A cleaning contract is a written agreement between a cleaning company and a client that sets out what gets cleaned, how often, what it costs, and who is responsible when a key goes missing or a vase gets knocked off a shelf. House cleaners use it with homeowners, and janitorial crews use it with offices, shops and clinics. This free cleaning contract template works for both, in Word or PDF.
Who actually needs a written cleaning contract?
Anyone running recurring cleans needs one, because recurring work is where the misunderstandings pile up. Picture a hypothetical two-person crew cleaning a family home every other Thursday for $160. By month three, the client has started leaving laundry out “while you’re here”, the dog has chewed through a mop head, and nobody remembers whether the fridge was included. A one-page agreement signed in week one answers all of that before it becomes a sore point.
It also matters for one-off jobs with bigger stakes, like a move-out deep clean or a post-construction clean on a commercial unit, where the price depends on the condition of the space and the client needs the work done by a set date.
A few other documents may fit better. For a single job where you just need the client to approve a price, send a quote first. For a larger commercial client with several buildings, different service levels and statements of work, a master service agreement with a service level agreement is a cleaner structure. And if you mow lawns as well as clean, we have a separate lawn care contract.
What goes into a cleaning services agreement?
Our template is organized around the questions clients and cleaners actually argue about.
Type of property and scope. Residential or commercial, the address, and a room-by-room or area-by-area list of tasks. The template separates standard tasks from extras (inside the oven, inside windows, laundry) and lists what’s excluded, such as biohazard cleanup or climbing above a set height.
Schedule. One-time, weekly, every two weeks or monthly, with the day and time window. There’s a line for what happens when a visit lands on a holiday.
Supplies and equipment. Who provides them. Some clients want their own products used, often for allergies, pets or a preference for fragrance-free products. The template lets either side supply, and the client can list products to avoid.
Keys, codes and access. How the crew gets in, how keys and alarm codes are stored, and that they come back at the end. The cleaning company agrees to keep codes confidential and tell the client right away if a key is lost.
Price and payment. A flat price per visit or an hourly rate, when invoices go out, and any late fee.
Breakage and damage. The company reports damage the same day and repairs, replaces or pays for what it breaks. It isn’t on the hook for normal wear, or for items already damaged or unstable that the client didn’t flag. There’s a space for the client to list anything fragile or valuable the crew should leave alone.
Insurance and bonding. The company states that it carries general liability insurance, with space for a bond if it has one. The SBA describes general liability insurance as coverage against financial loss from bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses and the cost of defending lawsuits, which is exactly what a client wants in place when strangers are working in their home or office. Ask for a certificate of insurance rather than taking it on trust.
Cancellations and ending the contract. How much notice each side gives to skip a visit, what a same-day lockout costs, and how either party ends the arrangement.
Is a house cleaner an employee or a contractor?
When you hire a cleaning company that sends its own staff, those cleaners are generally the company’s workers, not yours. IRS Publication 926 puts it simply: if an agency provides the worker and controls what work is done and how it is done, the worker isn’t your employee. The flip side is that when you hire an individual directly and can control not only what work is done but how it’s done, the IRS treats them as your household employee, and household employer tax rules can apply.
This template is written for a business providing services, not for hiring a housekeeper as your employee. If you’re a solo cleaner, the company section can simply be your own name or your business name. If you run a crew and bring in help, look at our independent contractor agreement or subcontractor agreement for your side of that relationship.
How do you fill in the cleaning contract and get it signed?
- Walk the space with the client before you price it. Note anything fragile, any rooms that are off limits, and any pets.
- Write the task list in plain words. “Wipe kitchen counters and cabinet fronts” beats “general kitchen clean.”
- Fill in the schedule, price, supply choice and access method.
- Attach your certificate of insurance and, if you like, a short checklist of the tasks.
- Both sides sign and keep a copy. Revisit the task list if the scope drifts.
A cleaning contract is an ordinary service contract, and the federal ESIGN Act says a contract can’t be denied legal effect solely because it’s electronic. So e-signing it is normal. If you want the background, read are electronic signatures legally binding.
Download the template, fill in the blanks, and send it for e-signature with any tool you like. (We’re building SignWren for exactly this; join the waitlist if you’d like early access.)
This template and guide are general information, not legal advice. For a specific contract or dispute, talk to a lawyer licensed where you are.
Template from signwren.com. General information, not legal advice. Check your state's rules and adapt it before you use it.
CLEANING SERVICES CONTRACT
This Cleaning Services Contract ("Contract") is made on [date] between:
Client: [Client's full legal name or business name], of [address] ("Client"), and
Cleaning Company: [Cleaning company's legal name or owner's name, and any business name], of [address] ("Cleaning Company").
1. Property
The Cleaning Company will clean the following property (the "Property"): [street address, city, state, ZIP, and suite or unit number].
Type of property: ☐ Residential (home, apartment, rental unit) ☐ Commercial (office, shop, clinic, other: [describe])
Approximate size: [square feet, or number of bedrooms and bathrooms, or number of rooms]
2. Services
Standard tasks at every visit: [list by room or area, e.g. "Kitchen: wipe counters, cabinet fronts and appliance exteriors, clean sink, sweep and mop floor. Bathrooms: clean toilet, tub, shower, sink and mirrors, mop floor. All rooms: dust reachable surfaces, vacuum, empty trash."]
Extra tasks, only when requested and at the price in Section 5: [e.g. inside oven, inside fridge, inside windows, laundry, move-out clean]
Not included: [e.g. biohazard or mold cleanup, pest waste, exterior windows above ground floor, moving heavy furniture, work requiring a ladder over [number] feet]
Areas the Cleaning Company should not enter or clean: [list, or "None"].
3. Schedule
☐ One-time clean on [date], starting at [time].
☐ Recurring: ☐ Weekly ☐ Every two weeks ☐ Monthly, on [day], between [time] and [time], starting on [start date].
If a scheduled visit falls on a holiday, the visit will ☐ move to [the next business day / another agreed day] ☐ be skipped without charge.
Either party may reschedule a single visit with at least [number] hours' notice.
4. Supplies and Equipment
☐ The Cleaning Company supplies all cleaning products and equipment.
☐ The Client supplies these products or equipment: [list]. The Cleaning Company supplies everything else.
Products the Cleaning Company must not use at the Property: [e.g. bleach, scented products, or "None"].
5. Price and Payment
☐ Flat price of [$ amount] per visit.
☐ Hourly rate of [$ amount] per cleaner per hour, with an estimated [number] hours per visit.
Extra tasks: [list each extra with its price].
Payment is due ☐ at each visit ☐ within [number] days of each invoice ☐ monthly in advance on the [day] day of the month, by [payment method].
If payment is more than [number] days late, the Client will pay a late fee of [$ amount], if permitted by law, and the Cleaning Company may pause service until the account is current.
The Cleaning Company may change its prices by giving at least [number] days' written notice. The Client may end this Contract under Section 11 instead of accepting the new price.
6. Keys, Codes and Access
The Cleaning Company will get into the Property by: ☐ A key provided by the Client ☐ A door or lockbox code ☐ The Client or a staff member letting the crew in ☐ Other: [describe].
The Cleaning Company will keep keys and codes secure, label keys only with a code (never with the address), limit them to the staff who need them, and return all keys when this Contract ends. If a key is lost or a code may have been shared, the Cleaning Company will tell the Client the same day and will pay the reasonable cost of rekeying the affected locks if the loss was the Cleaning Company's fault.
Alarm instructions: [describe, or "No alarm"].
If the crew cannot get in at the scheduled time because of the Client (for example, a changed code or no one home to let them in), the Client will pay a lockout fee of [$ amount or percentage of the visit price].
7. Pets, Valuables and Safety
Pets at the Property: [type, name, any instructions, or "None"].
The Client will put away cash, jewelry, medication, firearms and other valuables before each visit, and will tell the Cleaning Company about any fragile, antique or high-value items the crew should not handle: [list].
The Client will tell the Cleaning Company about any known hazard at the Property, such as loose flooring, damaged wiring or mold.
8. Breakage and Damage
The Cleaning Company will report any damage or breakage it causes to the Client on the day it happens. The Cleaning Company will, at its choice, repair the item, replace it with a similar item, or reimburse the Client its reasonable repair or replacement cost, up to the limits of its insurance.
The Cleaning Company is not responsible for normal wear and tear, for items that were already damaged, loose or unstable, or for damage caused by the Client's instructions or supplies. Any claim for damage must be reported to the Cleaning Company within [number] days of the visit.
9. Insurance and Bonding
The Cleaning Company carries general liability insurance of at least [$ amount] per occurrence and will give the Client a certificate of insurance on request.
☐ The Cleaning Company is bonded with [bonding company], bond amount [$ amount].
☐ The Cleaning Company is not bonded.
The Cleaning Company is responsible for its own staff, including their pay, taxes and any workers' compensation coverage required by law.
10. Independent Business
The Cleaning Company is an independent business, not the Client's employee or agent. The Cleaning Company controls how the work is done, chooses and supervises its own staff, and may use substitute staff who meet the same standards.
11. Cancellations and Ending the Contract
Skipping a visit. The Client may cancel a single visit with at least [number] hours' notice at no charge. A cancellation with less notice incurs a fee of [$ amount or percentage of the visit price].
Satisfaction. If the Client is unhappy with any part of a visit, the Client will tell the Cleaning Company within [number] hours, and the Cleaning Company will return to re-clean that area at no extra charge.
Ending the Contract. Either party may end a recurring arrangement by giving [number] days' written notice. Either party may end this Contract immediately by written notice if the other seriously breaches it and does not fix the breach within [number] days of being told about it. The Client will pay for visits completed before the end date, and the Cleaning Company will return all keys within [number] days.
12. Notices
Notices under this Contract must be in writing and sent by email, text or mail to:
- Client: [phone, email, address]
- Cleaning Company: [phone, email, address]
13. General Terms
Entire agreement. This Contract, and any attached task checklist, is the entire agreement between the parties about the cleaning services.
Amendments. Any change must be in writing and signed by both parties, except that a written message from both parties is enough to add or remove a single extra task.
Governing law. This Contract is governed by the laws of the State of [State].
Severability. If any part of this Contract is found invalid, the rest stays in effect.
Counterparts and electronic signatures. The parties agree this agreement may be signed electronically and in counterparts, and an electronic signature has the same effect as a handwritten one.
Signatures
Client
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]
Cleaning Company
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]