from the City's Inspectional Services Department. The permit covers dumpster overflow, wind-blown litter, and rodent activity resulting from poor trash practices. Non-compliance can result in fines up to $1,000.
Trash and recycling rules
Trash must be put out by 5:00 pm the night before or by 6:00 am the morning of collection day. Property managers and owners are required to make sure tenants have barrels. Overfilling any barrels or dumpsters carries a fine. Buildings with more than six units are required by law to provide residents with access to the City's recycling programs, including maintaining an adequate number of recycling carts in a common area within 350 feet of a point of egress. Subsequent recycling violations can result in fines of $300.
Snow removal
Boston requires commercial properties and businesses to clear sidewalks within three hours of snowfall ending, or three hours after sunrise if it snows overnight. Cleared paths must be at least 42 inches wide — ADA-compliant for wheelchairs and strollers. Shoveling snow into the street carries its own fine. Each day of non-compliance is treated as a separate violation.
September 1st — Boston's annual pressure test
September 1st is an annual occurrence in Boston when roughly two-thirds of the city's leases turn over on the same day. For property managers, it means back-to-back unit turnovers, heavy foot traffic through common areas, furniture and debris left at building entrances, and sidewalks that need to be kept clear of obstruction — all while Boston Code Enforcement is actively patrolling. It's the most operationally demanding 72 hours of the property management calendar. 78-Clean clients with ongoing service agreements receive priority scheduling for turnover cleaning and porter coverage during this window.
A partner Boston property managers trust
Commercial Cleaning Service, Inc. is a family-owned, women-owned business that has been serving Boston's property managers and building owners since 1977. We maintain a 97% customer retention rate — built on showing up, communicating clearly, and solving problems before they land in your inbox.
Every 78-Clean client is assigned a dedicated Relationship Manager. When something needs attention at your Boston property, we respond the same day. Whether you manage a single brownstone on Marlborough Street or a portfolio across multiple Boston neighborhoods, we'll walk your property, understand your building's specific needs, and put together a program that fits — with no obligation.