Whether you have hired a cleaning service before, or it’s your first time, you may have some questions in terms of what to expect and what to do before the cleaning service comes. You may have questions about house cleaner etiquette, policies, conduct and who they are in general. We are here to help you answer these questions and help you understand the process of hiring a cleaning service from start to finish.
Who is a housekeeper or cleaning person?
A cleaner housekeeper or a cleaning person is most commonly a staff member of a cleaning company you are hiring. They can also be an independent cleaner; but unless you have been referred to them by someone you know who has used their services you are taking chances and risks. An independent cleaner will likely not have insurance for damaged property or refund policies in case you are unhappy with their services. Hiring a professional service is always your safest bet.
There are signs to look out for in a good cleaning person and a bad cleaning person. And it starts with their arrival. A good cleaning person will always come on time, ready for the job with all necessary tools and supplies. A good cleaning person is always efficient with time, respectful of your personal items, your home and your property. Most importantly, in case you have pets, their etiquette around your pets will say a lot about them. Other signs of a good cleaning person involve how neatly they are dressed, their friendliness, and their disposition. From when we are little, we are told to not judge the book by its cover; however, if your housekeeper has long nails or is rude to your dog, chances are, these are the signs of a bad cleaning lady.
Find a cleaning service near you
People that clean houses often both, work for cleaning companies, and clean independently. Your safest bet is to hire a reputable cleaning company because they are likely insured, experienced and have policies and procedures in place to make everything from booking to locking up after themselves a smooth and painless process. If you are just starting to look for a cleaning service, and are not sure what to look out for, here you can find some helpful tips.
A comprehensive list with cleaning services in Toronto and GTA can be found here:
Cleaning services in Toronto and GTA are often not location specific and will travel and commute around the GTA. This should not effect their service fees.
Before and after cleaning service
So you need help with cleaning house, and you’ve resolved to hiring a cleaning company. Here are some tips for before and after cleaning house and how to prepare for house cleaner. Some things to expect before the cleaning involve your booking confirmation, a reminder, and tips on how to prepare your home for a housecleaning service. During the clean, expect your home to be serviced. What does this mean? It simply means that any and every area of your home needs to be attended to. As a rule, homeowners and residents tend to stay out of the cleaner’s way. But if you are working from home, for example, and need the area you work in cleaned at a specific time, make sure to let the housecleaner know ahead of time. Once the cleaner has wrapped up, make sure to give yourself about 10 to 15 minutes to inspect the home and assess their job while they are on site; you can expect them to fix any problems you find on the spot. In case you are not in the home, and do this assessment after the housekeeper has left, you can and should expect them to come back to remedy any problematic areas you find.
What to do before a house cleaner comes
Should you clean before a house cleaner comes? Simple answer is no. You are hiring someone to do that for you. But what you should certainly do is declutter and put your personal belongings away as much as possible. In this article, you can find tips on how to prepare for a cleaning process, whether you are hiring someone, or doing the job yourself.
For a comprehensive list of what you should do before a cleaning service comes to clean your house or your office, see below. In terms of cleaning, check in with the cleaning service if they do dishes and/or laundry (make sure to ask if there are extra fees involved). If the cleaning service does not do dishes, make sure to clean those. Certainly put food away and throw out the garbage into a trash bin. A good housecleaner will be cautious about throwing things into a garbage, because they may not know what things you want to keep and what you may consider garbage. Things that housekeepers hate is not knowing what to do with your stuff and your personal belongings if they are in the way of cleaning your premises.
How to prepare for your upcoming housecleaning: 10 tips on things you can do to prepare
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- Pick up any clothes or laundry around the house. While laundry services may or may not be included in housekeeping services you are hiring, picking up clothes, towels and sheets that may be in the way of cleaning is always a good idea to clear the way for the premises to be cleaned properly.
- Prepare your bed/bedding. As mentioned above, it is always best to check with the service provider whether doing laundry and making the bed is included in the service fees. Most services will take special instructions such as putting your bedsheets on your bed. In this case, make sure to leave everything ready, clean and prepared for the housecleaner.
- Pick up clutter. This is one of the most important tips on the list. Clutter will get in the way of cleaning. Even the most tidy cleaning services will be reluctant to touch your personal belonging. Put your shoes and clothes in the closet, food in your fridge, and garbage into garbage bins.
- Clean off the counters. Things like empty jars, food containers, and personal belongings may get in the way of properly cleaning the countertops. So make sure to clean out of the way of desks, countertops and shelves that you want dusted and cleaned properly.
- No food or dishes mess. This cannot be stressed enough. If you have food left-overs, make sure to store it in tupperwear if you want to save it for later, or throw it in the garbage. Chances are, the cleaning staff won’t know what to do with it and may not touch it at all, leaving spaces with food on them dirty and messy. Similarly, clean the dishes if this is not included in your services.
- Put your personal belongings away. Especially if you have valuable items like jewelry. If you tend to move things around and forget where you put it, it is easy to put the blame of theft on the cleaning staff when you can’t find it. Personal belongings can get in the way of vacuuming, dusting and properly cleaning all surfaces.
- Secure your pets. Pets can perpetuate the mess and make it difficult to clean. Dogs drinking water or eating can leave splatters and mess around bowls and on kitchen floors. Even If your pets are very friendly, make sure they don’t get in the way of cleaning.
- Communication is key. If you are dealing with a cleaning service, make sure to communicate all your expectations to them; walk through every detail and double check for any extra charges for the services you require, such as laundry or pet hair. If you have any special requests, it is best to put them in writing (I.e email).
- Decide whether to arm your security system. If you are away during cleaning, make sure to consider disarming the security or giving the cleaning company the security code to disarm and then alarm your security. A good and reputable cleaning company will always keep this information confidential.
- Get out of the way. It is always best to leave the premises while they are getting cleaned. However, if you are working from home and are not in the position to do that, just coordinate with the cleaners the timing on when to clean the space you are working from, and leave that space for the time being.
How much to tip a cleaning lady
Like any other service, the tip percentage ranges from 10% to 25% of the cleaning fee, depending on your level of satisfaction. As an example, if you are getting your office cleaned, go through the checklist to see if all items have been taken care of office cleaning checklist. If everything is done and you are happy, you can tip anywhere from 15% to 25%.
Conclusion
What to expect from a house cleaner and how to prepare may be an overwhelming set of questions. Hopefully the list above will put your mind at ease and help you best prepare for this undertaking.