Hire a House Cleaning Service
House cleaning is a dirty business. If you are like the average household, dealing with work, family, and other priorities can make cleaning your home properly a challenge and one that you'd sooner avoid. Thousands of cleaning services have cropped up all over the world, ready and willing to do the work for you. Because there are so many companies available, knowing how to choose and hire a house cleaning service can seem like an overwhelming task, but with a few rules of thumb and a firm understanding of what to expect, you can pick the best option.
Contents
Steps
Hiring a House Cleaning Service
- Decide what areas of your home need to be cleaned before choosing a cleaning service. For example, are there rooms that are off-limits or specific areas that are more important for the service to focus on? Do you want them to do windows and laundry too or only standard cleaning, such as dusting and mopping? Once you know what you need, you can build a list of requirements to narrow down candidates, as some companies don't offer a full range of services.
- Ask family, friends, or neighbors for referrals. Many customers may be happy to share a positive experience with you, and they may even be eligible for a bonus through the cleaning company if you choose its service.
- Eliminate any companies that are not bonded and insured. Should any accidents happen during cleaning or any theft occur while the service is there, a bonded and insured service will take responsibility. If you choose a service doesn't have these, the responsibility will be yours as the homeowner.
- Contact the potential services to ask if their maids are legal residents and what type of background checks they have gone through for screening. Make sure the maids are responsible and haven't committed any crimes. If they aren't, you need to choose another company.
- Ask your field of candidates to provide you with a free consultation. This usually involves having a representative come to your home to review the work to be done and giving you their price for the cleaning work. Be skeptical of a company that isn't willing to offer this because you both should be aware of what is expected before the job begins.
- Choose a company that offers one flat fee as opposed to a per-hour charge. With a per-hour charge, you run the risk of the maids moving slower in order to collect a bigger paycheck.
- Avoid letting the "cheapest price" be your determining factor. If 1 service is significantly less expensive than others, there may be a reason why. Be wary of a deal that's too good to be true, and investigate a really good deal thoroughly to find out what kind of service you'll actually be getting. Chances are they're taking some sort of shortcut or have a bad reputation, and you'll want to be aware of what you're getting into before committing.
- Ask what kind of chemicals the service uses during its cleaning process. If you have children, pets, or allergies, knowing what's in the cleaners is essential. If the company refuses to tell you or if it uses cleaning agents with toxic ingredients, choose another service for your needs.
- Choose a cleaning service that provides a guarantee of satisfaction. Services that take pride in their offerings will make sure you are happy and will insure that any issues you have are reviewed and taken care of promptly.
Working with a House Cleaning Service
- Be clear about your needs. Whether you interview directly or use an agency, make sure your needs are made clear from the beginning. Using your sheet of paper that you wrote out in step 1, make some dot points about each room/object and your expectations and give this to the new cleaner. For instance, "I want the stairs vacuumed every week," "I want the knick-knacks cupboard dusted every week," "I don't mind the blinds being dusted only once a month," etc. It is much easier to get what you want if you make it clear at the start.
- Be aware that cleaners are people and treat them respectfully. They will respond in kind. However, also be aware that it is human nature to be nosy. If you leave piles of bills, papers, or other confidential material around, you give them a chance to peek. So put those papers away, under lock and key if necessary!
- Develop a relationship of trust and security. Should you be home when the cleaner is there? It is up to you. Often it makes both you and the cleaner uncomfortable unless your home is so big that you don't cross paths. If you choose to be out, or you work during the cleaning time, be careful with security. Provide your cleaner with a key that states clearly it cannot be duplicated. If he or she must use a security keypad, give a number that is only used by the cleaner. That way, if anything does happen and that number is the cause, you know who keyed it in. Ask your cleaner not to divulge your personal information such as phone number or street address to anyone, not even family members. Some cleaners will gossip, especially if you live in a well-to-do neighborhood and drive a luxury car, but you can at least request this much from them.
- Communicate with your cleaner. If you feel that he or she is not doing a good job, say something. Like any person, each cleaner has pride in his or her work and some honestly don't understand all that is expected of them. Explain how you would prefer things to be done and ask if this is manageable. Watch to see if the performance improves. If it doesn't, or if the cleaner doesn't agree with your request, then it might be time to part ways and find someone who fits in with your needs.
- Realize that there are things that your cleaner will not do. Many cleaners have limitations on the type of cleaning work they will do. For instance, many do not clean windows. That is usually considered a special job for window-cleaning professionals. If you ask, they'll let you know. It is also sheer politeness to pay extra money for any additional tasks you ask your cleaner to do beyond normal duties. Don't ask your cleaner to babysit your kids or your pets - he or she has a job to do upon arrival, and this is both distracting and very unfair! Get the right person for the right job.
Tips
- Don't be afraid to give the service you hire instructions. While this may seem uncomfortable at first, the maids are there to work for you and will need you to guide them on the areas that are important to you. Treat them with respect and be courteous, but be firm and clear on what you need done, and the relationship will greatly benefit.
- When choosing a maid service, hire a company and not an individual. While individuals may seem cheaper, if you are paying them outright, you are considered their employer. If they fail to pay taxes on that income, you could be held responsible and face fines or criminal charges. Also, if the maid is injured, you could be liable to pay for any injuries he or she incurred while cleaning.
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