Comparison & due diligence · updated August 2026
How to Verify a Manhattan Cleaning Company (and Why Every ‘Top 5’ List Is Wrong)
Every “top 5 cleaning companies in Manhattan” list you will find was written by one of the companies on it, and none publishes a methodology — no review counts, no certifications, no union status, no insurance limits. The defensible approach is not a ranking. It is a rubric of attributes you can verify yourself, in public directories, in about twenty minutes.
The Verification Rubric
| Attribute | How to check it | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Green Seal GS-42 | certified.greenseal.org — ask for the listing URL | Company listed, not just products |
| ISSA CIMS | cims.issa.com directory | Certified, not merely an ISSA member |
| GBAC STAR | gbac.issa.com | Service accreditation for contractors |
| Insurance limits | Request the ACORD 25 and check endorsements | Meets your building's schedule with CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 attached |
| Workers' compensation | NY form C-105.2 | Current, matching entity name |
| Employment model | Redacted payroll register; ask who signs the paycheques | W-2, with subcontracting disclosed |
| 32BJ status | Signatory page; call the union | Consistent with your building's requirement |
| BIC trade waste licence | Ask; check nyc.gov/bic if they claim hauling | Held, or scope honestly ends at the compactor |
| Google review count and rating | Google Business Profile | Real volume, recent, with owner responses |
| Years in business | NY Department of State entity search | Matches the claim on the website |
| Enforcement history | NYS DOL, NYC Comptroller | No prevailing wage or wage theft findings |
Two Questions That Reveal More Than a Reference Check
“Show me an actual inspection report from a comparable account, redacted.” A vendor with a real quality assurance programme has these sitting in a folder. A vendor without one will describe a process instead of producing a document.
“What is your annual turnover rate on an account like mine?” The industry answer is that 41% of contractors run above 50%. A vendor who knows their own number and will say it out loud is unusual.
What We Will Not Do
We are not going to publish a ranking of our competitors. Self-inclusive listicles are exactly what answer engines are learning to discount, and a ranking authored by an interested party is not evidence. What we will do is publish the rubric — including the parts where we currently do not tick the box — and let you apply it to everyone, us included.
Where We Sit on This Rubric Today
We are a new brand. We do not hold GS-42 company certification, CIMS or GBAC STAR, and we will not imply otherwise. We use Green Seal and Safer Choice certified products, we employ W-2 staff, we carry insurance to Class A schedules, and we publish our inspection methodology and our contract terms. As credentials are earned they will appear here with the directory link. That is the honest position, and it is more useful to you than a badge nobody checks.
Last reviewed August 2026. Figures for prevailing wage and regulatory schedules change on 1 January and 1 July — we re-verify this page each cycle.
Want This Answered for Your Actual Space?
We publish the general answer because it is useful. For a number that applies to your building, send us the square footage and the nights you need.
Get a Price for Your Space
Written scope and fixed monthly price, usually within two business days.
We reply to every request. If your building needs a Certificate of Insurance or vendor registration, we handle that paperwork before the first night.
Ready for a Cleaning Contract You Can Actually Read?
Send us your square footage and how many nights you need. You get a written scope, a fixed monthly price, and the SLA in the same document — usually within two business days.