Commercial Cleaning Glossary
A 220+ term reference glossary for commercial cleaning operations. Every entry is anchored to a primary source — BLS OEWS, OSHA 29 CFR, EPA registration data, FDA Food Code, ISSA production rates, or APPA appearance levels. Browse the eight category indexes below, or jump directly to one of the 32 expanded term pages.
Featured term pages
Twelve of the most-referenced entries, expanded into full pages with regulatory citations, common misuses, and links to operational playbooks.
Chemistry & Product Chemistry
50 terms
Surfactants, oxidizers, chelators, dilution ratios, EPA registrations, and the chemistry behind every label call.
Includes: Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide, Quaternary Ammonium Compound, Sodium Hypochlorite, Hydrogen Peroxide, Surfactant…
Expanded term pages: Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide · Dilution Ratio · EPA List N · Green Seal Certification · HazCom 2024 · Quaternary Ammonium Compound (Quat) · Safety Data Sheet (SDS) · Sodium Hypochlorite
Floor Care
40 terms
Substrates from VCT to polished concrete, plus the strip, scrub, recoat, and burnish vocabulary every floor program uses.
Includes: Vinyl Composition Tile, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Polished Concrete, Sealed Concrete, Epoxy Floor Coating…
Expanded term pages: APPA Custodial Appearance Levels · Burnishing · Carpet Extraction · Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) · Polished Concrete · Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)
Restroom & Touchpoint
20 terms
Descalers, urinal screens, odor counteractants, and the supply categories that make a restroom program defensible.
Includes: Descaler, Disinfectant (restroom surfaces), Urinal Screen, Odor Counteractant, Enzymatic Drain Maintainer…
Expanded term pages: ATP Testing · Descaler · Urinal Screen
Compliance & Regulation
40 terms
OSHA 29 CFR standards, EPA programs, GHS labeling, and the regulatory language that drives PPE, training, and recordkeeping.
Includes: OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, OSHA Walking-Working Surfaces Standard, GHS, Personal Protective Equipment…
Expanded term pages: ISSA 447 · NAICS 561720 · OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard · OSHA Hazard Communication Standard
Equipment & Technology
25 terms
Autoscrubbers, HEPA vacuums, electrostatic sprayers, burnishers — class, CFM, runtime, and where each one earns its keep.
Includes: Autoscrubber (Equipment category), Burnisher (Equipment category), HEPA Vacuum, Backpack Vacuum, Wet-Dry Vacuum…
Expanded term pages: Electrostatic Sprayer · HEPA Vacuum
Workforce & Labor
30 terms
Labor burden, fully-burdened rate, workers' comp class codes, BLS OEWS, supervision ratios, and the math behind every schedule.
Includes: Labor Burden, Fully Burdened Rate, SUTA, FUTA, FICA…
Expanded term pages: Fully Burdened Rate · Labor Burden · Workers' Compensation Insurance
Bidding & Pricing
25 terms
RFP, RFQ, scope of work, $/sq-ft benchmarks, markup, and the contract vocabulary that wins (or loses) the account.
Includes: Per-Clean Pricing, Hourly Pricing, Flat-Rate Pricing, $/Sq Ft Benchmark, Scope of Work (bidding)…
Expanded term pages: $/Sq Ft Benchmark · Markup · RFP (Request for Proposal)
Certifications & Standards
20 terms
ISSA CIMS, GBAC STAR, Green Seal, EPA Safer Choice, CRI Seal of Approval — what each one actually attests and how to qualify.
Includes: ISSA, BSCAI, CBSE, RBSM, RBSP…
Expanded term pages: CIMS & CIMS-GB Certification · GBAC STAR Accreditation · Green Seal Certification · ISSA (Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association)
By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026