Hiring a professional cleaning service can prove to be tricky. Although a housekeeper doesn’t need a license to work in your home, they should have undergone some sort of training. Cleaners who work for an agency should have received on the job training at some stage. Before welcoming a housekeeper into your home, it is of vital importance that you do a background check. At the end of the day, most people store private and expensive items in their homes, so you will want to ensure that everything remains safe.
Don’t assume all cleaning services are provided when employing a housecleaner. Consider organizing a brief meeting with them before they start working so you know exactly what they are going to clean. Find out if they offer services like sofa steam cleaning, window cleaning, carpet cleaning, etc. before you hire them. Lots of people assume they will clean the entire house, but not all housekeepers include these services.
Benefits of Hiring a Reputable Cleaning Agency Instead of a Self-Employed Cleaner
Although you might be able to save a small fortune by employing a self-employed maid, it is highly unlikely that they will be insured to work in your home. If they were to sustain an injury while on your property, you might be forced to cover the costs of the injury and the days they missed out on work. Doing a background check on the individual can also prove challenging. A lot of maids won’t be able to provide you with a recent background check. Because they are working for themselves, they won’t have any supervision whatsoever unless you are around the house keeping a close eye on them, which isn’t very convenient.
Most cleaning agencies take out an insurance policy so their maids are covered to work in your home. However, just to be sure, consider asking them for a copy of their policy. If the agency has built a good reputation, then you might find them more reliable than a self-employed housekeeper. Unfortunately, most agencies charge higher fees than maids working for themselves, but it might be worthwhile paying that little bit extra.
How Much Do They Charge?
Most agencies and self-employed maids offer different payment options, but this isn’t always the case. Before they step foot inside your home, you might want to ask them how their rates work. Some housekeepers charge their clients an hourly rate. With most agencies, you should have no problems finding out how much they charge for their services, but self-employed workers often prefer a flat fee for every week they work. Don’t be surprised if they ask you about the size of your home before agreeing to take on the job. They might set a rate depending on the square footage of the house, while others prefer to charge depending on the number of rooms.
Will The Maids Have Their Own Supplies?
Some cleaners will show up to your home empty handed and expect you to provide them with supplies. Others will bring smaller supplies, like cleaning chemicals and liquids, but they will have to use some of your cleaning equipment like a vacuum cleaner. Some cleaning agencies will provide their staff members with everything they need to clean your home, including a vacuum and an array of cleaning products. It is crucial that you find out what they will need before they start working in your home. The last thing you will want is to hire a cleaner without any tools to start the cleaning process.
Most cleaners who bring their own cleaning supplies and equipment are known to charge top dollar, but it might be worth it especially if you don’t have the time to purchase these items. However, you might want the maid to use a particular product to clean certain areas in your home. If this is the case, make sure that you speak to the housekeeper before they start cleaning. A lot of cleaning products contain harmful chemicals, so you might want to find out if they can use eco-friendly products instead. It seems like most modern cleaning agencies only use eco-friendly products nowadays, but it’s best if you ask first just to make sure.
Where Can I Find a Reputable Cleaning Agency
There are several cleaning agencies out there. Most of them seem to advertise on various websites and social media platforms, but don’t assume each service is the same. Consider asking friends and family members for recommendations. A top cleaning agency will understand the importance of keeping a good reputation, so they will be very careful who they hire. Check online forums and reviews on the web for more information about the different cleaning agencies in your area. It might be a good idea to give an agency a trial period, but the problem with large agencies is they often have a lot of maids working for them so they might not be able to guarantee the same person works in your home each time you use their service.
