What a house cleaning service agreement is for
A one-page agreement prevents the common cleaning disputes: a late cancellation charge, a broken vase, a missed baseboard, a price increase. Clients like knowing the rules, and you get a signed record of access permission and the cancellation policy. Keep it plain; it should read like a promise, not a contract from a bank.
What to put on a house cleaning service agreement
- Frequency and the visit checklist.
- Access, keys and alarm codes.
- Cancellation and lockout policy.
- Breakage and missed-spot policy.
- Price, billing and price changes.
- How either side ends it.
A worked example
The biweekly three-bedroom client signs a standing agreement. The visit price is the calculator's typical standard clean.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard clean, biweekly, for one year * | 26 | each | $233.00 | $6,058.00 |
| Change bed linens each visit | 26 | each | Your price |
The yearly total shows the commitment; billing is per visit or monthly as chosen. This is a template, not legal advice; check your state's rules on service agreements.
* Typical price from our free house cleaning cost calculator, which lists its sources. Your own costs and market come first.
Line items house cleaners use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard clean | each | Kitchen, baths, dusting, floors; by home size. |
| Deep clean | each | Baseboards, inside appliances on request, detailed scrubbing; usually the first visit. |
| Move-in or move-out clean | each | Empty home, inside cabinets and appliances. |
| Inside oven | each | Add-on. |
| Inside refrigerator | each | Add-on; customer empties it first. |
| Interior windows | each | Per window, inside only. |
| Laundry, wash and fold | load | Per load. |
| Change bed linens | each | Per bed. |
| Baseboards and blinds detail | room | Often part of a deep clean. |
| Post-construction cleanup | hour | Fine dust takes repeated passes; price by the hour. |
| Pet hair surcharge | each | Homes with heavy shedding. |
| Extra hours | hour | Time beyond the agreed visit. |
Terms and deposit language for house cleaning
- Deposit. Recurring cleans usually need no deposit, with a card on file. One-time deep cleans and move-outs may take a booking deposit to hold the date.
- Payment. Charged after each visit to the card on file, or paid at the visit. Recurring clients may be billed weekly or monthly.
- Warranty. If something was missed, the customer tells you within a day or so and you come back to fix that area at no charge. Say the window.
- Late cancellations or a locked-out visit may be charged; say the notice you need.
- Cleaners do not move heavy furniture, climb high ladders or handle biohazards unless agreed.
- Customer secures valuables and tells you about fragile items and pets.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for house cleaning
- House cleaning cost calculator
- Cleaning business name generator
- Carpet cleaning cost calculator
- Labor rate calculator
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for house cleaners: how house cleaners run on Koira.