NWR - Hiring Cleaners

lovemesomemonster

I need some advice! Our house is generally pretty picked up and clean, but sometimes when we have guests coming I want just a little better deep clean then I want to take the time to do so I have hired people twice. Two different companies and both times I feel like it looks OK but nothing I couldn't have done myself. This time they came in, looked around and just said "wow, so what exactly are we cleaning" so I said that we keep the house picked up, counters clean etc but we want more of the detail stuff done in the kitchen and bathrooms (cabinets, light fixtures etc) along with a top to bottom clean in those rooms. I have just felt like it was a waste of money both times so my question is.. how do you find a good house cleaner!? I don't really know anyone here to get referrals from. Am I just too picky? I feel like they come in, it appears clean, so they just surface clean it and call it a day so do I need to be more specific? Like point out "above this, under that, deep clean here"?

amelisha

Everyone's standards are different, so yeah, you should be specific. If you give them a list like "walls wiped, window wells cleaned, baseboards dusted, under the furniture in these rooms, please do the grout in here," then you'll get what you want. The last people the cleaners worked for may have just wanted everything vacuumed and the cabinets wiped, so it helps if you're clear. 

I have a list I add to whenever I notice something ("Jeez, under the lid of the washing machine is so gunky!"), so that's what I'd give a cleaner.

labro

I had a similar experience. The first time they came in they seriously deep cleaned everything but the second time was more of a surface clean. I feel like its helpful to point out areas you want special attention given to when they arrive - like blinds, doorways, crown moulding, stuff like that.

Is there no one at your office who uses a house cleaner? I was able to get several referrals that way.

lovemesomemonster

amelisha said:

Everyone's standards are different, so yeah, you should be specific. If you give them a list like "walls wiped, window wells cleaned, baseboards dusted, under the furniture in these rooms, please do the grout in here," then you'll get what you want. The last people the cleaners worked for may have just wanted everything vacuumed and the cabinets wiped, so it helps if you're clear. 

I have a list I add to whenever I notice something ("Jeez, under the lid of the washing machine is so gunky!"), so that's what I'd give a cleaner.

Good tips! I guess I just kind of assumed when I say "yes on the surface it's clean but I want a deep clean" there was an overall standard for that but apparently not. 

lovemesomemonster

@labro at my office there is.. however that office is a 7hr drive from my house and I now work at home.. We don't generally spend money on stuff like this so I just assumed you said you wanted a deep clean on bathrooms and kitchen and that's what you got. Thanks for the help! Next time I will know better.

anrforanr

Have you checked Angie's List? My parents have had really good luck hiring a variety of services from there.

lovemesomemonster

@anrforanr I have not but I will try that next time!