What to Look for When Hiring a Cleaning Service

Are the cleaners employees or independent contractors?

This is the single biggest trust question. Many marketplace cleaning apps connect you with independent contractors who rotate in and out, meaning a different, unvetted person could show up each visit. A company that hires cleaners as W-2 employees typically runs its own background checks, training and consistent scheduling, so you have one company accountable for who's in your home, not a marketplace disclaiming responsibility.

Ask directly: "Are your cleaners employees or contractors, and are they background-checked?" A company confident in its answer will say so plainly and usually publish it on their site.

Is the company insured and bonded?

General liability insurance covers accidental damage to your home; bonding protects against theft. Ask for proof, not just a claim. Reputable companies (and property managers who work with them regularly) can produce a certificate of insurance on request. If a company can't or won't provide one, that's a red flag regardless of how good their reviews look.

Is the pricing published and formula-based, or negotiated?

A published, formula-based price (built from bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage) means every customer with the same home pays the same rate, and you can verify the math yourself. A negotiated, in-home-estimate model leaves more room for inconsistent pricing between customers for the same job. Neither approach is automatically dishonest, but a published formula is easier to audit and harder to quietly inflate.

Is there a written checklist of what's included?

A specific room-by-room checklist (kitchen counters, appliance exteriors, bathroom fixtures, floors, trash) tells you exactly what you're paying for and gives you a concrete standard to hold the visit to. A vague promise like "we clean your whole house" leaves too much room for a rushed visit to still technically qualify.

Just as important: ask what's explicitly not included. Reputable companies will tell you up front about exclusions like exterior windows, carpet shampooing, biohazard cleanup or heavy post-renovation dust, rather than let you find out on the day of service.

What happens if something is missed or damaged?

Ask about the guarantee in plain terms: if something on the checklist is missed, how long do you have to report it, and does the company return at no charge to fix it? A specific window (commonly 24 to 48 hours) with a free re-clean is a real guarantee. "We'll take care of it" with no specifics is not.

Also ask what happens if something gets damaged during a visit. An insured, bonded company should have a clear process, not a defensive one.

Quick checklist before you book

• W-2 employees, background-checked, not rotating independent contractors.
• General liability insurance and bonding, with proof available on request.
• Published pricing formula you can verify, not a black-box estimate.
• Written room-by-room checklist, including what's explicitly excluded.
• A specific, written re-clean or satisfaction guarantee with a real time window.
• No long-term contract requirement, and a clear cancellation or reschedule policy.
• A real local address and phone number, not just a form on a website.

How does this apply if I'm getting a quote right now?

Run any prospective company through the checklist above before booking. If you want to see what a fully transparent version looks like end to end, the services page publishes the checklist, exclusions and pricing formula, and the quote tool gives you an exact number without a phone call or an in-home sales visit.

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