A nightly janitorial contract is only as good as the scope of work attached to it. Two contracts with the same monthly line item can cover very different amounts of actual cleaning, and the difference usually only becomes visible after a few months of service.
The Scope of Work Is the Contract
The price on a proposal means little without a task list behind it. A written scope should name every area of the facility, the tasks performed in each area, and how often each task happens. “General cleaning” or “standard nightly service” without specifics is not a scope — it is a placeholder that leaves room for disagreement later.
Line Items a Written Scope Should Include
- Vacuuming and mopping, broken out by floor type (carpet, VCT, tile, sealed concrete)
- Restroom cleaning and restocking — and who supplies consumables
- Trash and recycling removal, including liner replacement
- Break room and kitchenette surfaces
- Desk and common-surface wipe-down
- Interior glass and partition cleaning
- Entryway and lobby floor care
What Standard Nightly Service Usually Does Not Include
Floor stripping and waxing, carpet extraction, high dusting above reach height, and post-event cleanup are typically priced separately from nightly service. If your facility needs any of these on a recurring basis, ask for them to be written into the schedule rather than treated as a one-off add-on every time.
Clauses Worth Reading Before You Sign
- Auto-renewal terms: many contracts renew automatically unless notice is given inside a specific window.
- Cancellation terms: know what it costs and how much notice is required to end the relationship.
- Complaint and remedy process: how you report a missed task, and what happens next.
- Supervisor sign-off: whether someone is accountable for verifying the crew completed the scope, not just that they showed up.
What We Provide
Every nightly janitorial contract we write starts with a walkthrough and ends with a written scope tied to a flat monthly price — no verbal promises, no ambiguity about what “general cleaning” means for your building.