Choosing janitorial services is a business decision. Cleaning affects health, first impressions, and safety. It also protects building infrastructure, including walls, equipment, and surfaces ranging from tile grout to carpet to sealed concrete.
The goal is simple: pick a provider you can trust when no one’s watching. Use the checklist below to compare with confidence, based on proof, compliance, training, flexibility, sustainable practices, and liability protection. Or, just call us at Oneliance for guaranteed reliable service.
Start with proof, reputation, and real experience
A strong provider demonstrates stable accounts, consistent quality, and repeatable processes across facilities such as offices, clinics, schools, retail, and warehouses. Look for signs they understand your traffic patterns, zones, and preferred cleaning standards.
Ask how they measure performance. Do they run inspections with scored checklists, photo logs, and digital audit tools? Also, confirm how they handle common pain points: missed trash, restroom odor, entryway salt in winter, and high-dust areas in warehouses. The best janitorial service companies like Oneliance treat complaints as data and then fix the root cause.
How to read reviews and references without getting fooled
Reviews matter most when they highlight patterns: consistent quality, quick communication, practical problem-solving, and low staff turnover.
Request 2 to 3 references with a similar building type and square footage. Then ask:
- How fast do they respond when something’s missed or an emergency happens?
- What’s the fix process?
- Is billing accurate, with clear “included vs extra” charges?
What experience should include
Experience should match your scope. Ask whether they staff day porters, nightly crews, or both, and whether they perform specialty work such as floor finishes, carpet extraction, and restroom deep cleans. Also ask how the staff are busy during busy seasons or high-call out times.
Confirm who your on-site supervisor is and how often they are on-site. Oneliance has dedicated supervisors and managers whom guide on-site teams. Ask how quality checks are conducted, including how issues are logged and closed, as well as what technology they use. For example, Oneliance uses a proprietary app to collect, track, analyize, and report on all cleaning activities.
Make sure they are compliant, well-trained, and safe to trust onsite
Compliance reduces risk. It also demonstrates discipline in the basics, such as proper chemical dilution, labeled bottles, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) on-site. Add security controls to the list, such as key logs, badge rules, and alarm procedures. A reputable provider like Oneliance can explain how they protect occupants, property, and their cleaning team.
Request a written scope of work with a task list organized by area (restrooms, break rooms, offices, high-touch points). “Approved products” should mean the right chemistry for the surface: neutral cleaners for many floors, and registered disinfectants for high-touch items.
Green cleaning should be easy to explain: low-odor products, safer chemicals, microfiber systems, and HEPA vacuums when possible. The payoff is fewer irritants and better support for sustainability goals.
Background checks, training and insurance
Good training is visible: structured onboarding, a site walkthrough, equipment training (autoscrubbers, burnishers), and refreshers. Confirm background checks, photo IDs, sign-in rules, and exactly who can access keys or alarms.
Ask about turnover and how new hires get supervised during the first weeks. Oneliance has one of the lowest front-line staff turnover rates in the industry which supports cleaning consistency.
Verify these items and request a certificate of insurance (COI) when needed:
- General liability
- Workers’ compensation
- Bonding (if your site requires it)
Conclusion
Selecting a janitorial provider comes down to a short checklist: proven track record, compliance, real training and screening, a flexible scope, practical green options, and solid insurance. Get everything in writing, including the scope of work and how quality checks are scored and reported. Next step: contact a trusted janitorial company like Oneliance today.
