One of my favourite moments every week is walking into a beautifully clean home. For at least an hour, it looks like a show home… well, until the kids come home, at least!
If you haven’t experienced that pleasure, it’s time to enjoy living in an environment that is hygienic, safe, welcoming…and sparkling!
Knowing that a professional cleaner or maid can take care of all the house cleaning for you leaves you free to have the time and energy to do other things that are a bit more fun, like making memories with your family in a comfortable, clean home.
To feel confident that your cleaner is doing a top-quality job, check these eight great indicators that your home has been cleaned to perfection.
- A fresh, clean fragrance
One of the first things you’ll notice after a thorough cleaning is the smell. It’s hard to describe exactly what ‘clean’ smells like, but it should be fresh and pleasant. And once you smell it, you’ll look forward to experiencing that familiar, friendly scent each time your professional cleaner works their magic.
A quality cleaner will ensure your home smells neutral or lightly scented, indicating that surfaces have been properly cleaned without leaving heavy chemical residue. Even in a home using ENJO (chemical-free cleaning), there is a distinctive clean smell when you walk in the door.
- Dust-free surfaces
Take a good look at your furniture and surfaces, including benchtops, windowsills, bookshelves and tables. If they’re free from dust, fingerprints and smudges, it’s a clear sign your maid has put in the effort.
Pay special attention to places that are often overlooked, like skirting boards, light fixtures, the blades of ceiling fans and the vents in split-system cooling and heating units. A skilled maid knows the importance of these details and will include them in their routine each month so that nothing is missed and your home is thoroughly cleaned.
- Rubbish is removed and bins are cleaned
It’s amazing how many cleaners forget about bins! From the food scraps in your kitchen to the collection of toilet rolls in your bathroom bin, emptying bins is an essential part of creating a professionally cleaned home.
Your maid should empty all the rubbish bins in your home to eliminate clutter and unpleasant smells. What’s more, once the rubbish has been placed in your external council bins, your maid should also clean your indoor bins and wipe down the outside to ensure that they are germ-free and sanitised, as well as replace the bin liners if you use them. Checking for clean, empty bins is a simple way to tell how much attention to detail your cleaner is paying to your home.
- Sparkling floors
Whether you have hardwood, tile or carpet, clean floors are a must. A maid who does a great job will leave your floors looking immaculate. For hard surfaces, they should shine without streaks (and your professional cleaner should know what cleaning products to use to help protect each unique surface). Carpets should be vacuumed thoroughly, showing no signs of dirt or debris. If there are streaks on the hardwoods or a sticky feel, it means that your maid has used too much product and they need to be redone.
5. Spotless bathrooms
Bathrooms can be a breeding ground for germs and mould. If your maid has done a stellar job, you should find sparkling sinks, spotless mirrors and sanitised toilets. The absence of soap scum and hard water stains on your shower tiles is a good indicator that your maid knows how to tackle bathroom cleaning effectively. Top presentation tips include polished tapware and spout, with any dirty, soggy hand-towels replaced with fresh ones. If you’re using a cleaner for the first time, don’t forget to show them where your dirty laundry goes (whether you’d like them to turn the washing machine on for you) and where to find new bathroom towels and tea-towels!
6. Clean appliances
Another sign that your maid has done an excellent job is the condition of your appliances. With so much contact with both food and fingers, household appliances can be a hot spot for germs and harmful bacteria, as well as pesky crumbs and fingerprints.
Whether it’s the kitchen stove, microwave, kettle, toaster or refrigerator, these areas should be spotless. Don’t forget the laundry, either.
A good maid will clean the exterior and interior of all visible appliances, removing any stains or spills. Clean appliances are a clear indicator that your home really is being cleaned thoroughly and a high-quality professional cleaner knows what products, tools and techniques to use to make sure that your appliances – whether they are traditional whitegoods, stainless steel or designer colours – gleam!
7. They go where other cleaners don’t
Have you ever dropped something on your kitchen floor, bent down to pick it up and noticed, with horror, a gathering of dust, pet hair and crumbs lurking under your fridge. Or reached to get a book from the bottom shelf and noticed the cobwebs (and spiders) hiding in the dusty gap between your bookshelf and the wall? Ugh!
When you hire a great cleaner, they won’t let unsightly, unhygienic food crumbs and dirt attract pests to your place – and that’s positive news for allergy-sufferers too!
8. Attention to detail is key
Good maids don’t just clean; they also organise, tidy and focus on presentation. Paying attention to the little things makes a big difference. Look for neatly aligned items on shelves, cushions that are left fluffed and neatly arranged, but also things like cobweb-free corners in your home. Beds should be well-made, with doona covers and blankets correctly placed. Cushions in your lounge and bedrooms should be puffed up and presented well. And, of course, the final touch is the triangle on your toilet paper!
Do you need a new cleaner?
From sparkling surfaces to a fresh atmosphere, a thoroughly cleaned home can add to your at-home happiness by creating a truly welcoming, comfortable and inviting space. If you notice most of the indicators above, you can rest assured that your cleaner has done an exceptional job, is thorough and takes pride in their work. If not? It sounds like it’s time to choose a caring, quality cleaner from Manhattan Maids!
