Bizpals- How to hire house cleaner-

Hiring Housecleaners

HIRING HOUSECLEANERS

Are you struggling to find the time to keep the kitchen floor clean? It sounds like a small thing—but you brought work home this weekend that you have to do between Little League, PTA, supervising homework, and your book club. Welcome to the 21st-century lifestyle. Whether it's a one-time cleanup or a weekly or monthly service agreement, cleaners can make your busy life much easier. But because they are invited into the private life of your family and can become involved in your life, it's crucial to make sure that you make a good decision when hiring housecleaners or a housecleaning team. Having a cleaning service you can trust in an emergency—or simply trust to turn up reliably every week—is an important solution that BizPals can help you with.

HOW TO USE THE BIZPALS REVIEWS TO HIRE HOUSECLEANERS

Are there are special concerns that you have that reading the reviews can help with? Are there pets present in the household, for instance? Will you want the cleaners to clean up after special events such as parties? Is there a basement full of mold and mildew that needs to be cleaned out? BizPals connects you with reviews written by customers like you and the peer endorsements for the service providers they review. BizPals reviews can help identify cleaners you can rely on to meet your household's needs.

CHECKLIST FOR HIRING HOUSECLEANERS

1. DO interview not only a representative from the cleaning service but also the person who will be coming to your home to clean it. Ask if the same members of the cleaning service will always be the ones assigned to your home. You may want to ask the cleaning service if references from other customers are available.
2. DO ensure that the cleaning service carries liability insurance. Ask to have a copy of the insurance certificate mailed or faxed to you. This may seem over-cautious but if a cleaner working for an uninsured company were injured in your home, you could be held liable. The cleaning service company should be happy to provide you with a copy of their insurance certificate.
3. DONT be embarrassed to ask if the cleaning services firm you are interviewing performs background checks for employees, and if employees are bonded. Again, the firm should be happy to reassure you that the people who will be coming into your home are reliable and trustworthy.
4. DO ask if the cleaning service provides free in-home estimates if you are thinking about a regular cleaning.
5. DO find out if the cleaners willing to use green “eco” products if that is what you prefer. And ask who is responsible for providing cleaning supplies, equipment, etc.
6. DON'T forget to ask what the company's policy is if something in your home gets damaged during cleaning
7. DO remember to schedule a cleaning service before you need it. Try to give the cleaning service at least two week's notice.

CHECKLIST FOR THE JOB

Checklist for what the householder needs to do before the cleaners arrive.

• If the cleaners are coming on a regular basis, you will need to decide how to establish clear expectations for the job. One way is to have a written list of jobs to be performed. The cleaning service may provide a checklist of areas to be cleaned and what kinds of cleaning to be done. If not it's easy to create your own. If the cleaning service will be coming regularly, it may be a good idea for you to be present the first time that cleaning takes place to make sure that your instructions have been clear.
• If you have never had a cleaning service before, you may decide to start with a “deep cleaning.” Be aware that this will take longer than a regular cleaning.
• Decide in advance whether you or the cleaners will be providing the cleaning materials, equipment, etc. If you are providing the supplies, make sure you have everything needed in stock and easily accessible for the cleaners. It will make their job easier if they don't have to hunt for the vacuum cleaner in the basement. Have a step-stool handy if you want the cleaners to dust the tops of cabinets, etc.
• Establish whether there are regular preparations that you need to make before the cleaners' arrival, such as stripping bedding, etc. If you pick up clutter that will help the cleaning service to get to the areas they need to clean.
• If the cleaners will be arriving when you're not there, make arrangements for how they will get in, disable alarms, etc. In warm weather it's considerate to leave the air conditioning on.
• If there are pets in the home, establish in advance if the cleaner should let pets in or out. If you are having a one-time cleaning, it will help the cleaning team if you keep pets out of the way for the duration, however.

CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING THE JOB

• If it was a once-off cleaning, were your expectations met? Did the house look as you expected by the end of the cleanup?
• If the cleaning is performed regularly, are your instructions complied with?
• Are the cleaners willing to take on extra tasks when asked in advance to do so?
• Do the cleaners use the kinds of cleaning products that you prefer?
• If anything was broken or damaged during a cleaning, did the company deal with the problem to your satisfaction?
• Are scheduled appointments kept regularly?
• If you request that you are sent the same cleaners regularly, is your request complied with?