10 questions to ask a commercial cleaning company before you hire

Will you evaluate our facility before providing a proposal?

Ask how the company determines what your facility actually needs. For many commercial properties, an on-site walkthrough can help identify the size and layout of the building, flooring types, restrooms, kitchens, high-traffic areas, access requirements, and other factors that affect the cleaning plan.

If a company provides a proposal without asking meaningful questions about your facility, make sure you understand how the proposed service level was determined.

What exactly is included in the scope of work?

Avoid proposals that describe the service only as “general cleaning.” A commercial cleaning proposal should clearly explain what will be cleaned, which tasks will be performed, and how frequently they will be completed. Depending on the facility, the scope may address:

• Restrooms
• Break rooms and kitchens
• Floors and carpets
• Trash and recycling
• Common areas
• Frequently touched surfaces
• Interior glass
• Other facility-specific areas

A detailed scope is essential when comparing proposals because it allows you to determine whether different companies are actually offering comparable services.

How often will the facility be cleaned?

Cleaning frequency should reflect the way your facility is used. A small, low-traffic office may have different requirements from a busy workplace with many employees, visitors, shared restrooms, or high-traffic entrances.

Ask which tasks are performed at every visit and which are performed weekly, monthly, or periodically.

If you manage an office, you can also review our guide on how often an office should be professionally cleaned for practical guidance on choosing a cleaning frequency.

Who will clean our facility?

Ask how cleaning staff are recruited, trained, assigned, and supervised. You should also understand whether your facility will normally be serviced by the same team or by different cleaners.

Consistent staffing can make it easier for cleaners to become familiar with your facility, access procedures, priorities, and specific requirements.

If security is important for your business, ask about employee screening, access procedures, keys, alarm codes, and other relevant security practices.

What happens if a cleaner is unavailable?

This question is easy to overlook until the first missed shift.

Ask what happens when a scheduled cleaner is sick, takes time off, or leaves the company. A professional cleaning program should have a process for maintaining scheduled service when the regular team member is unavailable.

Also ask how you will be notified if a scheduled service cannot be completed as planned and how the company handles missed or incomplete work.

How do you check cleaning quality?

Instead of asking whether a company provides “high-quality cleaning,” ask how quality is actually monitored. Useful questions include:

• Who supervises the cleaning team?
• Are inspections performed?
• Are cleaning checklists used?
• How can clients report a missed task?
• How are recurring service issues addressed?

A defined quality-control process is more meaningful than a general promise that the company provides excellent service.

What insurance and documentation can you provide?

Before hiring a commercial cleaning provider, ask what insurance coverage the company maintains and whether it can provide current documentation when required.

Depending on the property, contract, landlord, or corporate requirements, you may need to verify items such as general liability insurance or workers’ compensation coverage.

If your organization has specific insurance or compliance requirements, discuss them before the cleaning agreement is finalized.

Who is our main point of contact?

Cleaning quality is only one part of the relationship. Communication matters when you need to report an issue, request additional service, change a schedule, or discuss a problem at the facility.

Ask who manages your account, how service requests are submitted, and how urgent issues are handled.

A clear communication process can save time for office managers, business owners, and property managers.

Can you provide references from similar businesses?

References are most useful when they come from businesses with similar facilities or cleaning requirements.

If possible, ask for references from clients with comparable building sizes, operating schedules, or types of facilities.

Instead of asking only whether the client is satisfied, ask whether the cleaning company is reliable, responsive, consistent, and easy to work with.

What is included in the price?

Price should always be evaluated together with the scope of work.

Before comparing quotes, confirm the number of visits, tasks included, cleaning supplies, equipment, periodic services, additional charges, and conditions that could change the price.

A lower quote is not necessarily less expensive if it provides fewer visits, fewer cleaning tasks, or a narrower scope of work.