Looking for someone to do that well-needed spring cleaning? Sick of fighting over chores with your housemates? Like many others, you may be thinking about finding some outside help to tackle some of your housekeeping.
Doing this, though, raises a different set of issues. How do you judge a cleaner's ability before hiring them? After hiring them, how do you know they're doing a good job?
Here's five tips (some for before hiring, some for after) to test the quality of your house cleaner.
Part 1: How to tell if a house cleaner will be good
1. Ask for References
In the process of hiring a house cleaner, think of yourself like an employer. Just like any employer will think, the best measure of someone's future success is their past performance.
So don't be afraid to ask for references! Most small-business professional cleaners will have a solid list of people that you can call. Bigger companies may need more of a push, but if they refuse to give references, check online for reviews and testimonials.
2. Ask these questions about their methods
Usually, even if you don't know much about a subject, you can tell whether someone you're talking to really knows what they're talking about or not. Ask a few basic questions just to test the waters:- What kind of cleaning materials do you plan to use? Just look for general knowledge here
- How long do you think it will take you to clean the house? Depending on the size of your place and the amount needed to clean up, estimate between a half-hour and an hour for each room
- Walk me through your typical process of cleaning a room? Look for someone who will clean the room from the top-down. Listen for any descriptions of cleaning typically ignored places (see point 4)
3. Get agreement of what they will accomplish
This is important up front! Nothing fancy needed for this, but it's good to have a simple document that lays out type of cleaning, frequency of cleaning, and agreed-upon payment that both parties sign. This is not a legal document as much as it is a good reference point if any later issues come up. Some smaller or self-employed cleaners may not have this on hand, so it may be on you to help provide it.Part 2: How to tell if your current housecleaner is good
4. Check "blinds and baseboards"
This may not literally mean checking your blinds and baseboards (you may not have either!). The principle here is to check less obvious or out-of-reach areas for cleanliness:- Tops of doorframes
- Nooks and crannies around windows
- Dirt in the corners of stairs
A good sign of overall cleaning quality is that these places will be clean!
5. Do you trust your cleaner?
This final piece is more of a "gut-check". You're literally having a stranger over to your home a few times a month: are you feeling comfortable with that person? Do you trust that they have your best interests in mind? Are they an awkward presence or a real help?
Trust your instincts a bit here. You want to be able to rely on whoever's in your home regularly.
A great relationship with a good cleaner can remove a weight of house management off of you and add a feeling of security and ease to your routine.
Interested in some of the numbers behind hiring a house cleaner? Check out our free price estimating calculator.
