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Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Cleaner in Dallas

Maintaining proper personal and environmental hygiene can greatly influence the health and safety of you and your loved ones. With the Dallas region accounting for approximately 25 percent of all COVID-19 cases recorded in the State of Texas, the importance of keeping clean spaces cannot be overstated. Hiring a professional cleaning contractor to handle the cleaning and disinfection of your home or facility not only limits your exposure to the coronavirus and other deadly pathogens but also frees up your schedule for other important activities. However, whether you require the services of a cleaning contractor for one-off tasks or on a recurring basis, it is essential to make sure that they follow appropriate cleaning standards and safety procedures when carrying out these tasks. As such, you should always get satisfactory answers to the following questions before contracting with any cleaning company in Dallas:

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Cleaning Service in Dallas?

Dallas does not require cleaning contractors who wish to operate within its jurisdiction to obtain a general business license. However, depending on their business structures, these contractors must register their cleaning companies with the appropriate authority before operating in the city. Cleaning companies that are structured as sole proprietorships and general partnerships are typically required to register locally with the Dallas County Clerk's Office. On the other hand, incorporated cleaning companies, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, or limited liability partnerships are typically required to register at the state level with the Texas Secretary of State's Office.

Local business registrations can be filed online or by completing and submitting a Certificate of Ownership for Unincorporated Business or Profession Form to the Dallas County Clerk's Office at:

500 Elm Street
Suite 2100
Dallas, TX 75202

Likewise, state-level registrations can also be done online via the Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect platform. Registrants will be required to create a user account to utilize this platform properly. Alternatively, registrants can complete and submit two copies of an Assumed Name Certificate Form to this office at:

Secretary of State
P.O. Box 13697
Austin, TX 78711-3697

Queries concerning Dallas cleaning contractor business registration requirements can be directed to the Dallas County Clerk's Office at (214) 653-7110, (214) 653-6827, or (214) 653-7099 and to the Texas Secretary of State's Office at (512) 463-5555.

It should be noted that businesses in Dallas are typically expected to meet additional regulatory requirements like obtaining a state-issued Sales and Use Tax Permit from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Office and filing federal tax obligations with the IRS. You can get information on these additional state and federal regulatory requirements by contacting the Texas Economic Development Department online or by calling (512) 936-0100. This office can also assist you with verifying whether your intended cleaning contractor has met the necessary requirements for legally operating a business in the city.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Cleaning Services in Dallas?

The cost of hiring a cleaning contractor in Dallas is influenced by factors like the state of your home or facility, the type of service you choose, and the number of rooms requiring cleaning. Other factors like the type of cleaning supplies that will be used and the frequency of the required cleaning services also directly influence how much a cleaning contractor in the city will charge you for their services. You should consider getting quotes from at least two to three different cleaning contractors before hiring one. Doing this helps you get an idea of the average rates for your required cleaning service and also helps you avoid falling victim to overcharging and other contractor-related scams.

Building and grounds cleaning workers in Dallas earn an average wage of $31,570 annually. A comparison of the average hourly wages of workers in Dallas's building and grounds cleaning and maintenance industry against those of workers in the rest of Texas and five other major cities in the country is provided below:

Dallas Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$15.18
Texas Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$13.77
Houston Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$13.53
Los Angeles Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$18.32
Phoenix Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$15.26
Chicago Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$16.44
New York City Cleaning Contractors Average Hourly Wage
$19.09
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

What Types of Cleaning Services Do You Offer?

Making sure that the cleaning contractor you hire has the right level of on-the-job experience and proper equipment to provide your required cleaning service satisfactorily is important. Cleaning contractors in Dallas generally offer a wide range of services, so you should always confirm that your preferred contractor specializes in the specific type of cleaning service that you require. Some common cleaning services that are offered in Dallas include standard house cleanings, deep cleanings, one-off or recurring cleanings, move-out and move-in cleaning, office cleaning, bathroom cleaning, enhanced disinfection services, and green cleaning.

In addition to confirming the type of cleaning service that a cleaning contractor offers, you should also find out the type of cleaning agents and disinfectants that will be used, as well as the cost of the service. The average cost ranges of some cleaning services commonly offered by professional Dallas cleaning contractors are listed below:

Armchair cleaning
$49 - $69
Couch cleaning
$65.50 - $159
Footstool or ottoman cleaning
$10 - $20
Loveseat cleaning
$69 - $99
Office chair cleaning
$5 - $10
Pillow cleaning
$5 - $7
Recliner cleaning
$69 - $99
Cleaning a typical single-family home (per visit)
$86.35 - $102
Graffiti removal and protection (per square foot)
$1.40 - $2.40
Industrial cleaning services (per man hour)
$75 - $125
Janitorial services (per hour)
$26.60 - $56.60
Maid services/home cleaning (per hour)
$17.50 - $25
Medical office & healthcare facility cleaning services (per hour)
$21.60 - $48

Do You Comply with Dallas's COVID-19 Regulations?

Dallas County provides Health and Safety Guidance that is designed to protect the safety and welfare of residents of Dallas in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Per data published by Dallas city officials, over 69 percent of residents in the Dallas Region had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of February 2022. Nonetheless, this region currently has a one percent fatality rate and has also recorded more than 32,700 breakthrough cases as of February 22, 2022, with approximately 9.5 percent of these cases resulting in hospitalization. In view of this, you should always ensure that any cleaning contractor you hire is familiar with the Dallas County Health and Safety Guidance and also complies with the recommendations for cleaning and disinfection. Some of these recommendations include using proper face masks, gloves, and personal protective equipment during cleaning and disinfecting activities, paying special attention to high-touch surfaces, and enhancing ventilation during cleaning activities, where possible.

Failure to comply with these recommendations increases the risk of transmission of the coronavirus in the city, so you should never hire any cleaning contractor that tries to downplay their importance. You can get additional information or direct inquiries concerning Dallas COVID-19 guidance and regulations to the Dallas County Health & Human Services Hotline at (972) 692-2780.

Do You Provide Commercial Cleaning Services for Non-Residential Buildings in Dallas?

Under Title 5, Subtitle B of the Texas Health and Safety Code, cleaning contractors that remove or dispose of medical, industrial, or hazardous waste during the provision of cleaning services in Dallas may be required to obtain a state-issued permit for these activities. These permits are issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and cleaning contractors who wish to obtain them may do so by contacting the Waste Permits Division of this commission at (512) 239-2335. Information on procedures and requirements for obtaining these permits can also be directed to this commission's Region 4 office location at:

2309 Gravel Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76118-6951
Phone: (817) 588-5800

With the exclusion of these waste permits, no licensing requirements are specific to cleaning contractors that offer business cleaning services in Dallas. The cleaning services that these types of cleaning contractors provide are typically focused on commercial and industrial facilities like offices, workspaces, schools, and commercial kitchens, as well as medical facilities like hospitals and laboratories. On the other hand, residential cleaning contractors generally focus on the cleaning and disinfection of residential buildings and dwellings. Residential and commercial cleaning contractors must register their businesses with the Dallas County Clerk's Office or the Texas Secretary of State's Office, where appropriate, before operating in Dallas. You can get information on Dallas business registration requirements by contacting the aforementioned offices at (214) 653-7099 and (512) 463-5555, respectively.

Do You Engage Unionized Cleaners for Non-Residential Buildings in Dallas?

Organizations like the Dallas AFL-CIO Council, its affiliated unions, and the SEIU Texas represent the interests of thousands of service workers in Dallas and across the State of Texas, including janitors and cleaners. Many commercial facility owners and managers in Dallas typically hire cleaning companies that employ union cleaners due to considerations of fair wages and better training opportunities for these companies' cleaners. Union cleaning companies also typically have lower employee turnover than non-union cleaning companies and are also more likely to be properly insured. Note that union cleaners generally command higher wages than non-union cleaners.

However, while you may save money on salaries by hiring a non-union cleaning company, in many cases, you may also be on the receiving end of activities from labor unions in the city aimed at getting you to cancel your contracts with these companies. These activities typically involve picketing outside your premises and directing unwanted and usually negative media attention to your facility.

Do You Offer Covid-19 Disinfecting Services in Dallas?

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, cleaning and disinfecting have become a necessary routine for homes and facilities in Dallas in order to slow down the spread of the virus. However, in situations where a COVID-19 case has been confirmed on a location, it is necessary to retain the services of a cleaning contractor that offers COVID-19 cleaning and disinfection services to ensure that the space is fully and properly cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected. When searching for cleaning contractors that provide this specialized cleaning service, it is important to ensure that the contractor you hire adheres to local and federal cleaning and disinfecting guidelines when performing the job. These guidelines include using face masks, gloves, and other adequate PPE during the job, ensuring that high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, and tables are given extra attention, and making sure that the area being cleaned and disinfected is properly ventilated.

Note that you should always be open about your COVID-19 situation with the cleaning contractor that you intend to hire before finalizing any arrangements with them. Also, ensure that the cleaning contractor utilizes disinfectants registered by the EPA and approved for use against the coronavirus. Finally, ensure that the cleaning contractor follows the directions on the labels of any cleaning agents and disinfectants used for the job and properly disposes of any used face masks, gloves, and PPE after the job is concluded.

What Cleaning Supplies Do You Use?

Whether your Dallas residential or commercial building will be properly cleaned and disinfected is largely dependent on the types of cleaning supplies, tools, and equipment that the cleaning contractor utilizes for the job. For example, while soap and other detergents may be enough to clean surfaces in your home, you will typically need other types of cleaning agents to properly get rid of dirt and stains in a commercial kitchen. Cleaning agents are generally divided into four groups, namely:

  • Detergents
  • Degreasers
  • Abrasives
  • Acids

Detergents are the most commonly used cleaning agents and are suitable for residential and commercial use for removing soil and other dirt from surfaces. Similarly, degreasers can be used in residential and commercial settings and are mostly used in kitchens to remove grease and other organic stains that detergents typically cannot remove. Abrasives are generally harsher than detergents and degreasers, and they are typically used to remove dirt and dried-on stains from hard surfaces like floors, porcelain sinks, and toilets. Finally, acids as cleaning agents are mostly used to remove rust stains, mineral deposits, and hard water deposits. Note that acids are dangerous chemicals and should always be properly diluted before use to avoid injuries. As such, it is advisable to leave acid cleaning to professional cleaning contractors.

In addition to the aforementioned cleaning agents, cleaning contractors also use other types of cleaning products, which include but are not limited to bleaching agents, disinfectants, and sanitizers, as well as tools like mops and vacuum cleaners. You should always find out the type of cleaning agents and products your preferred cleaning contractor intends to use during your home or office cleaning and ensure they are suitable for the job. It is also a good idea to inform the cleaning contractor of any allergies or health conditions that you may have to ensure that the cleaning products used for the job do not trigger any negative reactions.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Cleaners in Dallas?

Cleaning contractors typically face several on-the-job safety risks, such as exposure to bloodborne pathogens and hazardous chemicals, slips, trips, and falls. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a total of 307 fatal and 64,790 nonfatal on-the-job injuries were recorded amongst building and grounds cleaning workers in the United States in 2020. If you hire an uninsured cleaning contractor, you open yourself to financial and legal liabilities if any of these on-the-job injuries occur during the execution of your cleaning job. In addition, you will also have to cover the costs of any property damage that may be caused by the contractor during the job, leading to unwanted out-of-pocket expenses.

As such, even though there are no mandatory local or state-level insurance and bonding requirements for cleaning contractors operating in Dallas, it is always in your best interest to ensure that your cleaning contractor is duly insured and bonded. This insurance should include general liability and workers' compensation insurance to cover the costs of any injuries or property damage that may occur during the job, as well as janitorial bonds to cover the cost of theft by the cleaners. Always request and authenticate proof of insurance and bonding from any cleaning contractors that you are considering hiring before you finalize any arrangements with them.

How to File a Complaint Against a Bad Cleaner in Dallas

When searching for cleaning contractors in Dallas, you should always take certain precautionary measures to avoid falling victim to con artists and unscrupulous contractors in the city. Every year, the Texas Attorney General's Office receives more than 30,000 consumer fraud-related complaints from residents across the state. In August 2021, The Dallas Morning News reported that bogus contractors in the area who had stolen thousands of dollars from homeowners in the city had been arrested by the FBI and were facing up to 20 years in prison. According to the Better Business Bureau, consumers in Texas lost an average of $2,781 per scam to home improvement scams in 2021. Some of the precautionary measures that you can take to ensure that you hire a legit cleaning contractor in Dallas include:

  • Be cautious of cleaning contractors that show up unsolicited at your home or office building and offer you cleaning services
  • Reach out to trusted sources like friends, family, colleagues, and even reputable websites like the Better Business Bureau to get referrals to professional cleaning contractors in the city
  • Get and compare quotes for the cleaning job from at least two to three cleaning contractors before deciding. Look out for significantly higher quotes than others, as this is usually a sign of fraudulent behavior. Note that some cleaners also deliberately provide low quotes to get you to contract with them, and then turn around to hike up their prices once the job commences
  • Never hire any cleaning contractor who cannot provide at least three verifiable local references. Always contact these references to get first-hand reviews on the contractor. You can also utilize third-party review websites like Google Review and the Better Business Bureau to look up reviews and testimonials on cleaning contractors in Dallas
  • Make sure that the cleaning contractor you hire is properly insured, bonded, and has also carried out adequate background checks on all their employees
  • Never pay the full cost of the cleaning job before work commences. If you have to make an advance payment, this payment should be limited to a maximum of 20 - 25 percent of the job's total cost
  • Avoid cash transactions and be wary of cleaning contractors that insist on this form of payment
  • Make sure that the cleaning contractor provides you with a written contract for the job that describes the type and nature of the cleaning service, the cleaning supplies that will be used, a payment schedule, and the job's total cost
  • Do not sign any contracts before you read and understand their terms and conditions. Also, never sign any contracts that have blank spaces in them
  • Make sure that the cleaning contractor carries out and completes the cleaning job in accordance with the terms of your contract before making the final payment

You can file complaints concerning scams as well as other types of deceptive or fraudulent business activities by cleaning contractors in Dallas with the Texas Attorney General's Office. These complaints can be filed via an online consumer complaint form, by calling (800) 621-0508, or by mailing a completed printable complaint form to:

Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548

Note that this office cannot guarantee you monetary compensation or other forms of personal remedy for the fraudulent actions of cleaning contractors. Nonetheless, you can take personal legal action against these contractors at an appropriate Dallas County Court. However, you should always get legal advice from a licensed attorney before taking this action. You can get referrals to licensed attorneys in Dallas by contacting the State Bar of Texas' Lawyer Referral and Information Service, either online or by calling (800) 252-9690 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Mondays to Fridays.