Cleaning Method Statements: Complete Contractor Guide

A method statement explains, step by step, how a cleaning job will be carried out safely. Alongside a risk assessment, it forms what's commonly called a RAMS document (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) — and it's frequently requested by clients in construction, education, healthcare and facilities management before work begins.

What a method statement is for

Where a risk assessment identifies hazards and controls, a method statement describes the actual sequence of work: what will be done, in what order, using what equipment and products, and by whom. It gives the client confidence that the job has been properly planned, not just risk-assessed in theory.

What to include

• Description of the work and the site
• Sequence of tasks, in order
• Equipment and chemicals to be used, referencing your COSHH assessment where hazardous substances are involved
• PPE required for the task
• Number of staff and their roles
• Any access, isolation or permit-to-work requirements
• Emergency procedures specific to the task

When clients ask for one

Method statements are most commonly requested for specialist or higher-risk work — deep cleans, post-construction cleans, work at height (external windows, high-level dusting), or any job on a site with strict health and safety requirements, such as a hospital or school. Standard daily office cleaning is less likely to require one, but it's worth having a template ready regardless, since larger clients increasingly ask as standard practice.

Method statements and risk assessments work together

A method statement without a risk assessment behind it is just a task list — it doesn't demonstrate that hazards have actually been considered. Always pair method statements with a proper cleaning risk assessment covering the same job, so the two documents reference each other and tell a consistent story to the client.

Keeping method statements reusable

Most cleaning companies end up writing similar method statements repeatedly for similar job types — window cleaning, carpet cleaning, deep cleans. Building a small library of templates by task type, then adapting each one for site-specific details, saves significant time compared to starting from scratch for every new contract.

Frequently Asked Questions