The Optus Glean promise: predictability
Three pillars. Three commitments. No exceptions.
Predictable cost. One fixed monthly fee, set against a defined scope and an annual indexed review. No variable hours. No surprise invoices. No padded callout charges. Budgeted once, paid by Direct Debit, reviewed once a year.
Predictable presence. The site is cleaned every day it is meant to be cleaned. A named primary cleaner is rostered to your contract, supported by a named relief who is already vetted, inducted, and trained on the same colour-coded system and IPC standard. The schedule does not depend on whether one person is available on one day.
Predictable freedom. A single point of accountability. One contract. One named manager. One number to call. Cleaning is no longer a problem the site has to manage — it is a service that runs.
Why cleaning in Ireland is structurally hard to get right
Most cleaning provision in Ireland — including in healthcare-adjacent settings — is delivered by a workforce that is structurally part-time and casual. A significant proportion of operatives across the sector also work as healthcare assistants in nursing homes, residential care, and acute hospitals. Cleaning shifts are typically taken when healthcare shifts are not available, and released when they are. This pattern is consistent with CSO labour data on accommodation, food, and administrative-support employment, and it is the underlying reason that buyers across Ireland encounter inconsistency from agencies they have contracted in good faith.
The pattern is reinforced by two background pressures specific to Ireland. Housing affordability limits the catchment for any role paying at or near the minimum wage. The Contract Cleaning Employment Regulation Order rate of €14.80 per hour for 2026, set under the Labour Court's sectoral employment framework, sits close enough to flexible care-sector pay that operatives drift toward whichever shift pays slightly more on the day. Both pressures pull cleaning staff away from contracted shifts and toward casual healthcare work.
The result, from the buyer's perspective, is the experience most practice managers, facilities leads, and procurement officers in Ireland describe: a clean that is half-completed when the contracted cleaner is available, missed entirely when they are not, and accompanied by recurring conversations with the agency about cover that may or may not arrive.
This is the structural problem Optus Glean is built to solve. Our operatives are fully PAYE-employed with guaranteed weekly hours, paid leave, and pension contributions under Irish auto-enrolment. They are paid above the ERO floor deliberately — because the structural reliability of the service depends on the cleaner choosing to remain in the role rather than rotating through casual healthcare shifts. A named primary cleaner is assigned to your site, supported by a named relief, both Garda-vetted and trained to Optus Glean's documented HIQA-aligned IPC standard.
Professional Night Cleaning in Ireland
Night cleaning is the most effective way to maintain commercial premises without any disruption to your business operations. When your staff leave for the day, our Garda vetted cleaning teams arrive, complete the full cleaning specification, and leave your building spotless before anyone returns the next morning. No noise during meetings. No cleaning trolleys blocking corridors. No wet floors during working hours. Just a perfectly clean workplace, every morning, ready for business.
Optus Glean delivers professional night cleaning services to businesses of every size across all 26 counties of Ireland. We specialise in after-hours commercial cleaning for offices, retail premises, hotels, healthcare facilities, schools, data centres, and any premises where daytime cleaning would cause disruption or compromise operations.
Every member of our night cleaning team is Garda vetted through the National Vetting Bureau, trained in lone worker safety procedures, and equipped with personal safety devices. We carry €6.5 million in public liability insurance and €13 million in employer's liability cover. Our night cleaning operations are backed by comprehensive security protocols, key holding procedures, and real-time monitoring systems that give you complete confidence in the safety and integrity of the service.
Why Choose Night Cleaning Over Daytime Cleaning?
The decision between daytime and night cleaning is not simply about preference. For many businesses, switching to after-hours cleaning delivers measurable operational benefits that more than justify the modest night premium on fixed monthly fees apply.
Zero Disruption to Productivity
Daytime cleaning inevitably causes disruption. Vacuum cleaners generate noise that interrupts phone calls and concentration. Wet floors create temporary access restrictions. Cleaning trolleys block corridors and doorways. Staff must move belongings while desks are cleaned. In open-plan offices, these disruptions multiply across the floor plate. Night cleaning eliminates all of this. Your entire premises are cleaned while the building is empty, and your staff arrive each morning to a perfectly clean workplace with no interruption to their working day.
More Thorough Cleaning
When cleaners work in an empty building, they can access every area without restriction. Desks can be properly cleaned without working around monitors, documents, and personal items. Floor areas can be fully vacuumed and mopped without navigating around feet and chairs. Washrooms can be deep cleaned without queues of people waiting. The result is a consistently higher standard of cleaning compared to daytime operations where access is inevitably compromised by building occupants.
Health and Safety Advantages
Night cleaning reduces the risk of slip-and-fall incidents involving your staff. Wet floors, trailing cables from cleaning equipment, and chemical sprays are confined to hours when the building is unoccupied. This reduces your exposure to workplace injury claims and demonstrates compliance with your duty of care under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
Confidentiality and Security
For businesses handling sensitive information — legal practices, financial services, medical facilities, government departments — night cleaning provides an additional layer of security. Desks with confidential documents are cleaned by Garda vetted operatives who have been security-briefed and who operate under strict confidentiality agreements. There is no mixing of cleaning staff with daytime visitors, clients, or contractors.
Night Cleaning Pricing in Ireland (2026)
Night cleaning rates are higher than standard daytime rates, reflecting the unsocial hours premium required under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and additional costs for lone worker safety measures, security protocols, and supervision. Below are indicative pricing ranges for 2026. Every contract is individually priced after a site survey.
| Time Slot | Hourly Rate | Premium vs Daytime | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evening (6pm – 10pm) | €14 – €17/hr | +10–15% | Offices, retail, schools |
| Late evening (10pm – 12am) | €16 – €19/hr | +15–20% | Hotels, hospitals, retail |
| Deep night (12am – 6am) | €18 – €22/hr | +20–25% | Data centres, 24/7 facilities |
| Weekend nights | €19 – €22/hr | +25–30% | Hospitality, healthcare, events |
All pricing is exclusive of VAT. Night cleaning contracts are typically priced on a fixed monthly basis after a site survey, so you receive a predictable invoice regardless of minor variations in hours. The night premium is a reflection of fair pay for unsocial hours — it attracts reliable, experienced operatives who deliver consistent results.
For a precise quotation tailored to your premises, request a site survey and we will deliver a fixed-price quote within 48 hours.
Our Night Cleaning Security Protocols
Security is the primary concern for any business considering night cleaning. You are entrusting access to your premises during the hours when the building would otherwise be empty and secured. Optus Glean addresses this with a comprehensive security framework that covers every aspect of after-hours access and operations.
Personnel Security
- All night cleaning operatives are Garda vetted through the National Vetting Bureau
- Photo ID carried and displayed at all times on site
- Named operatives assigned to each contract — no ad-hoc substitutions without prior notification
- Confidentiality agreements signed by all staff accessing your premises
- Background screening beyond standard Garda vetting for high-security environments
Access and Key Management
- Secure key register with chain-of-custody documentation for every key issued
- Alarm codes held by named supervisors only, rotated on a scheduled basis
- Electronic access fob and card permissions time-restricted to cleaning hours
- Key holding insurance included as standard on all night cleaning contracts
- Duplicate key protocol — no unauthorised copies permitted
Monitoring and Communication
- Electronic check-in and check-out at start and end of each shift
- GPS-tracked lone worker devices with SOS panic button
- 30-minute check-in protocol with operations supervisor
- Real-time communication channel between site and operations centre
- Incident reporting system with immediate escalation procedures
Lone Worker Policy and Compliance
Night cleaning frequently involves lone working, which carries specific legal obligations under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) requires employers to conduct specific risk assessments for lone workers and implement appropriate protective measures.
Optus Glean maintains a comprehensive lone worker policy that exceeds the minimum HSA requirements. This policy covers every aspect of solitary night cleaning operations and is reviewed annually by our health and safety officer.
Key Elements of Our Lone Worker Policy
- Individual risk assessment — Every premises where lone working occurs is individually risk-assessed, covering physical hazards, access and egress routes, lighting, emergency procedures, and potential security risks.
- Personal safety devices — All lone night workers carry a GPS-enabled personal safety device with an SOS alert button that connects directly to our 24/7 operations centre and, if needed, to An Garda Siochana.
- Regular check-in protocol — Lone workers check in with their supervisor every 30 minutes via the safety device or phone. A missed check-in triggers an immediate welfare call. Two missed check-ins trigger an emergency response.
- First aid training — All lone night workers hold current first aid certification (QQI Level 5 or equivalent) as they may not have a colleague available to assist in a medical emergency.
- Conflict avoidance training — Operatives are trained in conflict avoidance and de-escalation techniques for situations where they may encounter unexpected persons on the premises.
- Named supervisor — Every lone night worker has a named supervisor who is contactable at all times during the shift and who is responsible for the check-in protocol.
Sectors Best Suited to Night Cleaning
While any commercial premises can benefit from night cleaning, certain sectors derive particular value from after-hours cleaning operations. These are the industries where we see the highest demand for night cleaning contracts across Ireland.
Corporate Offices
The largest single demand for night cleaning comes from office buildings where daytime cleaning would disrupt knowledge workers. Open-plan offices, call centres, and any environment where noise and movement affect productivity benefit significantly from switching to evening or night cleaning. Multi-tenant office buildings often mandate after-hours cleaning to avoid conflicts between cleaning operations and different tenants' working patterns.
Retail and Shopping Centres
Retail premises require night cleaning to ensure stores open each morning with polished floors, clean displays, and spotless fitting rooms without any disruption to trading hours. Shopping centres in particular rely on overnight cleaning for common areas, food courts, and car parks. Floor maintenance tasks such as stripping, sealing, and polishing are only feasible outside trading hours.
Hotels and Hospitality
Hotels require overnight cleaning of public areas, restaurants, conference facilities, and back-of-house areas to ensure everything is pristine for morning guests. Night cleaning in hospitality is distinct from housekeeping — it covers the communal and operational areas that cannot be cleaned during peak guest hours without causing disruption and noise complaints.
Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare settings including GP surgeries, dental practices, and outpatient clinics benefit from night cleaning because clinical areas can be thoroughly decontaminated without patients present. Infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures such as terminal cleaning and fogging are most effectively conducted in empty clinical environments. Night cleaning in healthcare requires operatives trained in HIQA standards and infection control protocols.
Education
Schools, colleges, and universities increasingly opt for evening or early-morning cleaning to ensure classrooms, laboratories, sports halls, and communal areas are clean before students arrive. Evening cleaning (6pm to 10pm) is the most common model for educational premises, falling after the last classes and activities have finished for the day.
Data Centres and Secure Facilities
Data centres, server rooms, and other secure or sensitive environments often restrict cleaning to specific time windows outside operational peaks. Night cleaning in these environments requires operatives with additional security clearance, anti-static awareness, and familiarity with clean room or controlled environment protocols.
How Optus Glean handles staff shortages
Every Optus Glean contract is staffed on a redundancy model rather than a single-person model. A named primary cleaner is assigned to the site at contract start. A named relief is assigned alongside them. Both are PAYE-employed by Optus Glean, both are Garda-vetted, both are inducted on the site's specific layout, access protocols, and colour-coded equipment system, and both are trained to the same documented HIQA-aligned IPC standard. Substitution is built into the contract from the first day, not arranged on the day cover is needed.
Sick day cover. When the primary cleaner is unable to work, the named relief is deployed. The site site contact is notified by 06:30 on the morning of the absence by SMS or email, with the name of the relief who is attending. The relief follows the same task list, uses the same equipment, and finishes within the same window. The standard of clean is unchanged because the relief was prepared for this scenario before the absence happened.
Annual leave cover. Annual leave is rostered weeks in advance and the relief is scheduled to cover the full leave period. The site is informed at the start of the leave period — not on the morning leave begins. This is the same model used in clinical rota management: known absences are pre-staffed, not improvised.
Long-term cover. If the primary cleaner is absent for more than two weeks (extended illness, parental leave, bereavement leave), cover is drawn from the wider trained bench rather than relying on the single named relief. The site is kept informed of the cover plan, the named individuals involved, and the expected duration. Continuity of standard is maintained because every operative on the bench is trained to the same documented standard.
Permanent reassignment. If the primary cleaner moves to a new permanent role within Optus Glean — promotion, relocation, retirement — the relief is promoted to primary on a planned timetable, a new relief is trained on the site, and both are introduced to the site before the handover takes effect. There is no day on which the site discovers, after the fact, that their cleaner has changed.
Substitution is Optus Glean's operational problem, not the site's risk to absorb. The buyer pays a fixed monthly fee for a defined scope to be delivered, every day it is meant to be delivered. The mechanism by which we deliver it — primary, relief, bench, retraining — is our cost to manage and our risk to carry.
How Night Cleaning Works with Optus Glean
Setting up a night cleaning contract follows the same professional process as all Optus Glean services, with additional steps specific to after-hours operations.
- site survey — Our operations manager visits your premises during both daytime and the proposed cleaning hours to assess lighting, access, security requirements, and scope of work. We document everything.
- Security and Access Plan — We develop a detailed security protocol covering key holding, alarm management, access control, lone worker arrangements, and emergency procedures. This is agreed with your facilities manager or security team before any work commences.
- Bespoke Cleaning Specification — We build a task-by-task cleaning specification covering daily, weekly, and periodic cleaning, adapted for night operations. This becomes the documented standard against which every clean is measured.
- Fixed-Price Quotation — You receive a transparent, all-inclusive price covering all night premium costs, security measures, and supervision. No hidden charges.
- Team Assignment and Induction — Named operatives are assigned to your contract, Garda vetted, and given a comprehensive site-specific induction covering safety, security, access, and cleaning procedures.
- Commencement — Most night cleaning contracts are operational within 14 days of sign-off, allowing time for security clearances and access arrangements.
Night Cleaning and Irish Employment Law
Night working in Ireland is governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which sets specific protections for employees who work during night hours. As a responsible employer, Optus Glean fully complies with all statutory requirements for night workers, including:
- Maximum working hours — Night workers must not work more than an average of 8 hours in any 24-hour period, calculated over a reference period of 2 months.
- Health assessments — Night workers are entitled to a free health assessment before commencing night work and at regular intervals thereafter. Optus Glean provides this for all night cleaning operatives.
- Rest periods — Night workers are entitled to minimum rest periods between shifts as specified in the Act. We schedule our night cleaning rotas to ensure full compliance.
- Premium pay — While the Act does not mandate a specific night premium rate, the ERO (Employment Regulation Order) for contract cleaning and industry custom recognise the need for unsocial hours payments. Our night cleaning operatives are paid a fair premium above standard daytime rates.
These legal protections exist for good reason. Properly compensated, well-rested night workers deliver more consistent, reliable cleaning. Cutting corners on employment law creates high turnover, unreliable service, and legal risk for both the cleaning company and the client.
Night Cleaning Equipment and Methods
Night cleaning operations use the same professional-grade equipment as our daytime services, with some adaptations specific to after-hours work.
- Low-noise equipment — In mixed-use buildings or premises near residential areas, we use reduced-decibel vacuum cleaners and equipment to minimise noise disturbance.
- Battery-powered machines — For large floor areas, battery-operated scrubber-dryers and sweepers allow efficient cleaning without trailing cables across dark or unfamiliar spaces.
- High-visibility workwear — All night operatives wear high-visibility clothing for safety in car parks, loading areas, and poorly lit sections of buildings.
- Portable lighting — LED work lights are carried for areas where building lighting is reduced or switched off during after-hours periods.
- Electronic task verification — Digital checklists confirm completion of every task in the specification, providing an audit trail that you can review each morning.
Combining Night Cleaning with Other Services
Night cleaning integrates seamlessly with other Optus Glean services. Many clients combine their night cleaning contract with one or more specialist services to create a comprehensive after-hours facilities programme.
- Carpet and floor maintenance — Periodic deep carpet cleaning, hard floor stripping, and resealing are ideally performed overnight when floors can be left to dry without foot traffic.
- Internal window cleaning — Internal glass and partition cleaning can be added to the night cleaning specification for a cleaner finish without disrupting office occupants.
- Periodic deep cleaning — Quarterly or biannual deep cleans are most effective when performed overnight, allowing extended drying times and access to areas normally occupied during the day.
- Washroom restocking — Consumable restocking as part of the night clean ensures washrooms are fully stocked for the start of each business day.
Bundling multiple services under a single Optus Glean contract saves 15–25% compared to using separate providers. One contract, one invoice, one point of accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions About Night Cleaning
How much does night cleaning cost in Ireland?
Night cleaning in Ireland typically costs as a fixed monthly fee per site in 2026, compared to as a fixed monthly fee per site for daytime cleaning. The premium of 15–25% reflects unsocial hours payments required under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, additional security measures, and lone worker compliance costs. Monthly night cleaning contracts for standard commercial premises range from €500 to €2,500 depending on size and frequency.
What security measures are in place for night cleaning?
Optus Glean implements comprehensive security protocols for all night cleaning operations. All night cleaning operatives are Garda vetted and carry photo ID. We use electronic check-in and check-out systems, GPS-tracked lone worker devices, and real-time communication with our operations centre. Key holding and alarm code management follow strict chain-of-custody procedures. CCTV-monitored premises are cleaned with full awareness of camera positions and recording schedules.
Is night cleaning covered by insurance?
Yes. All Optus Glean night cleaning operations are covered by our €6.5 million public liability insurance and €13 million employer's liability insurance. Our policies explicitly cover out-of-hours and lone worker operations. We also carry key holding insurance to protect against any issues arising from our staff holding keys or alarm codes to your premises.
What hours count as night cleaning?
Under Irish employment law, night work is defined as work performed between 12 midnight and 7am. However, in the commercial cleaning industry, night cleaning typically refers to any cleaning performed outside standard business hours, usually between 6pm and 7am. Evening cleaning between 6pm and midnight attracts a smaller premium than deep-night cleaning between midnight and 6am. Optus Glean offers flexible scheduling across all after-hours time slots.
What is a lone worker policy for night cleaning?
A lone worker policy is a documented safety procedure required under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 when an employee works alone without direct supervision. For night cleaning, this includes risk assessment, regular check-in protocols (every 30 minutes minimum), personal safety devices with SOS alert capability, emergency response procedures, first aid training, and a named supervisor contactable at all times. Optus Glean maintains a comprehensive lone worker policy that exceeds HSA recommendations.
Which businesses benefit most from night cleaning?
Businesses that benefit most include: office buildings where daytime cleaning disrupts productivity, retail stores that need floors polished before opening, hotels requiring public area deep cleaning overnight, healthcare facilities where clinical areas must be decontaminated outside treatment hours, schools needing classrooms cleaned before students arrive, and data centres or secure facilities where cleaning must happen outside operational hours.
Can I switch from daytime to night cleaning?
Yes. Switching from daytime to night cleaning is straightforward. We conduct a new site survey to assess night-specific requirements including lighting, access, alarm protocols, and security. A transition plan is agreed and most switches are completed within 7 to 14 days. There may be a modest increase in fixed monthly fees apply to reflect the night premium, but many businesses find this is offset by productivity gains from removing cleaning disruption during the working day.
How do you handle keys and alarm codes for night cleaning?
Key holding and alarm management follow strict security protocols. All keys are logged in a secure key register with chain-of-custody documentation. Alarm codes are held by named supervisors only and changed on a scheduled rotation. Keys are stored in a secure key safe when not in use. We carry key holding insurance as standard. Electronic access fobs are managed through your existing access control platform with time-restricted permissions.
Is night cleaning available 7 days a week?
Yes. Optus Glean provides night cleaning services 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including bank holidays. Weekend and bank holiday night cleaning attract additional premiums as required under Irish employment law. Most commercial night cleaning contracts operate Monday to Friday, but we cover every night of the week for clients in hospitality, healthcare, and 24/7 operations.
Do you provide night cleaning outside Dublin?
Yes. Optus Glean provides night cleaning across all 26 counties in Ireland, not just Dublin. Our operational base in Co. Monaghan gives us excellent coverage nationwide. We currently provide night cleaning contracts in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, and many smaller towns. For multi-site businesses, we offer a single national contract with consistent standards and pricing across all locations.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-06
