What belongs in a janitorial scope of work

A janitorial scope of work is the document that turns "we'll clean your building" into something you can actually hold a vendor to. If your current contract (or a quote you've received) is missing most of the items below, that's worth raising before you sign — or before your next renewal.

Exactly which areas are covered

Not "the building," but a specific list: which floors, which common areas, which restrooms, whether individual tenant suites are included or handled separately. Ambiguity here is where most disputes start.

Frequency per area

Different areas often need different frequencies — a lobby might be cleaned nightly while a rarely used storage room is monthly. The scope should say so explicitly rather than implying "everything, every visit."

What's included in each visit

Trash removal, surface wipe-down, restroom sanitizing, and floor care are common categories, but "floor care" alone is vague — does it mean daily vacuuming, or does it include periodic stripping and waxing? See our floor care page for how that's often split out as a separate, periodic line item.

Supply responsibility

Who provides and restocks paper products, soap, and liners — the vendor or the building? This is a common source of confusion when it's left unstated.

Point of contact and communication

Who do you call when something's missed, and what's the expected response? A scope of work should name a specific contact rather than a general company line.

Vendor requirements

For property managers especially, this often includes insurance certificates, background-check policies for staff, and any building-specific access or badge requirements.

What changes require a new quote

Adding square footage, increasing frequency, or adding a new service (like a one-time deep clean) should have a clear process rather than an assumption that it's automatically included.

Putting it together

A good scope of work is specific enough that a third party could read it and know exactly what should have happened on any given visit. If you're evaluating commercial janitorial service or property management cleaning, ask to see a sample scope of work before signing anything.