Life gets busy, which can make it difficult to stay on top of all the cleaning chores that need to get done around the house. If you’re considering hiring a home cleaning service, use these seven tips from the Better Business Bureau to help ensure you choose a high-quality, trustworthy service provider at a fair price:
1. Do Your Research. Ask friends, family members and neighbors to recommend a reputable cleaning business or individual. It’s a good practice to interview at least three companies to get an estimate before selecting one to hire. Check out the businesses on bbb.org and other websites to read reviews or complaints. Beware of businesses with poor reviews and multiple complaints; more importantly, see how the businesses address them.
2. Interview Candidates. Interview multiple candidates to determine if you’d rather hire a large cleaning business or an individual cleaning person. During the interview, you should be able to meet with someone from the cleaning business, as well as with the person who will actually be cleaning your home. Find someone you feel comfortable with working in your home.
3. Check Credentials. Any individual or business you hire should be registered, bonded and insured to work in your home. This’ll protect you if something is broken or stolen or if someone gets injured on the job. Be sure to request that the employees working in your home have a background check done, or you may want to complete one yourself for peace of mind.
4. Request References. Ask that the business or individual you hire provide you with a list of references you may contact. When speaking with the references, ask about the services they use and if the business lives up to their expectations.
5. Discuss Cost. Determine whether you’ll need to hire the cleaning service for a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly visit, and ask candidates about their pricing. Find out exactly what’s included in their services, and make sure it encompasses everything you wish to have cleaned. If you want something specific, communicate that up front so the cleaning company is prepared to accommodate your request. The business should walk through your home before giving you an estimate. Be sure to find out if the cleaning business provides its own cleaning supplies; if not, the cost of the services should be less expensive. Keep in mind that the least expensive cleaning services may not be giving you the best deal for your money.
6. Get Everything in Writing. When you decide on the company to hire, make sure you have a written agreement that spells out clearly what the cleaners will be doing. It should also set a reasonable time limit for the tasks to be done each day the cleaners come to work.
7. Prepare for the Services. Before the cleaning business arrives at your home, it’s important to put away any clutter, but this does not mean you need to clean before they arrive. Put away jewelry and other valuables, and warn the workers about pets living in your home.
