Evaluating a New Cleaning Service in Ontario
The first few visits with a new cleaning service are the most important — they set the standard for the relationship and reveal whether the service will meet your expectations long-term. Here's what to look for and how to give feedback effectively.
What to Evaluate on the First Visit
- Scope completion: Were all the rooms and tasks included in your booking actually done? A missed room or skipped bathroom detail is a red flag on visit one — a professional service should complete their full scope on every visit, not just when they have extra time
- Detail quality: Baseboards wiped? Bathroom fixtures cleaned at the base? Light switches and door handles wiped? These details separate professional cleaning from basic surface-level cleaning
- Products and residue: No streaks on glass, no cleaning product residue left on surfaces, floors clean and dry after mopping — residue and streaking are signs of wrong products or technique
- Communication: Was the cleaner easy to reach? Did they communicate if there was an issue or something they needed clarified? Good communication early predicts reliable communication long-term
How to Give Feedback
Contact the company within 24 hours of the visit — same day is better. Be specific: "the master bathroom floor wasn't mopped" is actionable; "it wasn't clean" isn't. A good company responds quickly and addresses the feedback on the very next visit without requiring repetition.
When to Switch
If the same quality issue recurs after being addressed twice, the service is not capable of meeting your standard. Switching after 3–4 visits is reasonable — you've given them a fair chance.