Services
Commercial High Dusting
High dusting covers everything above about ten feet — supply and return vents, diffusers, sprinkler heads, light fixtures, exposed ductwork and conduit, structural beams, ledges, and the tops of partitions and cabinetry. It is almost never included in a nightly rate and belongs on a quarterly schedule, or semi-annually at minimum.
High dust is invisible until it is not. It accumulates for months on surfaces nobody looks at, and then it releases — onto desks, into the air, and onto whatever is directly below. The complaints it generates are rarely traced back to their cause: people report the office feeling “dusty” or having allergy symptoms, and nobody thinks to look at the ductwork.
Where It Matters Most
Exposed-ceiling offices — which is most of the converted loft and industrial stock in Chelsea, SoHo, DUMBO and Long Island City — have far more high surface area than a drop-ceiling office and far more of it in view. Exposed spiral duct, conduit runs and open joists collect dust in a way a tiled ceiling does not, and in a client-facing space it reads immediately.
Two other categories where quarterly is not negotiable: anywhere with an on-site kitchen (grease aerosol travels further than people expect and turns dust into a film that requires degreasing rather than dusting), and any space where HVAC returns sit above workstations.
Sprinkler Heads Are a Compliance Item, Not a Cosmetic One
Dust and lint accumulation on sprinkler heads can affect activation, and heavily loaded heads are a common finding on fire-safety inspections. They are cleaned by careful dry methods only — never sprayed, never wetted, never scrubbed, and never with anything that could deform the fusible element. If a contractor proposes wiping your sprinkler heads with a damp cloth, stop them.
What Is Included
- Supply and return vents, diffusers and grille faces
- Sprinkler heads — dry method only, no liquids, no contact with the fusible element
- Light fixtures, fixture housings and diffuser panels
- Exposed ductwork, spiral duct, conduit, cable tray and pipe runs
- Structural beams, joists, columns and ledges
- Tops of partitions, cabinets, lockers, bookcases and demountable walls
- Ceiling tile faces and grid where accessible
- Wall-mounted equipment, signage tops and camera housings
- HEPA-filtered vacuum capture rather than dispersal wherever access allows
What Is Not Included Unless You Ask for It
This list exists on purpose. Almost every dispute between an office and its cleaning company traces back to something one party assumed was in scope and the other did not.
- Interior duct cleaning — a licensed HVAC specialty beyond the grille face
- Work requiring a boom lift, scissor lift or scaffold beyond standard ladder and pole reach
- Ceiling tile replacement, grid repair or lamp replacement
- Any work on live electrical equipment or inside fixture housings
- Roof, atrium and skylight areas requiring fall-arrest systems
Get This Scoped and Priced
Tell us the space and we will send back a written scope exhibit, a fixed price, and the exclusions — in one document, usually within two business days.
High Dusting — Get a Price
Written scope and fixed price, usually within two business days.
We reply to every request. If your building needs a Certificate of Insurance or vendor registration, we handle that paperwork before the first night.
High Dusting: Frequently Asked Questions
How often does high dusting need doing?
Quarterly for most offices. Semi-annual is the minimum. Monthly to bi-monthly for exposed-ceiling space, offices with an on-site kitchen, or anywhere with staff reporting dust-related symptoms.
Can it be done while people are working?
It can, but it is better not to. Even with HEPA capture, high dusting disturbs material that then has to settle before the surfaces below are cleaned. We schedule it after hours and follow it with a full-surface pass, which is why it usually rides along with a quarterly deep clean.
Is high dusting included in our nightly contract?
Almost certainly not, in any contract from any vendor. It is one of the most commonly assumed and least commonly included items in the industry. Check your scope exhibit — if it does not name it with a frequency, it is not happening.
Ready for a Cleaning Contract You Can Actually Read?
Send us your square footage and how many nights you need. You get a written scope, a fixed monthly price, and the SLA in the same document — usually within two business days.