Most businesses that end up unhappy with their cleaning company made the same mistake: they hired too fast.
They got a quote, the price seemed reasonable, and they signed. Six weeks later they’re dealing with missed tasks, unfamiliar faces showing up at the building, and a contract that’s hard to exit.
Here’s how to avoid that. These are the seven things worth doing before you commit to any commercial cleaning company in Pennsylvania.
1. Verify Insurance. Before Anyone Enters Your Building
This isn’t a formality. It’s the most important box to check.
A commercial cleaning company working in your building should carry:
- General liability insurance: covers property damage or third-party injuries. Minimum $1 million per occurrence is standard.
- Workers’ compensation: required by Pennsylvania law for companies with employees. If a cleaner is injured on your property and the company isn’t covered, you could be drawn into a workers’ comp claim.
- Dishonesty bond: protects you against theft or intentional damage caused by cleaning staff.
Ask for certificates of insurance before the first day of service. Request that your business be listed as an additional insured on their general liability policy.
If a company hesitates, makes excuses, or sends you an expired certificate, stop there. No legitimate cleaning company has trouble producing current insurance documentation.
2. Check References from Similar Businesses
Online reviews are a starting point, but they’re not enough. Ask for direct references, specifically from businesses similar to yours in size, industry, or type of space.
A company that cleans a 500-square-foot dental office may not have the systems to handle a 10,000-square-foot distribution center. References from relevant clients tell you much more than a 4.5-star Google rating.
When you call a reference, ask:
- How long have you been using them? Longevity matters.
- Have there ever been missed tasks or complaints, and how were they handled?
- Has the quality stayed consistent, or has it dropped over time?
- Would you sign with them again?
A company confident in its work should be able to provide 3–5 references without hesitation.
3. Find Out Who Actually Does the Work
This question surprises some business owners, but it matters: does the company you’re hiring actually employ the cleaners, or do they subcontract to other crews?
Subcontracting isn’t automatically a dealbreaker, but it creates complications:
- The people showing up may not have gone through the same screening and training as direct employees
- Accountability gets murky when there’s a middleman
- Staff turnover tends to be higher, which means different faces in your building on a rotating basis
Ask directly: “Are your cleaners your own employees, or do you use subcontractors?” Get the answer in writing if subcontracting is involved, and confirm that background check and training standards apply equally.
4. Get a Written Scope of Work Before Signing
A verbal agreement is worth nothing once someone changes jobs or forgets the conversation.
Before signing any contract, you should have a written scope of work that specifies:
- Every area of your building that will be cleaned, room by room
- Exactly what tasks will be performed in each area
- How often each task is done, nightly, weekly, monthly
- Who provides supplies and equipment
- What’s explicitly not included
If the company gives you a single-paragraph scope of work, push back. A well-run cleaning company should be able to hand you a detailed task list for your specific space before you ever sign.
A detailed scope protects both sides. It removes the ambiguity that leads to disputes later.
5. Compare Bids on Equal Footing
Getting multiple quotes is smart, but comparing them directly is only useful if the scope is the same across all of them.
A common issue: Company A bids $800/month for nightly cleaning, and Company B bids $550/month. But Company A’s scope includes restocking paper products and monthly floor care, while Company B’s doesn’t. The “lower” bid isn’t actually lower.
When evaluating bids:
- Make sure each company is quoting the same frequency and task list
- Ask what’s included and what costs extra
- Find out who supplies consumables (paper towels, soap, trash liners)
- Understand the equipment situation, are they bringing commercial-grade equipment or using whatever’s available?
The goal is an apples-to-apples comparison. Otherwise you’re just comparing numbers, not service.
6. Read Reviews. But Read Them the Right Way
Online reviews are useful when you know what to look for.
Don’t just look at the star rating. Read the text. Specifically:
- Look for patterns, not outliers. One bad review in 50 is noise. Three reviews mentioning the same issue, missed tasks, poor communication, staff turnover, is a signal.
- Look at how the company responds to negative reviews. A company that responds professionally and tries to resolve complaints is different from one that gets defensive or goes silent.
- Check the recency. A company that had great reviews three years ago and mediocre ones in the last six months may have gone through a management or staffing change.
- Look for detail. Reviews that describe specific situations are more credible than generic “great service!” entries.
Google. Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau are all worth checking. For Pennsylvania contractors, the PA Attorney General’s office and local Chamber of Commerce may also have relevant records.
7. Start with a Trial Period
Before committing to a long-term contract, ask whether the company offers a trial period, typically 30 to 60 days, with the option to exit if the service doesn’t meet expectations.
Most reputable cleaning companies will agree to this, or at minimum offer a shorter initial term before locking into a multi-year agreement.
During the trial, pay attention to:
- Consistency: is the quality the same on week 3 as it was on day 1?
- Communication: are they responsive when you reach out? Do they follow up proactively?
- Staff continuity: are you seeing the same people, or a different crew every visit?
- Attention to detail: are the small things being handled, or just the obvious ones?
A trial period protects you and also tells you a lot about how a company operates under real conditions, not just during the sales process.
Red Flags to Watch For During the Process
Even if you do all seven steps, watch for these warning signs throughout:
- No in-person walkthrough before quoting: a company that quotes without seeing your space isn’t being careful
- Unusually low pricing: rates significantly below market often mean corners are being cut somewhere
- Pressure to sign quickly: legitimate companies don’t rush you
- Vague contract language: “general cleaning” with no specifics is a red flag
- Can’t provide insurance documentation quickly: this should take minutes, not days
- High staff turnover mentioned casually: experienced companies retain their people
- No clear point of contact: you should know who to call when something’s wrong
FAQ
How many cleaning companies should I get quotes from?
Three is a reasonable minimum for most commercial spaces. More than five usually creates diminishing returns, at that point, the bids start to look similar and you’re just adding time to the process. Three to four quotes, compared carefully against the same scope, gives you a solid picture of market pricing and company quality.
What’s a reasonable price for commercial cleaning in Pennsylvania?
It varies by location, square footage, and scope, but a rough benchmark for standard nightly office cleaning is $0.08 to $0.20 per square foot per month. Specialty environments (medical, food service, industrial) run higher. If a quote comes in dramatically below that range, ask why.
Do I need to be present when cleaners are working?
Most commercial cleaning happens after hours when the business is closed. You don’t need to be present, but you should have a key or access arrangement clearly documented in the contract, along with alarm instructions if applicable. Make sure your alarm company has the cleaning crew’s expected access window on file.
What should I do if the cleaning quality drops after the first month?
Contact your account manager directly and document the issue with specifics: what was missed, when, in which area. Give the company a chance to respond and correct it. A professional company will take it seriously. If quality continues to decline despite documented complaints, check your contract’s termination terms, this is why having a reasonable exit clause matters.
Is it better to hire a local company or a national franchise?
Both have tradeoffs. National franchises offer standardized systems and brand accountability. Local independent companies often provide more direct relationships and flexibility. The better question is whether the specific company, whoever they are, can demonstrate consistent performance and accountability. Local reference checks and contract terms matter more than the franchise affiliation.
How do I know if a cleaning company runs background checks?
Ask directly: “Do all employees who enter our building undergo a criminal background check prior to hire?” Follow up with: “Do you re-screen periodically?” A company with a genuine background check policy should be able to describe their process. If the answer is vague or they treat the question as unusual, take that as a signal.
Excellence Janitorial Services has served businesses throughout Pennsylvania for years. We carry full insurance, employ our own staff, run background checks on all team members, and provide written scopes before every agreement. Request a free walkthrough and quote if you’d like to see what a well-run cleaning proposal looks like.