The right cleaning company in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky will answer every question below directly, without hedging. The wrong one will dodge, push back, or change the subject. This is the comprehensive list of questions to ask before hiring a cleaning company — what to ask, why it matters, and what a good answer sounds like.
Questions about the company
1. How long have you been in business in the Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky area?
Why it matters: Tenure correlates with reliability. New companies aren’t automatically bad, but a company that’s been running locally for 5+ years has solved most of the operational problems that sink newer outfits.
Good answer: “We’ve been serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since 2012.” (Like Jeannie’s.)
2. Are you a locally owned business or a franchise?
Why it matters: Local owners are accountable to their reputation. Franchise quality varies dramatically by individual location, and corporate is rarely reachable when there’s a problem.
3. Where is your office located?
Why it matters: A real address signals a real business. Cleaning companies running out of someone’s house may not have the operational infrastructure to handle issues.
4. How many cleaners do you employ?
Why it matters: Team size affects coverage. A 2-person operation can’t cover for a sick day; a 15+ person team can.
5. Are you BBB accredited? What’s your rating?
Why it matters: BBB accreditation requires meeting specific business standards. A+ rating is the gold standard.
Questions about the people in your home
6. Are your cleaners W-2 employees or 1099 contractors / gig workers?
Why it matters: W-2 = on payroll, trained, accountable, insured. 1099 / gig = independent, often uninsured, no consistent training. This single distinction is the biggest predictor of quality and your legal protection.
Good answer: “All our cleaners are W-2 employees.”
7. Do you run background checks? When? How often?
Why it matters: Background checks aren’t legally required for residential cleaning in Kentucky or Ohio — so a company that runs them is opting in to higher standards.
Good answer: “Yes, third-party background checks on every hire, before they step into a client’s home.”
8. Are your cleaners insured?
Why it matters: If a cleaner gets hurt in your home and they’re uninsured, your homeowner’s insurance might be liable.
Good answer: “We carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation for every employee. Proof of insurance available on request.”
9. Will I get the same team every visit?
Why it matters: Consistent teams learn your home, your pets, your alarm code, and your preferences. Rotating cleaners means re-teaching every visit.
Good answer: “Whenever possible, yes — same 2-person team.”
10. What happens if my regular cleaner is sick or on vacation?
Why it matters: Backup capacity. A solo cleaner with no backup = no clean that week. A real company has substitute teams.
11. Do you train your cleaners? On what?
Why it matters: Consistent training = consistent quality across visits and across teams.
12. Will the cleaners speak English? (If that matters to you.)
Why it matters: Communication on access codes, special requests, and pet handling.
Questions about pricing
13. What’s your pricing model — hourly, flat, or by room?
Why it matters: Hourly is open-ended and incentivizes slow work. Room-by-room (like Jeannie’s) is the most transparent and protects you from surprise charges.
14. Can I get a quote without an in-home visit?
Why it matters: Reputable companies can quote based on your room count. “We need to see it first” can sometimes mean they want to upsell on-site.
Good answer: “Yes — tell us your bedrooms, bathrooms, and cleaning level and we’ll quote it the same business day.”
15. What payment methods do you accept?
Why it matters: “Cash only” almost always means no taxes, no insurance, no accountability.
16. When is payment due — before, after, or during?
Why it matters: Standard is the day of service. Avoid prepayment for months in advance with new companies.
17. Are there any extra fees not in the quote?
Why it matters: Travel fees, supply fees, or “weekend fees” added at the end are red flags.
18. Do you offer a recurring discount?
Why it matters: Most reputable companies offer 15–25% off per visit for weekly / bi-weekly clients. If they don’t, ask why.
19. What’s your cancellation policy?
Why it matters: Life happens. A 48-hour notice policy is reasonable. A 7-day notice policy is rigid. No notice required is unusual.
20. Do you charge tax?
Why it matters: Residential cleaning is taxable in Kentucky (since 2023). Not taxable in Ohio. A KY company that doesn’t charge tax is either incorrectly handling it or operating off the books.
Questions about scope of work
21. What’s included in a standard cleaning?
Why it matters: The word “standard” varies widely. Ask for a written checklist.
22. What’s the difference between your standard, deep, and move-out cleans?
Why it matters: Forces them to articulate scope. Vague answers mean vague service.
23. What’s NOT included in your standard clean?
Why it matters: Reputable companies will tell you upfront. Sketchy ones will say “everything” and then upsell at the door.
24. Do you bring supplies and equipment, or do I provide them?
Why it matters: Most full-service companies bring everything. Asking you to provide supplies is a yellow flag.
25. Can I request green / eco-friendly / fragrance-free products?
Why it matters: Important for kids, pets, allergies. Reputable companies offer this at no extra cost.
26. Can you handle older / historic homes with original hardwood and woodwork?
Why it matters: Critical if you live in Newport East Row, Mutter Gottes Covington, Fort Thomas, Hyde Park, or other historic areas. The wrong cleaner can damage heritage finishes.
27. Do you do move-in / move-out cleaning? Do you provide receipts for landlords?
Why it matters: If you’re a renter, the receipt matters for your deposit. If you’re a landlord or realtor, the documentation matters for accounting.
Questions about logistics and communication
28. How do you confirm appointments?
Why it matters: Text confirmations the day before are now table stakes. If they don’t do this, expect missed days.
29. Do you text on arrival and completion?
Why it matters: Standard for any modern cleaning company. Tells you the team arrived and finished.
30. Can you accommodate flexible scheduling? Same-day requests?
Why it matters: Local companies can usually flex more than national franchises.
31. Do I need to be home during the clean?
Why it matters: Most clients aren’t. Smart-lock codes, key handoffs, and garage codes are standard.
32. How do you handle keys and access codes?
Why it matters: Reputable companies have secure storage and clear protocols.
33. What’s your communication channel for issues?
Why it matters: If something goes wrong, you need a real human. Chat-bot-only support is a red flag.
Questions about accountability
34. What’s your satisfaction guarantee?
Why it matters: The gold standard is “we’ll re-clean any missed area at no charge within 24 hours.”
35. What happens if something gets damaged or broken?
Why it matters: Reputable companies file an insurance claim and either repair, replace, or reimburse. Uninsured companies often deny or disappear.
36. What happens if something goes missing?
Why it matters: Should be documented, investigated, and addressed by company management. W-2 employees with full background checks are far less likely to be the cause.
37. Can I cancel recurring service if I’m unhappy?
Why it matters: No-contract recurring is the norm. Long-term commitments locked in by contract are a red flag.
38. Do you have references from clients in my neighborhood?
Why it matters: Local references carry more weight than generic testimonials.
Questions to ask yourself (not them)
Once you’ve gone through the 38 questions above, ask yourself:
- Did they answer directly, or did they hedge?
- Did they push back on any question? (That tells you something.)
- Did they offer information you didn’t ask for? (Signal of openness.)
- Did the conversation feel transactional or relational?
- Did they ask YOU questions about your home? (Good sign — they care about scope.)
- Would you trust this person to be in your home when you’re not?
How Jeannie’s answers each question
If you’ve read through and want to compare, here’s how Jeannie’s stacks up on the most important ones:
- Years in business: Since 2012, BBB A+ Accredited
- Employment type: 100% W-2 employees
- Background checks: Third-party, every hire
- Insurance: General liability + workers’ comp
- Pricing model: Room-by-room, never hourly
- Quote without in-home visit: Yes, same business day
- Supplies included: Yes, all supplies + HEPA vacuums
- Green options: Yes, no extra charge
- Satisfaction guarantee: 24-hour re-clean at no charge
- Consistent teams: Same 2-person team whenever possible
- Recurring discount: 15–25% per visit for weekly / bi-weekly
- Local: Based at 4150 Alexandria Pike in Cold Spring, KY
Get a quote
Ready to ask us all 38 questions yourself? Request a free quote here or call (859) 750-6618.
What's the single most important question to ask a cleaning company?
“Are your cleaners W-2 employees or 1099 contractors?” This single question reveals more about quality, accountability, insurance, and training than any other. W-2 = on payroll, trained, insured. 1099 / gig = independent, often uninsured.
Should I ask for proof of insurance?
Yes, especially for recurring service. Reputable companies will email a Certificate of Insurance (COI) on request. Most won’t even hesitate.
Is it rude to ask cleaning companies all these questions?
Not at all. Reputable companies expect it and respect it. The companies that get annoyed by the questions are exactly the ones you should avoid.
How can I tell if a cleaning company is good before booking?
Combination of: (1) how they answer the questions above, (2) Google review volume + recency, (3) BBB accreditation, (4) communication quality on the initial inquiry, (5) whether they have a real website with full scope details.
Should I ask for references from current clients?
You can, but most clients don’t want to be cold-called. Better signal: ask for case studies, testimonials with neighborhood names, or check Google reviews for clients in your specific neighborhood.
What's a fair price to expect for a 3-bed/2-bath home in Cincinnati or NKY?
Routine: $209. Standard: $294. Premium: $424. Ultimate Deep Clean: $514. Recurring weekly or bi-weekly saves 15–25% per visit.
Are gig-platform cleaners like Handy or TaskRabbit safe?
They’re legal, but the platforms typically don’t run background checks as deeply as a real cleaning company, don’t carry workers’ comp on the cleaner, and rotate workers between visits. Lower price, higher risk.
Should I check if a cleaning company is registered with the state?
Yes — search the Kentucky Secretary of State or Ohio Secretary of State business records. Takes 30 seconds and confirms they’re a real registered business, not just someone with a business card.
What if a cleaning company refuses to answer some of these questions?
That IS your answer. Reputable companies welcome scrutiny. Companies that dodge are usually hiding something — most often uninsured labor or off-the-books pricing.
How do I verify BBB accreditation?
Go to bbb.org and search the company name + city. The official BBB profile shows accreditation status, complaint history, and resolution rate.
Should I sign a long-term contract?
Generally no. Reputable cleaning companies don’t require long-term contracts — they keep clients on quality, not on paperwork. Long contracts are usually a sign the company can’t retain clients organically.
How long does the vetting process typically take?
30–60 minutes total: 15–20 minutes asking questions of 2–3 companies, 10–15 minutes checking reviews and BBB, 5–10 minutes thinking it over. Worth the investment for someone who’ll be in your home regularly.
