Everybody has had those exhaustingly long days when you all want to leave work and go home for some well-earned comfort and rest. You have everything prepared: order delivery for dinner, drive home, take a nice bath, turn on some Netflix, and chill in front of the TV. Additionally, it’s the weekend, and you deserve some pampering after a busy week with little downtime and work.
One thing you forgot to include in your grand scheme is staring you in the face as you enter your home: it’s a complete mess! You neglected several chores since you had a busy week, and as a result, the situation has gotten worse.
Even worse, you recall that you’ll be hosting a family dinner this weekend and need to get your house in tip-top form. There’s no way you’d even consider attempting to complete all of this work by yourself. So, what can you do with this?
It might take a lot of time to clean your home yourself. Depending on how valuable your time is, a cleaning company could actually save you money. Your time is worth money, and with the time saved you will have more time to work and earn additional income. A professional cleaner may handle the grunt work for you if you’re too busy with work, social obligations, parenthood, or anything else.
This article will give you a comprehensive guide to differentiating DIY cleaning from the benefits of hiring professional cleaning services.
Types of Cleaning Services
Customers often inquire about the distinctions between regular, deep, and move-in/move-out cleaning. Read below to learn more about their differences.
Regular Cleaning
Usually, this takes two to three hours. It includes cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, replacing the bed linens, and dusting all furniture and decorations.
Ideal for: Smaller properties like apartments and flats.
Deep Cleaning
A deep clean is more than just a regular clean. When performing a deep clean, it is necessary to rearrange the furniture so that the cleaners can reach every spider web and speck of dust.
Ideal for: Bigger homes and homes with animals.
Move-In/Move-Out Cleaning
A move-in or move-out cleaning typically occurs when landlords call us after they have entered the flat and discover that the tenants who have just left haven’t bothered to clean it for an entire year! Consider using this cleaning service to experience the breeze of a newly cleaned, contemporary space.
Ideal for: Homes that haven’t had a deep cleaning in months and those moving in or out.
Key Responsibilities of a House Cleaning Service
Having an extra set of hands for household tasks ensures a clean and comfortable home and more free time, which is essential to one’s mental and physical well-being.
- But what precisely do cleaning professionals perform?
- What can one anticipate in terms of the services they provide?
- How long is a cleaning consultation?
When considering hiring a cleaning professional, these and numerous more questions cross your mind.
Our explanation below seeks to outline the cleaner’s responsibilities and establish reasonable expectations on the client’s part. For this reason, we developed a thorough job description that includes common attributes for various cleaning services and what isn’t done by specialist cleaners.
What Role Professional Cleaners Take
Cleaning and maintaining a home to standards and giving the occupants a comfortable space are the goals of a professional cleaner.
The cleaner carries out a range of cleaning tasks wherein they check the rooms to ensure that they all meet sanitary standards.
A crucial component of professional cleaners’ work is the complete respect of ownership and rule to protect the residents’ possessions, cleaning supplies, and tools and to ensure that no shortcomings occur.
Critical Roles Professional Cleaners Do
The following are the duties of qualified professional cleaners:
- Sweep/vacuum, mop, and shine the floors
- Vacuum and clean the carpets and rugs
- Dust and polish the surfaces, units, and furnishings
- Clean the glass surfaces, including mirrors
- Keep the kitchen area tidy
- Clean appliances and equipment
- Sanitize the restroom and the toilet
- Replace the bin bag after cleaning the bin and taking out the trash
- Change linens and make beds
- Launder clothes (only upon request)
- Watch out for mold and musty odors
- Keep an eye on the cleaning materials and place new ones as needed
You are free to request the following additional services from some cleaners:
- Cleaning inside and outside windows
- Dusting off corners
- Cleaning drapes and curtains
- Spot cleaning carpets
- Washing dishes
- Loading the dishwasher
- Cleaning the oven thoroughly
- Folding, ironing, and storing wash
- Organizing the clutter
Remember that the person who cleans your house is still a person and does not perform any magic when doing the cleaning chores.
Professional cleaners can perform a more thorough cleaning in two hours than the average person, but they still have to work within certain constraints. It’s best to make a list of the top priorities to complete before each appointment.
You can also choose a package that best suits your current household cleaning needs from a professional cleaning firm that offers various combinations of services.
Skills a Professional Cleaner Must Have
Most of the essential abilities and credentials needed for many other jobs are also required for a household cleaner. Let’s go over some desirable characteristics for work as a professional cleaner:
- Basic knowledge of housekeeping and cleaning
- Awareness of health and safety regulations
- Ability to use cleaning agents safely
- Knowledge of sanitary and hygienic standards
- Outstanding organizational and communication skills
- Customer-focused and friendly
- Dependable and accountable
- Approaches tasks professionally
- Detail-oriented
- Ability to function at a high level with little to no supervision
- Time-efficient and has excellent management skills
- Ability to multitask while adhering to the schedule
- Ability to complete tasks swiftly without sacrificing quality
- Physically, mentally, and emotionally stable
- Respects confidentiality
What Professional Cleaners Don’t Do
While a cleaning service performs a sizable portion of housework, some jobs are not included in their responsibilities, at least not without additional compensation.
- Tidy before cleaning. This enables the housekeeper to concentrate on cleaning your house as intended.
- Run personal errands for the client. You should employ someone else to help with chores if you need assistance picking up the child from school or food shopping because the professional cleaner is not responsible for these tasks.
- Lift heavy items. You want to ensure your housekeeper is safe. Therefore, avoid making such demands.
- Climb high places. Hire a specially equipped service to clean high windows or top shelves. Keep the cleaner from climbing to clean a particular area.
- Cook meals. Professional cleaners are not making the family dinner. So don’t anticipate one to prepare your menu.
Hiring Cleaning Service vs. DIY: What’s Better?
Your week is usually occupied by cleaning your house. Keeping your home spotless can feel like a full-time job with all the cleaning, mopping, and dusting of your floors and blinds. It comes as no surprise that many people delegate these responsibilities to experts.
Depending on the size and condition of the room, hiring a house cleaner might vary in price. Read on to get all the data you need to establish an informed choice if you’re considering hiring a professional cleaner to clean your house.
DIY Pros and Cons
DIY cleaning can be overwhelming and challenging at times. Let’s examine some of the benefits and drawbacks of cleaning and organizing your own space.
Pros
#1. Clean According to Your Schedule
The good news about cleaning your home is that it’s on your schedule; whether you cross “cleaning” off your to-do list immediately or put it off for a while.
Do you want to scrub your floors as soon as the sun rises? You are capable of doing it. Do you prefer to clean the tiles in the bathroom at midnight? It’s up to you to make that choice. If you wanted, you could even work in one room per day. The key is that when it comes to organizing and tidying your space, you are not going after anyone else’s schedule.
#2. Use Tools and Methods You Prefer
Do you prefer to clean your home with eco-friendly methods and supplies? The aroma of a particular cleaning product might have become your obsession. When cleaning on your own, you have complete control over the products you use, even though you may surely let the cleaning service of your choice know about these preferences. DIY cleaning can be for you if you like to employ your learned cleaning techniques, such as the TikTok DIY tip you just recently found for cleaning upholstery.
#3. Enjoy the Advantages of Physical Activity
No one claims vacuuming the carpet will make you as physically active as running a 5K, but dusting forces you to get up and move around the house, which benefits your health, especially when done regularly. Cleaning can be the productive work you’re looking for if you want to be active on the weekends and in the evenings while staying at home.
Cons
#1. It’s Challenging to Make Time for It
Our daily schedules appear to be demanding. One of those easily neglected duties is cleaning, especially if you prefer to avoid doing it. When you finally start your cleaning checklist, you may have the best intentions, but with family and job commitments, you may quickly discover that it will be another season before you even get to clean the windows.
#2. Getting Behind the Chores Can Be Quite Stressful
Even when you take a break from cleaning, the clutter and mess persist. As a result, they can build up, lengthening your to-do list the more you put it off. If you decide to clean the house yourself, it may take you significantly longer to complete the task but put it off for a few weeks more.
#3. It Will Still Cost You Money
You might believe that doing it yourself to be cost-effective makes financial sense. However, if you DIY, you’ll still need to acquire cleaning products. But you can choose to give this job to someone else if you find that the cost of supplies plus the time you won’t have is about the same as what it would cost to hire cleaning companies.
Cleaning Services Pros and Cons
You might not know what to expect if you have never worked with a local cleaning business. Let’s review the advantages and disadvantages of hiring professional cleaning services.
Pros
#1. It’s Off of Your To-Do List
Professional cleaners do precisely that when you hire them to clean your place. They make everything convenient for you! You’ll come home after a long day to find your floors swept, mopped, and every surface dusted or cleaned.
#2. It’s Accomplished by Seasoned Experts
If you employ a house cleaning service, just like you would with any other service expert, you can expect the work to be done well and most likely faster than you could. Additionally, a cleaning expert will handle all of this and more with a professional touch.
#3. It May Cost Less than Initially Expected
Local house cleaning professionals can be hired in several ways, making it possible for their services to fit a range of budgets. Depending on your needs, a cleaning service can visit as infrequently or frequently as you like.
Remember that you might only require a cleaner to visit less frequently if you get into the habit of regularly cleaning your home. When they do, cleaning your home will require less time. Therefore, the cost can be less than you initially expected.
Cons
#1. You Are Obliged to Spend Money
A spotless home is not the result of magic but the diligent work of trained experts. They must be paid for their services just like other professionals. Expenses will be your biggest obstacle if you are trying to save money or want to avoid employing someone to perform something you think you can accomplish on your own.
#2. You’ll Need to Do Your Research
You’ll need to put in some work upfront to hire the best home cleaning professional, which can be a disadvantage if you’re extremely busy. Any service provider that enters your home may and should be thoroughly vetted by you. Cleaners with experience will have references that attest to their reliability as experts. Research is critical before hiring someone to clean and entrust your home with.
#3. You Will Still Need to Perform Maintenance
Even though these experts will handle most of the cleaning; you will still need to perform some maintenance. Hiring a professional will only remove some things off your plate. Still, they’ll undoubtedly assist with most of it, from organizing toys left behind when the kids go to bed to cleaning up spills and pet messes.
You might discover that you’re still going on and on with your fair share of cleaning and tidying tasks, depending on how organized or disorganized your home is. Depending on your household requirements, you can take care of all the cleaning chores yourself.
Signs You Should Hire a House Cleaner
It may feel odd to hire a cleaning service if you are used to handling all the household cleaning yourself. However, there is no shame in asking for assistance when life becomes hectic or you need to change priorities (or even when you need a Saturday to rest and recharge).
If you have the funds, hiring a professional cleaning may result in a cleaner, healthier, and more tranquil house. Looking for one more justification to make the call? Here are several telltale signs that it might be time to employ a cleaning professional.
#1. You’re Neglecting Essential Daily Chores
It might be time to engage a house cleaner if your rising mound of dirty laundry is forcing you to wear the same unwashed blouse twice in one week or your growing pile of dirty dishes is luring pests. Consider whether you need to hire cleaners if you find yourself putting off chores that impact other aspects of your life.
#2. You’re Compromising Sleep
There will undoubtedly be nights when the laundry takes a little longer than you expected. Still, if you frequently sacrifice sleep (exercising or preparing wholesome meals), it may be time to delegate some of your to-do lists. A person can assist with the dusting and vacuuming, but nobody can catch that Zzzs for you or attend that important class or meeting in your place.
#3. You Just Had a Baby (Or Another Big Milestone)
A sudden change in duties could leave you with little free time to clean, regardless of whether you have a young child at home, are busy caring for an elderly parent, or received a significant promotion at work. Hiring a pro saves you precious time and makes you feel less anxious during this period of change in your life.
#4. You Have Other Priorities In Line
You may want to start a project or engage in a pastime but need more time to commit. Hiring a house cleaner can help if your household to-do list prevents you from having any time for creativity or productivity. If your home isn’t cluttered, you can spend more time engaging in personal pursuits (and relieve some stress while doing it).
#5. You Need Some Alone Time
Hiring a professional cleaner could be a simple solution to fit in some downtime throughout the week if obligations to work, family, friends, and other activities prevent you from finding time to relax and recharge. Yes, even if it’s only to read, practice meditation, go for a run, or watch a pointless television program.
#6. You’re Unwell or Recovering from Injury or Illness
There is never a better time to hire professionals if you have a broken ankle or are recovering from surgery because cleaning can be a physically taxing job.
#7. This is Your Sign
Sometimes all we need is the signal to push us through a decision we’re trying to make—so here it is! If you want to engage a reputable house cleaning service, you don’t need a good reason.
Things You Should Consider Before Hiring a House Cleaner
You and your family might hire a house cleaner. Instead of spending hours a week on home duties, you might utilize that time to pursue something you enjoy. It’s up to you to decide whether hiring a house cleaner fits your budget and how to choose a candidate.
You should consider these four crucial factors before investing your hard-earned money in hiring a professional cleaning for your home.
#1. Is Hiring a Cleaner Worth the Money to You, and Can You Afford It?
Where you reside and the size of your property will affect the typical house cleaner cost.
The first thing to consider is whether you have that much more money available each month (or more often). If you can, whether you decide to hire a house cleaner will then rely on whether you think it’s worth the cash to regain some free time and feel confident that your property is in capable hands.
The typical homeowner spends four to seven hours a week cleaning, but most think more time is needed to finish everything. Consider the following: How much is your time worth? Do you want to use it to maintain your house clean?
Hiring a house cleaning may be the best option if you’d prefer not to spend your free time mopping and have the money to do so. If you have to stick to a set budget, you can still clean on your own. You might also get a house cleaner to come less frequently and handle particular tasks.
#2. Would You Want To Hire a Cleaning Service or an Individual Cleaner?
Hiring a neighborhood cleaning service and a private house cleaner has advantages and disadvantages. Weighing your available options can help you make an informed decision.
Cleaning Services Pros:
- Cleaning is done by a group of workers who arrive on time and work quickly
- Workers’ compensation and liability insurance are provided for services (check with any service you hire for this)
- They provide all the equipment and cleaning supplies
- If your regular team is unable to work, they will send substitute cleaners
Cleaning Services Cons:
- There is not much room for unique demands
- Services cost higher on average
- There is a charge if you cancel at the last minute
- There may be regular staff changes for your home
Individual Housekeeper Pros:
- One individual will be easier for you to trust and connect with than a group of others
- You have a choice as to which products they use in your house
- What is cleaned on each visit can be decided more freely
Individual Housekeeper Cons:
- It’s doubtful that a person will have the comprehensive insurance required to cover mishaps or damage
- If you only hire one worker, you won’t have a backup in case they get sick or are otherwise unable to work
Whatever choice you select, be sure the individual or house cleaning business is verified, dependable, and willing to provide references. Hiring the best cleaning professional to complete the job will make a huge difference.
#3. How Frequently Will You Require Cleaning Services, and Where Will You Be?
Establish your budget and the frequency of cleanings you would like a professional to perform in your home. However, remember that the more often a cleaner visits your home, the less each visit will cost.
Since most cleaning services give discounts for multiple sessions, hiring a house cleaner once a week, which is the most popular frequency, will frequently result in lower per-visit costs than if you hired them once per month.
Additionally, you should consider the day of the week or month that you would want them to arrive. You’ll want to leave while your house cleaner cleans, dust, and moves furniture as you become comfortable with them. You’ll feel at ease giving a key or the code to your keypad lock to a reputable house cleaner or service because they are trustworthy.
Before the house cleaner arrives, it’s a good idea to organize the clutter and store as much of your family’s belongings as possible, allowing them to concentrate on cleaning. Schedule your house cleaning for when you have time to do a little bit of planning.
#4. What Are Your Expectations from Your Cleaner?
It’s best to be upfront about your expectations for your house cleaner or cleaning service. For instance, you might like an entire floor cleaning each time rather than a quick mop and vacuum, or you might want more care when dusting, especially if someone in your home suffers from allergies.
Most house cleaners don’t empty the dishwasher or handle laundry, but if you need assistance with either of those tasks, you should inquire and try to agree with the service or the person you hire. A cleaning service may help ensure your interests are in line and that it will be well worth your money.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Cleaning Services
The cost that cleaning firms charge to clean your house depends on several things. The following are some elements that will impact the average cost of cleaning services.
- The Type of Cleaning – The kind of cleaning that needs to be done, whether basic or deep.
- The State of Your Place – Your home or office’s condition may affect the cost; a dirty home requires more cleaning and takes longer.
- Home or Office Location – The cleaner will charge you more if they go a long distance to clean your house or office. This is why working with a cleaning company nearby is so essential.
- Area of the Place – The size of the area that has to be cleaned. Regularly, square footage or the number of bedrooms and bathrooms is used to calculate house cleaning prices.
- High Market Demand – The cost of cleaning services is also influenced by the demand in your neighborhood.
- Cleaning Frequency – The more often you clean, the less the cleaning firms will charge you because the house will need less cleaning on subsequent trips.
- Expertise and Reputation – Cleaning businesses with a solid track record typically charge more for their services.
- Expertise and Reputation – Cleaning businesses with a solid track record usually charge more for their services.
- City you are Located – Depending on where you live the cost of cleaning services could vary. Prices may be different if you need:
Hiring vs. DIY Cleaning: Which Option Is Worth the Money?
If you are picky and demand that things be done precisely how you want them, you probably don’t want others cleaning your home. Even individuals who are particular about how their pillows are placed could find it appealing to assign housekeeping duties to others. Hence, they have more free time to pursue their interests.
If you’re on a limited budget and would prefer something less expensive, many websites allow you to hire local cleaners quickly. Before selecting a cleaner, read the reviews on the website to avoid making a poor decision. A full description of the area you want the hired professionals to clean is also necessary because doing so will make it easier for you to get a price from the cleaning service.
Before hiring cleaning services, it’s essential to carefully read the contract to ensure that the service meets your home’s unique demands and budget and that everything is clear and concise.
Hiring professional help, such as Modern Maids, is a no-brainer for people who value a clean and organized house but lack the time or motivation to do it themselves. Although this can increase household expenses, the satisfaction of a clean home may make it worthwhile.
Call us to book your cleaning service today.