Free Cleaning Service
Contract Template

A cleaning service contract should include: the parties and property address, service type and schedule (frequency and start date), a detailed scope of cleaning tasks with explicit exclusions, who provides supplies and equipment, entry and key/alarm-code access procedures, fees and payment terms, a cancellation policy with a lockout fee, insurance and bonding requirements, a damage and breakage cap with a reporting window, a non-solicitation (no-hire) clause preventing the client from hiring your cleaners directly, independent-contractor status, and governing law with a dispute-resolution procedure.

Yes — for a cleaning business it is one of the most important clauses. Because your cleaners work inside a client's home or office and build a relationship there, clients are often tempted to hire them directly and cut you out. A non-solicitation (no-hire) clause prohibits the client from hiring, soliciting, or engaging your current or former cleaners directly for a set period (commonly 12–24 months after the last service), and sets a placement fee — often around $2,500 or a few months of service value — if the client breaches it. This is a no-hire clause between businesses, not an employee non-compete, and is generally enforceable when reasonable in scope and duration.

This must be stated in the contract because it is a frequent source of disputes and it affects your price. Most professional cleaners provide their own equipment (vacuum, mop, cloths) and standard supplies, and price accordingly. Some clients prefer to supply their own products — for allergies, surface-specific needs, or "green" preferences — in which case the contract should say the client provides listed products and the cleaner is not responsible for results from client-supplied products. The template lets you pick who provides supplies and equipment, and confirms the client provides access to water, electricity, and trash disposal.

A lockout fee is charged when your cleaner arrives at the scheduled time but cannot get in — no key, wrong code, a pet blocking access, or the client isn't home. Because the time is already reserved and unrecoverable, most cleaners charge 50–100% of the visit fee as a lockout fee. A cancellation policy typically requires at least 24 hours' notice to reschedule without charge; cancellations with less than 24 (or 48) hours' notice are billed at the full visit rate. Stating both clearly up front prevents the most common billing arguments.

A well-drafted cleaning contract handles this in three ways. First, the cleaner carries general liability insurance and (ideally) a janitorial or surety bond that covers theft and property damage. Second, the contract caps the cleaner's liability per incident — residential services commonly cap it at $500 to $1,000 — and requires the client to report suspected damage within a defined window (often 48 hours) so it can be verified. Third, it distinguishes actual damage from normal wear and excludes pre-existing damage. This protects the client for genuine incidents while stopping unlimited or unverifiable claims. Many cleaners also add a satisfaction guarantee: a free re-clean of a missed area within 24 hours before any refund is considered.

It depends on the working relationship, not the label in the contract. Under the U.S. Department of Labor's proposed 2026 rule (RIN 1235-AA46, published February 27, 2026 and not yet final as of mid-2026), classification is decided by a multi-factor economic-reality test that weighs control, opportunity for profit or loss, investment, permanence, skill, and how integral the work is to the business. An independent cleaner or cleaning company contracting directly with a homeowner is generally an independent contractor of that client — the contract states there is no employment relationship. Separately, if your cleaning business sends its own workers, you must classify those workers correctly; misclassification carries back-pay, tax, and penalty exposure.