What Questions Should I ask a Commercial Cleaning Company?

Here are some questions we recommend asking before choosing a commercial cleaning company in Boise or the Treasure Valley.

1. What Is Included in the Cleaning Service?

This is probably one of the most important questions to ask.

"Commercial cleaning" can mean different things to different companies. One company might include restroom cleaning, trash removal, vacuuming, and dusting in its regular service while another may charge extra for certain tasks.

Ask for a written scope of work that explains what will actually be cleaned and how often.

You should have a clear idea of what is included before you compare prices.

2. How Often Will You Clean My Facility?

Ask exactly how often the cleaning crew will be at your facility.

Will they come once a week? Three times a week? Every weekday?

The right schedule depends on your building, employee count, traffic, restrooms, break rooms, and how quickly the space gets dirty.

A good cleaning company should be able to talk through your facility and help determine what schedule makes sense instead of simply giving every customer the same recommendation.

3. Will You Walk Through the Facility Before Giving Me a Quote?

This is an important one.

A walkthrough gives the cleaning company a chance to actually see the building instead of trying to estimate everything from a square footage number.

During a walkthrough, they can look at the flooring, restrooms, break rooms, offices, entrances, traffic levels, and areas that may require additional attention.

It also gives you an opportunity to explain what is important to you.

4. Are You Insured?

Don't be afraid to ask for proof of insurance.

Commercial cleaning companies typically carry liability coverage, and businesses should understand what coverage a prospective provider maintains before allowing workers into the facility.

You can ask for a current Certificate of Insurance (COI) and keep it on file.

5. Who Will Actually Be Cleaning My Office?

You may be speaking with the owner or sales representative, but they aren't necessarily the person who will be cleaning your building.

Ask how the cleaning team is staffed and whether there is a supervisor or point of contact responsible for your account.

It is also worth asking what happens if the regular cleaner is sick or unavailable.

You want to know that there is a plan for keeping your cleaning schedule consistent.

6. How Do You Check the Quality of Your Cleaning?

This is something that can become especially important after the first few months.

Ask whether the company has a quality control or inspection process.

For example, does a supervisor periodically walk through the facility? Is there a way for you to report something that was missed? How are recurring issues handled?

A cleaning company should have a process for finding and fixing problems rather than simply assuming everything is fine.

7. What Happens If Something Gets Missed?

Even good cleaning crews can occasionally miss something.

The important part is what happens afterward.

Ask who you should contact when there is a problem and how the company handles missed or incomplete work.

Having a clear point of contact can make a small issue much easier to resolve.

8. What Cleaning Supplies and Equipment Do You Provide?

Find out whether the cleaning company provides its own equipment and cleaning products.

You should also ask about things like restroom consumables if those are something you want included.

For example, are toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, and trash liners included in the service, or are those billed separately?

Knowing this before you start can prevent surprises later.

9. Are There Services That Cost Extra?

Not every cleaning task is necessarily part of regular janitorial service.

Ask about things such as:

• Carpet extraction

• Floor stripping and waxing

• Interior window cleaning

• High dusting

• Deep cleaning

• Specialty cleaning

• Post construction cleaning

Knowing what is and isn't included makes it much easier to compare quotes from different companies.

10. What Are the Contract Terms?

Before signing anything, make sure you understand the agreement.

Ask about the length of the contract, cancellation requirements, pricing changes, and what happens if your cleaning needs change.

You don't necessarily need the longest contract or the shortest contract. The important thing is knowing what you're agreeing to.

11. How Do You Handle Building Access?

If your office is cleaned after hours, security should be part of the conversation.

Ask how cleaners will access the building and how keys, access cards, alarm codes, or other access information are handled.

You should know who has access to your facility and what happens when someone no longer needs access.

12. Can You Provide References or Examples of Similar Work?

If you're hiring a company to clean your facility regularly, it can be useful to ask whether they have experience with businesses similar to yours.

A medical office, professional office, warehouse, and retail space can all have very different cleaning requirements.

Experience with a similar type of facility can help the cleaning company understand what your space needs.

Don't Just Compare the Price

When you're comparing commercial cleaning companies, it can be tempting to simply look at the monthly number and choose the cheapest quote.

But a $500 quote and a $900 quote may not actually be offering the same service.

One may include more cleaning visits, a larger scope of work, restroom supplies, quality inspections, or additional services.

That's why it is important to compare the scope of work, schedule, communication, and overall service along with the price.

A written scope that clearly lists the spaces, tasks, and cleaning frequencies can make comparing proposals much easier.

Looking for Commercial Cleaning in Boise?

If you're looking for a commercial cleaning company in Boise or the Treasure Valley, Cornerstone Commercial Cleaning would be happy to walk through your facility and discuss what you're looking for.

We'll take a look at the space, talk through your cleaning needs, and put together a clear scope of work so you know what you're getting.

Sometimes the best place to start isn't with the price.

It's with the questions.