How to Choose a Cleaning Company for Your Business: A Complete Guide
Why choosing a cleaning company isn’t a trivial decision
Let’s be honest: most office managers spend less than ten minutes picking a cleaning company. They search Google, collect three quotes, and go with the cheapest one. Then, two months in, the excuses start: “the cleaner is out sick,” “we didn’t get to the meeting room,” “the supplies never arrived.”
The problem? A bad cleaning company doesn’t just leave dirt behind. It costs you money. Staff complain, clients raise an eyebrow when they walk into the office, and you waste time managing problems that shouldn’t exist in the first place. Here’s how to choose the right partner from the start.
8 things you must check before you sign
Experience with your type of office
Cleaning a law firm is not the same as cleaning a hi-tech open space. Ask: “Do you have experience with offices like ours?” A vague answer is a red flag.
Third-party liability insurance, not just on paper
Every company will tell you it’s insured. Ask to see the actual policy. Check that it covers property damage, theft, and workplace accidents. If a company refuses to show it, move on.
Employee vetting and criminal background checks
The cleaning company’s staff enter your office during hours when you’re not there. Ask: Do they run background checks? Is there a certificate of good conduct? Does the company employ its cleaners directly or through a subcontractor?
Flexible hours and frequency
Need cleaning at 6 a.m.? Overnight? Only three times a week? A good company fits its schedule around yours, not the other way around. If they say “we only work between 8 and 5,” that’s limiting.
Equipment and supplies: what do they bring?
A professional company shows up with its own gear: industrial vacuums, proper mops, cleaning products suited to every type of surface. If they ask you to supply the materials, that’s a bad sign.
A transparent contract with no hidden costs
Read the contract. All of it. Look for indexing clauses, cancellation penalties, and charges for “extra services” that were never defined up front. A good contract spells out exactly what’s included and what isn’t.
A supervisor and quality control
Ask: “Who oversees the cleaners?” If the answer is “the cleaner themselves,” that’s a problem. A serious company sends a supervisor for regular checks, with a checklist and a report back to the client.
References and reputation, not just on the website
References on the company’s own site? Of course they’ll be glowing. Ask for the phone numbers of two or three current clients. A three-minute call will save you months of frustration.
5 questions you have to ask before you sign
- What happens when the regular cleaner is sick? Is there a replacement? How quickly?
- What’s the process when there’s a complaint? How fast do they respond? Who’s my point of contact?
- What exactly is included in the price? Window cleaning? Kitchen? Bathrooms? Meeting rooms?
- What are the cancellation terms? How many days’ notice? Any penalties?
- Is the price fixed or index-linked? And if it’s linked, to which index?
Warning signs: when to walk away
Ran into one of these? Move on to the next company:
- They quote a price well below every other offer (someone pays for the gap, and it’s usually you)
- They won’t come for a site survey before quoting
- They have no office address or website
- They push you to sign “right now” with a discount that vanishes tomorrow
- They won’t give you references from current clients
CleanTeam | We Meet Every One of These Criteria
At CleanTeam we don’t claim to be the best. We invite you to check for yourself. Come for an introductory meeting, ask every question you have, get references from our clients, and decide on your own.
Here’s what we can promise: full third-party liability insurance, staff who have passed background checks, a supervisor who oversees every visit, a transparent contract with no fine print, and complete flexibility on hours.
CleanTeam | Professional Office Cleaning Services
33 Jabotinsky St., Ramat Gan | Phone: 053-5934745
Get a quote →