People who clean houses for a living have a unique perspective on homes. Not only do they know how to clean, they know how to clean well, and what products work best for different stains and areas of the home. In order to help glean some of their knowledge we found this article with 7 different things that house cleaners wished customers and potential customers would know. We hope it helps you and your home out!
Hate cleaning your house? No one could blame you: There???s precious little fun in scrubbing toilets. Or wiping down grime-streaked windows to the point where your elbows are sore for weeks. And you probably cringe when you think about your living room???s floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves, whose upper levels haven???t seen a dust rag since Tony Soprano faded abruptly to black.
Enter the humble housecleaner???here to save you from yourself! You can hand over your most hated tasks and wash your hands of cleaning.
But if you???re hiring a housecleaner to do the hard work, don???t make the job even harder. Following these insider tips from cleaning experts will not only help ensure your status as a decent human being, they can also help you save some cash.
Hate cleaning your house? No one could blame you: There???s precious little fun in scrubbing toilets. Or wiping down grime-streaked windows to the point where your elbows are sore for weeks. And you probably cringe when you think about your living room???s floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves, whose upper levels haven???t seen a dust rag since Tony Soprano faded abruptly to black.
Enter the humble housecleaner???here to save you from yourself! You can hand over your most hated tasks and wash your hands of cleaning.
But if you???re hiring a housecleaner to do the hard work, don???t make the job even harder. Following these insider tips from cleaning experts will not only help ensure your status as a decent human being, they can also help you save some cash.
Here are seven tips for keeping your cleaning from turning into a dust-up.
Precleaning will save you money
If you???re anything like us, you probably do a little precleaning for your housecleaner. And then, if you???re like us, you wonder how much of that is truly necessary???after all, that???s what the housecleaner is there for, right?
Here???s the deal: You should do whatever you can to help them help you. No, you don???t need to bust out the Clorox, the Shark vacuum, and the Miracle Mop, but you should tackle those dirty dishes, throw out the takeout containers, and pick up that pile of clothes. If you don???t, you may find that your wallet???s been cleaned out, too.
???Picking up clutter does make our job a lot easier,??? says Megan Sentner, the manager at Greenapple Cleaning in Ottawa, Ontario. ???That being said, we have no problem picking up clutter as long as the clients understand that it takes more time and costs more.???
Think it all comes out in the wash? Let us do the math for you: If your housecleaner charges you $30 per hour (the average rate) to clean, then a half-hour spent decluttering will cost you an extra $15???or $390 for a year???s worth of twice-a-month cleanings. Instead, straighten up the night before and save that cash for something else.
Allot the proper amount of cleaning time
Don???t feel ashamed if your house is in dire straits. Life happens. Work picks up, a kid or two comes along, and suddenly you have no time for more than the bare minimum. Cleaners (probably) won???t judge you???but you should expect the job to take a bit longer.
Be honest with your housecleaners about the home???s current state so they can allocate enough time on their schedule.
Use an insured cleaning service
Housecleaners can???t avoid touching your most valuable belongings???Grandma???s heirloom teapot needs dusting, too. But sometimes accidents happen.
The best way to ensure the safety of your precious possessions is by selecting an insured cleaning service. It???ll have provisions in place to quickly rectify the situation.
???If we made a mistake and caused damage, it???s our responsibility,??? Sentner says.
Bu it???s your responsibility to make sure things are in line and prepared for your housecleaner???s visit. That includes removing any truly priceless valuables???and making sure your home (however dirty) is a welcoming environment.
You???re not entirely off the hook
Hiring a housecleaning service doesn???t mean you can skip all of the cleaning. Well, sure: You probably can, if you???re willing to pay for the service to do the basics every time it comes by. But if you want to cut costs, make sure you try to keep up your home???s appearance in between cleanings.
???Minor maintenance can be the difference between us cleaning for three or five hours every two weeks,??? Sentner says.
Simple DIY tasks include wiping down the front of the cabinets after cooking, squeegeeing the shower, and sweeping the kitchen floor. Integrating them into your day-to-day routine can save you a few bucks on your bill.
