To choose a cleaning company in Aktau, ask ten questions before you book: what the price includes, how it is calculated, who will come, what they will clean with, what happens if you don't like the result, where the reviews are, whether there is a contract, whether a prepayment is needed, how long the work will take and whether they travel out of town. A reliable company answers specifically and in writing rather than promising to "sort it out on site".
- Compare not the "from" figure but the list of work: for some companies appliances and windows are included in the price, for others they are separate lines in the price list.
- Get the price before the visit and in writing, based on photos and floor area, together with a clear list of work.
- Check reviews on 2GIS: recent dates, details and how the company responds to criticism matter.
- Red flags are a refusal to state the total in advance, 100% prepayment without a contract, and a request that you buy the chemicals yourself.
- A business needs a contract, cashless payment and closing documents, and for a trip out to the region, the travel cost agreed in advance.
Ask these questions to two or three companies on WhatsApp and compare the answers. What matters is not only what they say but how: whether the answers are specific and quick and whether they are ready to put the terms in writing.
What to ask about the price
1. What is included in the price?
This is the main question, because "deep cleaning" means different things to different providers. Ask for a checklist by zone: do they wash the inside of the oven and refrigerator, the hood, windows, radiators, doors and baseboards, and do they take out the trash. If the answer sounds like "we'll do everything that's needed", ask for it in writing.
A good answer: a list of work for the kitchen, bathroom, rooms and windows that stays in your messages.
2. How is the price calculated?
There are three schemes: a fixed price per apartment by number of rooms, a price per square meter, and hourly pay. The first two are clear in advance. With hourly pay, the total depends on the contractor's pace, so ask how many hours it usually takes for an apartment of your size. It is normal practice to quote the price from photos and a description before the visit.
A good answer: "A 2-room apartment up to 60 m² costs this much; based on your photos the total is this, and it won't change on site."
3. Is a prepayment required?
A small prepayment to reserve the date is acceptable, especially in high season. Be wary of full payment up front by transfer to a personal card when there is no contract and no reviews. Also ask about the payment method: cash, transfer or cashless payment against an invoice.
A good answer: clear payment terms that the company is ready to put in writing in messages or in the contract.
What to ask about the crew and products
4. Who will come: company employees or random contractors?
Ask how many people will be on the crew, whether they work for the company permanently and who is responsible for the result. If one person comes today and a different one "from an ad" next time, quality will vary. A good sign is a crew in uniform and one contact you can message if questions come up.
A good answer: how many people will come, who leads the crew and how to reach them.
5. What products and equipment do you use?
A professional company brings everything of its own: vacuum cleaners, steam generators, extractors for upholstery cleaning, special chemicals for grease, buildup and glass. If you have children, pets or allergy sufferers at home, ask whether the products are safe and whether they have certificates. If you need your sofa cleaned, ask how long the upholstery will take to dry: after professional extraction it is usually a few hours, not a day. A request to buy chemicals yourself is a reason to think about who you are dealing with.
A good answer: specific equipment and products for your tasks, for example an extractor for a sofa and a steam generator for seams and buildup.
What to ask about quality and guarantees
6. What happens if I don't like the result?
The right answer is "we'll come back and redo it for free", not "complaints are not accepted after the crew leaves". It is best to inspect the work zone by zone with the crew before they leave: that way any shortcoming is fixed on the spot.
A good answer: not only "we'll redo it", but also the time frame in which you can report a problem and how quickly they will come to fix it.
7. Where can I read reviews?
The most telling source in Aktau is the company's listing on 2GIS. Look not only at the average rating but also at the number of reviews, their dates, the details ("cleaned the oven", "arrived on time") and photos. Notice how the company responds to criticism: a calm look at the situation says more about the service than a dozen five-star ratings.
A good answer: a link to the company's 2GIS listing, not screenshots from a messenger.
What to ask about terms
8. How long will the cleaning take and when can you come?
A deep cleaning of an apartment usually fits into one crew visit: a few hours depending on the size and condition. Ask what time they will finish: this matters if guests are coming in the evening or you are handing the keys to your landlord.
A good answer: an approximate working time for your apartment's size and condition, and the crew's arrival time.
9. Is there a contract and documents for legal entities?
For a private apartment, messages with the price and a list of work are enough. A cafe, office or clinic needs a contract, cashless payment, an invoice and work completion certificates. Another question for businesses is whether they can clean after closing, at night or before opening so as not to disturb guests. More about this is on the page about cafe and restaurant cleaning.
A good answer: a sample contract and a list of closing documents before the work starts.
10. Do you travel outside Aktau?
If you live in Zhanaozen, Fort-Shevchenko or a settlement near the city, ask how much the trip costs and whether it is included in the final price. The travel fee should be stated before the crew gets in the car.
A good answer: the exact amount for travel to your location, stated in advance.
Red flags: when it's better to walk away
- They refuse to state the final price before the visit: "we'll see on site."
- They demand 100% prepayment to a personal card, and there is no contract or even messages with the terms.
- There are no reviews on maps, and those on the website have no names, dates or details.
- They ask you to buy cleaning products or can't explain what they will work with.
- They promise the impossible: "we'll remove any stain", "we'll clean a three-room apartment in an hour."
- The price is noticeably lower than others, and the list of work is vague: what is missing usually comes up as extra charges.
- They don't say who will come and don't give a contact for the day of the cleaning.
One flag is a reason to ask a follow-up question. Two or three at once are a reason to look for another provider, even if the price looks attractive.
How Cleaning Lab answers these questions
We have worked in Aktau since 2023, and we have the answers to these questions ready in advance:
| Question | Cleaning Lab's answer |
|---|---|
| What the price includes | Cleaning by checklist; stove, oven, refrigerator, microwave, range hood and plumbing fixtures are included in deep cleaning with no extra charge |
| How the price is calculated | By cleaning type and area: deep cleaning from 35,000 ₸, wet cleaning from 18,000 ₸; we give the exact amount from photos on WhatsApp before the visit |
| Who comes | A trained Cleaning Lab team in branded uniforms |
| Products and equipment | Extractors, steam generators, professional chemicals; certified products that are safe for children and pets |
| If you're not happy | We redo it for free |
| Reviews | 4.9 on 2GIS, more than 60 reviews |
| Contract for business | Contract with legal entities, cashless payment, invoice and work completion certificates; cleaning after closing, at night or before opening; details on the page for corporate clients |
| Timing | Deep cleaning takes 3–6 hours on average in one visit; we work daily from 08:00 to 21:00 |
| Travel | Aktau, Zhanaozen, Fort-Shevchenko, Karazhanbas, Ozenmunaigas and the whole Mangystau Region; the travel fee is agreed when you book |
We described how a cleaning goes, from request to checking the result, in detail in the article how we clean. And price guidelines for apartments of different sizes are collected in the article how much apartment cleaning costs in Aktau.