A cleaning proposal tells you what a service may cost. An office cleaning contract example shows what will actually happen after the work begins – who is responsible, when cleaners arrive, what gets cleaned, and how concerns are handled. For busy office managers and property managers, that clarity is what turns a recurring service into one less operational issue to manage.
The best agreement is not the longest one. It is specific enough to prevent missed expectations, flexible enough to fit the facility, and written in plain language both parties can follow. Whether you manage a small professional office in Bellevue or a multi-tenant commercial site elsewhere in the Puget Sound area, the same principle applies: put the service standard in writing before the first visit.
What an Office Cleaning Contract Should Cover
A commercial cleaning contract should begin with the legal names and contact information for both the client and the cleaning provider. It should identify the service address, including suites, floors, or areas that are included or excluded. This prevents a common problem: a provider prices one area while the client assumes hallways, shared restrooms, storage spaces, or break rooms are included.
The agreement should then describe the frequency and timing of service. “Clean the office regularly” leaves too much room for interpretation. “Service three evenings per week after 6:00 p.m., beginning Monday, October 5” gives everyone a usable standard. If access requires badges, alarms, keys, or a building check-in process, include that procedure as well.
Pricing deserves the same level of detail. State the recurring rate, when invoices are issued, payment terms, and whether taxes or supplies are included. A dependable cleaning partner should be direct about additional work, such as carpet extraction, interior window cleaning, emergency cleanup, or post-construction dust removal. These services may be valuable, but they should not appear as surprise charges.
Finally, include a process for quality concerns and contract changes. Cleaning needs can change after a company adds staff, hosts more visitors, renovates a floor, or adjusts office hours. A clear agreement explains who to contact, how quickly concerns will be addressed, and how both sides approve changes to the scope or price.
Office Cleaning Contract Example
The sample below is a practical starting point. It is not legal advice, and the terms should be reviewed and adjusted for the facility, local requirements, and the expectations of both parties.
Parties and Service Location
Client: Evergreen Professional Services, LLC
Cleaning Provider: [Cleaning Company Legal Name]
Service Location: 123 Main Street, Suite 400, Bellevue, WA 98004
Effective Date: October 5, 2026
The provider will perform recurring janitorial services at the service location according to the scope, schedule, and terms in this agreement.
Scope of Work
The provider will clean the following areas during each scheduled visit: reception area, open office areas, private offices, conference rooms, break room, and restrooms.
Routine service includes emptying trash and replacing liners; vacuuming carpeted areas; damp mopping hard floors; dusting accessible horizontal surfaces; wiping high-touch surfaces; cleaning and restocking restroom fixtures and dispensers; and cleaning break room counters, sinks, and exterior appliance surfaces.
The following are not included in the recurring service unless approved in writing: interior windows, exterior windows, high dusting above reachable height, carpet extraction, appliance interiors, dishwashing, moving furniture, biohazard cleanup, and construction debris removal. This distinction matters because specialty work often requires different equipment, labor time, or safety procedures.
Schedule and Access
Service will be performed Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. The provider will make reasonable efforts to assign a consistent cleaning team and complete service on the agreed days and times.
The client will provide necessary building access, alarm instructions, and one primary after-hours contact. The provider will secure doors and turn off lights in serviced areas when leaving, unless the client provides different written instructions. If access is unavailable at the scheduled time, the provider will notify the client and reschedule when practical. A return-trip charge may apply if the provider cannot enter because access was not provided.
Price and Payment
The recurring service price is $[amount] per month, billed monthly in advance. Payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date.
The monthly price includes standard labor, routine cleaning supplies, trash liners, and restroom consumables listed in the agreed scope. Work outside the scope will be quoted before it is scheduled, except where the client authorizes emergency work by phone or email. The provider will not add fees without communicating the reason and obtaining approval where required.
Quality Assurance and Communication
The client will notify the provider of service concerns within two business days when possible. The provider will acknowledge the concern promptly and return to correct a verified missed task within a reasonable time, typically on the next business day or sooner when the issue affects safety, sanitation, or customer-facing areas.
The client may request reasonable adjustments to the checklist as staffing levels or facility use changes. Any change that affects labor time, schedule, supplies, or price will be documented in writing before it becomes part of the regular service.
Insurance, Safety, and Confidentiality
The provider will maintain appropriate business licensing and insurance for the work performed. Cleaning staff will follow site safety requirements communicated by the client, including sign-in procedures, restricted areas, and chemical handling rules.
The provider and its staff will keep confidential any nonpublic information encountered during service. The client should identify areas containing sensitive records, regulated information, or high-value assets and establish any access restrictions needed for those spaces.
Term, Cancellation, and Signatures
This agreement begins on the effective date and continues month to month. Either party may end the agreement with 30 days’ written notice. Either party may terminate immediately for a material breach that is not corrected after written notice and a reasonable opportunity to cure.
Client Authorized Representative: ____________________ Date: __________
Provider Authorized Representative: _________________ Date: __________
Details That Prevent Cleaning Disputes
The scope of work is the heart of the contract, but the details around it determine whether the relationship runs smoothly. For example, “clean restrooms” can mean a basic wipe-down to one client and a full service that includes consumables, partitions, dispensers, floors, mirrors, and odor control to another. A room-by-room checklist is often the simplest way to remove that ambiguity.
Trash is another frequent point of confusion. A standard office contract may cover desk-side bins and common-area receptacles, while large volumes of boxes, food waste after an event, or tenant move-out materials require separate arrangements. The same is true for recycling, compost, and secure document disposal. Identify which waste streams are included and where they must be taken.
It also helps to define what “high touch” means for the facility. In an office, that may include door handles, elevator buttons within the suite, shared keyboards, refrigerator handles, and conference-room controls. In a medical-adjacent or hospitality environment, the standard may need to be more detailed. The right level depends on building traffic, employee expectations, and the nature of the work performed there.
When a Fixed Price Needs Review
A fixed monthly price provides predictability, but it should not be treated as permanent if the facility changes significantly. Adding 30 employees, opening another floor, increasing service from three days to five, or converting offices into shared workspaces can all increase cleaning time. A fair contract provides a process to revisit the price rather than allowing service quality to quietly decline.
Seasonal needs can also affect the scope. Wet weather in the Seattle area may call for more entryway care, while a renovation may require a separate post-construction cleaning plan to address fine dust and debris. Those are not failures of the original agreement. They are reasons to update it before the workload becomes a problem.
Make the Agreement Easy to Use
A contract only works when the people responsible for the building can use it. Keep a current copy with the cleaning checklist, the primary contact list, and access instructions. Review it after the first month of service, then whenever the office layout, occupancy, or schedule changes.
The goal is not to create paperwork for its own sake. It is to give your business a clean, presentable workplace with clear expectations, dependable scheduling, and a straightforward path to resolve issues. A well-written contract lets both the client and cleaning provider focus on that result.