Cleaning Proposal Template
The short answer
A cleaning proposal that gets signed states the recurring price and defines exactly what one visit covers: each room with its tasks, the frequency, the fixed day, how many cleaners come, and roughly how long they stay. Put the first deep clean on its own line above the recurring rate so the customer can see why visit one costs more. Offer inside oven, inside fridge, interior windows and laundry as optional lines they tick when accepting; a $40 oven add-on on a biweekly account adds up to about $1,000 over a year. Recurring service does not need a deposit, because each visit or month is billed as it happens. A move-out or post-construction clean booked for a set date can take 25 to 50 percent up front to hold the slot. Close with the cancellation fee, who supplies products, how your crew gets in, what happens with pets, and when the price is reviewed.
A cleaning proposal is a priced scope of work with a signature line. Start from this template, or let the AI draft one from a plain-English description of the job, mark the add-ons optional, and send a link the customer accepts on their phone. The invoice, and the deposit invoice if you set one, are created the moment they accept.
What belongs in a cleaning proposal
Cleaning proposals win recurring contracts, so the document has to define the visit, not just the price. List rooms and tasks per visit, the frequency, how many cleaners for how long, and what is excluded (inside ovens, windows, laundry). Deep-clean and move-out services are natural optional items on a recurring proposal, as are add-ons like fridge interior or window tracks. Access, pets, supplies, and cancellation notice all belong in the terms.
What a cleaning proposal should spell out
Most disputes on cleaning jobs trace back to something the proposal left vague. Write each of these down before the customer signs.
| Part of the proposal | What to spell out |
|---|---|
| Rooms and tasks | Every room covered and the tasks done in each, such as wiping cabinet fronts, cleaning tubs, vacuuming and mopping. |
| Exclusions | What a standard visit leaves out: inside ovens and fridges, interior windows, laundry, walls, and anything above arm's reach. |
| Frequency and day | Weekly, biweekly or monthly, the fixed service day, and the arrival window the customer can expect. |
| Crew and time | How many cleaners come and roughly how long they stay, so the customer can plan around the visit. |
| Supplies | Whether your products and equipment are included, and how customer-requested or specialty products are charged. |
| Access and pets | How the crew gets in (key, code or someone home) and who secures pets before the visit starts. |
| Cancellations | Notice needed to reschedule, the fee for a late cancellation, and what happens when the crew is locked out. |
| Price review | When the recurring rate is reviewed, and that any increase is given in writing ahead of the change. |
Sample line items
Realistic 2026 US pricing for a typical job. Every number is editable; optional items are the ones the customer decides on.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial deep clean: 3 bed, 2 bath, all rooms, kitchen appliances exterior | 1 | $320.00 | $320.00 |
| Recurring biweekly standard clean, 2 cleaners, first 3 months (6 visits) | 6 | $145.00 | $870.00 |
| Supplies and eco-friendly products | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Inside oven and refrigerator, per visit optional | 6 | $35.00 | $210.00 |
| Interior windows and tracks, quarterly optional | 2 | $120.00 | $240.00 |
| Laundry: wash, dry, fold, one load per visit optional | 6 | $25.00 | $150.00 |
Required items: $1,190.00. Optional items if all are chosen: $600.00. Rate ranges for this trade are in what to charge for cleaning work. Price the job first with the free house cleaning estimate calculator or the cleaning price list template.
Terms that belong in a cleaning proposal
Promise extended coverage on the bid: a longer warranty on labor is often what wins cleaning work against a cheaper number, and it costs nothing on the day you offer it. Set the terms on the proposal and they print with the scope the customer accepts, carry through to the invoice, and start counting down when that invoice is paid. From there warranty tracking keeps the coverage dates, an estimate of the labor and parts you could still owe, and any callback filed against the job.
Need something lighter? Use the cleaning estimate template for a quick number, or the cleaning invoice template when the work is done.
Jobs change once the work starts. When cleaning work grows or shrinks after the customer has signed, send a change order: they approve the added or credited work and the new total on their phone, and the unpaid balance invoice updates itself.
How the proposal gets accepted
Send the link. The customer sees the scope, ticks the optional items they want and watches the total update, types their name, agrees to the terms, and accepts. The acceptance is recorded with the timestamp, IP address, browser, and a hash of the content. The invoice is generated from exactly what they selected, with the deposit invoiced first when you set one.
Frequently asked questions
How should a cleaning proposal define a standard visit?
Room by room, with the tasks done in each. A list of what is not included matters just as much, because oven interiors and windows are the two things customers assume are in and cleaners assume are out.
Should recurring cleaning use a proposal or an invoice?
A proposal for the initial agreement, accepted once, then recurring invoices for each period. The proposal sets the terms and the cancellation notice; the invoices just bill against it.
Should a cleaning proposal ask for a deposit?
Not for recurring service; bill each visit or each month once the work is done. A one-time job booked for a fixed date, such as a move-out or post-construction clean, can take 25 to 50 percent when accepted. That holds the slot and covers you if the customer cancels the morning of the clean.
How do I handle extra tasks the customer asks for on the day?
Price them from your add-on menu before the crew starts, then add them to that visit's invoice. If the request becomes a regular one, such as inside the fridge every visit, change the recurring line in writing so the next invoice matches what the customer now expects.
How should a cleaning proposal handle price increases?
Say in the terms when the rate is reviewed, usually once a year, and that increases arrive in writing before they take effect. Give the new price a few weeks ahead with a start date. A house that has grown dirtier or gained a dog is a fair reason to raise it more.
Can customers accept this proposal online?
Yes. Send the link, and the customer ticks the optional items they want, types their name, and accepts on any device. The acceptance is recorded with the time, IP address, and a hash of the content, and a signed PDF is produced. See how e-signature works on Numulo.
More for cleaning jobs
- Cleaning estimate template
- Cleaning invoice template
- House cleaning estimate calculator
- Cleaning price list template
- What to charge for cleaning work in 2026
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