10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Company
Choosing a commercial cleaning company is a significant decision. You're granting access to your facility, trusting them with your employees' environment, and depending on them to represent your organization's standards every time a client walks through your door.
Here are the 10 questions every facility manager should ask before signing a commercial cleaning contract.
1. Are You Licensed, Insured, and Bonded?
Your cleaning provider must carry general liability insurance (minimum $1 million per occurrence), workers' compensation insurance, and bonding. Request certificates of insurance and verify they're current.
2. How Do You Screen and Background-Check Your Employees?
Cleaning staff have access to your entire facility—often after hours. Standard screening should include criminal background checks, employment verification, and reference checks.
3. What Training Do Your Cleaning Professionals Receive?
Cleaning done correctly requires training in proper chemical usage, surface-specific cleaning techniques, industry-specific protocols, and OSHA compliance. Companies that invest in training produce consistently better outcomes.
4. Will I Have a Dedicated Crew or Rotating Staff?
Dedicated crews develop knowledge of your space, build relationships with your team, and deliver more consistent results. Ask whether you'll have the same people assigned to your account.
5. How Do You Handle Quality Control and Complaints?
Look for companies with documented inspection processes, clear complaint channels, and fast response times—not just verbal assurances.
6. What Cleaning Products Do You Use?
Strong answers include knowledge of specific products and why they're selected, EPA-registered disinfectants for appropriate surfaces, and green/low-VOC options if relevant to your organization.
7. What Equipment Do You Use and How Do You Maintain It?
Professional commercial cleaning requires HEPA-filtered vacuums, commercial auto-scrubbers for hard floors, hot water extraction units for carpets, and proper microfiber systems.
8. Can You Provide References from Similar Facilities?
Request references from clients in your industry, of similar size, and with similar needs. Call them and ask specifically about consistency and responsiveness to issues.
9. How Is the Contract Structured?
Understand term length, cancellation provisions, what's specifically included and excluded, how scope changes are handled, and what happens if performance is unsatisfactory.
10. What Makes You Different from Other Commercial Cleaning Companies?
Look for specific, substantive answers—not generic marketing language. The best companies can articulate exactly what makes their service stand out and back it up with specifics.
At RBM Maintenance, we welcome every one of these questions—because our answers demonstrate exactly why we've maintained a 90% client retention rate for over 20 years. Contact us to schedule a facility walkthrough and proposal.