Are you looking for a new cleaning company? Do you know what questions to ask them?

Hiring a commercial cleaning company is not an easy task. Each facility has so many variables (size, industry, cleaning standards), that finding a cleaning company that is a good fit can be daunting.

That’s why we’ve outlined the top questions you should ask a commercial cleaning company before you hire them.

11 Questions to Ask a Commercial Cleaning Company

1. How many years has your company been in business?

Experience matters when it comes to cleaning your facility. So ensure this company has longevity and a track record of positive experiences.

2. What types of facilities do you typically service?

Ensure a potential cleaning company has experience in cleaning and maintaining your specific facilities’ needs. If your facility is healthcare based it’s going to require a different level of cleaning standards and different practices compared to an office setting. So, ask them how many clients they’ve worked with that have a similar facility to yours.

3. Do you have referrals?

Is the company willing to put you in touch with a current or past client that can give insight into their practices? The best way to tell if a cleaning company is right for your facility is to understand how they work with their current customers.

4. Do you background check your employees? And are the same employees going to clean every time?

All-in-all, you want to make sure you can trust the people cleaning your workplace and that they’re a good fit for your facility.

5. Is your company insured?

The cleaning company should be insured AND they should insure the work on your facility as well. There are a few types of coverage they may have:

• General Liability Coverage
• Worker’s Compensation
• Automobile Policy
• Umbrella Policy

6. What kinds of cleaning products and cleaning supplies do you use? Do you use green cleaning products?

You want to make sure that the new cleaning company will use quality cleaning products to clean your facility. Ask whether they will be using harsh chemicals or green cleaning products. Green cleaning has revolutionized the cleaning industry, giving everyone the option to use safer, healthier cleaning products.

Some commercial cleaning companies are certified in green cleaning procedures. Read our post on Green Cleaning Certifications and Green Cleaning Products Glossary to find the different certifications cleaning companies could have. 

7. What are your options for floor care?

Ask the new cleaning company what their options are for floor care. In general, you want to make sure they have the equipment and knowledge to be able to maintain the various types of flooring throughout your facility.

For more information on commercial floor cleaning, read Your Ultimate Commercial Floor Cleaning Checklist. 

8. How do you clean germ hotspots?

There are certain areas within an office that generally have more germs. You want to make sure that a cleaning company spends more time in these areas so that they are cleaned adequately.

For more information on these germ hotspots read The Top 7 Surfaces to Disinfect in Your Workplace.

9. How do you quality control?

Ask about janitorial inspections and find out if your cleaning company offers these. Janitorial inspections bridge the gap between a facility manager and a cleaning company. The best commercial cleaning companies will use janitorial inspections to adjust their cleaning procedures to ensure they’re giving you the best service possible.

10. How should I communicate with your company?

Find out how they prefer to interact with their clients and how often. In particular, ask about how they manage any issues that arise and how they would communicate those. But, all-in-all, make sure their communication style aligns with yours. 

11. Is your company CIMS certified?

What is CIMS? A Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) certification simply means that this company follows industry standards and are properly qualified and equipped for janitorial services. Make sure you ask your potential cleaning company this question to ensure they are fully qualified.

Have any questions? Give us a call at 1-800-573-5404 or send a note to helpdesk@unisancolumbus.com. We’re here to help.