Cleaning Services: Top 5 Things You Should Know

They come into some of your most private spaces and handle some of your most precious possessions, which is why hiring the right cleaning service to take care of your home or office is such an important responsibility.

But with so many cleaning companies offering so many different services for so many varying prices, knowing which one to choose can be a daunting task. Luckily, finding the right cleaning service for the job is a whole lot easier once you know the basics.

1. You must choose between a cleaning service and an individual housecleaner. There is a big difference between hiring a company to clean your home or hiring a self-employer housekeeper, although neither option is necessarily better or worse than the other. Some factors to keep in mind, however, include the fact that large cleaning companies may send several different employees to your home each week, whereas with a self-employed cleaner you are more likely to get to know the cleaner on a more personal basis. On the other hand, cleaning services are oftentimes likely to send more than one staff member to do the job each week, thus decreasing the amount of time the cleaners will need to spend in your home.

So while one option (the individual cleaner) lends itself well to clients who want to get to know their housekeeper and develop a bond over time, the other option (cleaning service) may deliver more man-power and get the job done in a shorter amount of time.

2. Always ask for references. One of the fastest ways to safeguard yourself and your house is to always ask for references before letting any cleaning company into your home. A reputable service will have no problem giving you a list of three or more references.

Just because they hand you a list, however, does not mean all of these past clients were satisfied, which is why it is equally important that you take the time to call a cleaning services’ references before signing a contract.

3. Compare prices and be careful with negotiations. Prices between cleaning companies—even the reputable ones—can vary wildly, which is why you should never hesitate to call around to various companies to compare rates. Of course, the cheapest company may not always be the best. Nonetheless, there is rarely a correlation between the prices a cleaning service charges and the quality they deliver.

Although it is acceptable to negotiate prices when signing a long-term contract with a cleaning service, it is generally not okay to do so when a service is cleaning your home for the first time, since your home is likely much dirtier than you realize. Rather, it is best to wait until the service has cleaned your house a handful of times before coming back to the bargaining table and negotiating a contract price.

4. Expect to have a period of adjustment. No housekeeper is going to know the specific ways you like everything done at first, which is why you should expect to have a period of adjustment while your cleaner learns the ins and outs of how you like things done. Although you should definitely speak up if something is being done in a way you don’t like—such as if the plates and glasses are being put in the wrong place, or if the laundry is being done on the wrong setting—there also comes a point where you, the client, needs to relinquish control over the situation. For the majority of minor irritations, it may be best to cut the housekeeper some slack and keep your mouth zipped. After all, if you wanted the job done an uber-specific way, you may be better advised to simply do it yourself.