How to Switch Commercial Cleaning Companies Without a Gap

Changing cleaning companies is easier when you plan the handover. Most offices can switch in two to four weeks without a single missed clean.

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Step 1: Read your current agreement

Find the notice period, any early-termination charge and the end date. Many agreements ask for 30 days of written notice. Do not send the notice yet.

Step 2: Write down what you actually want

List the days, the hours, the rooms and the tasks, and mark what has been missed lately. Use our office cleaning checklist as a starting point.

Step 3: Get written quotes

Ask each vendor for the same scope, and ask the eight questions in what to ask before hiring a commercial cleaner. Compare what is included, not only the monthly total.

Step 4: Check insurance and access

Ask the new vendor for a certificate of insurance that matches your building requirements, and tell your property manager who will have access.

Step 5: Time the notice

Send notice to the old vendor only after you have signed with the new one. Set the new start date for the day after the old service ends.

Step 6: Plan the first visit

The first visit of a new vendor takes longer, because it removes buildup that the old routine left behind. Doctor Clean schedules a one-time start-up clean first, and then moves to the regular schedule.

Step 7: Check the work in week one

Walk the space with the checklist in your hand after the first two visits, and send any missed tasks in writing the same day. A good vendor wants that feedback.

Switching in four steps

Read your current agreement for the notice period and the end date.
Write down the days, hours, rooms and tasks you want, and mark what has been missed.
Collect written quotes for the same scope, and request a quote from Doctor Clean.
Sign with the new vendor first, then send notice to the old one and start the day after.

Signs your cleaner is not working out

The same task is missed more than once, such as restrooms, the break room or the glass.
Supplies in the restrooms run out between visits.
Nobody answers when you report a problem, or the answer takes days.
Visit times change without notice.
The checklist you were given no longer matches what is done.

One missed task is a conversation with your vendor. A pattern of missed tasks, with no fix after you reported them in writing, is the point to collect other quotes. Doctor Clean provides background-checked and insured cleaners and a written checklist for every space, and offers after-hours office cleaning on the schedule you choose.

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Questions about switching cleaning companies

How long does it take to switch commercial cleaning companies?

Most offices can switch in two to four weeks without a missed clean, when the new vendor is signed before notice goes to the old one.

When should I send notice to my current cleaner?

Send notice only after you have signed with the new vendor, and set the new start date for the day after the old service ends. Check your agreement for the notice period first.

What does the first visit of a new vendor involve?

The first visit takes longer because it removes buildup that the old routine left behind. Doctor Clean schedules a one-time start-up clean first and then moves to the regular schedule.

What should I ask a new cleaning company before I switch?

Ask for a certificate of insurance that matches your building requirements, ask how cleaners are background checked, and ask for a written checklist. Doctor Clean provides all three.

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Ready for a price? Request your quote, and we reply by email with a price and a written checklist.