Real Estate Agents: 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Company
When you’re a real estate agent preparing a commercial property for sale, lease, showing, photography, inspection, or a new tenant, the condition of the property matters.
A building that looks clean, well-maintained, and ready for occupancy can make a better impression on prospective buyers, tenants, investors, and clients.
But hiring a commercial cleaning company isn’t simply about finding someone who can clean.
You need to know:
- What will actually be cleaned?
- How often does the property need service?
- Can cleaning be scheduled around showings and business hours?
- Does the company provide commercial floor care?
- Can they handle a one-time property preparation?
- What happens if the property needs more work than expected?
- What exactly is included in the quote?
Before you hire a commercial cleaning company, ask these 10 questions.
1. What Exactly Is Included in Your Commercial Cleaning Service?
One of the biggest mistakes a property owner or real estate agent can make is assuming that every commercial cleaning company provides the same service.
They don’t.
Before approving a quote, ask the cleaning company to explain exactly what is included.
Depending on the property and the agreed-upon scope, commercial cleaning may include:
- Offices
- Entrances and lobbies
- Hallways
- Restrooms
- Break rooms
- Common areas
- Dusting
- Trash removal
- High-touch surfaces
- Interior glass
- Routine floor cleaning
- Other agreed-upon cleaning tasks
Ask specifically which areas will be cleaned and which services would be considered additional.
If you’re preparing a commercial property for photographs, showings, or a prospective tenant, ask the cleaning company to walk through the property with you and identify the areas that need attention.
Why this matters: You don’t want to discover after the job is finished that an important area wasn’t included in the original quote.
Need help determining what your property needs? Call A Personal Touch Professional Cleaning to discuss the building and request a quote.
2. How Often Does the Property Need to Be Cleaned?
Not every commercial property needs the same cleaning schedule.
A vacant building waiting to be sold may need a one-time cleaning.
An occupied office with employees, customers, and regular foot traffic may need weekly, multiple-times-per-week, or daily janitorial service.
The appropriate frequency can depend on:
- Number of occupants
- Foot traffic
- Type of business
- Number of restrooms
- Property size
- Condition of the building
- Customer traffic
- How often the property is being shown
- Whether the property is occupied or vacant
Ask the cleaning company what schedule makes sense for the property’s actual use.
A professional commercial cleaning company should be able to discuss your needs rather than simply giving every property the same cleaning schedule.
3. Can You Work Around Showings, Photography, and Business Hours?
Real estate properties can have constantly changing schedules.
You might have:
- A photographer coming tomorrow morning
- A showing that afternoon
- An inspection later in the week
- A prospective tenant visiting
- Contractors completing repairs
- A new tenant moving in
If the building is occupied, cleaning also needs to be coordinated around employees and customers.
Ask the cleaning company whether they can schedule service around your property’s operations.
Timing matters.
You don’t want to pay to have a property professionally cleaned and then have contractors, employees, or heavy traffic make it dirty again before the photographer or prospective tenant arrives.
When requesting a quote, tell the cleaning company about your deadline and any important property dates.
4. Do You Clean High-Touch and High-Visibility Areas?
Some parts of a commercial property receive considerably more attention than others.
Ask whether the cleaning program addresses high-touch areas such as:
- Door handles
- Push plates
- Light switches
- Handrails
- Restroom fixtures
- Common-area surfaces
- Frequently touched fixtures
High-visibility areas deserve attention as well.
Think about the areas a prospective buyer or tenant is likely to see first:
The entrance. The lobby. The restrooms. Hallways. Break rooms. Common areas. And the floors.
The cleaning schedule should reflect the property’s traffic and use.
For an occupied commercial building, some areas may require more frequent attention than others.
5. Do You Provide Commercial Floor Cleaning, Maintenance, and Floor Stripping and Waxing?
This is an important question that real estate agents should not overlook.
A building can have clean walls, clean restrooms, and clean windows and still look poorly maintained because of its floors.
Commercial flooring takes a tremendous amount of traffic.
Over time, floors can develop:
- Dullness
- Yellowing
- Heavy buildup
- Stubborn scuff marks
- Uneven appearance
- Worn finish
- Layers of old floor finish
Sometimes routine cleaning is enough.
Sometimes the floor needs scrubbing or buffing.
And sometimes cleaning and buffing are no longer enough.
A floor with significant buildup or a deteriorated finish may need commercial floor stripping and waxing to remove the old finish and apply a new protective finish.
Before listing or showing a commercial property, ask:
Does this floor need to be cleaned, maintained, buffed, or completely stripped and refinished?
Getting that question answered early can prevent a last-minute floor-care problem before an important showing or photography appointment.
If the floors are dull, yellowed, heavily scuffed, or covered with old buildup, call A Personal Touch Professional Cleaning and ask about professional commercial floor care.
6. Can You Handle a One-Time Commercial Property Cleaning?
You don’t always need a long-term janitorial contract.
Sometimes you simply need the property cleaned right now.
A one-time commercial cleaning may be needed for:
- A property going on the market
- Professional photography
- An open house
- A commercial showing
- A property inspection
- A tenant turnover
- A new tenant move-in
- A vacant building
- Preparing a property for lease
- Preparing a property for sale
Ask whether the company provides one-time commercial cleaning in addition to recurring janitorial service.
This is especially useful for real estate agents who may manage several properties with different needs.
If you have a property that needs to be cleaned before a showing, listing, inspection, or tenant move-in, don’t wait until the last minute. Call to discuss the property and available scheduling.
7. What Happens If the Property Needs More Cleaning Than Expected?
Sometimes the condition of a property isn’t obvious during the initial walkthrough.
Once cleaning begins, you may discover:
- Years of accumulated dust
- Heavy restroom buildup
- Neglected break rooms
- Dirty common areas
- Excessive debris
- Heavily soiled floors
- Old floor finish
- Areas that require additional attention
Ask the cleaning company:
What’s included in the original quote, and what happens if additional work is needed?
A clear explanation before work begins can prevent disagreements later.
The company should be able to explain what is included, what would be considered additional work, and how additional services would be handled.
8. Do You Have Experience With Commercial Properties?
Commercial cleaning is different from cleaning a typical home.
Commercial properties can involve larger spaces, multiple restrooms, high-traffic floors, employees, customers, access requirements, recurring schedules, and cleaning around normal business operations.
Ask about experience with properties such as:
- Office buildings
- Professional offices
- Retail spaces
- Commercial common areas
- Vacant commercial properties
- Properties between tenants
- Multi-tenant facilities
It’s also worth asking whether the company provides both commercial janitorial service and commercial floor care.
Having one company that understands both the building’s routine cleaning needs and its floor-care needs can simplify property maintenance.
9. Can You Coordinate Cleaning With Other Property-Preparation Work?
Cleaning is often one piece of a much larger property-preparation project.
A commercial property may also need:
- Painting
- Repairs
- Carpet cleaning
- Floor stripping and waxing
- Landscaping
- Maintenance
- Construction work
- Photography
- Inspection
The order matters.
For example, if a building is professionally cleaned before painters or contractors finish their work, the property may need to be cleaned again.
Talk with the cleaning company about when the final cleaning should take place.
The goal is simple:
Have the property clean and ready when the buyer, tenant, photographer, or prospective client walks through the door.
10. Can You Give Me a Clear Commercial Cleaning Quote?
Before hiring a commercial cleaning company, ask for a quote based on the property’s actual condition and the services you need.
Commercial cleaning prices can be affected by:
- Square footage
- Number of restrooms
- Property condition
- Type of flooring
- Amount of foot traffic
- Cleaning frequency
- Number of areas being serviced
- One-time versus recurring service
- Special cleaning requirements
- Floor-care requirements
- Scheduling requirements
For commercial floor stripping and waxing, the condition of the existing floor finish can also affect the scope.
Heavy buildup, multiple layers of finish, preparation requirements, square footage, and the number of finish coats can all affect the work required.
A good quote should clearly explain what you’re paying for and what is not included.
Don’t Forget About the Property’s Floors
When preparing a property for sale or lease, it’s easy to concentrate on windows, walls, restrooms, and general cleanliness while overlooking the condition of the floors.
Take a close look at the flooring.
Does it look dull even after cleaning?
Are there yellowed areas?
Are there layers of old finish or buildup?
Are scuff marks no longer coming off with routine cleaning?
Does the floor have an uneven appearance?
If so, the property may need professional floor maintenance or stripping and refinishing rather than another basic cleaning.
For commercial properties, properly maintained floors can make a significant difference in the overall appearance of the space.
If you’re not sure whether your commercial floor needs routine cleaning, buffing, maintenance, or stripping and waxing, call A Personal Touch Professional Cleaning. We can discuss the condition of the floor and the type of service you’re considering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial Cleaning for Real Estate Properties
How often should a commercial property be professionally cleaned before being listed?
There is no single schedule that works for every property. A vacant property may need a one-time cleaning, while an occupied building may require recurring commercial janitorial service. The property’s condition, traffic, occupancy, and showing schedule should all be considered.
Should commercial floors be stripped and waxed before a property is listed?
Not necessarily. If routine cleaning and maintenance restore the floor’s appearance, stripping may not be necessary. However, dullness, yellowing, stubborn scuffs, heavy buildup, or a deteriorated finish can indicate that professional stripping and refinishing should be considered.
Can a commercial cleaning company clean a property before professional photography?
Yes. One-time commercial cleaning can be scheduled around photography and other property-preparation activities. Ideally, the cleaning should be completed close enough to the photography date that the property remains clean and presentable.
Can I hire a commercial cleaning company for only one cleaning?
Yes, many commercial cleaning companies offer one-time cleaning in addition to recurring janitorial service. Ask specifically whether the company handles property preparation, tenant turnover, vacant properties, and other one-time commercial cleaning needs.
What should a commercial cleaning quote include?
The quote should clearly identify the areas and services being provided, the cleaning frequency when applicable, and any additional services or floor-care work that are not part of the basic scope.
Can commercial cleaning be scheduled outside normal business hours?
Depending on the company and the property, cleaning may be scheduled around business operations, building access, traffic, showings, and other property requirements. Discuss scheduling requirements when requesting your quote.
What if the property needs floor stripping and waxing instead of regular cleaning?
A professional floor-care evaluation can help determine whether routine cleaning, buffing, maintenance, or complete stripping and refinishing is appropriate. The type and condition of the flooring should be considered before deciding which process is necessary.
How far in advance should a real estate agent schedule commercial cleaning?
It’s best to schedule as early as practical, particularly when cleaning must be coordinated with photography, inspections, showings, tenant move-ins, or other contractors. Last-minute availability can vary depending on the scope of work and the company’s schedule.
Preparing a Commercial Property for Sale or Lease?
Real estate agents have enough responsibilities without having to worry about whether a property will be ready when the buyer, tenant, photographer, or inspector arrives.
Whether you need a one-time commercial cleaning, recurring janitorial service, commercial floor maintenance, or professional floor stripping and waxing, the service should be based on the property’s condition, schedule, traffic, and intended use.
A Personal Touch Professional Cleaning provides commercial cleaning and professional floor-care services in Winston-Salem, Clemmons, Kernersville, Lewisville, and surrounding areas.
If you’re a real estate agent, property manager, property owner, or commercial property professional preparing a property for sale, lease, showing, tenant turnover, or occupancy, call A Personal Touch Professional Cleaning to discuss the property and request a quote.
We’ll discuss the property’s cleaning needs, floor condition, scheduling requirements, and the type of service that may be appropriate.
Don’t wait until the day before the showing to discover the property needs more work than expected. Call A Personal Touch Professional Cleaning today to discuss your commercial cleaning or floor-care needs.
