How to Choose an Office Cleaning Company

Start with what usually goes wrong

The most common complaints about office cleaners are missed visits, a different person every week, tasks that slowly drop off, and no one to call when there is a problem. Price matters, but a cheap service that skips restrooms twice a month costs more in staff time and client impressions than it saves. Choose for consistency and communication first.

Questions to ask every cleaning company

About the people

• Will the same crew clean our office every visit?
• How are crew members screened before they get access to our space?
• What happens when our regular cleaner is sick or on vacation? Does the backup have our checklist?
• How are keys, key cards and alarm codes handled, and who has them?

About the work

• Can we see a written, room by room checklist before we sign?
• Which tasks happen every visit, and which rotate weekly or monthly?
• Do you supply equipment and cleaning products? Who buys paper goods and liners?
• Can you work around our building's after-hours access rules?

About problems and paperwork

• Who is my contact when something is missed, and how fast is it fixed?
• What liability coverage do you carry, and can you send the certificate in writing? Do you carry a janitorial bond?
• What is the term of the agreement, and how much notice is needed to cancel?
• Can I speak with a current client with an office like ours?

What a good quote includes

A solid quote is specific enough that you could hand it to a new cleaner and get the same result. Look for:

• A walkthrough before the price, not a number over the phone sight unseen
• A room by room scope that separates every-visit tasks from rotating tasks
• The visit schedule: days, time window and expected duration
• A flat monthly or per-visit price, with what is extra spelled out (supplies, carpet or window work)
• The term, notice period and how quality issues are handled

To sanity check the number, compare it with typical ranges. Our East Bay commercial cleaning price guide lists ranges by square footage and frequency.

Red flags

• A firm price without seeing the space. Two offices of the same size can take very different time to clean.
• No written scope. If tasks are not written down, they will drift.
• A single phone number that goes to whoever is cleaning that night. You need a contact who is not also holding a mop.
• Vague answers about who will be in your office or how access is controlled.
• A price far below typical ranges. It usually means rushed visits, skipped tasks or a crew that will not stay.
• Pressure to sign a long term before a single visit.

Switching from your current cleaner

Switching is easier than most people expect. Get the new walkthrough and written quote first, then give your current cleaner the notice your agreement requires. Collect keys and change alarm codes on the last day. Write down what the old service kept missing and give that list to the new crew at the walkthrough, so the first visit starts with your priorities. Expect the first cleaning to take longer than later ones, since the crew is resetting the space.

Specialized spaces

Medical and dental offices, labs, and spaces under construction need extra questions. For clinics, ask how restrooms and exam areas are kept separate and who handles regulated waste (it should be your medical waste vendor). After a remodel, ask about rough, final and touch-up phases. See medical office cleaning and post-construction cleaning for details, and use our office cleaning checklist to compare scopes side by side.