Questions to Ask a Cleaning Service Before You Hire

Three failures show up before the first mop hits the floor: no flat price, no list of what is skipped, and no one who will come back if they miss a room.

We already wrote the short version — arrival windows, no checklist, no insurance — in 3 red flags when hiring a cleaner. This is the list to ask out loud on the quote call.

Our published starts: regular $195, deep $330, move-out $390. Recurring: weekly 20% off, biweekly 15% off, monthly 5% off. Monthly pricing starts with your second visit. Pricing.

1. Is the quote flat, or is it a guess until you see the house?

Ask: “Is the number you just gave me the number you bill?”

Hourly-after-arrival is how invoices grow. A flat quote from square footage and condition is the cleaner version.

We quote on the call. That is the bill.

2. What is not included?

Ask them to name the outs: inside oven, inside fridge, inside cabinets, laundry, wet-wipe blinds, garage.

If they say “we do it all” and will not list exclusions, you do not have a scope. You have a hope.

Our regular visit is the 44-item house cleaning list. Inside oven and inside fridge belong on move-in/out or as add-ons.

3. Can I see the insurance certificate?

Ask for the certificate, not a sentence. “We’re covered” is not a document.

We carry $2 million in liability. Teams are background-checked.

4. How do my notes carry from one visit to the next?

Ask whether there is a written checklist and whether your notes stay with the job. Inconsistent results usually start here, not with “they don’t care.” Ours: every visit follows the same checklist for your plan, with your notes on file, so the result doesn’t depend on who’s on the schedule.

5. What happens if you miss something?

Ask for the window and whether the callback is free.

Ours: send us a photo within 24 hours of your clean and we re-clean that item at no charge.

6. What do you charge if I cancel late or you cannot get in?

Ask for the number. Ours is $100 for cancel inside 24 hours, no-show, or lockout. Cancel with more than 24 hours and there is no fee.

7. How do you handle keys, codes, and alarms?

Ask who holds the code, whether it is stored, and what they do if the alarm is set.

A lot of our clients are not home. That only works if key handling is boring and written down.

8. What do you use around kids, pets, and sensitive noses?

Ask for unscented or green if that matters. Ask whether it costs extra.

For us it does not. Pets themselves do: $25 per pet, +$100 when shedding is heavy. Details: pet hair cleaning.

9. Is the person in my house background-checked and covered by your policy?

Ask two things: whether everyone who walks in has passed a background check, and whether the company’s liability policy covers damage in your home no matter who on the crew caused it. You can also ask how the company pays its cleaners: employees or independent contractors, and how much of the job goes to the person doing the work. Whether the person in your kitchen is vetted and covered is your business.

Ours are. Every team member is background-checked, and our $2 million liability policy covers damage claims in your home. Our cleaners are independent contractors and receive 50% of each job.

10. Will you put the price, the list, and the date in writing?

If they will only text “see you Tuesday,” keep looking.

What we will tell you on the same call

• Starting prices and the frequency discount that applies
• Whether you need a deep clean first or can start recurring
• Pet fees if you have animals
• Travel fee of $5–$15 only when it applies, said up front

We will not give you a locked size-band chart that pretends every 3-bedroom in Madison County costs the same.

Frequently asked questions

What should a first quote call include?

Square footage, beds, baths, pets, last real clean, weekly / biweekly / monthly / one-time, and any rooms to skip.

Is the cheapest quote the right one?

Usually it is the one with the most missing from the list. Read our post on the 3 red flags when hiring a cleaning service.

Do I have to be home?

No. Code or lockbox is common. Insurance and background checks are why that is not a leap of faith.