How to Choose a Cleaning Service: 7 Questions to Ask.

Almost every cleaning company's website says the same thing: reliable, trustworthy, five-star service. That makes it hard to actually compare your options from the outside. The good news is that a short phone call or a few messages back and forth usually tells you everything you need to know, if you know what to ask.

It's worth asking these questions even if you already have someone you like, prices change, staff turns over, and policies shift over time. A five-minute conversation now can save you a much longer, more frustrating conversation later.

Here are seven questions worth asking before you book anyone, whether it's a one-time deep clean or a recurring arrangement.

1. Are you insured and WSIB covered?

This is the single most important question, and the easiest to skip in the excitement of getting a quote. Liability insurance protects you if something is damaged during the clean. WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) coverage protects you as the homeowner or property manager if a worker is injured while in your space, without it, you could be on the hook. A legitimate company should be able to answer instantly and offer to send a certificate of insurance, especially for landlords, condo boards, or offices that require proof before a first visit.

2. Who actually shows up to do the work?

Some companies send the same person or small team every time. Others dispatch whoever is available that day, sometimes a different face each visit, sometimes a subcontractor you've never spoken with. Neither approach is automatically wrong, but it matters for trust, consistency, and simply knowing who has a key to your home or office. If continuity matters to you, ask directly whether you'll see the same cleaner repeat visit after repeat visit, and whether that person is an employee of the company or a third party booked through it.

3. What cleaning products do you use?

Products range from heavy-duty commercial chemicals to fully green and non-toxic lines. If you have pets, small children, allergies, or asthma in the household, this isn't a small detail. Ask what's used by default and whether they can switch to eco-friendly or fragrance-free products on request, and whether they're willing to use supplies you already have on hand if you prefer.

4. What exactly is included in a standard clean?

"We clean everything" isn't a scope, it's a slogan. Ask for specifics: does a standard visit include inside the oven and fridge, or is that an upgrade? Are baseboards, window tracks, and inside cabinets part of a regular clean, or only a deep clean? Getting this in writing (even a text message) before the first visit avoids a mismatch between what you expected and what actually happened, and it gives you something concrete to point back to if a future visit feels lighter than the first one.

5. How do quotes actually work?

A trustworthy company quotes based on your actual space: square footage, number of rooms, condition, and how often you need service, whether that's for a home, an office, or a recurring monthly cleaning arrangement. Be cautious of anyone who won't give you a number until after the job is finished, or whose quote balloons with add-on fees that weren't mentioned upfront. A good quote should arrive quickly, usually within a day, and shouldn't require you to commit to anything to receive it.

6. What's the cancellation and rescheduling policy?

Life happens, and any reasonable company expects occasional changes. What you want to know is the notice period they expect (24 hours is typical), whether there's a fee for last-minute cancellations, and how flexible they are with one-off changes versus a pattern of it. This matters even more for offices and multi-unit landlords booking office cleaning or turnover work on a recurring schedule, since a missed visit has knock-on effects for staff or incoming tenants.

7. Can you provide references or reviews?

A company that's been doing good work has people willing to vouch for it. Ask for a couple of references, or point to reviews on Google or another platform. Pay attention not just to the star rating but to what people specifically mention, punctuality, communication, attention to detail, how issues were handled if something did go wrong. That last part tells you more than a perfect score ever will.

A quick recap

• Are you insured and WSIB covered?
• Who actually shows up to do the work?
• What cleaning products do you use?
• What exactly is included in a standard clean?
• How do quotes actually work?
• What's the cancellation and rescheduling policy?
• Can you provide references or reviews?

Putting it together

None of these questions are complicated, and any company confident in its own work should answer them without hesitation. If you get vague answers, long delays, or pressure to book before you've had a chance to ask, treat that as useful information too. The goal isn't to interrogate anyone, it's to make sure the person coming into your home or office is someone you'd actually choose, not just whoever answered first.

If you're comparing us against another option, feel free to ask us all seven, we're happy to walk through insurance, WSIB, products, and pricing on a quick call before you commit to anything.