Making the decision to get professional cleaning help to keep your home clean and tidy can make a positive difference to your personal and professional happiness, but finding the right cleaner is critical.
Inviting someone into your home means opening a window to how you live – and for some people, that can feel a bit confronting (after all, cleaning bathrooms and toilets can be a rather intimate business!). But when you choose a quality cleaner you can trust, the benefit of having support and help to make your home clean, tidy and welcoming is a brilliant feeling.
To help you choose the right cleaner, here are 7 important questions to ask your cleaning company:
1. Do you have current Public Liability Insurance?
Accidents can happen. But if a cleaner makes them, they can be costly — and stressful.
Damaged floors, scratched benchtops or chipped plaster can be expensive and time-consuming to repair.
Ask for proof of current Public Liability Insurance to ensure that any accidental damage to your home or belongings should be covered by insurance. Professional cleaners care about protecting your property — and themselves.
2. Do you have a current National Police Clearance?
When you invite someone into your personal space, trust is essential.
Checking that your cleaner has a current National Police Clearance proves they don’t have a criminal record.
3. Can you provide references?
A reliable, professional cleaner with a proven history of providing quality work will always be happy to provide references. Asking how long the cleaner takes to do certain tasks can also help you decide if this is the right person to look after your home.
4. What cleaning products and equipment do you use?
If you expect your cleaner to provide the tools, equipment and products to help your home sparkle, it’s important to know what they’re using.
A cleaner who chooses cheap, low-quality cleaning products won’t get the best results and could damage delicate surfaces.
If you have special features in your home, such as polished timber, marble or stainless steel, making sure your cleaner knows what products and equipment can and can’t be used on those surfaces is important.
Or, if you have a preference for eco-friendly products because of allergies or environmental concerns, a reputable cleaner will be able to adhere to your request and provide chemical-free alternatives, such as ENJO.
If your cleaner brings their cleaning cloths, asking what steps they take to reduce the risks of transferring germs and bacteria from one house to another helps you understand how your home will be kept clean and protected.
5. How much experience do you have cleaning residential properties?
Maintaining a clean and tidy home is a skill and choosing a cleaner who understands what matters most is essential.
Dusting, vacuuming and mopping are all part of it, but so is cleaning the crumbs from under the toaster and the microwave, as well as removing those sticky finger marks from cupboard doors.
6. If your cleaner will be working in a holiday home you rent out as short-term accommodation, ask them about their specific experience in this unique space.
Cleaning a property that guests rent needs to be managed differently than a traditional residential clean.
If your home is advertised on a platform like Airbnb, your cleanliness rating is critical to your success and future bookings.
Ask them for a checklist of all the things they will clean in your holiday rental to ensure it aligns with your expectations. Don’t be afraid to add to the list to ensure they look after the areas you want cleaned.
7. Will I have the same cleaner every week/fortnight?
Having a regular cleaner gives you the best possible cleaning results.
As they get to know your place, they improve their efficiency and can allocate time to additional cleaning tasks that don’t need to be done each visit (such as wiping skirting boards).
Consistency also helps ensure everything is done properly and helps you build a relationship of trust and reliability, without the worry of having to provide new instructions to different cleaners.
Protecting your home – and your family
Hiring a cleaner to enter your home is not as simple as it used to be. With legal and safety issues to consider, ensuring both you and your cleaner are protected, choosing Manhattan Maids to provide you with a cleaner to suit your needs means we look after everything for you.
