The four walls of home are looking so much more familiar these days. And despite the obvious, wide ranging perks of home working’s increase, there is one element which is becoming increasingly bothersome; the ever present, unavoidability of household chores.
Yep, it can be hard to meet deadlines domestically when you keep having to rise from your hastily assembled home office desk and do some tidying. Though those windows won’t clean themselves and your tables won’t be wiped down automatically, there is a solution…have you considered hiring a cleaner to take a load off for you? Doing so will leave you with time on your hands to work from home in a productive, distraction free way; and we’d all benefit from that, right?
So, if you’re looking to find a cleaner but don’t know where to start, then read on; here are 5 tips for finding a reliable cleaner in unreliable times.
CHECK ONLINE REVIEWS
In urban cities, you’ll find a wide range of companies providing cleaning services. And with such choice often comes crippling indecision if you don’t approach the search in the right way.
Before you hire a cleaning service to do some deep cleaning, you should do your homework to scrutinise the vast network of reviews and recommendation resources that is the internet.
Though some customers turn to third-party business reviewing sites such as Yelp, Angie’s List, Facebook Marketplace or Google Reviews for confirmation of the efficacy and legitimacy of a business, it might be a smarter move to cross reference your potential cleaning company on websites relating specifically to tradespeople.
In the UK, Checkatrade leads the way, with a vast network of approved, trustworthy companies and a ‘standard’ which traders must adhere to. Other similar companies include Trust A Trader and Rated People, with Trustpilot continuing to be influential in validating companies who operate only within the highest standards of reliability. They even have their own dedicated platform for top rated cleaning services.
REPUTATION
Or, you could go further with the cross referencing, and seek referrals from friends, family and neighbours. Letting a cleaner into your home is quite a personal thing, and you’ll gain peace of mind by hiring one who has been given the seal of approval by the trusted people in your life.
Even more than friends and family, it’s most prudent to seek the advice of your neighbours when looking to hire a cleaner. Since your neighbours likely have a similar domestic set up to your own, they may well have experienced similar issues and be more in tune with the local area’s goings on.
CONSIDER HOW RATES ARE SET
How a cleaning company sets its rates should be a major factor in your decision making. Many companies offer something hourly, for example, whilst some operate on a flat rate basis. It’s up to you to decide which kind of arrangement best suits your needs. Hourly may seem the obvious choice, but there are some instances when a flat rate is preferable, such as when you require an end of tenancy cleaning service when the actual length of time is unpredictable, and desired expectations and results are agreed on before the clean takes place.
BACKGROUND CHECKS
When you hire a cleaning service, it follows that you are essentially letting ‘strangers’ into your home or property. A huge amount of trust is placed in someone you’ve likely never met, and who might be changing with some regularity. The good news is that many professional cleaning providers perform background checks on their staff to ensure the clients’ (and their possessions) safety. Go a step further and look for a company which has a low rate of turnover for their staff – this means that they take care of their workers, and their workers are more likely to be satisfied with the job they do, which translates into better service for you as well.
ADDED EXTRAS
Another important question you should ask before deciding on a cleaning service is whether their service includes cleaning supplies and equipment. Many companies do bring their own supplies and equipment, but it doesn’t hurt to confirm this with them prior to signing on the dotted line. On the other hand, you may actually want them to use your equipment or cleaning supplies, as you may have specific needs or allergies which require taking into account, so it’s best to check either way at the earliest given opportunity.
Alternatively, you could do the job yourself, using our excellent guide on professional home cleaning hacks!
