It’s time to treat yourself and hire someone to help around the house, but where do you start? You want the perfect house cleaner, and you may find the right person immediately, but sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit.
According to the US Department of Commerce, 10% of US households hired a cleaning service in 2021. That percentage is expected to rise, and for good reason. Time is a valuable commodity, and hiring someone else to perform the chores that take up your time is a gift to yourself.
To help make your journey to a clean home smooth, take note of these seven considerations when finding your ideal maid:
- Identify Your Goals
Your first step before reaching out to a cleaning service is to determine your specific goals for hiring a house cleaner. You might be surprised at all the options when you dive into what a cleaning service can do for you.
You may want a one-time cleaning to get your house on track after a big event. After that, you can speed-clean your home every few days to keep it up after the professionals leave. Or, it could be time to hire someone to come in regularly to help you tackle the chores you are ready to hand off.
Take notes about your home, how much work you put into cleaning on a regular basis, and how much you want to pass off to someone else. This will be a great starting point for finding the ideal house cleaner and a schedule that works for your needs.
- Consider Reviews from Family and Friends
Ask around to see who people you trust are hiring to clean their homes. This can be especially helpful if you visit a friend or family member’s house and notice it is always clean because of their cleaning service. If you have seen a company’s results and know their customers are satisfied, it is easier to trust their employees to come into your own home.
Feel free to read online reviews, but take them with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, negative reviews are often exaggerated because of hurt or frustration from the reviewer. If there is a cleaning service you are interested in, but you have concerns about reviews, ask the company directly about the concerns brought up online. There may be a logical explanation.
- Start A Conversation
With research under your belt and a list of goals you want to accomplish by hiring a house cleaner, it is time to reach out and have a conversation with a cleaning service. A reputable company will be able to evaluate your needs and advise you on how their services can be of use.
Your cleaning service will have a general task list of things a house cleaner can do. Compare the services offered to your expectations to see if that particular company is a good fit. This list may include:
- Mopping floors
- Dusting surfaces
- Wiping down counters
Be upfront with your standards and budget when conversing with a cleaning service. It will lead to frustration for both you and your house cleaner if clear expectations are not expressed on the front end.
- Ask About Cleaning Standards
Different cleaning companies may have different standards, and it is important to understand what principles your house cleaner will be operating under. For example, many people prefer a cleaning service that focuses on eco-cleaning.
Cleaners that practice eco-cleaning, also known as green cleaning, focus on sustainable cleaning products and methods that are good for the environment. They also do not use toxic chemicals, ensuring that the cleaning products they use are safe for your family and pets.
Green cleaning is especially crucial for individuals with allergies since cleaning products with harsh chemicals such as ammonia and bleach can aggravate those allergies. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice program lists products that are safe for the environment, but a house cleaner who is held to high eco-cleaning standards will know and use these products by default.
- Decide on a Frequency
Now it is time to decide how often your cleaning service will be able to come to your home. There are pros and cons to every schedule for regularly cleaning your house. The most common set-ups are:
A monthly cleaning means paying for your cleaning service less often, but the cost of each session might be higher because more time has passed since the last cleaning, meaning more mess has likely been made. Weekly and bi-weekly cleanings are typically shorter because they are more maintenance sessions than large monthly cleanings.
Talk it over with your cleaning service to see which schedule would be best for you. Be honest with yourself about how much work you are willing to do between cleanings. If you are okay with sweeping and mopping on occasion, a monthly schedule might be perfect for you. But if you want to be as hands-off as possible, consider a weekly or bi-weekly cleaning schedule to keep your house in good condition.
- Consider A Deep Clean
You may be ready to jump into your newly-established cleaning schedule but think about scheduling a deep clean before your house cleaner comes for the first time. A deep clean will go beyond the typical chores and address all the hidden spots in your home where dust and dander can accumulate. It may include:
- Cleaning inside your microwave
- Deep cleaning your shower doors
- Scrubbing your grout
- Washing your bedding
- Dusting behind large appliances and furniture
A thorough deep clean will give your new house cleaner the perfect palette to keep fresh going forward. By setting them up for success on the front end, there is a greater chance your house cleaner will be able to keep up with your home, and you will be satisfied with their work.
- Build A Rapport with Your House Cleaner
Your cleaning service will likely send the same cleaner to you for every scheduled cleaning, so it is worthwhile to develop a good relationship with that person. This will let them come to know your home and how you like things handled. If you have pets, it also allows your furry friends to get familiar with them for a stress-free cleaning experience.
If your house cleaner is doing a great job, show your appreciation by tipping them above and beyond your typical fee. Tipping is an easy way to show appreciation. Several factors play into how much is appropriate to tip your house cleaner, but generally, $20-40 is a good range if you are receiving excellent service.
Your cleaner is not a robot, and they are bound to make a mistake at some point. Having a personal rapport with them will provide a hospitable environment to discuss any mistakes or unmet expectations.
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What to Do if Problems Arise with Your House Cleaner
While it would be wonderful to match perfectly with the first cleaner your cleaning company sends out, sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find the right maid for you. There may be compromises or strategies to improve your relationship with your original cleaner, or your cleaning service may want to take your feedback and pair you with a new maid.
Be patient with this process. Your cleaning service wants you to be satisfied with your results, and they will work with you to meet your expectations.
3 Ways to Address Issues with Your Maid
1. Address Problems Swiftly
It is critical that you contact your cleaning company as soon as you notice a problem. Take notes of any concerns you have so that you can work together to come up with solutions for any problems you have discovered. This may include reevaluating your personal expectations, especially if they do not fit what the company offers.
As soon as your cleaning service knows of a problem, they will work swiftly to fix it for you. Please do not sit on your frustrations and let them boil over to the point where you move on to another company. Be proactive and gracious as everyone works toward a beneficial working relationship for everyone involved.
2. Consider Potential Solutions
Scheduling a deep clean of your home can help if your cleaner is not performing like they used to. It’s not unusual for service to dip after a couple of years, and resetting a home with a deep clean can help everyone get back on track.
It’s recommended that your cleaning company send a different cleaner to your house for the deep clean. Fresh eyes will see things your regular professional may have gotten used to seeing, making this an easy solution to get your home back on a satisfactory schedule.
3. Switch to a New Cleaner
As a last resort, your cleaning service may decide switching out your house cleaner is best for everyone involved. This does not necessarily reflect on them as a cleaner or you as a customer, but sometimes maids and clients are not good fits. Give the company the opportunity to find the right cleaner for you.
While it may take some trial and error, finding the perfect house cleaner is worth it in the end. Take the time, express your expectations, and work with your company to receive a satisfying service you’ll love.