Criteria for Choosing the Perfect Home Cleaning Service for You!
Although it seems like a simple decision to make, there are, in fact, some very important factors to consider when choosing a maid service. This is because there are a lot of cleaning companies out there that care more about making a fast buck and less about providing a satisfactory service. Therefore, the home cleaning service you choose to hire must be one that you can trust wholeheartedly; depend on whenever, wherever; and provide quality service for your home and family.
Certified Cleaners
Unless the cleaning company you’re looking at works with certified cleaners, perhaps hiring them isn’t the best idea. You need to know that your home is in the right hands which means, certification in the cleaning industry and with the company is a must. This also ensures that the maids have been background checked and are worthy of working in the home cleaning business.
References
The reassurance of having past customers of a cleaning service vouch for the company plays a huge role in one’s decision to hire them. From online customer reviews, to written recommendations; ask the cleaning company in question for references before you decide to hire them.
Insurance
Insurance is extremely important when hiring a maid service because it protects your family and home against injury and damage to your property. Therefore, if a cleaning company does not carry insurance, it’s advised that you do not consider hiring them. Having insured and bonded cleaners in your home gives you the peace of mind that your family and home are not at risk in any way.
Experience
Find out when the company was established and how long their cleaners have been working in the house cleaning industry to ensure that you are not leaving your home in inexperienced hands. The amount of training a cleaning staff has received also matters when looking to find a cleaning service that is 100% efficient and knowledgeable in going about home cleaning in a safe and timely manner. Ask for proof of their experience via certificates or cross-checks with past employers to be fully convinced of their abilities and work ethic.
Tips on How to Choose the Best House Cleaning Service
If you’re looking to get your home cleaned, it’s important to know exactly what you need done. If there are any off-limits rooms or specific areas that you’d like more focus on. Once you know what you want, you can make a list of requirements which should help when you’re choosing a cleaning service.
Eliminate any companies that are not insured
When choosing a house cleaning service, it’s important to make sure that the company you choose is fully insured. Should any accidents or thefts occur whilst the service is there, the insurance will cover it. If you choose a cleaner without insurance, all the responsibility will be yours.
Don’t just consider the cheaper option
If a cleaning service is offering to clean for you at an incredibly cheap price, it may be too good to be true. Find out what kind of service you’ll actually be getting. They’ll most likely be taking some kind of short cut or may have a bad reputation.
Are they using environmentally friendly chemicals?
Looking after the environment as well as your family should be your main priority. If you have pets or children with allergies, knowing what kind of chemicals are used is essential.
Choose a cleaning service that provides a guarantee
Any cleaning service that takes pride in their work will ensure you’re satisfied and will make sure that any issues you have are reviewed and taken care of promptly
Secrets to Hiring a House Cleaning Service!
I started a cleaning service company here in my home town of Toronto back in 2006, it’s called Clean My Space – who would have thought!? Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about this industry and I wanted to answer a question that I get asked a lot: How do I know which cleaning company to hire?
Whether you want to hire a cleaning service to help you with a one-off task, an annual spring clean, or something on a more regular basis, there are a few things you need to inquire about before you make a decision
Get Referrals From Family & Friends
Start by asking friends and family who they use – referrals give you an inside look at what a company is all about – not just what they say on their website (let’s be honest, a company can write anything). Companies can make themselves sound amazing, credible and experienced, but a referral from a friend or family can paint a different picture and carries more weight.
Take Online Reviews With a Grain of Salt
Happy people don’t tend to write as many reviews as unhappy people who feel compelled to shower the world with their terrible experiences. Remember, oftentimes, those reviews are people using it as an opportunity to vent, blow a story out of proportion, or try to damage the reputation of the company. If a company has ALL terrible reviews, that’s definitely a red flag, but if they have mostly good reviews and a few bad ones, that’s pretty average. No one is perfect.
Bonding, Insurance & Worker’s Compensation
Does the company have the ability to cover the costs of any damage done to your home, any theft, or if an injury occurs on your property? If they don’t have this coverage, you could be on the hook for money, items stolen, property damaged, or an injured worker. A company should be willing to tell you if they have this coverage and provide copies of their policies at your request.
How to Hire a House Cleaning Service
Cleaning your house can be a time-consuming process that may be difficult to fit into your schedule. If your financial situation allows you to hire a cleaning service, this option can save you time and leave you with a sparkling home. There are likely several cleaning services in your area. Choosing and hiring the right one requires you to be aware of your own needs and to do some research on various services’ reputations and specialities.
Decide what you want cleaned. You may only choose to have the service tackle particularly tough spots in your home, such as the kitchen and main bathroom. Some families will want the house cleaned from top to bottom. You’ll also need to decide whether you expect services that may go beyond standard cleanings, such as wiping down the baseboards or washing the windows
Estimate how long it will take to clean your house. Most cleaning services will ask you how big your house is, how many bedrooms and bathrooms it contains, and what kind of routine cleaning you usually do. One bedroom and one bathroom usually takes about two and a half hours to clean, and kitchens take another 1-2 hours. If you haven’t cleaned in a while, these numbers may go up. Preparing this information for the service will help you both decide what you can afford
Decide how often you want your service to clean. Depending on your family’s needs, you may only need the service to come once or twice a month. If you have a bigger budget and a busier schedule, you might opt for more frequent visits. You can also create an alternating weekly schedule that directs the cleaners to clean different rooms every other time they visit
Buy your own cleaning supplies if you have a preference. Because they’re more expensive, most cleaners will not clean with natural cleaning solutions. If you don’t want chemical cleaners used in your home, or if you have special cleaners you prefer, you’ll likely need to provide these to the service
Things to Look For When Choosing a Maid Service
Taking the decision on whether to hire a professional maid service can be a tough one. On one hand, there is the fear of having your privacy invaded by strangers and having them handle the things you hold dear. On the other hand, you could be someone with no time in your hand to clean your own house and need a person to rely on to save you the time and the the resulting tiredness afterwards.
Choose a Highly Referred Service
Choosing a cleaning service can very well be compared to choosing a doctor. You need to look for the most trusted and reputable ones and keep going through them until you find the one that suits you the best.
Conduct a Telephone Interview
Most cleaning services have a policy of going through your home first to see the extent of cleaning they need to provide before they come up with an amount for the service and decide on the dates. Before it even gets to that, it is better to ask questions over the phone to save both of you any wastage of time. This way, you can also keep sketchy services from taking a look inside your house.
Individual or Service?
Hiring an individual has both its pros and cons. For an individual, they can provide more attention to details and you can personalize their service more to your needs. However, if they fall ill, you won’t have anyone to back them up on a day when you need them. The insurance you have for an individual also doesn’t always cut it. If something happens in your home, you might have no way of getting full compensation
Take a walk through your home with the representative
If after the telephone interview, you have narrowed down the list of house cleaning services you prefer the most, it’s time to let them have a look inside your house. When they are coming for a visit, don’t bother cleaning up your house more than you usually would.