How to Choose a Cleaning Company in Nairobi: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Book

The Nairobi cleaning services market is large, diverse, and inconsistent in quality. At one end of the market are fully registered, insured companies with trained, vetted staff and professional equipment. At the other end are informal operators with no vetting, no insurance, and no accountability. The stakes of getting this wrong are real: these are people accessing your home or business premises, often in your absence, around your valuables, family, and sensitive information. This guide provides a practical framework for evaluating any Nairobi cleaning company before committing to a booking.

Question 1: How Do You Vet Your Staff?

Staff vetting is the most important question to ask any Nairobi cleaning company, because it directly addresses the trust element of inviting cleaners into your home or office. The minimum acceptable standard for a professional Nairobi cleaning company is requiring all staff to hold a valid Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the Kenya National Police Service — the standard police clearance document confirming no criminal convictions. This certificate costs KSh 1,050 and takes 2–3 weeks to obtain, so companies that don’t require it are either cutting corners on time or cost.

Beyond the Certificate of Good Conduct, reputable companies conduct DCI criminal record checks, verify identity documents (national ID or passport), verify employment history and references, and conduct a formal interview and assessment before employment. Bestcare applies all of these requirements to every member of cleaning staff without exception.

The right answer to the vetting question is specific: the company should be able to tell you exactly what checks are conducted and confirm that all current staff hold valid Certificates of Good Conduct. A vague answer (‘we know our people’ or ‘we trust our staff’) is a red flag that formal vetting is not in place.

Question 2: Do You Carry Public Liability Insurance?

Public liability insurance covers you if a cleaner accidentally damages your property — breaks an expensive item, spills cleaning chemical on a carpet, or damages a surface — or injures themselves on your premises. Without public liability insurance, you have no recourse if damage occurs and the cleaner or company cannot or will not compensate you.

Ask for a certificate of insurance — not just a verbal assurance. A reputable company will have the certificate readily available and will provide a copy on request. Verify the policy is current (check the expiry date), the coverage amount is adequate (minimum KSh 2 million coverage for household cleaning), and the company name on the certificate matches the company you’re dealing with.

Bestcare carries comprehensive public liability insurance and provides the certificate on request. This is a standard expectation from our corporate clients and a commitment we maintain for all service lines including domestic cleaning.

Question 3: What Products Do You Use?

Cleaning products matter for two reasons: safety (for your family, pets, and surfaces) and effectiveness. Ask the company to name the main products they use and whether they are eco-friendly, child-safe, and pet-safe. A reputable company knows exactly what products they use and can speak to their safety profile.

Red flags: ‘we just use whatever works’; inability to name specific products; ‘we use Jik on everything’ (Jik/bleach is inappropriate for most surfaces and overuse damages grout and surfaces). Green flags: specific named products; eco-friendly or ISO-certified product credentials; safety data sheets available on request.

Bestcare uses ISO 14001-certified, biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products throughout all service lines. We can provide product names, SDS sheets, and certification documentation on request.

Question 4-7: Pricing, Guarantees, Reviews, and References

Pricing transparency: reputable companies provide written quotes before starting work and do not add unexpected charges after completion. Ask for a written quote detailing exactly what is included. Compare quotes across companies on a like-for-like basis — a quote that is significantly cheaper than market rate almost always means compromises on vetting, insurance, product quality, or scope.

Satisfaction guarantee: any company confident in its quality offers a guarantee. Bestcare’s 100% satisfaction guarantee commits us to returning and rectifying any quality shortfall identified within 24 hours of the clean, at no additional charge, within 48 hours of notification. Ask what the company’s policy is if you’re not satisfied with the result.

Reviews and references: check Google reviews for volume and consistency — look for companies with 50+ reviews averaging 4.5 stars or above. A handful of perfect reviews can be curated; 100+ reviews at 4.9 stars reflects sustained consistent quality. Ask for client references in your property type and suburb — a reputable company will have these readily available.

Red flags to watch for: no physical business address; no company registration number; payment demanded upfront before any work is done; prices quoted per job without any detail on what’s included; no written quote available; and any resistance to answering the questions in this guide directly and specifically.