How to Choose a Commercial Cleaning Company in Orlando
12 questions to ask a commercial cleaning company in Orlando: insurance, workers' comp, crews, checklists, contracts, and how to switch without a gap.
To choose a commercial cleaning company in Orlando, ask for proof of general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, a written checklist, who will clean your space, how you report a miss, and what the contract says about length and cancellation. Good answers are specific and in writing. Vague answers predict the problems you want to leave behind.
Why do businesses switch cleaning companies?
Most businesses don't switch cleaners over one bad night. They switch over patterns. The same few come up again and again:
- The first month was great. Then things started slipping.
- The same restroom fix has to be requested every week.
- A text or email gets an answer two days later, or never.
- A new face shows up every visit, so nobody learns the space.
- The invoice has charges nobody mentioned.
Each pattern has a question that exposes it before you sign. The 12 below are grouped by topic. Ask all of them, and ask for the answers in writing.
What should you ask about insurance and licensing in Florida?
1. Can you send a current certificate of general liability insurance?
General liability covers damage a cleaner causes in your space, like a broken fixture or a floor ruined by the wrong chemical. Ask for a certificate of insurance, check the policy dates and coverage amounts, and ask to be listed as the certificate holder. If your landlord requires specific coverage from vendors, send the cleaner that requirement before they quote.
2. How are your workers covered if they get hurt?
Ask for proof of workers' compensation coverage. Under Florida rules, non-construction employers with four or more employees must carry it, and corporate officers and LLC members count toward that four (Florida Division of Workers' Compensation). You can look up an employer's policy yourself in the state's Proof of Coverage database. If the company uses subcontractors, ask who covers the people who will actually be in your building.
3. Do you hold a local business tax receipt?
Florida cities and counties register businesses through a business tax receipt. The City of Orlando says all businesses must register with its Local Business Tax Department, and Orange County requires a receipt for businesses operating in unincorporated Orange County. A receipt shows the company is registered. It says nothing about the quality of the work, so treat it as a baseline, not a deciding factor.
Some companies also carry a janitorial bond. If one is offered as a selling point, ask what it covers, for how much, and how a claim works.
Who will actually be in your building?
4. Is every crew member background-checked, and when?
"Our people are screened" is not an answer. Ask whether every person who enters your space is checked before their first visit, including fill-ins and subcontractors.
5. Will the same crew clean my space every visit?
This is the question that predicts the "it started slipping" pattern. Rotating crews relearn your space every time: where the supplies go, which restroom gets heavy use, which office the owner cares about. A steady crew knows your alarm, your priorities and what was missed last week. Ask what happens when a regular crew member is out.
6. How do you handle keys, fobs and alarm codes?
Ask who holds them, how they are logged, and what happens to them if you end the service. You want a clear answer, because you will need it on the day you switch.
How will you know the work was done?
7. Will we write a checklist for my space together?
A generic task list covers "restrooms, trash, floors." A checklist written for your space says which restrooms, which bins, which floors get mopped versus vacuumed, and which tasks happen weekly instead of every visit. It is the document you point to when something is missed. Our office cleaning checklist shows what a full one covers.
8. What do I get after each visit?
Most cleaning happens after hours, so you need a way to see it. Ask whether you get a report after each visit, what it includes (checklist completed, photos of key areas, notes about anything broken or running low) and how it reaches you.
What does the contract lock you into?
9. How long is the agreement, and how do I cancel?
Read the term, the renewal clause and the notice period before you sign. An annual agreement with automatic renewal and a long notice window can keep you paying for months after the service has slipped.
| Month-to-month | Annual with auto-renewal | |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment | One month at a time | 12 months, often renewing automatically |
| Leaving | Notice per the agreement, usually short | Notice window, sometimes with fees |
| What keeps the cleaner sharp | Earning every renewal | The contract |
| Worth asking | Is the price fixed month to month? | Is there a performance exit clause? |
10. What exactly is included in the price?
Ask whether cleaning supplies and equipment are included, and who supplies paper towels, toilet paper and trash liners. Ask which tasks cost extra, such as carpet extraction, window cleaning or a deep clean, and what each one costs before it happens. Our guide to commercial cleaning costs in Orlando explains what drives a quote.
Who answers when something is missed?
11. Who do I contact, and how fast will I hear back?
Get a name and a number, not a general inbox. Ask how quickly they reply, how a miss gets fixed (next visit or sooner) and who checks that it was fixed. If the answer involves a call center or a ticket system, ask how long a typical ticket stays open.
What are the red flags in a cleaning quote?
12. Will you walk the space before giving a final price?
A company that quotes a final number without seeing your space is guessing. It will either pad the price or cut the scope later. An online estimate is fine for a first range. The final price should follow a walkthrough. Other red flags:
- A scope that says "general cleaning" with no task list.
- A low per-visit price with add-ons that are not priced in writing.
- No certificate of insurance, or one that is expired.
- An automatic renewal clause buried in the terms.
- No named contact for your account.
How do you switch cleaning companies without a gap?
Switching takes about as long as your current notice period. The order matters, so you never have a week with nobody cleaning:
- Read your current agreement. Note the notice period, the cancellation method (email, letter) and any fees.
- Book walkthroughs with new companies before you give notice. Get the checklist and the price in writing.
- Pick a start date for the new company that falls right after the last visit of the old one.
- Give notice in writing, exactly as the agreement requires, and keep a copy.
- Collect keys and fobs from the old company, and change alarm codes and door codes after their last visit.
- Walk the space after the new crew's first visit and adjust the checklist where needed.
If your current service has already stopped showing up, a one-time deep clean can reset the space before regular visits begin.
Start with a preliminary price range in under a minute.
Get my quick estimate →How Earth Cleaning Solutions answers these 12 questions
We are licensed and insured in Florida, and every crew member is background-checked before their first visit. The same crew cleans your space every visit. We write the checklist with you at a free 20-minute walkthrough, every visit follows it, and you get a short report afterward with the checklist completed, photos of key areas and any notes. You text the owner directly and get a same-day reply.
Pricing is one fixed monthly number confirmed after the walkthrough, with supplies and equipment included. Agreements are month-to-month. See what we cover on our office cleaning and medical and dental office cleaning pages, or get a range from the online estimate.
Book a free walkthrough and get one fixed monthly price, month-to-month.
Get my quick estimate →Frequently asked questions
What insurance should a commercial cleaning company have in Florida?
Ask for proof of general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. Florida requires non-construction employers with four or more employees to carry workers' comp, and you can check an employer's policy in the state's Proof of Coverage database.
Is a month-to-month cleaning agreement better than an annual contract?
For most small and mid-size businesses, yes. Month-to-month terms let you leave if the service slips, so the cleaner has to earn every renewal. If you do sign an annual agreement, read the auto-renewal clause and the notice period first.
How do I switch commercial cleaning companies without a gap in service?
Book the new company's walkthrough before you give notice, set their start date right after the old company's last visit, give notice in writing as your agreement requires, then collect keys and change alarm codes after the last visit.
Should a cleaning company give a price without seeing my space?
A preliminary range is fine for budgeting. A final price should come after a walkthrough, because restroom count, floor types, traffic and scope change the work a lot. A firm quote without a visit usually means padding or cuts later.
What should a cleaning visit report include?
The checklist marked complete, photos of key areas such as restrooms and entries, and notes about anything broken, damaged or running low. A report lets you confirm after-hours work without walking the space yourself.