DS/INSTA 800 is the central standard for cleaning quality in the Nordic region. It measures how clean AFTER cleaning — not how often cleaning is done. Here are the principles, the five quality levels, object groups and dirt types, a step-by-step control procedure and the division of roles between client, supplier and independent inspector.
Introduction
DS/INSTA 800 is a common Nordic standard for establishing and assessing cleaning quality. It was first issued 1 September 2000, and the latest revision is 4th edition from spring 2018 (with corrigendum in 2019). The central principle is that you measure the result — how clean there is after cleaning — instead of the frequency, that is how often cleaning is done. That makes quality something that customer and supplier can agree, document and check on the same basis.
The standard is today divided into two parts. Part 1 (DS/INSTA 800-1) establishes the system for agreeing on and assessing cleaning quality. Part 2 (DS/INSTA 800-2) describes the competence requirements and voluntary personal certification of those who assess quality. Below we review the principles — but note that the precise limit value and sampling tables are licence-protected at Dansk Standard and must be read in your own licence.
Two measuring principles — visual inspection and objective measurement
The standard relies on two measurement principles that can be used separately or together. The most common is visual inspection, where the inspector systematically looks for dirt on object groups in the agreed light. The other is objective measurement, where you use an instrument to measure a physical quantity — typically the amount of dust or particles on a surface — so the result does not depend on the eye.
| Principle | That's how it's done | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Visual control | The inspector assesses the object groups for visible contamination types and counts joints. | By far most room types: office, school, institution, shared spaces. |
| Objective measurement | Instrumental measurement of a physical parameter, e.g. dust/particle amount on a surface (measuring equipment, imprint). | Where enhanced requirements are set or where visual assessment can be questioned (e.g. clean rooms, laboratories, hygiene-critical areas). |
The five quality levels
The standard uses 5 quality levels, 1–5, where 1 is lowest and 5 is highest. The level is chosen according to the room's function and agreed between the parties — it is NOT the standard that determines that a particular room must have a particular level. An archive or technical room can be agreed to a low level, whilst an operating theatre or clean room requires a high one. (Note: some older/secondary sources mention '6 levels (0–5)'. Official sources consistently state 1–5.)
| Level | Grade | Typical room types (always agreed concretely) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lowest | Rarely used rooms: archive, storage, technical room, basement corridors. |
| 2 | Low | Storage, stairs, secondary circulation areas. |
| 3 | Between | Ordinary offices, classrooms, meeting rooms. |
| 4 | Loud | Representative areas, reception, hygiene-sensitive areas, multiple ward sections. |
| 5 | Highest | Hygiene-critical areas: operating theatres, sterile processing departments, clean rooms, laboratories. |
Object groups and types of soiling
A room is divided into four object groups that are assessed separately: fittings, walls, floor and ceiling. On each group you look for specific types of soiling.
| Type of soiling | What it is |
|---|---|
| Waste | Soiling that can be picked up. |
| Loose dirt | Small particles that are not easily swept or wiped away. |
| Dust | A fine layer that can be stirred up. |
| Stains | Dry or ingrained wet soiling (not structural damage). |
| Surface soiling | Soiling over an area that is not specifically defined. |
| Joints | Concentration of the same type of soiling within 0.5 × 0.5 m of an object group. |
The standard also distinguishes between soiling on accessible and less accessible surfaces — in other words, whether the soiling is in a place that can easily be reached during normal cleaning, or in a place that requires special access (for example, on top of high cupboards). This matters for how much weight a found soiling carries in the assessment.
Inspection unit and spot check
Control procedure step by step
A DS/INSTA 800-audit is a structured audit. Although the exact sample sizes and limits are read from the licence, the process itself always follows the same steps:
- 011) Agree on the basis — quality level (1–5), which object groups and contamination types are assessed, whether visual and/or objective measurement, and timing (before or after cleaning).
- 022) Divide the area into inspection units of up to 100 m² each.
- 033) Select the sample of units according to the standard's statistical tables (AQL) — units must be drawn so they are representative, not hand-picked.
- 044) Assess each selected unit: review the four object groups systematically for contamination types and count joints (0.5 × 0.5 m concentrations).
- 055) Record findings per object group on an inspection form (see template 'INSTA 800 quality control form').
- 066) Sammenhold antal fejl/samlinger med acceptnummer (Ac) og forkastelsesnummer (Re) for det aftalte niveau: er antallet ≤ Ac godkendes enheden; er det ≥ Re forkastes den.
- 077) Document the result, and agree on follow-up if rejected (e.g. rework within a deadline and re-inspection).
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