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Picking The Perfect House Cleaning Service

Most people spend up to three hours a week on cleaning chores. Some of us spend much longer than that. Want to recapture that time for yourself? Why not hire a house cleaning service?

There are probably lots of different companies offering such services in your community. You can use these nine handy tips to make sure you match up with the best cleaning service for your needs.

1) Familiarize Yourself With The Company’s Services

Hiring a house cleaner with unrealistic expectations is one of the surest ways to get disappointed. Carefully study the services a given company has to offer. If you have concerns that aren’t addressed, ask if they take requests. Taking a little time to make sure you and your cleaners understand the job the same way is important.

Keep in mind that the company might also have expectations of you. Some cleaners, for instance, ask customers to take linens off their beds before the service arrives. Be specific about what you expect from your cleaners, set boundaries, and make sure the company is willing to meet your needs.

2) Check The Service’s Experience And Achievements

Find out how long a cleaning service has been working so you can gauge its reliability. Businesses that do a bad job (and those that intentionally cheat their customers) tend to shut down quickly and re-brand themselves once their reputation turns sour.

A cleaning company’s achievements, reviews, and professional accreditation can also give you important hints about its legitimacy and the quality of its work.

3) Check The Company’s Insurance

Most reliable cleaning companies have to have commercial insurance. Insurance is your friend if you run into a worst-case scenario with your cleaners. Who’s going to take responsibility if damage or theft occurs while the company is working for you?

Insurance also protects cleaners themselves. Proper commercial insurance will take care of worker’s compensation for any on-the-job injuries. This is good for you as a customer; you don’t want to have the company or its employees trying to pin financial responsibility for injuries on you.

4) Interviews, References, And Background Checks

You absolutely should not commit to hiring a cleaning service without sitting down for a face-to-face interview. Talking to a representative of the company is good, but talking to the specific cleaners who would be working in your home is even better.

Ask the service for references, and make sure you check with the contacts they provide.

You should at a minimum confirm that the cleaning company runs background checks on its employees. You’re within your rights to request details of the background checks of the workers who’ll be handling your cleaning, too.

5) What Sort Of Employees Does The Service Use?

This can be a tricky thing to determine, but it gives you great insight into the level of service you can expect from a cleaning service. Do they rely on full-time staff, or do they use contract workers for some (or all) of their jobs?

This makes a difference because contract workers are often less experienced and bring less-consistent training to the table. Full-time employees offer a higher, more reliable level of service. The trade-off is that companies relying exclusively on full-time staff tend to be more expensive.

6) What Sort Of Guarantees Does The Company Offer?

Many companies offer impressive-sounding guarantees to entice customers. You should get the details on how these guarantees work; your interview (see above) is a perfect time for this.

Lots of companies offer a satisfaction guarantee, for example. That’s great. How does it work? If you’re unhappy with the quality of work provided, what are the next steps? Will the company offer you a free touch-up? A full remedial cleaning session? Or nothing but a shrug?

Many home cleaning services handle accidental damage with a guarantee. Be extra careful to investigate a guarantee like this thoroughly. As noted above, quality firms should handle matters like this through insurance.

7) Investigate The Cleaning Supply Situation

If you’ve never used a cleaning service before, it may surprise you to learn that many companies expect you to provide cleaning supplies and tools for their workers. You definitely want to find out about this before you sign a contract and schedule a cleaning session! Other services provide their own equipment; some even let you choose which option you’d prefer.

If you want your cleaners to provide the supplies, it’s a good idea to spend a little time familiarizing yourself with them and confirming that you’re comfortable with their use in your home.

8) An Attention to Detail

Lots of home cleaning companies — probably all of them — offer prospective clients free estimates. Zero in on a more specific number before you make a final decision! Does the service charge by the visit, by the hour, or by square footage? Is your final fee determined by a combination of these factors?

9) Ask About The Company’s Policy Regarding Extra Charges

Finally, make sure you don’t get surprised by your cleaners’ bill by asking them about any extra fees they might charge in certain conditions. There’s often a charge for canceling an appointment, for example. Many companies also have special charges depending on the type of home, charging extra for cleaning apartments or condos.

Do you feel better prepared for the task of hiring a home cleaning service? Why not get started right now by contacting Cleaning Time and finding out if we’re the right service for you?