Cleaning Contract Template (+Free PDF Download)

Read Time6 minutes

PublishedOctober 25, 2024

Cleaning without a contract puts you at risk of legal disputes, unpaid invoices, and misunderstandings around service expectations.

These can cost your business time and money while damaging your brand reputation. 

A cleaning service contract template makes it easy to create binding agreements with prospective clients and supports clear communication between service providers, small business owners, and homeowners.

Download our free cleaning contract template to save time while protecting your organization against misunderstandings in service delivery.

Introducing Your Free Cleaning Contract Template

This free template is an easy-to-use, fully customizable solution for cleaning businesses. 

The cleaning service agreement covers detailed information from commercial and residential cleaning service offerings to:

  • Cleaning products to be used

  • Job details and service delivery details

  • Payment terms

  • Client and provider responsibilities

Cleaning contracts ensure providers and clients are on the same page regarding expectations for the business relationship.

Tips for making the most of the template:

  • Edit it for your business.

  • Have a lawyer review to ensure it’s compliant with governing law.

  • Outline the scope of work and payment methods.

  • Cover policies for confidential information and warranties.

This reduces your workload so you can focus on growing your cleaning business instead of creating repetitive paperwork.

What is a Cleaning Service Contract?

A cleaning service contract is a legally binding agreement between a cleaning service provider and a client outlining the terms and conditions of the cleaning services. 

It clearly defines the scope of work, payment terms, and responsibilities of both parties. A good cleaning contract agreement is essential for smooth operations and avoiding disputes, whether you have a small house cleaning business or a big commercial cleaning company.

A cleaning service contract can establish clear expectations and protect both the client's and the provider's interests.

How to Customize Your Cleaning Contract

Fill in the client and cleaning service provider details, such as contact information and business name.

Then, specify the scope of work for house cleaning services like vacuuming, mopping, and window cleaning. Outline what cleaning supplies the client will provide and what will be returned upon termination of the agreement.

Adjust the payment terms to your pricing structure, hourly rate, per job, or recurring. You can also modify the start and end dates to fit each client’s needs.

Key sections to customize include:

  1. Services (e.g. deep cleaning, office cleaning, residential cleaning).

  2. Payment methods and late payment penalties.

  3. Clauses to protect confidential information.

While this printable cleaning contract template uses legal language, always consult a lawyer to ensure it complies with governing law. It should be used as a starting point, not a substitute for legal advice.

With a few tweaks, you’ll have a ready-to-go contract for your cleaning business.

Key Components of a Cleaning Services Contract

A cleaning services contract should have defined sections for clarity and to support a mutual understanding between the client and the service provider. Here are the main components:

  • Scope of Work: This section describes the cleaning services to be provided, including tasks like vacuuming, mopping, and window cleaning, as well as the frequency and duration of the services.

  • Payment Terms: Clearly state the payment amount, method and schedule, including any taxes or fees, to avoid any financial transaction confusion

  • Responsibilities: Define the responsibilities of both the client and the service provider, including specific requirements or expectations. So both parties know what’s expected of them. For example, homeowners need to ensure furniture and heavy or fragile objects are out of the way if they want a deep clean.

  • Confidentiality: Include a clause that the service provider will keep the client’s personal and business information confidential, protecting their sensitive data.

  • Independent Contractor: State that the service provider is an independent contractor, not an employee of the client. This is for legal and tax purposes.

  • Entire Agreement: State that the contract is the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior negotiations, understandings and agreements. Use disclaimers to prevent any misunderstandings.

  • Governing Law: Specify the law of which state (or county/city/etc., if applicable) will govern the contract.

  • Dispute Resolution: Outline the process for disputes or claims arising from the contract to have a clear path for conflict resolution.

Essential Clauses in a Cleaning Service Contract

In addition to the components above, there are several clauses to include in a cleaning service contract to add more protection and clarity:

  1. Cancellation Clause: This clause outlines the contract's cancellation process, including notice periods or penalties. So both parties know the terms of cancellation.

  2. Warranty Clause: Specify the warranties or guarantees provided by the service provider, including any limitations or exclusions. To manage client expectations of the services.

  3. Liability Clause: Limit the service provider's liability for any damages or losses arising from the services to protect the service provider from excessive claims.

  4. Insurance Clause: Require the service provider to have adequate insurance coverage, including liability and workers’ compensation insurance. So both parties are protected in case of accidents or damages.

  5. Termination Clause: Outline the circumstances under which the contract can be terminated, including notice periods or penalties, so that both parties have a straightforward termination procedure.

  6. Assignment Clause: The contract may not be assigned to a third party without the prior written consent of the other party, so the original parties maintain control of the agreement.

  7. Amendment Clause: Outline the process of amending the contract, including notice periods or requirements. This ensures some degree of flexibility while remaining legal.

What Are the Challenges of Operating Without a Cleaning Contract?

Running a cleaning business without a contract puts you at financial and operational risk. 

Without payment terms for provided services, invoices may go unpaid for weeks or months, disrupting cash flow, or clients may dispute charges. Extra work outside the agreed scope or scope creep can raise job costs, eating into your profits.

Liability issues also arise without a contract. 

If property is damaged or someone is injured during the job, who’s responsible becomes a legal headache. Misunderstandings about what was cleaned or the quality of service can cost you time and damage your brand reputation.

Key challenges include:

  • Clients will expect services not discussed, so there are mismatched expectations.

  • No clear terms means inefficient scheduling and wasted resources.

  • Not having a contract makes your business look unprofessional.

Beyond the financial and legal risks, not having a cleaning services agreement adds emotional stress. For business owners, dealing with disputes and damaged reputations will increase stress and require excessive time spent resolving disputes.

Getting a contract is key to avoiding energy-intensive disputes.

Beyond the Contract: How to Use Cleaning Software to Streamline Your Business

A contract is essential, but using the right software will take your business to the next level. 

Aspire’s commercial cleaning software empowers your cleaning company to manage operations more efficiently and professionally. From job costing to invoicing, Aspire streamlines operations while generating real-time, accurate data.

Key features include:

  • Drag-and-drop scheduling for easy task management.

  • Real-time job costing to control expenses and boost profit.

  • Customizable reporting to guide responsive management of cleaning jobs.

  • CRM to simplify customer relationship management and pinpoint upselling opportunities.

Aspire’s platform unlocks efficient workflows from estimating jobs to invoicing clients, improving communication and accountability across your teams. The Aspire Mobile also connects employees and clients, ensuring high service quality and professionalism.

With Aspire, managing your cleaning business is easier. You can do more with less time, empowering your team to focus on ongoing growth without compromising customer satisfaction.

The Bottom Line

Having a cleaning contract template and a cleaning services contract agreement is an easy and effective way to protect your business, communicate clearly, and avoid costly misunderstandings. 

With a structured contract, you can define services, payment terms, and expectations upfront so both your business and client are protected. It saves you time, reduces legal risk, and looks professional.

Download and customize our cleaning contract template to eliminate miscommunication, service disputes, and aging or unpaid invoices. It’s a free solution for managing client relationships and setting standards.

But why stop at a contract? 

Aspire’s commercial cleaning software can further your business by streamlining everything from job costing to invoicing. With real-time reporting and easy CRM tools, Aspire helps cleaning businesses be organized, efficient and profitable.

Ready to take the next step?

Book a personalize demo today and discover how Aspire can transform your cleaning business, helping you manage contracts, tasks, and client relationships all in one place.

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