Whether you’re looking for ongoing house cleaning help or just need a few extra hands to prepare your home for the holidays, hiring a house cleaning service can be a massive time saver.
To get the most benefit from hiring someone to clean your home it’s important to narrow down exactly what you need them to do for you.
Here’s how to find the right house cleaning service for your needs.
Determine what you need done
Do you need someone to come in weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or one time?
What will they clean? For example:
- ⬥ Will they dust your knickknacks and vacuum under your sofa cushions?
- ⬥ Will they dust the ceiling fan?
- ⬥ What about the refrigerator?
- ⬥ Do they dust baseboards and window casements?
- ⬥ Will they wash windows?
- ⬥ Will they use a mop or wash the kitchen floor by hand?
Make a list of things you’d like done and compare it to the services offered. Decide what things you absolutely need someone else to do and find a company who offers those services.
What precisely are you paying for?
Look for any hidden fees…a reputable company will provide a detailed list of their fees and will gladly answer any and all pricing questions.
Are they comfortable with your pets?
Some individuals have allergies and/or fears about pets, so when you inform the cleaning agency of any pets that you own they can assign the right persons for the job.
Also, if your pets shed lots of fur, the agency may need to schedule more cleaning time.
Note that some cleaners may not be willing to change the cat’s litter box or clean out your bird’s cage or they may charge extra for that service.
Who provides the cleaning products used?
Are you be required to provide the cleaning products, or will the company use their own?
If you have marble tiles or antique furnishings you may have special cleaners that you use, so make them aware of this to prevent damages.
Will you be assigned the same cleaner or do they rotate staff?
Will you be assigned a particular cleaner, or will the company send someone different every time? How many cleaners will the services send to your home?
You know how long it takes to clean your home. If it takes you four hours, do you really want someone in your home half a work day?
Advise the cleaning service provider how long it typically takes you to clean your home so they can schedule their staff accordingly.
Do you need to be at home while it’s being cleaned?
Most cleaning companies and individuals will provide a time-frame for arrival rather than a set time. So for example, they could provide an arrival time of between 10 and 12 am, with a scheduled cleaning time of two hours.
In this situation then, you’d need to block out 4 hours at least of your day to be there while they clean, so keep this in mind when scheduling a cleaning.
Does the company have any online reviews?
Look for “Goldilocks” online reviews of potential cleaning companies.
These are ones where the reviews are mostly good, but where there are also a few bad reviews.
Why?
Nobody’s perfect. So when you see reviews that are one hundred percent great, these are unlikely to be legitimate.
More tips:
- ⬥ Don’t clean your house before they arrive…what’s the point? The cleaning staff have seen much dirtier homes than yours…especially if they do tenant clean-outs.
- ⬥ Do, however, pick up clutter and put it away to help the cleaners do their jobs faster.
- ⬥ While the company or individual you’re working with should be licensed and bonded, you’re eliminating temptation by securing your valuables.
- ⬥ Ask your friends and family who they use
- ⬥ Is the company licensed, bonded and insured?
- ⬥ Do they have any professional affiliations or accreditations?
- ⬥ Do they guarantee satisfaction? If they don’t stand behind their service look elsewhere.
- ⬥ What are their terms of service? What is their policy for canceling and rescheduling?
Finally, do everything within your power to clearly communicate your needs and expectations…not only with the cleaning company itself but with the crew that they send out.
This will ensure that the company bills accurately and that you’re satisfied with the service that you pay for.
