Commercial Cleaning Contract Template: 7 Things Every Agreement Needs

DEFINITION

Scope creep

The gradual expansion of work beyond what the contract covers, usually through small verbal requests that accumulate over time. A cleaner asked to wipe down the refrigerator once becomes an expectation every visit. Scope creep erodes your margin on accounts that were profitable at signing. A change order clause prevents it.

DEFINITION

Change order

A written addendum to a cleaning contract that documents additional work outside the original scope, the price for that work, and signatures from both parties. Change orders must be signed before the work is performed — not after. They are the formal mechanism for expanding scope without giving away labor.

DEFINITION

Indemnification clause

A contract provision where one party agrees to protect the other from certain claims or losses. In cleaning contracts, you typically agree to indemnify the client for claims arising from your crew's work on their property. Clients may ask you to indemnify them broadly — review any indemnification language carefully and confirm your insurance covers the stated scope.

Why a Vague Contract Costs You More Than No Contract

A one-sentence email agreement creates a false sense of security. You think you have a contract. The client thinks they have flexibility. Neither of you has written documentation of what was agreed.

The two most expensive mistakes in cleaning contracts are not getting paid for scope creep and not having termination protection. Both are preventable with the right clauses. A client who adds tasks week after week costs you real money — an extra hour of crew time per visit on a 3x/week account is 12 hours of uncompensated labor per month. A client who cancels with two days notice leaves a gap in your crew’s schedule you cannot fill fast.

Neither situation requires a 20-page legal document to prevent. A 2-page contract with the right seven sections handles both.

Step 1: Write the Scope of Work So Nothing Is Left Open

The scope of work is the most-referenced section of your contract. You will return to it every time a client asks for something not in the agreement.

Structure it by area and be specific:

Reception and lobby: vacuum carpet, dust furniture surfaces, empty trash, wipe glass entry doors, three times per week.

Open office: vacuum all carpeted areas, empty individual desk trash cans, wipe conference table and chairs, three times per week.

Restrooms (two): scrub and disinfect toilets and sinks, clean mirrors, mop floors, restock paper products and soap from client-supplied stock, three times per week.

Break room: wipe counters and appliance exteriors, clean microwave interior, mop floor, empty trash, three times per week.

Exclusions: interior window cleaning, carpet shampooing, floor stripping and waxing, refrigerator interior cleaning, exterior pressure washing.

Write the exclusions list with your most common client assumptions in mind. Every item on that list came from a real dispute someone else had.

Step 2: Set the Schedule and Document Access

Specify which days your crew arrives and during what time window. If you clean after hours, document the access method: key, keycard, keypad code, or building management contact.

Put the access details in the contract, not just in a text message to your crew lead. When a team member leaves and you hire a replacement, your access documentation should not live in someone’s personal phone.

Some buildings require crews to sign in with security or get temporary badges. Note those requirements and who coordinates them. You are responsible for your crew following the client’s access policies.

Step 3: State Pricing and Payment Terms Clearly

Write the monthly price as a single flat number. Do not include your hourly labor breakdown — clients do not need to see your cost structure.

Specify the payment due date, accepted payment methods, and a late fee. A common late fee: 1.5% per month on any balance more than 15 days overdue. That is $15 per month on a $1,000 account — small enough not to cause conflict, large enough to discourage slow payment.

Add a price adjustment clause. Something like: “Provider may adjust monthly fees annually with 60 days written notice. Adjustments will not exceed 5% or the prior year’s CPI change, whichever is greater.” This clause is standard in commercial service agreements. Most clients accept it without negotiation.

Managing contracts across multiple client sites? SweepOps keeps your scope of work, pricing, and inspection records for each account in one place. Start your free trial.

Step 4: Insurance and Liability

State your coverage: general liability insurance at $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate is the commercial standard. Workers compensation covering all employees performing services. List the actual amounts, not just “we are insured.”

Include a limitation of liability clause: “Provider’s total liability for any claim under this agreement is limited to the fees paid by client in the 30 days prior to the claim.” This caps your exposure to a manageable amount. Your insurance carrier can advise on appropriate limits for your operation.

When a property management company asks to be named as an additional insured on your policy, contact your carrier. Most commercial liability policies allow this at no added cost. Send an updated certificate of insurance with the additional insured listed and keep a copy attached to the signed contract.

Step 5: Write the Termination Clause Both Ways

Thirty days written notice applies to both parties. You can exit a problem account; the client can exit a service that is not working. The notice period gives each side time to fill the gap.

For your first accounts, 30 days is enough. As your accounts get larger and you invest more in training and equipment, consider 60 days for accounts over $2,000/month.

Auto-renewal language protects your revenue: “This agreement renews automatically for successive one-year terms unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least 30 days before the current term ends.” Without this, you renegotiate every account annually.

Early termination fees apply when the client exits during a fixed initial term. One to two months of the monthly fee is standard. Clients with legitimate operations accept this. Clients who refuse it entirely are already planning to exit early.

Step 6: Specify Who Supplies What

Write it down. Common arrangements:

• Cleaning company provides: chemicals, mops, vacuums, carts, and application equipment
• Client provides: paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, trash liners for restrooms and break rooms

If your company provides consumables, include a supply line item in your pricing. If the client provides them, state that service quality depends on the client restocking supplies before each scheduled visit.

Disputes about supplies are almost always about unspoken assumptions. Remove the assumption.

Step 7: Require Written Change Orders for Anything Outside Scope

Add one sentence to your contract: “Work not included in the scope of work above requires a written change order signed by both parties, specifying additional tasks and additional fees, before work is performed.”

Then use it. When a client calls and asks your crew to shampoo a conference room carpet before a client visit, send a change order with a price before your crew shows up. Most clients sign without objection. The ones who object expected the work for free — and they now know that is not how your contracts work.

Change orders protect your margin on every account. They also give you documentation if a client later disputes that additional work was authorized.

What the Minimum Contract Looks Like

If you need to get something signed today, cover these seven items on one or two pages:

• Full legal names of both companies and the signing representatives
• Service address and scope of work with exclusions
• Cleaning schedule and access method
• Monthly price, payment due date, and late fee
• 30-day written termination notice for either party
• Statement of insurance coverage
• Signature and date lines for both parties

Plain language. Both parties sign before service starts. Build from there as you encounter situations your initial template did not address.