Guide · Bakersfield office & property managers
How to Switch Commercial Cleaning Companies Without a Gap in Service
Short answer: To switch commercial cleaning companies without a gap, line up the new cleaner before you give notice to the old one. Then set the new company's first night for the day after the old company's last night, and handle keys and alarm codes on that same day. The whole switch comes down to seven steps.
Switching cleaners? We'll walk your building for free and send a written scope and price within one business day.
Schedule my free walkthrough1Read your current cleaning contract
Before you say anything to your current cleaner, find your agreement and look for four things:
- The notice period. Many janitorial contracts require 30 days' written notice, but some ask for more. Yours is what counts.
- How notice must be given: email, a letter, or a specific form.
- Auto-renewal. Some contracts renew themselves for another year unless you cancel before a set date.
- What you owe at the end: final invoices, supplies they stocked, or early-termination fees.
Write down the last date you'd be bound to pay. That date drives everything else.
2Write down what's going wrong
List the specific problems: trash not emptied, restrooms not restocked, floors skipped, crews that change every month, calls that don't get returned. Be specific about rooms and days.
This list does two jobs. It tells the next company exactly what has to be different, and it becomes the start of your new written scope.
3Get walkthroughs before you give notice
Ask two or three commercial cleaning companies to walk your building before you cancel your current service. A walkthrough lets them see the space, the traffic, and your problem areas, and it's the only honest way to price commercial cleaning. (For an office, see how office cleaning with R&S works.)
Don't give notice until you have a written scope and price you're happy with. That way there's never a week where nobody is cleaning.
Start with us: a free 15-minute walkthrough, at a time that works for you. No price until we've seen the building, and no pressure after.
Book my walkthrough4Compare written scopes, not just prices
Two prices only mean something if they cover the same work. Ask each company for a written scope: every task, every area, how often. Then ask:
- Who is my one contact, and how fast do they call back?
- Who checks the work, and how often? Do I get the results in writing?
- If something is missed, how fast is it fixed?
- How long is the agreement, and how do I get out if it isn't working?
- What happens when your crew changes? How does the new crew know my building?
A low price with a vague scope is the same situation you're trying to leave.
5Line up the dates
Pick the new company's first night so it lands right after the old company's last night. Then:
- Sign with the new company.
- Give your current cleaner written notice the way the contract requires, and keep a copy.
- Confirm the old company's last night of service in writing.
- Confirm the new company's first night in writing.
If the dates overlap by a night or two, that's fine. A gap isn't.
6Hand over keys, alarm codes, and access
This is the step people forget. On the switch-over day:
- Get every key and fob back from the old company and count them.
- Change your alarm codes, or ask your alarm company to remove the old cleaner's code.
- Give the new company access the safe way: keys or fobs for the scheduled crew only, their own alarm code, and written instructions for doors, lights, and anything that must stay locked.
7Watch the first two weeks closely
Walk the building in the morning during the first two weeks. Report anything missed once, in writing, and see how fast it gets fixed. How a company handles its first mistakes tells you how the next twelve months will go.
Quick checklist
- Found the contract: notice period, notice method, auto-renewal date, final costs
- Wrote down what's going wrong, room by room
- Had 2–3 walkthroughs and got written scopes and prices
- Signed with the new company before giving notice
- Gave written notice, kept a copy, confirmed the last night
- Confirmed the new company's first night
- Collected keys and fobs, changed alarm codes, gave the new crew access
- Walked the building and reported misses in the first two weeks
How R&S Central Valley Cleaning handles a switch
R&S Central Valley Cleaning is a family-owned commercial cleaning company in Bakersfield (company facts). Switching to R&S works like this:
- A free 15-minute walkthrough of your building, at a time that works for you.
- A written scope and price within one business day. You can compare it line by line with what you have now.
- A start date set around your current cleaner's notice period, so there's no gap.
- A site book for your building, with your priorities, key and alarm steps, and access instructions, written before the first visit, so a crew change doesn't reset the standard.
- One named contact (Ruben) and a callback within one business hour.
- Supervisor inspections by someone who isn't the crew, with a written 9-point scorecard sent to you.
- The Tell-Us-Once Fix-It Guarantee: anything in your written scope that gets missed is fixed within 24 hours of your report, weekends included.
- A 12-month agreement with your price locked unless the scope changes, and a 30-day out if it isn't working.
Common questions
Do I have to tell my current cleaner why I'm switching?
No, you don't have to tell your current cleaner why you're switching. You only have to give notice the way your contract requires, and a short, polite note is enough.
Can I switch cleaning companies in the middle of a contract?
Usually yes, but read the termination section first. Some contracts allow you to leave with notice, while others charge a fee to leave early. The notice period and any fee are in your agreement.
Should I change my alarm code when I switch cleaners?
Yes, change your alarm code when you switch cleaners, or have your alarm company remove the old cleaner's code, on the day the old company finishes.
How long does it take to switch commercial cleaning companies?
Most of the time goes to the notice period in your current contract. The walkthrough, scope, and price can happen in the first few days, so start them before you give notice.
Last updated: October 2026