Window Cleaning for Aged Care Facilities
May 26, 2026
A Compliance and Operations Guide for Melbourne
Managing a residential aged care facility in Melbourne is one of the most operationally demanding roles in the building and property services sector. The regulatory environment is dense, the duty of care obligations are significant, and the residents who occupy these buildings are among the most vulnerable members of the community. Every contractor who works on site — regardless of the task — operates within this context, and window cleaning for aged care facilities is no exception.
This is not a service category that rewards a lowest-cost approach to procurement. The intersection of infection control requirements, resident safety obligations, WorkSafe Victoria compliance, federal aged care quality standards, and the physical access complexity of multi-storey residential care buildings creates a set of demands that most generalist window cleaning contractors are simply not equipped to meet. For facilities managers, building services leads, and property managers responsible for aged care assets across Melbourne, this guide covers what you need to know about procuring, scheduling, and managing window cleaning services that meet the standard your residents and your regulator expect.
Why Window Cleaning for Aged Care Facilities Is a Specialist Service
Aged care facilities in Australia operate under the Aged Care Quality Standards, administered by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. These standards — introduced in 2019 and progressively strengthened since — create explicit obligations around the physical environment that residential care providers must maintain. Standard 3, which addresses the care environment, requires that providers maintain a safe, clean, well-maintained, and comfortable physical environment. While the standards do not prescribe specific window cleaning frequencies or methodologies, the physical environment standard creates a clear accountability framework within which all building maintenance, including glass maintenance, must sit.
For facility managers, this means that window cleaning for aged care facilities is not simply a janitorial function — it is a component of the regulated physical environment that may be subject to assessment by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission during site audits. A facility with visibly dirty windows, damaged glazing, or evidence of neglected external maintenance is a facility that presents compliance risk, quite apart from the operational and reputational consequences of poor presentation.
Beyond the regulatory framing, the physical environment of a residential aged care facility has direct consequences for resident wellbeing. Natural light is a recognised contributor to mood regulation, circadian rhythm stability, and cognitive function in older adults. Facilities managers who maintain clean, high-transmittance windows as a matter of programme discipline — rather than reactive remediation — are contributing to resident outcomes that go beyond mere aesthetics.
Window cleaning for aged care facilities also intersects with infection control in ways that are directly analogous to the healthcare context. As we examined in our post on window cleaning for healthcare and medical facilities, contractors working in environments with vulnerable, immunocompromised, or infection-susceptible occupants must understand infection control as an operational discipline. In aged care, this means appropriate PPE, traffic management through residential areas, chemical selection that is safe for use in proximity to residents with respiratory sensitivities, and waste disposal protocols that comply with the facility’s infection control programme.
The Regulatory Framework Governing Window Cleaning in Aged Care
Facilities managers responsible for aged care buildings in Victoria operate within a layered regulatory environment that creates obligations relevant to contractor engagement, building maintenance, and resident safety.
The Aged Care Quality Standards. The eight Aged Care Quality Standards, against which all Commonwealth-approved residential aged care providers are assessed, include specific provisions relevant to the physical environment and contractor management. Standard 3 addresses the physical environment directly, requiring that the care environment is safe, clean, well-maintained, and comfortable. Standard 8, which addresses organisational governance, creates broader obligations around risk management, contractor oversight, and compliance systems that encompass building maintenance contractor relationships — including window cleaning for aged care facilities.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. Victorian aged care providers, as employers and persons in control of workplaces, hold duties under the OHS Act 2004 to ensure that the workplace is safe for workers and others — including contractors and residents. Before any window cleaning contractor commences work at an aged care facility, the provider should verify that the contractor holds appropriate high-risk work licences for elevated work platform operation, holds IRATA certification for rope access where applicable, has prepared site-specific Safe Work Method Statements for all high-risk work activities, and holds current and adequate public liability and workers’ compensation insurance. As detailed in our post on height safety compliance for Melbourne commercial buildings, these verification steps are non-negotiable duty-holder obligations that cannot be informally discharged.
Accessible environment obligations. Aged care facilities are required to maintain accessible physical environments for residents with mobility limitations, wheelchair users, and residents who rely on mobility aids. Window cleaning operations that temporarily restrict access to outdoor areas, courtyards, corridors, or building entries must be managed to ensure that resident access and circulation are not compromised. Access management plans should be developed for any window cleaning work that affects resident movement, and facility operations staff should be notified in advance.
The Work Health and Safety (Commonwealth) Act. Commonwealth-funded aged care providers may also be subject to the Work Health and Safety (Commonwealth) Act 2011 as Commonwealth financial framework obligations flow through to contractor management requirements. Facilities managers at Commonwealth-funded providers should confirm the applicable WHS legislative framework with their compliance team when developing contractor management procedures for window cleaning for aged care facilities.
Access Complexity at Melbourne Aged Care Buildings
Melbourne’s aged care building stock is architecturally diverse, and the access complexity associated with window cleaning for aged care facilities across the metropolitan area reflects this diversity. (6) Facilities managers should ensure that their scope of works documentation and contractor selection process account for the full range of access scenarios their buildings present.
Multi-storey residential aged care buildings. Purpose-built residential aged care facilities have grown significantly in scale and height over the past two decades. High-care and dementia-specific facilities in suburban Melbourne increasingly occupy four, five, and six-storey buildings, with some newer developments exceeding this. Cleaning the upper-level facades of these buildings requires either IRATA-certified rope access or building maintenance unit (BMU) capability — methodologies that generic residential cleaning contractors simply do not possess. IRATA rope access is particularly well-suited to aged care high-rise work because it is inherently lower-noise and lower-vibration than elevated work platforms, reducing the potential for disturbance to residents in adjacent rooms.
Heritage and period aged care buildings. A significant number of Melbourne’s residential aged care facilities occupy repurposed heritage buildings — converted Victorian and Edwardian residences, former institutional buildings, and early twentieth-century structures that have been adapted for residential care use. These buildings present heritage glazing, ornate external joinery, and facade materials that require conservative cleaning approaches and careful selection of access methodology. The use of abrasive tools or aggressive chemical products on heritage glazing can cause irreversible damage, and access systems that impose mechanical loads on heritage masonry require careful prior assessment.
Secure and memory care wings. Many aged care facilities include secure memory care or dementia-specific wings where external access control is a significant operational consideration. Contractors working on windows adjacent to secure areas must coordinate with nursing and care staff to ensure that window cleaning activity does not create unintended access or egress risks for residents. This requires pre-commencement planning that involves the care team, not merely the facilities management function.
Courtyards, garden spaces, and resident outdoor areas. Aged care facilities typically include landscaped courtyards and garden spaces that are integral to resident programming and therapeutic activities. Window cleaning operations that involve ground-level access, water run-off management, or equipment positioning in these areas must be scheduled around resident usage and coordinated with lifestyle and diversional therapy staff to avoid conflicts with programmed outdoor activities.
Scheduling Window Cleaning Around Aged Care Operations
One of the most consequential practical decisions in managing window cleaning for aged care facilities is scheduling. The operational rhythm of a residential aged care facility is fundamentally different from a commercial office building or institutional campus, and the scheduling of maintenance activities must reflect this.
Morning care routines. The morning period in aged care — typically from 7am to approximately 10.30am — is dominated by personal care, showering, dressing, and breakfast service. This is the highest-intensity operational period of the day for care staff, and maintenance contractor activity during this window creates friction that care teams understandably resist. External window cleaning adjacent to resident rooms should be avoided during morning care routines as a matter of standard scheduling practice for window cleaning for aged care facilities.
Medication and clinical rounds. Aged care facilities conduct structured medication rounds and clinical assessments at predictable times throughout the day. Window cleaning contractor activity that creates noise, distraction, or access complications adjacent to clinical work areas should be identified in pre-commencement planning and scheduled to avoid these windows.
Visiting hours and family engagement periods. Residential aged care facilities typically have active family visitor traffic during afternoon and weekend periods. Window cleaning operations that affect the presentation of entry areas, reception spaces, and dining rooms should ideally be completed before peak visiting periods, ensuring that the facility presents well at the times when family members and community visitors are most likely to be forming impressions.
Meal service periods. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner service in aged care dining rooms represent predictable periods of resident congregation and operational intensity. External cleaning adjacent to dining rooms during meal service — particularly if it involves equipment noise or water management on adjacent outdoor surfaces — should be avoided.
Annual programme planning. Facilities managers overseeing window cleaning for aged care facilities should establish an annual maintenance programme rather than procuring window cleaning on an ad-hoc basis. A structured programme aligned with the aged care accreditation cycle — and reviewed as part of the annual maintenance budget planning process — provides predictability for both the facility and the contractor, supports regulatory compliance documentation, and avoids the cost and quality compromises associated with reactive or last-minute procurement.
Infection Control Requirements for Window Cleaning in Aged Care
Infection control is a governing operational principle in residential aged care, and contractors delivering window cleaning for aged care facilities must demonstrate a working understanding of how infection control applies to building maintenance activities. This is not a requirement that can be satisfied by a generic safe work method statement produced for a commercial cleaning context.
Traffic management and zone awareness. Aged care facilities typically operate infection control zoning that distinguishes between clinical areas, residential areas, and common and support areas. Window cleaning contractors must understand the zoning framework applicable to the facility and manage their movement through the building accordingly. Where internal window cleaning is required — for example, in common rooms, dining areas, or corridors — contractors should comply with the facility’s visitor management and contractor traffic protocols, including hand hygiene requirements and appropriate PPE.
Chemical selection and resident sensitivity. Many aged care residents have respiratory conditions, chemical sensitivities, or allergies that require careful consideration in the selection of window cleaning products. Strongly scented cleaning agents, volatile chemical formulations, and products that produce aerosol or mist in enclosed spaces can trigger adverse responses in residents with compromised respiratory function. Pure water window cleaning systems — which require no chemical additives and produce a high-quality result on external glazing — are the preferred methodology for window cleaning for aged care facilities precisely because they eliminate the chemical exposure risk entirely.
Outbreak management and deferred maintenance. Aged care facilities periodically experience gastrointestinal illness outbreaks, influenza outbreaks, and other infectious disease events that trigger enhanced infection control protocols. During outbreak periods, non-essential contractor access to the facility is typically restricted or deferred. Facilities managers should ensure their service agreements include a clear protocol for deferring or rescheduling window cleaning for aged care facilities during outbreak periods, with reciprocal flexibility from the contractor to accommodate rescheduling without penalty.
Contractor induction and hygiene protocols. All contractors accessing an aged care facility should complete a site-specific contractor induction that covers the facility’s infection control requirements, hand hygiene expectations, personal protective equipment requirements, and emergency procedures. Contractors who are resistant to induction processes or who cannot demonstrate familiarity with basic infection control principles are not appropriate for aged care environments regardless of their technical window cleaning capability.
Selecting a Window Cleaning Contractor for Your Aged Care Facility
Contractor selection for window cleaning for aged care facilities should be treated as a risk management decision, not merely a procurement transaction. The following assessment dimensions are particularly relevant in the aged care context.
Demonstrated experience in aged care or comparable sensitive environments. A contractor who has worked at other Melbourne aged care facilities, or at comparable environments such as hospitals or disability accommodation, brings operational knowledge that cannot be acquired through technical training alone. Ask prospective contractors directly about their experience in aged care settings and request references from facilities management contacts at comparable facilities. As we explored in our post on window cleaning for Melbourne universities and TAFE campuses, the value of demonstrated experience in sensitive institutional environments cannot be overstated — and aged care is perhaps the most operationally sensitive institutional environment of all.
Infection control literacy. Interview prospective contractors on their understanding of infection control as it applies to building maintenance. Can they describe how they manage traffic through clinical and residential areas? Can they explain their approach to chemical selection in proximity to vulnerable residents? Do they understand what an outbreak protocol means for their scheduling obligations? A contractor who can answer these questions fluently demonstrates genuine domain knowledge.
Access capability. Facilities managers procuring window cleaning for aged care facilities should confirm that their contractor can access every window in the building safely and compliantly. Does the contractor hold IRATA certification for rope access if the building is multi-storey? Do they have EWP capability for intermediate access levels? Can they manage access to courtyard and garden-adjacent windows without disrupting resident programming? A contractor who identifies exclusions or limitations after commencing the relationship creates programme gaps that are difficult to manage in a regulated environment.
Safe work method statement quality. The SWMS provided by a window cleaning contractor for an aged care facility should demonstrate site-specific risk thinking, not generic template content. Review the SWMS carefully before awarding a contract. A high-quality SWMS identifies the specific access risks at your building, specifies appropriate control measures, addresses the presence of vulnerable residents as a risk factor, and documents clear accountability for each work activity.
Insurance and compliance documentation. Minimum public liability coverage for aged care facility window cleaning work is typically $20 million. Workers’ compensation coverage must be current and appropriately scoped. Evidence of high-risk work licences and IRATA certification should be provided as a matter of course. Facilities managers should verify that these documents are current at the point of contractor engagement and build annual re-verification into their contract management programme.
Contractor management platform compatibility. Many larger aged care providers manage contractor compliance through platforms such as Rapid Global, Cm3, or Hammertech. Contractors who cannot or will not maintain their compliance documentation on these platforms create administrative burden for the facilities management function and signal broader disorganisation in their compliance approach. This platform compatibility consideration applies equally to window cleaning for aged care facilities as it does to the government and university procurement contexts covered in our earlier posts.
Environmental and Presentation Standards in Aged Care
The presentation of an aged care facility is not a superficial concern. Prospective residents and their families make accommodation decisions based in part on the visual impression a facility creates, and clean, well-maintained windows are a visible proxy for the standard of care the facility provides. Facilities managers overseeing window cleaning for aged care facilities should set presentation standards that reflect this reality.
External facade presentation is particularly important for facilities operating in competitive residential aged care markets. Inner Melbourne aged care providers — in suburbs such as Camberwell, Hawthorn, Kew, Brighton, and Toorak — operate in environments where families are comparing multiple facilities and where building presentation is a meaningful differentiator. Quarterly external cleaning of street-facing glazing and entry areas, combined with annual comprehensive cleaning of upper-level and rear facades, represents a reasonable baseline programme for most metropolitan facilities.
Internal common area glazing — including dining room windows, lounge room windows, and glazed external doors — should be cleaned on a more frequent cycle than external high-level glazing, given its immediate visibility to residents, families, and regulatory visitors. A monthly or six-weekly internal common area clean is appropriate for most facilities, with frequency adjusted based on the specific operational context.
It is also worth considering that the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission conducts unannounced site visits as part of its regulatory assessment function. A facility that maintains a disciplined, programmed approach to window cleaning for aged care facilities is better positioned during unannounced assessments than one relying on reactive or infrequent cleaning. The difference between a well-maintained and a neglected facade is immediately apparent to any experienced assessor, and it forms part of the broader physical environment impression that underpins Standard 3 compliance.
The Cost of Underestimating Contractor Selection
Facilities managers who treat window cleaning for aged care facilities as a commodity service risk compliance exposure, resident safety incidents, and reputational damage that no contractual indemnity can fully address. A contractor who fails to comply with infection control protocols, causes a WorkSafe notifiable incident through inadequate height safety management, or damages heritage glazing through the use of inappropriate products creates consequences that extend well beyond the invoice value of a single cleaning visit.
The cost differential between a specialist aged care-capable window cleaning contractor and a generalist operator is modest relative to the total facilities management budget. The risk differential is not. Selecting the right contractor for window cleaning for aged care facilities is a risk management decision that deserves the same rigour applied to any other high-consequence procurement in the regulated aged care environment.
Working with McPherson Window Cleaning in Aged Care Environments
McPherson Window Cleaning has developed a service model for sensitive, regulated environments that translates directly to the demands of aged care facility window cleaning across Melbourne. Our IRATA-certified rope access technicians are experienced in working in proximity to vulnerable populations, managing their presence through residential facilities with minimal disruption, and producing documentation that satisfies the compliance requirements of regulated providers.
Our pre-commencement planning process includes direct engagement with the facility’s operations and care teams to understand scheduling constraints, infection control requirements, and resident-specific sensitivities before any work commences. We maintain compliance documentation on the contractor management platforms used by aged care providers, and our Safe Work Method Statements are prepared specifically for each facility rather than templated from a generic commercial cleaning baseline.
For Melbourne aged care providers reviewing their window cleaning arrangements, or procuring a specialist contractor for the first time, we welcome the conversation.
Call us today on 1300 30 15 40.
