When writing cleaning contracts templates for a business, it's important to have the correct information in them. Here's what you need to include.

What Is a Contract?

Contracts are legal agreements made between two or more parties that define what each party's obligations and rights are for a specific activity, job, or business operation. Contracts can be made for various reasons and are used in almost every field of life.

Written contracts are a smart way to legally bind a professional relationship. This is why it's important to create and sign a cleaning contract when a company wants to hire a cleaning company or professional for their services. The agreement lists the terms and conditions of the contract between the client and cleaning service.

The contract should state what tasks will be performed, how often, and when. Janitors and independent housekeepers should use cleaning contracts when they're entering a relationship with a new client. Only the services listed in the contract should be performed.

The contract should be signed before starting a cleaning job or activity so there's no room for confusion or doubt about the obligations and responsibilities. This contract is a legal document that helps protect the duties and right of each party that's involved. It can be used as written evidence if there's a disagreement or violation during the length of the contract.

Why Do I Need a Cleaning Services Agreement?

A housekeeping agreement lets the client state what their expectations are for the cleaning services they need to be performed and how much detail should be provided for every task. As an example, they might only need their furniture vacuumed every few weeks if they're living alone. If they own a pet, they might want their furniture vacuumed two times a week. The furniture may have a certain method of cleaning that's required.

A cleaning contract can be used to schedule a yearly event, such as spring cleaning, or a weekly or monthly event. Maid services normally charge hourly rates, so the client should be clear about what services they want to be done during this time.

The client may also want the cleaning service to come during certain times. If a house is currently for sale, they wouldn't want the cleaner there at the same time as potential clients. This is why clear terms should be written in the contract.

Small business owners can use a janitorial services contract to have a janitor come to the business after regular working hours. They can perform tasks like cleaning the bathroom and collecting trash so the office will be clean for workers the next day. Janitors or freelance maids should use a cleaning services contract to maintain their records of self-employment and manage their clients.

What Information Is Included in a Cleaning Services Agreement?

The following information should be included in a cleaning services agreement: 

  • If this is a one-time or regularly scheduled job.
  • The time of day and location of the cleaning service to come.
  • Contact information for the client and cleaning service.
  • If a deposit is needed, hourly rate, and when the cleaning service will be paid.
  • Who provides necessary consumables and cleaning equipment.
  • Specific duties the cleaner should provide in order to get paid.

Specific duties the cleaner should provide in order to get paid need to be listed in the contract. It's important to mention in the contract what a company should do to fix a dispute if this happens during the contract's duration. Cleaning contracts are signed by companies and individual persons for cleaning services in a workplace, office, personal residence, or company.

Language/Tone Selection

A cleaning contract has a formal tone with vocabulary that's meaningful and precise. Using complex sentence structure and wordiness should be avoided.

Sample of a Cleaning Services Contract

Both parties should be named in the contract and the date listed that the contract is beginning. The address of where this is taking place also needs to be listed. It should be stated that the contractor is allowed to come inside the house or business and list times or days that are mutually agreed upon.

If you need help with cleaning contracts templates, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.