Not all cleaning contracts are equal. Ask these eight questions before you sign to protect your office, clinic, or daycare from unreliable service, hidden costs, and compliance risk.

Hiring a commercial cleaning company for your Metro Vancouver office, clinic, or daycare seems straightforward — until it isn’t. The market is crowded, quotes vary wildly, and the cheapest number on paper often hides the costs that hurt later: missed nights, high turnover, compliance gaps, and the slow erosion of trust as you chase someone to do what they promised.

The good news is that a handful of pointed questions will tell you almost everything you need to know about a prospective cleaning partner. Here are the eight we’d ask before signing anything.

1. Are your cleaners employees or subcontractors?

This single question shapes everything else. Many cleaning companies are really just brokers, handing your contract to rotating subcontractors they barely know. That model breeds inconsistency, high turnover, and finger-pointing when something goes wrong. We staff with vetted, local, in-house team members — the same faces who learn your space and own the result.

2. Are you fully insured and WorkSafeBC covered?

If a cleaner is injured on your premises and isn’t properly covered, that liability can land on you. Ask for proof of liability insurance and current WorkSafeBC coverage — and confirm the company is bonded. A reputable provider hands this over without hesitation.

3. How do you prevent cross-contamination?

The answer should be specific. A serious cleaning company uses a color-coded microfiber system so that cloths and mops from a washroom never touch a desk, an exam surface, or a daycare table. For clinics and childcare centres especially, vague answers here are a red flag.

4. What products do you use — and can you prove it?

Anyone can say “we use green products.” Ask whether they’re independently certified (such as Green Seal or EcoLogo) and whether you can see the Safety Data Sheets. This matters most where people are vulnerable — around children, patients, or staff with sensitivities — and where low-VOC, low-residue products make a real difference to your air.

5. How — and how quickly — will we communicate?

Cleaning problems are inevitable; being unable to reach anyone about them is not acceptable. Ask who your point of contact is and what their response time looks like. We built our service on a “zero-chase” promise: you shouldn’t have to hunt anyone down to get an issue handled.

6. How do you verify the work was actually done?

“Trust us” isn’t a system. Ask how they confirm the scope was completed each visit. GetCleanify’s teams work from tech-enabled digital checklists that timestamp each task, so you get transparency instead of a leap of faith — and a record you can review any time.

7. Is the scope of work detailed and specific?

A one-line “we’ll clean your office” invites disputes. A good contract spells out exactly which tasks happen in which zones and at what frequency — nightly high-touch disinfection, weekly detail work, periodic deep cleans. Clarity up front prevents the “but I thought that was included” conversation later.

8. Am I locked into a long-term contract?

Be cautious about anyone who needs to trap you in a lengthy agreement to keep your business. We don’t do locking contracts — our service quality is our contract. If a clean misses the mark, we make it right or refund that day. That confidence should be the norm, not the exception.

Conclusion: The Cheapest Quote Is Rarely the Best Value

When you weigh these eight answers together, the lowest bid often looks very different. Reliability, accountability, and the right protocols protect your facility, your people, and your reputation — and that’s worth far more than a few dollars shaved off a monthly invoice.

Putting us to the test

We’d be glad to answer all eight of these questions for your office, clinic, or daycare — in writing. Request a quote and see the difference a real cleaning partner makes.

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