All too often we get a call for service from a residential customer that has been using one of our competitors, they are obviously unhappy with the services they are paying for and are looking at hiring another company. When I arrive at the consultation I used to be shocked at the prices these large franchises charged for their services, or should I say 'the lack of services'.... Whether or not you call us or you stay with your current company, I just want you to know what is considered "Standard" when you hire someone to clean your home, if you are not receiving the services listed then please please please contact the Owner, Manager or Corporate office, as I know from being in the industry and the Owner of The Task Tacklers, this is the bare minimum list of services you are spending your hard earned money on, if your services do not meet the minimum standard than chances are it's individually owned and they are inexperienced in the industry or it is a larger corporation that has expanded, hired employees and are no longer able to keep a personal relationship with all of their clients or it is too hard for the client to get in touch with the proper person to make sure the services are completed correctly and to the customers satisfaction.
What you should expect...
In general a cleaning company is hired to do the cleaning of the home and not the general pick-up of items in the household unless it is agreed to by the provider and the client. When services are scheduled for a residential cleaning they are expected to go in and clean the items that you don't normally have the time to maintain, such as: Removing dust from light fixtures, window ledges, blinds/window coverings, wall pictures, electronics, furniture, knick knacks, doors, chair rails, and baseboards through out your home. The Bathrooms should include those items along with cleaning mirrors, vanity area (wiping off items on counter and positioning them in a neat fashion), shower and tub, toilet, cabinet, towel rack should be wiped and towels should be straightened, silver and chrome polished or shined, floors should be both wet/dry cleaned. Kitchen should include all exterior appliances with the correct solution depending on the type of surface, inside the microwave is generally cleaned, countertops should be cleaned with the correct type of cleaning product depending on what the surface is made from (granite, marble, etc.), cabinets should be wiped (remove the dust and grease build up), range and backsplash/overhead should be cleaned and degreased, sink should be wiped and cleaned out, eating area wiped and cleaned, if there are dirty dishes in the sink they should at the very least be gathered and put back in a clean sink to soak, along with cleaning the floor edges, yes, even under the cabinets. Bedrooms should be dusted, by removing the knick knacks, dusting the surface and items on top and places neatly back on the dresser, table etc. ceiling fan should be free from dust, walls should be wiped down and fingerprints removed, and if you lay sheets out on the bed, every experienced cleaner knows they are to be changed and the beds to be re-made, that is also standard service for a cleaning company. Interior windows are normally included but more often than not I am seeing that this is now a separate charge for other cleaning companies. Exterior glass doors are supposed to be cleaned. Also, people feel it is necessary to clean for the cleaning people- I want to add that general straightening is greatly appreciated but if items are left out, which, if you live in your home, this is expected- the items should be gathered and kept in the same room they were found but in stacked in a neat fashion so you know where to find them but also are aware that the cleaning company didn't just clean around them.
Also, Be aware of any company that asks you to leave your home while they are cleaning! This is your home, you are letting people in to perform a service for you, you have every right to be there and monitor their job! Please don't feel that you are in the way, you are a paying customer and people in the industry know this upon arriving, if you are told any different, chances are you will not be satisfied with the end product.
To sum up, the items that you do on a daily basis normally are items that you know where they go and how you like it- anything that you want covered when you put on your old clothes and turn your iPod on to the music that motivates you because you plan on spending your whole day cleaning.... that should be the service you receive from a cleaning company, They should deep clean your home as if it was their own!!
When items are not moved, including furniture, then the dirt and dust is not completely being removed, you are going to see that your home looks the same way it did with a few days of having it cleaned, My philosophy in cleaning and what I teach my employees is that you do it right the first time, that brings you the customer back because you are happy with the service and it makes our job easier to maintain on repeat service. So we spend the day on your initial cleaning, who can deep clean a whole house in a couple of hours?? Well, those other companies, but it isn't cleaned correctly? Each time we send the same consultant out to your home so that they keep a routine, leaving less chance for items to be missed and dirt to remain, giving you a personal relationship that you have built with your consultant and they know you and your pet peeves, areas that you want us to focus on and always a professionally clean home as the end result that you can enjoy!! There is a system to cleaning... I have had people say that some companies mopped the floor and then cleaned the counters... Always top to bottom! Anyone who has ever cleaned professionally would know this, so please look for these signs when you are interviewing a cleaning professional.
Don't be afraid to ask to see their insurance and bonding information!!! This is STANDARD for a cleaning company! If something is damaged it should be replaced or fixed by the company. Liability insurance is very inexpensive for a cleaning company, if they do not have liability insurance than who is responsible for replacing the item? The company or person is, and at the very least if they do not have liability insurance, ask them for a legal document that will cover anything that is damaged in your home. If they accidently spill a bottle containing bleach on your carpet- will they be able to replace it? A professional will have no problem providing you with the correct documents, licenses and bonding certificates.
Supplies normally are provided by a cleaning company. Although if you have certain things that you prefer and they don't carry it, which should be negotiated in the price, for their fee should be calculated based on the supplies, material, business costs and labor. A reputable cleaning service should provide you with a fair price that is not like the expensive corporations and not so cheap because they are not sure how to bid a job. If you ever wonder how much cleaning your home should cost, feel free to contact us and schedule an appointment for a free estimate, even if you are just comparing prices, We will give you a breakdown of why it costs the amount that makes sense to you, you can use that to compare to other cleaning companies costs and see where the price difference is.
I hope that this gave a little bit of insight to what you should be getting when you hire a cleaning company, the key is asking questions! We have client's that we do errands, laundry, and other services for at a low additional cost, but if the client never stated they needed such services done, we would've never known what else we could do to help make their life a little easier! If you have general questions, comments, or would like to sign up for our Newsletter emails, feel free to send an email to [email protected] or fill out the Contact us form on the contact us link.
Thanks for reading and I wish you a relaxing day!!!
Renee Riffle
Owner
The Task Tacklers