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How to Select a Good Cleaning Company for Your Building?

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The cleanliness of your building is a crucial part of the success of your business. Your building is an important investment that you must take care. When you have a hectic working schedule, you don’t have time to clean your place. Well, the best thing to do about it is to hire a reliable and good cleaning company that can meet your cleaning needs.

Meanwhile, various cleaning companies are fiercely competing in the market. It is therefore recommended for you to choose the best one that can offer you the best level of satisfaction that you deserve. The following are some helpful things to consider to choose the a good cleaning company for your building:

Track their experience in the cleaning industry

If you want to prevent forgery, you must know about the background of your potential cleaning company. Do they have the best training and experience in the service? Make sure that you are only working with a well-established company. They must have been serving the people for several years. With this, you will know that they have the knowledge and skills on providing you with the best cleaning service that you expect.

Licensed and trusted company

Before you commit and go for a contract with a cleaning company, you must ensure that they had the license and authorized to serve you such services. They must have a team that is committed to offering their customers with premium quality cleaning service.

Offers different cleaning services

Aside from vacuuming and dusting, make sure that you are hiring a cleaning company that is flexible to perform other cleaning services such as hard floor cleaning, touch point cleaning, upholstery and carpet cleaning, power washing, special event cleaning and more. Their team needs to be an expert in offering both residential and commercial cleaning to match your particular needs. They must also have the competence to offer commercial, industrial, office, institutional as well as other cleaning services.

Uses more advanced cleaning technology

What are the materials used for the cleaning services can result in success or failure? So, you must make sure that the company is using only the most innovative cleaning tools to reach your standards and cleaning expectations. The team must be responsible for the safety of their customers. Do they have equipment that minimizes noise pollution?

In hiring a cleaning company for your building, you must choose the one that can offer you green cleaning. They must have a holistic approach to keep the safety of the buildings, customers as well as the environment.

If you want to get a quality cleaning service for your building, you must follow the helpful tips mentioned above. It will help you to make sure that you are not wasting your time, money and effort for nothing.

You must also check if they have a solid reputation in the market. You can ask their past customers about their cleaning service to guarantee your satisfaction. Maintain the cleanliness of your building with an excellent cleaning company today!

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Ensure You Have an Efficient Cleaning Service

One of the most important aspects of a successful business is efficiency, and local cleaning services is no different. Fast, yet thorough is the name of the game when it comes to professional commercial cleaning. Before you can send your team in to provide cleaning services to a business there are a few important things that are necessary to ensure that your team is set up for success!

Proper Cleaning Equipment

It is essential to provide your cleaning crew with the proper cleaning equipment necessary to do their job quickly and correctly. The necessary equipment will not only ensure the quality of the cleaning that is provided, but will also cut down on the time required to complete task. While it may cost more at first, as this is an initial investment in your equipment, that money can be recouped over time as it won’t require as much time to complete task. Proper equipment can dramatically impact the level of clean that your cleaning crew can provide.

Proper Cleaning Chemicals

When cleaning with various commercial cleaning chemicals it is imperative that crews be trained in the proper usage of the chemicals that they will be using. By standardizing and coordinating the range of cleaning products, you can achieve savings through simplified training, eliminating waste, reduced transportation and storage cost, as well as a reduction in administrative work and costs.

Frequent Site Visits

It takes more than believing that your staff is trained accurately in accomplishing the work assigned, using the proper equipment to save time and provide a quality cleaning service, and using the appropriate chemicals for the job. When was the last time that you spent time observing your team, to ensure that they are actually performing the job accurately? It is important that you frequent the site to ensure the level of clean that is being provided is up to the standard that you have established. Be proactive on coaching your teams to enact the “get in, get out” cleaning approach. Having a systematic approach to cleaning established and in place, helps to improve the cleaning effectiveness, eliminates wasted time, and minimizes or eliminates stops and starts throughout a shift. When a cleaning crew is unmotivated, or loses concentration, the quality of work will decrease along with the efficiency of your cleaning crew.

If you are looking for local cleaning services that are reliable and efficient, look no further than Executive Cleaning Services! We have dedicated teams who are committed to providing an exceptionally high-quality level of clean regardless of the size of the job. Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve the clean commercial space that you’ve always wanted!

Commercial Janitorial Services

Every business owner, office manager, and plant manager know that cleanliness is a major contributor to the overall atmosphere of an area. The cleaner the environment, the happier the customers and the staff. With our commercial janitorial services, the place immediately becomes more conducive for work and more inviting to customers.

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How to Write a Janitorial Cleaning Services Proposal that Wins More business Contracts

How to Write a Janitorial Cleaning Services Proposal that Wins More Contracts

Most janitorial companies don’t take advantage of the power of a well-designed, well-written proposal. Keeping in mind these six steps can help you edge out the competition to win your next cleaning services contract.

The hard truth of the day: the janitorial industry is known for contractors who compete primarily on price.

They swoop in with their promises of being the best / the greenest / the most reliable, then they underbid on the contract, and underperform on the job.

Ugh.

This means that janitorial companies like yours — who work hard, pay their employees well, and keep happy customers — need to bake your unique awesomeness into every aspect of your sales process to win the contract without lowering your bid.

In other words, your efforts to impress a potential client can’t stop when you leave the walk-through.

The good news is that a cleaning services proposal is a great tool for driving home how your company is different from the competition — and it’s one many janitorial businesses don’t use to its full potential.

In this article, we’ll look at how to write a commercial cleaning services proposal that allows you to seal the deal, without lowering your price.

We’ve divided this article up into one major “DON’T” and a few key “DO’s”.

First, let’s get that “don’t” out of the way:

Don’t focus too much on cleaning

Say what?!

That’s right. If you got as far as sending your potential new customer a cleaning services estimate, then they trust that you have the proper supplies and equipment and that your staff knows how to clean.

And believe it or not, the average person isn’t all that interested in commercial cleaning (strange, I know).

Instead, your business proposal should focus on a few key things that make you stand out to get the prospect excited to hire your team.

Side note: I know the client getting excited about their cleaning company sounds unlikely, but when Swept CEO Mike Brown ran a janitorial business he had a client tell him his company was “cool.” A cleaning company? Cool? Mike thought he misheard the person.

But the lesson here? That is exactly the kind of comment you should aim for!

So now that we have the “don’t” out of the way, here are six things your company should communicate in every cleaning services proposal, introduction letter, quote, or any other communication you have with your sales lead.

1. Communicate why you do what you do

If you’re a business owner and have never heard Simon Sinek talk about starting with “why”, it’s worth the 18 minutes.

If you don’t have 18 minutes, here’s the Coles Notes version: Most businesses understand the need to communicate what they do.

Example: Janitorial services in Philadelphia.

Some businesses talk about how they do it.

Example: Quality services dedicated to meeting all client expectations.

Very few businesses communicate why they exist.

Example: To create meaningful jobs where cleaners feel valued, recognized as individuals, and that their work impacts the lives of others.

Sinek lays this out in what he calls, “The Golden Circle”:

What Sinek shows is that shifting the conversation to talk about your ‘why’ can have a huge impact on a customer’s perception of your business.

Using this approach, the what you do is simply the proof of what your company believes — your why.

So the question becomes, what is your why?

The best place to describe your ‘why’ is in the introduction letter at the beginning of your proposal. For a great example of an introduction letter, check out this cleaning services proposal template created by Proposify.

2. Communicate how you’re different from the competition

This is probably the most important “do” on the list. How you’re different from the competition shouldn’t live in just one specific section, five pages in. It shouldn’t be subtly hinted at, as if you’re afraid someone might notice you do things differently.

Your differentiation should be woven throughout your whole business proposal, loud and clear.

As I eluded to earlier, so many companies refer to themselves as ‘the best.’ Hopefully, I don’t need to explain the problem with every business owner and their dog using that title.

As long as you know that ‘the best’ isn’t a great way to make yourself stand out, we can move on to more unique qualities you can highlight for prospective customers.

If you’re not sure what makes you different, think through the various processes in your business that impact customer satisfaction.

Quick! Grab this proposal guide before your competitors do.

Do you have low cleaner turnover rates because you treat your employees so well? That certainly benefits the customer, although if this is the first time they’ve hired a cleaning company you may need to explain how you make it a great place to work.

Do you use a unique strategy for ensuring a certain standard of quality? We’ve heard of companies who go into each location they service and hide a small coin or object, and the cleaner who finds it while working receives a prize!

Do you use innovative technology? When asked if the use of technology to improve communication and quality by a cleaning company would influence their decision to hire one company over another, 96% of business owners said yes!

3. Communicate what your clients think about your services

The fact that you think your company is the bee’s knees is good (confidence is crucial!), but what’s even more important is what others think about your cleaning company.

That’s why every good cleaning service proposal has social proof sprinkled throughout. Social proof is when you use the opinions or actions of people to influence behaviour, so like reviews, case studies, ratings, endorsements, and number of customers or products sold (Think McDonald’s – “Over 99 billion served”).

This is where customer testimonials come in.

Businesses in some industries might be able to get away with generic testimonials from any Joe Schmo, or even go the other direction and quote a client with some level of celebrity status.

You know, like Betty White endorsing Snickers:

But the janitorial industry is way too competitive for irrelevant testimonials to have an impact, and it doesn’t exactly lend itself to celebrity endorsements, either.

Your best bet is to have testimonials on hand from a variety of existing customers so that you can choose the ones that are from clients who are most like the business you’re selling to.

For example, if the proposal you’re working on is for a dentist’s office, choose a testimonial from another dentist office that you clean, if possible. If not, try to look for a testimonial that speaks to the same pain point your prospective client described to you in the walk-through.

4. Communicate how your services will impact their organization (or life!)

As a B2B (business to business) salesperson, it’s easy to forget that even though you’re selling your services to other businesses, it’s a real human being deciding to hire you, and signing the cheque.

In a large organization, the impact of a fresh, clean space could improve team morale, result in fewer sick days, or even increase productivity if employees are otherwise left to do the cleaning themselves.

In a smaller organization, the impact could be more directly on one person, such as the administrative staff responsible for ensuring the space makes a good first impression on clients who come into the office.

Be specific enough that your potential client can picture what that improvement will look like. For instance, at a daycare, a cleaner space means fewer runny noses and feverish kids — something every child care worker (and parent!) loves to hear.

5. Communicate your commitment to them

This one can be tricky.

How do you get across just how serious you are about customer satisfaction to someone?

When the founders of Swept ran their own cleaning company (before transitioning into janitorial software) they told clients this:

We’ll pay you to fire us.

Yup, you read that right.

They offered to pay the bill for their client’s last month of services if they wanted to find a new cleaning company.

A bold statement, but guess how many times they were taken up on that offer? None.

No matter what your schtick, clearly communicate what the customer can expect when they hire your commercial cleaning company.

6. Communicate the next steps

This is less about selling and more about ensuring your first few interactions in your new relationship as client-contractor are positive — that you start off on the right foot.

The most important thing to outline here is how and when you’ll collect payment so that there are no surprises.

Hint: A word of advice — especially to those of you just starting out — bill at the beginning of the month, not the end. It often takes customers two, three, even four weeks to pay you. Best practice is to charge them on the day you begin working so that you have the cash to pay your cleaners for that period of time.

Some final thoughts…

At the end of the day, bidding on cleaning jobs is hard work.

It requires you to identify the prospective client’s daily challenges and needs, the reason they’ve decided to hire a new contractor, and how your company can fill that gap.

From time to time you’ll spend several hours speaking with a customer, walking through their space, and writing a proposal — only to have them go with the lowest bidder.

While this can be incredibly frustrating, (you know as well as I do they won’t be satisfied with the lowest bidder’s services in two months time) it’s often better to dodge those bullets altogether than to invest more time into the relationship.

If you take nothing else from this article, know that each quote you deliver should be wrapped up in a well designed, well thought-out proposal.

It takes time to communicate each of the things we’ve listed above, but doing so will often mean the difference between winning a commercial cleaning contract at the rate you quoted, being bartered with, or worst of all, losing the bid to a competitor.

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Some Tips for Successful Spring Cleaning

The flowers are blooming, the birds are serenading, and our house still feels like it’s stuck with winter blues. Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the hectic seasons of spring and summer.

Clean Room-By-Room

Approaching your house room-by-room is the most effective way to deep-clean your home at any time of the year, but especially in spring. Use room checklists as a springboard for deep-cleaning the areas of your home that really need extra attention. Feel free to skip items that have recently been cleaned and focus on the parts of your home that have been neglected all winter long.

Organize and Clear the Clutter

One of the biggest parts of spring cleaning is getting rid of clutter that you don’t need. Now is a good time to advantage of the natural spring urge to get rid of items that are weighing you down and begin fresh with a more streamlined lifestyle. A systematic four-step approach to identifying problems, analyzing reasons, determining solutions, and implementing remedies can be extremely productive at this time of year. Sorting your belongings into four categories—trash, give-away, store, or put-way—can also be effective as you begin the spring-cleaning process.

Now is a great time to plan a garage sale or to donate items to good causes. Cleaning will be a lot easier when the clutter is gone.

Get the Family Involved

If you need a little help in your cleaning endeavors, get your family involved. Even the most unwilling helper can make a big difference in the workload. Don’t worry: There are ways to deal with even the most reluctant helpers. This is actually a great time of year to get the entire family to work together. Try throwing on some music or establishing a family reward as an incentive to get the work done.

Tackle the Seasonal Chores

There are some special chores that need to be done seasonally. We ignore them for most of the fall and winter, but now it is time to bite the bullet and get these things clean. Even though these chores only need to be done once or twice a year, they will help your home run look better and run smoothly. Outdoor chores like cleaning grills, patios, and windows can be a little intimidating, but there are some simple tricks that can keep the jobs manageable.

Keep Cleaning Products to a Minimum

The cleaning aisles of our stores are stocked full of commercial products to help you clean, but the variety can be overwhelming. And dozens of cleaning products means dozens of cleaning products to clutter up your cabinets and closets.

Resist the temptation to buy all these cleaning supplies; the real champions of spring cleaning are more basic supplies, such as a good all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloths. There are even homemade cleaners you can make that will save you money while protecting the environment.

Establish New Cleaning Habits

A good, thorough spring cleaning that includes the whole house is a great time to establish new on-going cleaning habits, and it can also make the next spring cleaning a good deal easier. Simple 15-minute cleanup routines practiced every few days, each including a series of 1- to 2-minute chores, can make it remarkably easy to keep your home clean and tidy all year long.

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How to Start a Cleaning Agency in 6 Steps

Starting a cleaning business offers huge profit potential with minimal startup costs. To start, you just need a business plan, proper licenses and insurance, some cleaning supplies, and a solid marketing strategy. A savvy entrepreneur who doesn’t mind doing dirty work can start a profitable cleaning company for $1,000 to $2,000.

When starting your own cleaning business, it’s important to separate your personal and business finances. Chase Business Checking offers one of the most competitive fee structures, unlimited cash deposits, and you can open an account with a minimum of $25. First-time Chase Total Business Checking account holders are being offered up to a $300 bonus for opening a new account.

1. Create a Budget

You will need to spend a little to start your cleaning business. But, it is possible to start a cleaning business for less than $1,000. Your budget will mostly consist of licenses and permits, basic cleaning products, and advertising. In the beginning, you may work by yourself. But if you plan on hiring a cleaning staff, be sure to budget for labor.

Here’s a breakdown of the estimated costs for starting a cleaning business:

Licenses and permits: $30 to $60 if you register as a sole proprietor or $100 to $500 if you register as a limited liability company.

Insurance: $500 to $3,500 annually depending on number of employees. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars per month.

Cleaning equipment and products: $300 to $600 depending on the type of tools. High-quality vacuums can cost $200 to $300, $10 for several large all-purpose cleaning solutions, $10 for a broom, $20 for a mop, and $20 for dusting supplies.

Advertising: $100 to $200 for print and online marketing.

Labor: Roughly $11.63 per employee, per hour.

With these numbers, you can launch an operational cleaning business for as low as $930. While it’s possible to start your business for less than $1,000, it’s always a good idea to have more funds available. With any new business, it can take time before you start seeing a profit, so having funds to cover a few months’ worth of expenses or any incidentals that pop up is a smart business move.

2. Choose the Right Business Structure

Prior to launching your cleaning business, you need to have it registered. Registering your business is necessary for opening a business bank account, applying for loans, and hiring employees. Registering your business involves choosing a business or legal structure, a name, and planning for taxes.

Best Business Structures for Cleaning Companies

The two most popular business structures for small businesses are sole proprietorships and limited liability companies (LLCs). Many bootstrapped startups register their business as a sole proprietor. There’s not a lot of paperwork involved under this business structure. Plus, as the owner and sole proprietor, you have absolute control over your business.

The biggest disadvantage to a sole proprietorship is that there is no distinction between your business and personal assets. That means you are held liable if your business goes under due to debt, and your personal assets could be at risk.

Other cleaning businesses register as a limited liability company (LLC), which gives owners some protection from personal liability. So, if your cleaning company were to go out of business due to debt, your personal assets are more likely to be protected. However, the tax structure of an LLC is a little more complicated than a sole proprietorship, and LLCs have higher startup costs.

If you opt to form an LLC, we recommend working with a solution like Incfile to save money while registering your business. With Incfile, you can register your business for just $49. Visit Incfile to learn more.

How Taxes Work for Cleaning Businesses

Your taxes will depend on the type of business you register. If you registered as a sole proprietor, you won’t have to submit a separate tax report for your company’s profits and losses. You will just have to file a form for individual income tax where your personal and business incomes are considered the same. With a sole proprietorship, you are subject to regular personal tax rates, instead of corporate tax rates.

Taxes under an LLC are much more complicated. Your company can be taxed as a sole proprietor, partnership, S corporation (S-corp), or C corporation (C-corp) depending on certain variables and what makes the most sense for your individual business. There are certain pros and cons for each tax treatment. You can find more information in our small business owner’s guide to LLC taxes.

Choosing a Business Name

Naming your business is a crucial step that requires careful consideration. Ideally, your business name will be around for a long time, so make sure it is something you truly love. The name of your company can reflect your name, the services your business provides, or company ideals or promises.

To help you out here, we created the ultimate business name generator. You just have to enter your services, area, and your name as the founder. The tool generates multiple suggestions which you can use as a starting point to come up with your own unique idea. Once you have the final list, head to the United States Patent and Trademark Office to check which names are still available.

Franchise Option

Franchises are another popular and profitable option to consider when starting a cleaning business. With a franchise, you have the benefit of name recognition, regional or national marketing efforts, and established procedures and guidelines already in place. One disadvantage of starting a franchise is that you give up a lot of the creative freedom that comes with owning a small business, and have less of a say when it comes to operational procedures.

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The items you should include in a house cleaning list

Every business owner, office manager, and plant manager know that cleanliness is a major contributor to the overall atmosphere of an area. The cleaner the environment, the happier the customers and the staff. With our commercial janitorial services, the place immediately becomes more conducive for work and more inviting to customers.

Keeping a clean home can often be time-consuming and even slightly overwhelming, especially if you have a large home and need to deep clean everything. Therefore, it is often helpful to make a house cleaning list that can help you focus on one task at a time. Following are some of the top items you should include in a house cleaning list:

Vacuum: Vacuuming your home regularly is an integral part of keeping it clean and presentable at all times. A clean home is a comfortable, relaxing home, and vacuuming keeps your carpets free of dust, hair, and other particles that tend to build up in carpets.

Sweep floors: Non-carpeted floors tend to collect dust and other particles when you track them into your home from outdoors. Therefore, it is essential that you sweep your floors regularly to avoid tracking that dirt throughout the house and onto carpeted areas.

Mop floors: In addition to sweeping your floors, you should also mop them with a disinfecting cleanser, as this removes any dirt or grime sweeping your floors does not handle.

Scrub toilets: Toilets are one of the most bacteria-borne places in your home, and it is therefore necessary that you scrub your toilets regularly with disinfecting cleansers to prevent bacteria and foul odors.

Scrub sinks and fixtures: You should pay special attention to wet areas in your home, as these tend to collect grime and bacteria. Therefore, you should use a disinfecting cleanser and make sure to clean sinks and fixtures, tubs and showers at least once a week.

Scrub countertops: Countertops tend to collect dust and food particles, especially in your kitchen. If you prepare food on your countertops and also use them for other activities, you need to be extra careful about cross contamination.

Dust windowsills, ledges, and shelves: Dust tends to build up on windowsills, window coverings, ledges, and shelves and can result in allergy issues for you and your family. Therefore, you should dust these areas at least once a week to prevent dust buildup.

Take out trash: Excessive amounts of trash in your home not only look unsightly and create a foul odor, but also can attract unwanted pests into your home. To avoid this, you should take out your trash at least twice a week, especially if you discard food in the trashcan.

Change beds: Clean sheets are usually a sign of a clean, fresh home. Therefore, you should change your sheets at least once every two weeks to ensure they stay fresh and clean.

Tidy and organize: Tidying and organizing your home regularly makes it much easier to keep clean, which means you can invest less time in scrubbing various parts of your home. The easiest way to keep a home tidy and organized is to have a place for everything and return it to its place immediately after using it.

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Home cleaning schedule

Creating a Cleaning Schedule

Creating a cleaning schedule can be a confusing job. How often do cleaning tasks need to be performed? How long does a particular job take? What chores are considered daily, weekly, monthly, or seasonal tasks? The truth is that no one schedule will work perfectly for the same two people. If your home has small children, you may find that weekly tasks need to be performed daily to prevent getting behind. If you live alone, some daily tasks may only need to be done weekly. Allergy sufferers and people with breathing issues may need to perform certain tasks on a more frequent basis. Use the following guidelines as a starting point to developing your own daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal cleaning schedule.

Daily Cleaning Chores

Daily cleaning chores are the absolute minimum that must be done on a daily basis to keep a home clean. Depending on the type of household you live in, some of these chores may even need to be done more than once during a day. These are the bare bones basics. In my home, with 5 children just doing these on a daily basis won’t really cut it. However, there are often days when other circumstances prevent me from getting much more done. As long as I can accomplish these few things, mold doesn’t grow, people have clothing to wear, and nobody gets sick from our home.

Weekly Cleaning Chores

Although most of these chores don’t require daily work, they are still some of the most important tasks that need to be done in our homes. Some items may need to be completed more often. Scheduling these chores in addition to your daily chores will help you maintain order and cleanliness in your home. A lot of people like to divide up their weekly chores over each day in the week so that they don’t have a lot to do all at once. Others would rather devote 1 evening or day a week to tackling their weekly chores. In my family, these are divided up and done 1-2 times a week by the assigned person. I prefer to save my cleaning day chores for things that need to be done more infrequently. Pick a schedule for your weekly chores that works for you.

Monthly Cleaning Chores

Monthly cleaning chores are my favorite weekend chores. These are areas of your home that can afford to be neglected during your daily and weekly cleaning sessions, but ultimately a good thorough monthly cleaning is needed. Most monthly chores are beyond my kids’ ability to do without a lot of supervision and help. I usually save these kinds of chores for 1-2 Saturdays a month where I go all out on monthly and seasonal chores. And although my kids may not be able to do them on their own, these chores provide a great opportunity to teach some more specialized cleaning skills to them.

Seasonal Cleaning Chores

Although seasonal cleaning chores are important, they are usually the most forgotten parts of home maintenance. Our attention is only needed in these areas two to three times a year, but it is vital to maintaining and cleaning our homes. Seasonal chores don’t take up a lot of time since they’ll only need to be done quarterly or semiannually around your home. In my family, we usually have major cleaning weekends twice a year to tackle seasonal chores. The first time is around spring cleaning time. We’re usually busy gathering up items to donate or sell during this time as well. We have another major cleaning weekend right before Thanksgiving and putting up our Christmas decorations. This schedule has worked well for our family. It doesn’t matter when you schedule your seasonal chores as long as it is something you are consistent with and remember to do.

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Five Reasons for Enlisting Professional Maid Cleaning Services For Your Office

When it comes to running a commercial business, making a great first impression is of the utmost importance. From attracting new customers to keeping current employees happy, a clean and organized workspace is something that is attractive to everyone and is the perfect way to create an excellent first impression that future clients will remember. Imagine walking into an office with dusty countertops, windows that are streaked with dirty handprints, and mud-laden floors. Now picture yourself walking into a workspace with polished floors, sparkling windows and neatly organized stacks of papers. At which office will you be most likely to conduct business? The clean office takes the cake, hands down. And, not only will a pristine office attract potential clients, it will also become an environment where your employees can work quickly and efficiently.

At UMG Cleaning, we pride ourselves on providing the best and highest quality eco-friendly cleaning services in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and other surrounding areas. We specialize in both commercial and residential cleaning jobs as well as school campus cleaning and post-construction cleanup. Like our clients, we are make a conscious effort to limit our carbon footprint. This is why all cleaning products we use are safe and totally environmentally friendly! There are obvious benefits to hiring a team of professional cleaners to help you maintain your office space, but here are the top five reasons you should hire our team at UMG Cleaning.

1. You won’t get distracted by little details during your busy day.

It’s happened to the best of us—you are in the restroom at work and notice a minute too late that the stall is out of toilet paper. Or maybe you are washing your hands and reach for the paper towel only to find after several spins of the wheel, the towel dispenser is completely empty. Absolutely no one enjoys walking out of the bathroom with wet hands and then having to search around for a napkin or tissue because someone forgot to stock restroom the night before. Even a tiny hiccup like this can put a dent in your busy schedule. When your hire the professional team at UMG Cleaning, you will never have to worry about things being empty or out of place in your office. We will take every measure to ensure your day goes as smoothly as possible—you’ve worked hard to get to where you are, and we will work hard to protect your investment by providing you with the cleanest workspace possible!

2. Our team provides services that extend beyond simply sweeping, dusting and mopping.

Properly and efficiently cleaning an office space requires much more work than a quick sweep, dust and mop. At UMG Cleaning, our commercial cleaning services include: sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, decluttering, sink scrubbing, tub and shower cleaning and disinfecting, window cleaning, toilet cleaning, wall washing, electronic disinfecting, general sanitation, floor maintenance and more! When we are hired on for a job, our efforts go far deeper than only cleaning the mess/dust/dirt/etc that is visible when you walk around your home or office—we scrub and sanitize each space to ensure the health and safety of your employees. When an office is free of dust and other pollutants, the chance of illness decreases drastically making for a happy and healthy team at work!

3. Everyone can focus on what they do best!

From time to time, we see businesses that have fallen into the bad habit of assigning cleaning duties to their employees. Why is this a “bad habit”? Well to start, many employees do not enjoy having to clean the office bathrooms, take the trash out or dust filing cabinets. If you are a business owner who requires employees to clean the office, there is a good chance that morale is low and that corners are being cut when it comes to performing a quality cleaning job. Your employees were hired on because they work hard and are experts in their fields. And, like your employees, we too are experts in our field! By hiring a team of professionals to clean your workspace, everyone can focus on what they do best. We will use our skill and knowledge to clean your office from wall to wall, ceiling to corner and everything in between. Meanwhile, your awesome staff can focus on their work without having to stress about cleaning duties that are outside their area of expertise. It’s a win for everyone involved!

4. Save time.

If you are currently utilizing a system where your employees are in charge of cleaning your office, you are wasting valuable time that could be spent on other tasks or even at home with your family. As professional cleaners, our team knows the quickest and most efficient ways to clean different types of venues, whereas your employees probably do not. A cleaning job that may take your employees an hour or more to complete will likely take a professional cleaning team half the time to do. Your employees will no longer have to break their concentration at work to focus on cleaning the break room, and they can head home right after work without spending time afterhours wiping window sills and dusting blinds. A thorough, fast and efficient cleaning job versus a hurried, half-capacity, minimal job—which is more preferable?

5. Save money, too!

A successful business is a business that is making money. And making money involves both saving and budgeting. If you are a financially savvy businessperson, it is likely you already realize the benefit of hiring a professional cleaning crew to clean your office. If you are still on the fence, however, consider this: by keeping your employees on the clock to finish cleaning duties is only going to cost you money because they will be working extra hours to complete tasks they are not proficient in. Even if your staff is not staying late to tidy up around the office, you are still robbing them of valuable time during their day they could be spending on other job-specific tasks. This is not an efficient system. And, as we previously mentioned, a deep cleaning that may take a professional janitor an hour to complete will likely take your employees double the amount of time to finish—time is money, so save yourself both and hire a professional cleaning team. Professionals will always do a better and more thorough job of cleaning your office, anyway!

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Things to Consider Before Hiring a Cleaning Service

Is Hiring a Home Cleaning Service or Maid Worth It? – Pros & Cons

My wife and I carefully calculated the cost of cat ownership before we took in our first stray. Our calculation wasn’t perfect, though. We failed to account for at least one hidden cost of owning pets: cleaning bills.

Now that we have multiple cats, our home is far dirtier than it used to be, and it gets dirty quicker. As renters, we spent valuable time and a considerable amount of money on weekly once-overs and monthly deep cleans. I devoted hundreds of hours over the better part of a decade to mopping wood floors in a succession of apartments.Sign up for an account at Simple by 7/31/19 4:59 PM PT and get up to a $500 bonus and 2.02% APY (with qualified activities).

Unfortunately, this wasn’t always enough. Poor pet hygiene contributed to a substantial reduction in our security deposit refund at our last rental property. Now that we own our home, we don’t have to worry about keeping the landlord happy – but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to tolerate mats of hair in every corner and fine layers of litter on the floor.

As our lives get busier and our household budget grows, we’ve relaxed our old “no professional cleanings” rule. We now invite a cleaning service into our home for two to three hours at least once per month. Although I’m still not entirely comfortable with the cost, I have to admit that our house is cleaner for it.

If you’re unable or unwilling to keep your home as clean as you’d like, perhaps a hired home cleaning service from Handy.com is in your future too. Here’s what you need to know to decide whether it’s right for you.

Things to Consider Before Hiring a Cleaning Service

As you weigh whether to hire a home cleaning service, consider these factors.

1. Your Household Budget

According to HomeAdvisor’s estimate, U.S. cleaning companies charge $50 to $90 per hour, on average. Even the most efficient cleaning team working through a modest-sized residence is likely to take an hour to complete its work. If your budget can’t bear an extra $50 to $90 hit at least once per month, regular professional cleanings may not be in the cards.

Independent cleaners are cheaper, though my research suggests HomeAdvisor’s estimated $9-per-hour minimum is wildly optimistic. Expect to pay a single independent cleaner at least $20 per hour if they provide their own cleaning supplies and perhaps $15 per hour if you provide your own.

Solo cleaners take longer to complete their work than two- or three-person professional teams, so the price difference likely won’t be that stark. Still, cleaners not affiliated with hierarchical cleaning companies can better accommodate tight budgets – though budgets with very little leeway might not have room for any hired cleaning help at all.

Pro tip: If you haven’t set up a budget for you or your family, sign up today for Personal Capital. Once you connect your debit and credit accounts you will have a clear picture of where your money is being spent each month.

2. Your Home’s Size

Professional cleaning costs increase in proportion to residence size. According to HomeAdvisor, the typical single-family home costs $130 to clean. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) pegged the median U.S. house at 2,467 square feet in 2015. A more modest home might cost $100 or less to clean, while a massive McMansion could cost $200 or more.

3. Your Cleaning Requirements

The numbers above are rough averages. Your personal cleaning requirements and preferences will determine where your actual cleaning costs fall. Factors that might affect your cleaning requirements include:

Your Cleanliness Tolerance. Do you demand a spotless home, or are you OK with some dust, grit, and grime?

Your Lifestyle. Do you cook full meals every night and frequently host guests? Do you treat your home like a museum? Or do you fall somewhere in between?

Your Family Size and Composition. Do kids and pets account for more than their fair share of the mess?

Your Home’s Active Areas. Do you rarely use certain rooms, or is your entire home lived-in?

Your Expectations For Cleaning Staff. Do you expect cleanings to be basic once-overs – vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and freshening, with special attention paid to the kitchen and bathrooms – or thorough deep cleans?

Longer, detail-oriented cleanings that cover the entire house will cost more than lower-key cleanings that skip lesser-used areas.

4. The Value of Your Time

How valuable is your time?

You can ask this question literally: Is your hourly household income higher than what you’d pay a cleaning service?

A more abstract way to frame it would be: Is it worth your while to devote the time necessary to clean your home to your standards on a regular basis?

Either way, this is a personal question. When I was living alone and working low-wage jobs, DIY cleaning was a no-brainer. These days, the dollars-and-cents calculation is a closer call, but I’m personally less inclined to take several hours out of my week to maintain an orderly house (or perhaps I’m just getting old). Your calculation might differ.

5. Your Family’s Schedule

Professional cleaning is disruptive. If you don’t mind hanging out around the house while one or more cleaning staff mill about, running vacuums and kicking up dust, this won’t be an issue. If you’d prefer to be out of your cleaning team’s hair, though, you’ll need to schedule cleanings when you’re at work or can otherwise be out of the house. If your cleaning service doesn’t let you schedule at precise times – as is often the case – then you’ll need to choose a date on which you’re reasonably confident you can be out of the house.

In households with at least one work-from-home or stay-at-home parent, scheduling is a real issue. My wife and I both work full-time, but I work from home much of the time, and the cleaning service we’ve been using occasionally schedules visits when we’re at home. In our small older home, that’s not really tenable, so we escape to a coffee shop or park if the weather’s nice.

6. DIY Cleaning Tolerance & Skill

If you enjoy – or, at least, don’t mind – cleaning the house, more power to you. As long as you can find time to keep pace with your home’s cleaning needs and meet your co-residents’ expectations, why would you pay someone else to do it for you?

Make sure your cleaning expectations are realistic, though. Budget one hour a month for something that requires more like two hours per week, and you’re set up to fail. Likewise, if you’re not keen on using step ladders to dust high places or scrubbing out caked-on cooking grease, you might want to rethink your DIY cleaning plan.

Cleaning Service Types & Costs

In our search for a professional home cleaning service, my wife and I considered three distinct options.

1. Full-Service Cleaning Companies

These are legitimate enterprises that employ multiple teams of two or more cleaning professionals. Some national cleaning companies operate local franchises; others are independently owned entities that have grown into regional service providers. Either way, your regular point of contact is generally an account manager or office-based crew supervisor.

Cost of Full-Service Cleaning Companies

Full-service cleaning companies generally cost more than independent cleaners and gig workers. However, they’re often better at what they do and more efficient to boot.

According to HomeAdvisor’s estimates, full-service cleaning companies charge anywhere from $50 to $90 per hour, or $90 flat per 1,000 square feet. This range is lower by Care.com’s estimate: $25 to $35 per hour, though it’s not clear whether this assumes only one cleaning person on the job.

Our experience tracks with HomeAdvisor’s estimates. My wife and I got quotes for our 1,400 square foot house from a handful of professional cleaning services in Minneapolis. No biweekly quotes came in under $120, and the high estimate was around $160. We settled on a company that quoted us about $145 per biweekly cleaning because my wife’s employer had a $20-off-per-cleaning deal with them, cutting our net per-cleaning cost to about $125.

Besides home size, many factors may influence your professional cleaning estimate. The most notable include:

Location. Expect higher prices in major metropolitan areas with higher living costs. You’re almost certain to pay more for an equivalent service in San Francisco than in, say, Abilene, Texas.

Frequency. Professional cleaning services almost always offer frequency discounts. You’ll pay less per visit when you opt for weekly cleanings over monthly cleanings, even if your total cleaning cost is higher with the former. Our monthly cleaning estimates were higher, ranging from $140 to $180. One-off cleaning estimates were higher still; the service we eventually selected wanted $250 for a one-time cleaning session.

Bathroom Count. Bathrooms require more intensive cleanings than most other rooms. If your home has an unusually high number of bathrooms for its size, your estimate may come in higher than you expect.

Pets. Expect professional services to factor the number and type of pets into your estimate. All of our quotes accounted for our three cats.

Eco-Friendly Products. Cleaning services that use gentler or eco-friendly cleaning products generally charge a premium for it. You’ll want to have a detailed conversation about what each candidate company’s eco-friendly cleaning program entails.

Add-On Services. Most professional cleaners charge extra for add-on services such as refrigerator cleanings, decorative wood polishing, oven cleanings, and whole-house deep cleanings.

Special Needs. Professional cleaners may charge more for special requests or accommodations – for instance, dusting the area around an antique china display or reaching upper corners in rooms with unusually tall ceilings.

Pros of Full-Service Cleaning Companies

Pre-Vetted Employees. Full-service cleaning companies vet prospective employees before they hire them so that you don’t have to. Not all hiring practices are equal, though, so ask your company contact if this is a concern.

Faster Than Independent Cleaners. Professional cleaners usually work in teams of two or three, and perhaps more in larger homes. As the old saying goes, many hands make light work.

Potential for Better Work Than Independent and Gig-Based Cleaners. Professional companies’ training protocols tend to be more rigorous – or, at least, better standardized – than those of independent or gig-based cleaners, who may be self-taught or rely on prior professional experience. Professional companies are also more likely to act on customers’ complaints about shoddy or inconsistent work.

Cons of Full-Service Cleaning Companies

Costlier Than Independent or Gig-Based Cleaners. Full-service cleaning companies are almost invariably more expensive than solo cleaners. We’ll explore this further in the following sections.

Add-On Services May Add Up Quickly. Professional cleaning companies tend to limit the parameters of standard cleanings to “basic” services such as cleaning floors, vacuuming rugs and carpets, dusting furniture, freshening bathrooms, and wiping kitchen counter surfaces. Other services, such as refrigerator cleaning and detailing upholstery, often cost extra. Our professional cleaning company charges $25 to deep clean a refrigerator, for instance.

2. Independent Cleaning Professionals

These are solopreneurs or small businesses built by and around an individual or small team of cleaning professionals. Your regular point of contact is usually the senior cleaning person, who’s also likely to be the business’s owner. Some independent professionals have their own websites, but plenty use social media (usually Facebook) or third-party platforms (such as Thumbtack, Angie’s List, and Craigslist) to market their services.

Independent cleaning professionals tend to be cheaper than full-service companies and may also be easier to work with. The onus is on the customer to vet prospective cleaners, though, and even then, quality and efficiency might not live up to expectations.

Cost of Independent Cleaners

Independent cleaners generally cost less than full-service cleaning companies. How much less is the question.

In late 2018, I surveyed Craigslist cleaning service ads in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Per-hour pricing started around $15 (though pricing this low was rare) and topped out above $40, with occasional new-customer discounts pushing down the final price. Flat-fee cleanings started around $50 for three rooms and went up from there. Independent cleaning teams, who were often couples, charged more, though not always twice as much.

Pros of Independent Cleaners

Lower Cost Than Cleaning Companies. As noted, independent cleaners, especially solo types, usually cost less than pros. If paying as little as possible is your top priority, this is the way to go.

Potential for Greater Flexibility. Independent cleaners may be willing to include for free some or all of the add-ons for which professional companies tend to charge. If not, they may be amenable to a more customer-friendly pricing structure – for instance, simply adding the time spent on add-ons to the hourly total, rather than charging a flat fee that works out to a higher hourly rate.

Better Negotiating Power for Customers. You may have better luck negotiating with independent cleaners, particularly if you promise steady work. On the other hand, independents may operate on tight margins that limit their negotiating power.

The Same Person Cleans Every Time. When you work with the same independent cleaner or cleaning team every time, you’re more likely to develop a close working relationship with them. For scheduling reasons, full-service companies are unlikely to send the same cleaners to your house every time, unless that’s part of their value proposition.

Cons of Independent Cleaners

Vetting Falls to the Customer. The onus of vetting an independent cleaner falls squarely on the customer. Sure, you can check reviews and feedback on Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor, and you should always ask for references (more on that below), but that takes time. So does confirming that the cleaner is fully insured and running a background check, which you should do with any domestic worker.

Quality May Suffer. Independent cleaners may not offer the same quality guarantees as full-service companies. Short of terminating your relationship with the cleaner or unilaterally demanding they fix the issue without additional compensation, you may have little recourse to redress work that fails to meet your expectations.

Slower Than Full-Service Companies. Single-person cleaning teams can’t work as quickly as multi-person teams. Plus, full-service companies often hew to efficient, well-defined processes that get them out the door faster without impacting work quality.

Scheduling May Be a Challenge. If your independent cleaner already has a full client load, finding time for a recurring appointment that works for the both of you might be challenging.

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Pros and Cons of Gig-Based Cleaners

Gig-Based Cleaners

These are individual cleaning professionals who find work through sharing economy platforms such as Handy and TaskRabbit. Some gig-based cleaners also operate their own cleaning businesses and use these platforms to find additional clients. In either case, the platform acts as an intermediary in the transaction; you pay the platform, which then takes a cut and passes the rest on to the worker.

Gig-based cleaners are cheaper than full-service companies and may be easier to schedule. However, they’re not ideal for customers with complex needs or those seeking long-term relationships with their cleaners.

Cost of Gig-Based Cleaners

Gig-based cleaners generally cost less per hour than full-service cleaners. However, unless you request otherwise, gig-based cleaners usually work solo, lengthening the time required to complete the task.

I surveyed pricing on Handy and TaskRabbit. Handy seemed better-equipped to handle regular cleaning requests, charging $25 per hour guaranteed for biweekly cleanings. TaskRabbit’s pricing was more variable since its workers – or “taskers” – set their own rates. In Minneapolis, cleaners started at about $25 per hour, but better-rated taskers charged upwards of $40 per hour.

Pros of Gig-Based Cleaners

Lower Cost Than Cleaning Companies. If cost control is your top priority, you’ll want to limit your search to independent and gig-based cleaners.

Scheduling May Be More Flexible. Gig economy platforms have vast networks of capable service providers, particularly in major metro areas. If you live in an area with a high density of eligible workers, you’ll be able to schedule cleanings almost at will, as long as you don’t mind a different person each time.

Fully Insured. Reputable gig platforms provide liability insurance, usually up to $1 million, at no cost to the customer. This gives crucial peace of mind to homeowners reticent to file insurance claims and renters without adequate liability insurance coverage.

Cons of Gig-Based Cleaners

Quality and Consistency May Suffer. Though workers who develop a pattern of poor reviews or customer complaints will eventually lose platform privileges, gig platforms nevertheless have lots of subpar service providers. When you’re welcoming a different cleaner into your home every time, quality is something of a crapshoot.

Long-Term Relationships May Be Harder to Form. This is another unwelcome byproduct of using a different cleaning person every time. If you’re looking for a reliable cleaner who knows your home cold, a full-service company might be a better choice.

May Not Be Ideal for Larger Residences or Bespoke Needs. Slower, less efficient gig-based cleaners are not ideal for big houses or custom cleaning needs. You’ll have better luck with independent cleaners with whom you’ve formed long-term relationships or full-service companies that guarantee their work.

How to Find the Right Fit for Less

Keep these pointers in mind as you research and vet home cleaning services.

1. Get Multiple Quotes

Regular home cleaning is a significant investment. At $150 per visit, 26 biweekly cleanings cost $3,900 per year. For most families, even a $200 one-off cleaning is a substantial expense.

In other words, hiring a third party to clean your house is not something to be done lightly. And, unless you’re preparing to stage your home in preparation for a scheduled open house or hosting a last-minute gathering, it’s not something that requires a snap decision. Take your time and request as many cleaning quotes as you need to make an informed decision. Get every estimate, including the details of what is and isn’t included, in writing.

Every full-service company we approached offered free in-house estimates. Independent and gig-based providers often offer estimates sight unseen. Unless cost control is paramount, don’t simply focus on the final cost; also pay attention to what’s included, the time needed, and scheduling flexibility.

2. Always Do a Trial Run

Before entering into a recurring arrangement with a third-party home cleaner, make sure they’re as good as they say. If you have the luxury of waiting a month or longer to finalize the agreement, purchase one-time cleanings from each of your finalists at least two weeks apart to give your house time to lapse back into a disorderly state.

3. Check References

Always ask prospective cleaners for references and follow up with as many as possible. Use as many third-party resources – such as Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, and HomeAdvisor – as you can to find unbiased reviews or references. Talking only to references provided by the cleaner may give you an inaccurate picture of their capabilities.

4. Don’t Overestimate Your Cleaning Needs

Before beginning your research in earnest, think carefully about how much cleaning your home actually needs.

If you don’t have kids or pets and you’re good about sequestering disorder in, say, a mudroom or entryway, you might have little trouble keeping pace with your cleaning needs on your own or with quarterly or semi-annual cleanings.

Even if your house needs regular professional attention, don’t overestimate its needs. A monthly cleaning might have the same effect as a biweekly cleaning, and at roughly half the cost.

Of course, your personal cleanliness preferences play a role here too. If you demand spotlessness, you might be willing to pay more for more frequent cleanings or add-on services.

5. Don’t Opt Into More Add-Ons Than You Need

Be careful with those add-ons. Whether you’re willing to pay for services not included in a basic cleaning depends on your schedule and tolerance for DIY cleaning. My wife and I put off scrubbing our refrigerator for months (gross, I know) before finally springing for a $25 deep clean, but we’re pretty attentive to dusting around displays the professional crew won’t touch. We also clean our unfinished basement semi-regularly, cutting our per-visit cost by roughly one-third.

6. Ask About Fees

Ask prospective cleaners, or pore over their contracts, for specifics about their fees. Cleaners that require long-term contracts may build in hefty cancellation fees. Many independent and full-service cleaners charge credit card processing fees; we recently switched from credit card billing to direct debit because the company increased its processing fee above our cash back credit card’s rate of return.

7. Negotiate & Customize Your Cleaning Package

You’ll have better luck negotiating with independent cleaners, but even full-service firms may be willing to give a little for a stable, long-term arrangement.

If you don’t need your home’s entire lived-in area cleaned every time, structure your proposed package around the rooms you do want cleaned – say, both bathrooms, both active bedrooms, and the living room and kitchen, skipping the basement, bonus room, and spare bedroom. Most cleaners are happy to customize pricing by room count; even if they aren’t, fewer rooms mean less time cleaning, which could help your overall cost.

8. Factor In Health & Environmental Impacts

If using health- or eco-friendly cleaning products is important to you, you’ll pay a premium for it, as a visit to your local home improvement store’s green cleaning products shelf will confirm. Ask prospective cleaners about their approach to the inevitable health and environmental impacts of home cleaning. If they offer eco- and non-eco-friendly cleaning options, price out both.

9. Confirm Insurance Coverage

Ask prospective cleaners to provide the name of their insurance provider, policy details, and coverages. Then, contact the insurance company to confirm that this information is accurate. Make sure your cleaner is “bonded” as well. This type of coverage covers theft in the home, a common problem.

If a prospective cleaner isn’t willing to divulge insurance details or reveals that they’re not insured at all, avoid using them. Should one of their workers suffer an injury or cause damage in your house, you’ll want to make sure you’re covered without having to go through your own home insurance provider, which is likely to raise your premiums after you file a claim.

10. Ask for a Guarantee

Most full-service cleaning companies offer guarantees of some sort, but don’t enter into any agreements without making clear exactly what the provider’s guarantee covers. Blanket guarantees that aren’t open to subjective interpretation – such as “100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” – are best. You want to have the upper hand, and ensure adequate reimbursement, if and when you demand recourse.

11. Avoid Long-Term Contracts

The home cleaning industry is competitive enough that there’s no need to work with a cleaning company or independent cleaner that locks their customers into long-term contracts. We have an open-ended arrangement with our current cleaning company. We can cancel at any time with no penalty or cancel individual cleanings without affecting future visits.

12. Opt Into Auto-Pay

Many cleaning companies offer auto-pay discounts. Even if yours doesn’t, you’ll avoid late payment fees and interest when you opt into an auto-pay arrangement – assuming you keep enough money in your account to cover the recurring charge.

13. Look for Promotions

In competitive markets, full-service cleaning companies offer an array of promotions, such as package deals, discounts, and bonuses. We’ve already touched on frequency discounts, which are almost universal. Other types of deals include:

Package Deals. Cleaning companies may cut customers a break – for example, 10 cleanings for the price of 9 – when they pay for a multi-cleaning package up front.

Partner Discounts. Some cleaning companies partner with larger employers to offer employee discounts. The company we ultimately chose offered a generous discount for employees of my wife’s organization, for instance.

Referral Bonuses. Some cleaning companies run referral programs that pay existing customers for successful new-business referrals. In a cursory search, I found per-referral bonuses as high as $50, a significant discount to the cost of a single cleaning visit.

14. Clean Up Before the Cleaners Come

Last, but not least, once you’ve established a relationship with a solo or corporate cleaner, remember to tidy up the house before each visit. When you declutter your living space in advance of your cleaning team’s arrival, it makes their job more efficient.

Even if you’re charged a flat rate and don’t accrue direct financial benefit from quicker work, your team is likely to be more thorough with minimal clutter in the way. We’re far happier with the results when we take 15 to 30 minutes to clean up our most heavily trafficked rooms the night before our cleaning company comes.

[rafeegworld]

WHAT IS  A SAME DAY CLEANING ServiceS?

HOW DOES REQUEST A SAME DAY CLEANING service?

1. You pick times that work for you.a

2. A top-rated Homekeeper in your area accepts a time.

3. You get notified with the details!

Most requests are accepted within 20 minutes, and over 70% of requests are filled! It is the easiest way to get a last minute cleaning. You can get exact pricing for your location in a few easy online steps. Try it today!

WHAT MAKES LAST MINUTE CLEANINGS DIFFERENT?

Well, it’s a bit harder to get cleaners out the same day. So while we normally let you book exact confirmed times, for same day appointments we ask that you pick several times that work for you. We do make sure that same day cleaning pricing is transparent, and easy to figure out online (without needing to create an account).

HOW DOES TIDY MAKE SAME DAY CLEANINGS BETTER?

Easily request times that work for you. It typically takes 2 minutes online or in the app for you to pick the best times that work for you today, and we will do the hard work of finding someone to make it to you.

Transparently track online if a cleaner accepted your last minute cleaning request. You can log in anytime to see if someone can help you or not. You can modify the request easily, or cancel if needed. There is nothing billed if we can’t find someone. We even use machine learning to show you the current odds of getting your appointment filled (coming soon).

Customize your same day cleaning’s To Do list. Use TIDY’s digital cleaning To Do list to make sure you get the best possible experience in that time. Most people who are requesting same day appointments have some sort of emergency cleaning situation, so it helps to specify exactly what it is you are looking to get done. You can take photos of exactly how you want things done too!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SAME DAY CLEANINGS

Can you give us more details on how it works?

Can you guarantee someone today?

While we try to be 100% transparent about the current state of your request, and make it as easy as possible, we cannot guarantee someone can make it the same day. People are human, and we have to work with home cleaners on their schedule. However, about 70% of all appointments do get served, so the odds are very high.

How do I maximize my chances of getting a cleaning today?

When asked what times can work for you, pick as many as possible. This flexibility allows more possible Homekeepers to help you.

Can I cancel my request?

Yes, you can cancel your request for no fee. Once a Homekeeper has accepted your appointment, you can cancel the appointment but it would be subject to our last minute cancellation fee.

What happens if you can’t get someone out to me today?

You are eligible for a full refund OR you can re-book for another time. Its totally up to you.

What if I don’t need it today?

Before 8pm you can book a next day home cleaning for our regular rates. You can also book further out, of course

[rafeegworld]

Need Maintenance Cleaning or Restorative Cleaning?

The Scope of Cleaning Services Do I Need Maintenance Cleaning or Restorative Cleaning?

The Cleaning Cycle (and your job’s place within that cycle) can be tricky to explain and the scope of cleaning services can be difficult to determine, so let’s play a game – one where you, say, own a cleaning company like ours. Part of the game involves reading between the lines when a prospective customer calls in saying “I need some cleaning”.

There is such a gamut of possibilities with that opening line. Some callers just want a basement cleaned? – ok, why and what are we up against? Or they want an oven only – it’s going to be tough to find a ‘reasonable’ price for that one. The other end of the gamut incudes a ‘top to bottom deep clean’ of a 5000+ square foot home. So many questions and you have so little time to analyze. What expectations need to be met?

Some people seem to think that the last project (the larger home) should take ‘a couple of people about two hours’ and I’ve heard that suggestion countless times– reality tells us it might very well be closer to 3 people for 2 full workdays—and that just might not fit their budget.

Scope of Work

Ultimately, meeting peoples’ needs and budgets (important factor) brings the discussion down to condition and scope of work – that process is simply essential to help set expectations and keep them grounded in reality. There is no fairy Godmother to wave a wand and grant our wish for a clean house.

The existing condition has to be assessed – whether it’s an oven, basement or large house – what is the age, how long has been since its last in-depth clean? In other words, what will it take to get it back to – if not ‘like new’ condition (more on that later) but at least back to ‘ground zero’.  What will the object of our attentions look like after the removal of layers of: dust, soil, soap scum, mineral deposits, baked-on grease, etc. – whatever comprises the set of obstructions between the current condition and the base line goal of ‘clean’. Do you even have a working definition of ‘clean’ that both you and they can agree upon?

The Coin Collector Analogy

When people sell valuable coins they tend to use a set of phrases that help indicate their condition: “mint’ or ‘like new’ normally means a desirable quality for a collector (and the same for a home buyer). A worn coin cannot be restored to mint condition no matter how much we wish it could (especially as seller). The seller often hopes their description of ‘like new’ will bring a great price. The buyer will assess it according to what they’re willing to pay but certainly no more than what they believe it is worth.

When we clean a heavily worn or soiled item, room, carpet or house, we can only hope to make it look better. No matter what we do, cleaning alone will seldom make it ‘mint’ or ‘like new’ again. For an example, cleaning heavily soiled carpet can reveal stains or bleached-out areas that had been hidden by layers of dirt and possibly end up clean BUT – looking as bad as or even worse to the eye than before.

People may remember what the piece (room, house) looked like when new or the last time it was thoroughly cleaned (before degradation began) and may expect that same look even after months or years of neglect. Our guarantee of satisfaction simply cannot cover unrealistic expectations that lie outside the realm of reality.

The Dirt Scale

In the cleaning field, we refer to the dirt condition or dirt code. Many cleaners use a scale of 1 to 10 with ‘10’ indicating the worst condition the company is willing to undertake to clean (but not as filthy as can be imagined). The “dirt code” is a term coined by Debbie Sardone of “The Clean Team” and was the first cleaner that we know of to use ‘the Dirt Code’ phrase. (See Debbie’s Dirt Code Guide)

This is not meant to be a roll of the dice—it is intended to reduce the risk of failure and to help define the rules of the game. This step requires intelligence and realism, not blind chance and it can help both sides assess how close the starting square lies relative to the finish line.

We often ask the client to help assign their own dirt code using our 1 to 10 scale. Understandably, most clients tend to underestimate the amount of cleaning needed. A rating of 1 to 3 always makes us wonder why they need a professional cleaner in the first place. If they mention pets or other factors, we may adjust their rating upwards a bit.

Sometimes a condition between 7 to 10 may require multiple cleanings to finally loosen the layers of build-up. If the surfaces will tolerate it, they might require relatively strong acids (for mineral deposits) or alkalines (for grease) and in some cases either the source of the problem may have already caused such damage – or the attempt to ‘cure’ it with strong cleaners or methods (abrasives, e.g.) exacerbates the problem to the point that the item cannot be restored, certainly not by cleaning alone.

Then too, a bathroom may be a ‘10’ on our dirt code scale but what the customer really cares about is the kitchen which is at only a level ‘6’. Realistically – especially if this is for a realty or presentation clean — they both need to sparkle when we’re done, even if the customer doesn’t particularly value the condition of the bathroom.

The Cleaning CycleWhat is the Cleaning Cycle?

Based on my limited research, it appears that the concept of a cleaning cycle originated with the care of commercial vinyl tile (CVT). When you undertake a new janitorial contract that includes care of this type of flooring you have to analyze whether its inherited condition can be identified as being at a ‘maintenance, interim, or restorative level’. Why so complicated?

CVT Floor Finish Example: Restorative

Because at the restorative level you normally have to completely strip every inch of the flooring (which may require repeated passes with gallons of stripper depending on how many layers have been put down over the years), then you must apply multiple layers of finish (usually 4 to 5) allowing each layer to thoroughly dry before adding the next. This is messy, potentially toxic, labor-intensive, costly and it is demanding work.

CVT Floor Finish Example: Interim

If the existing floor has a worn but cleanable finish (one where the prior crews did not lay down new finish on top of old, dirty finish) you may be able to simply scrub (not strip) and add one or two new layers of finish. That step and the occasional spray and buff would qualify as ‘interim’ cleaning.

CVT Floor Finish Example: Maintenance

Finally, if the previous crew has been maintaining the floor well and has recently added a new layer of finish, you might be able to begin the contract while still at an easier ‘maintenance’ level (only dust vacuuming and mopping are needed) buying you months or even a year before the next interim clean. With proper care, you may never have to go through the restorative level at all. Then the true ‘restoration’ becomes necessary only when the floor ages out or loses integrity – and this type of ‘restoration’ is accomplished by replacing the material altogether.

Where Is My House In the Cleaning Cycle?

Evaluating the position in the ‘cleaning cycle’ when you undertake the cleaning of a house is a good bit more complex than evaluating the condition of one type of flooring. But – it is just as critical to evaluate the condition of the entire project’s focus, the make-up and condition of its multitude of surfaces, the elapsed time since the last deep clean, and so forth, so that you and the homeowner can be realistic about expectations, results and the scope of cleaning services that will be needed.

Protecting Your Investment In Your House

The wisest home buyers base their choice upon many personal factors while bearing in mind the ease of resale and the protection of the equity in their house, condo, etc. That investment property should be well-maintained, not just with repairs and beneficial refurbishment but with maintenance cleaning and the occasional deep cleaning as needed.

How Do I Determine the Cleaning Cycle For Each Customer?

When it comes to house cleaning, our game scenario invites us to consider two extremes: we’ll call one a model, the other a ‘well-loved’ house.

The Model. Located in a new development and having already received a full post-construction cleaning a model may only need a light dust and vacuum sequence, repeated in accordance with traffic or other need. The bathrooms are never used (except possibly the powder room) and the kitchen is never cooked in beyond perhaps the occasional microwaved lunch. The modest-sized model (not overly decorated) can be cleaned for just a little more than the price of a trip fee. This describes a true ‘maintenance’ cleaning situation and can probably be rated at a 1-3 on the dirt condition scale.

The Well-Loved House. This house might have been occupied a fair number of years by a 4-5-person family with pets; perhaps they have been busy professionals with little or no time to clean and now the house has to be made market-ready. This is a ‘project clean’. In additional to general cleaning, it may need windows done inside and out (to enhance curb appeal) and the carpets often need to be professionally cleaned. The experienced seller or realty agent fully recognizes this but the homeowner often needs some persuasion. It is the responsibility of the professional(s) to help explain what the value is to the homeowner. You will want to de-clutter and clean prior to your market appraisal. A clean home tends to sell faster and at a price closer to the asking price (assuming the price is supported by the professional appraisal). While there may be additional considerations for repairs and possible redecoration, even investing up to a half percent of the selling price for necessary cleaning can pay off handsomely if the return includes a rapid sale at your asking price.

The Ongoing Residential Clean

For regular residential cleaning and for realty cleaning, we always ask to walk the house so we can inform ourselves about the decorating style, types and ages of surfaces as well as the degree of overall household organization. All of these and other factors are key to in determining the scope of cleaning services needed so we can give an accurate estimate.

If we get the job, that pre-examination can provide important notes for the cleaning team about:  pre-existing damage; the presence of natural stone, e.g.; precautions regarding pets; requests that fall outside of our normal scope; other special handling and items that require extra care or attention.

Seeing these items also prompts us to verbally inform the client of useful information. We can warn them against such common bad advice as using dishwashing liquid to wipe down their granite counters or mixing vinegar and water for cleaning their hardwoods.

Even when we include detailed notes in our written policies, it seems only a few people read them carefully enough to understand how we define our ‘normal’ scope. The walk-through allows us to identify and mention those things requiring special care or those which we avoid altogether. This gives the customer another opportunity to understand what is ‘normal’ as well as what is not included at least not without adding a modest fee.

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How much Cleaning Service cost ?

How Much Does House Cleaning Cost?

Almost universally, the very first question we get asked at Town & Country is “how much does a cleaning service cost?” or “how much will it cost to clean my house?” The cost of a professional cleaning service depends on a number of factors. At the end of the day, the price is based on how much time it will take to clean the home and what the cleaning service charges as their hourly rate.

Depending on where you live the hourly bill rate for professional house cleaning services can range from $35 to over $70 per labor hour. The time it takes to clean your home can vary greatly too, as we will discuss in this article.

How Long Should it Take to Clean My Home?

The way a cleaning service estimates the time needed requires us to get answers to several questions. How you answer these questions will give a professional cleaning company a good basis to determine the time it will take to​ clean your house.

How Big is Your House? What Is Your House Made of?

The size of the house is the most obvious factor in pricing. The larger your house is, the more time it will take to clean. This is pretty basic. Yet, it should also be noted that a smaller house might cost more per square foot, as the space is more “lived in”.

How many bathrooms do you have?

Bathrooms take longer to clean than bedrooms, as there are more details and surface varieties. Between two homes with the same square footage, the one with more bathrooms will take longer to clean.

What kind of flooring do you have in your home?

Carpeted floors only need to be vacuumed. Hard flooring materials must be vacuumed and then mopped. Adding the extra step takes more time. Rugs on the hard floor require special attention to get under edges.

What kinds of surfaces are in your home?

The types of fixtures or surfaces a home has also affect time in the home and thus price. Some surfaces, like tile, take longer to clean because you must concentrate on the tile and grout separately, especially if there is a lot of discoloration or mold.

How Much Stuff is in your Home?

The “density” of your home is an important consideration. The more stuff in the house, the higher the density. The higher the density, the more time it takes to clean. A home with lots of furniture or collectables will take much more time than a stark, minimalist home of the same size. More care and time will be required if you have lots of valuable, fragile items.

How Many People and Pets Live in Your Home?

The number of people who live in the home and their ages affects price, as does the number of pets. A couple who tidies up a bit after themselves is a lot easier to clean for than a young, busy family. Houses with children tend to be the most challenging.

How many pets do you have? We love our furry friends, but they do leave a bit more behind that needs to be cleaned up.

What kind of cleaning work do you need? How often do you need it?

What is the scope of work? The type of work being done in the home has a lot to do with pricing. A Move In/Move Out cleaning is different than a Deep Cleaning in an occupied home. A First Time Cleaning will be different than Reoccurring Cleanings. The focus of each is different.

Move In or Move Out Cleaning

Assuming the house is empty, a Move In or Move Out cleaning primarily focuses on cleaning woodwork, shelves, inside cabinets and drawers, and appliances. We might charge extra if the house is particularly dirty.

Deep Cleaning

A Deep Cleaning is for homes that, due to any number of understandable reasons, have been neglected for awhile. They need a bit of extra work to get back into the kind of shape where people feel good living in them.

Recurring or Regular Cleanings

Recurring Cleanings are regularly scheduled cleanings on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly (every 4 weeks) basis. Depending on your needs, we may clean every room every time. Or, we can work with you to plan a rotation, where cleanings are planned so that over a stretch of time, every room gets a thorough cleaning.

Rotations are beneficial in larger homes, or in homes where some rooms don’t see as much use, like a guest room, or the room of a child who is away in college. Having a rotation may allow you to bring your cost per clean down a bit.

First Time Cleans

To begin service for Recurring Cleaning Clients, we often need to perform a First Time Clean. A First Time Clean gives us a chance to get the home into the condition that we are hoping to keep it in. We need a little extra time to get them back into shape.

How Often?

For Regular, Recurring Cleaning, your cost per clean goes down as your frequency increases. If we are cleaning in your home every week, it has less time to get dirty before we come back. If we are only there once a month (every 4 weeks), your cost per clean will be a bit higher, as we need to put in more work to get it clean again. However, if you are not home much, you might not need someone every single week. If you are home a lot, have a busy family, or children in the home, more frequent cleanings might be a wise investment.

Cleaning the interiors of ovens, refrigerators, and freezers is an extra charge of $35 per appliance.

How Dirty is Your Home?

On a scale of one to ten, with one being immaculate and ten being Franklin Street after UNC wins the Final Four, how dirty is your house? This seems obvious, but the dirtier your home, the longer it will take to clean it.

Are You Flexible?

Where are you located? How easily can we get into your home? Do you really need us there at 9 o clock sharp on Wednesday, or are you not married to a specific time?

Where do you live?

A home that takes a while to travel to might be charged a higher rate unless the owner is flexible and willing to go on a day when we already have teams working in their area. A professional house cleaning company needs to factor in how long it takes to drive to your home.

A cleaning team may spend a third of their day or more in a car. A team might not be doing anything productive in the car, but they still need to be paid for this time.

How are the cleaners getting in?

If the cleaners don’t have a key to the home, a house cleaning service may charge more because they will need to wait for the homeowner to open the house.

Do you need to reschedule or cancel frequently?

A homeowner who cancels or reschedules a lot may find their next service costs a little more because we have missed so many cleanings it will take us longer to clean than if they had stayed on their regular schedule.

How Much Does A Cleaning Company Charge For Their Time?

An individual cleaner will definitely cost less than a professional cleaning service. An individual cleaner might charge as little as $9 per hour. Typically, an individual can be more flexible with scheduling. Most likely they do not require any kind of contract. Many individual cleaners are able to provide references to vouch for their character and quality of their work. There are numerous websites for finding individual cleaners in your area. An individual cleaner may not carry insurance, or be licensed.

A professional cleaning company, like Town & Country Cleaning Services, will charge more. At Town & Country, we charge $40 per labor hour.

Insurance

A professional cleaning service will be licensed, bonded, and insured. This protects your home, in case something is broken or damaged. This also protects you from liability if there is an accident in your home with a cleaner.

Town & Country and most professional cleaning companies pay for Worker’s Compensation Insurance, to cover our employees if an accident occurs on the job. With an individual cleaner, the home owner could be held liable for an accident in their home.

Professional cleaning companies will also pay to have background checks for their employees. You do not have to rely on word of mouth to know that the cleaners entering your home are safe.

Training

Another consideration is training. Professional cleaners are trained to deal with different surfaces safely. They understand safe handling of cleaning chemicals, to protect your health and theirs. Professional companies often have other, equally qualified cleaners that can be called on if someone is out sick, or on vacation. Those employees are capable of delivering consistent quality in the absence of the usual team.

Town & Country Cleaning is an IICRC Certified Firm, with numerous employees carrying certifications as well. Bruce & Sarah Vance, the owners of Town & Country, are IICRC Instructors, who travel nationally to teach the House Cleaning Technician course.

Staffing

Professional Cleaning Companies also need to pay their employees decent, living wages. The cleaners are professionals, and deserve to be paid as such. A professional cleaning company may also have office staff handling duties such as dispatching teams, scheduling cleans, handling customer service, payroll; etc.

There are other, important, overhead costs that a professional cleaning company has that an individual cleaner does not have. These expenses all are aimed at helping the clients. And, of course, a company needs to be profitable to survive. A company that can’t be profitable will not be around to help their clients for very long. Town & Country has been servicing clients in central North Carolina since 1991.

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How to Hire a good housekeeper

Most adults have tight schedules and are too busy to even perform basic task such as house cleaning. However, living is dirty home is not good for your healthy and it is good to hire dedicated cleaning service providers to handle the house cleaning work so that you can concentrate with their core businesses. Hundreds of cleaning service providers are now available in Singapore, but hiring professional service providers is highly recommended. Avoid hiring freelance cleaning individual as they pose a lot of risk.

Common Risks in Hiring a Freelance Cleaning company:

Although most legitimate professional cleaning service providers seem a bit pricier than freelance cleaners, they ensure quality services. While all freelance cleaners are not the same, a number of them are not experienced enough and may not worth taking a chance. Freelance cleaners may not be having enough training to perform a thorough home cleaning work and may not be able to follow your instruction and commands are necessary.

Freelance cleaners do not have an office or proper way of conducting them in the case the necessity arise, and you may not be able to complain in case of a Shorty job. You cannot equate then with a company with many professional cleaners and an office to conduct in the case of anything. In case a professional cleaner from house cleaning service provider takes a leave, another professional cleaner will be sent by the company to carry on the cleaning work.

Importance of Hiring a Trusted Cleaning Service Provider:

With so many works to do, you need a peace of mind to be able to concentrate on what matters. Having a professional cleaning service provider is a sure way of ensuring that your home or office is kept clean and tidy all the time. Cleaning service companies feature trained and experienced professionals who understand how to handle various cleaning tasks. Here are some of the reasons why you should hire professional home cleaning service providers:

Trustworthy:

You have valuable assets in your home and office, and you don’t need someone who cannot be trusted. Professional cleaning service providers understand the importance of treating your assets with integrity. Treating the assets otherwise may lead to lose of the lifetime investment. Knowing that your cleaning service provider is trustworthy, ensure that you mind it at peace as you don’t have to worry about the job being done well.

Always available:

Professional cleaning service providers operate organized offices with customer care services that are highly responsive. You can hire them on a single day or many days contract basis. One you engage them, they come up with a cleaning schedule and stick to it throughout. They ensure that your cleaning work is always attended to. If a professional cleaner assigned to you is not available on a given day, another cleaner will just replace her/him and perform his work as required.

Highly Productivity:

Hiring a professional cleaning company, ensure that you are relieved of the stress of having to worry about cleaning your house thoroughly. They have the right tools and skills to perform the cleaning jobs thoroughly within the least time possible. Cleaning job is their main business, and the professionals are dedicated to ensuring that they achieve the best.

High skills and experience:

Most professional cleaners have been on the market for many years and are able to handle cleaning jobs effectively. They know how to handle different cleaning equipment and know specific tools that should be used for a particular job. The combination of the right tools, experience and skills will leave your home or office stunning with luster. The professionals will clean parts of your house using the right tools.

Importance of Hiring Cleaning service provider:

Nowadays, most people in Singapore have a tight schedule and may not be able to handle other obligations such as cleaning their homes. However, there are many reputable cleaning service providers in Singapore and you can use them to handle house cleaning services. Here are some of the reasons why it is important to hire a cleaning service in Singapore:

Available time:

Cleaning a house involve moving furniture, dusting, vacuuming the house and cleaning as well as disinfecting different parts of the house. It is a heavy work that may give back pain experience as well as consume a lot of time. Hiring a professional to handle the cleaning task relief you from the task and you will have enough time to handle other things.

Leave your home stunning with luster:

Professional house cleaners perform their work thoroughly and save you from embarrassment. Cleaning service providers ensure that your house is tidy and presentable all the time. This keeps you the peace of mind knowing that you will not have to rush around to get things in order in the case of some visitors.

Professional cleaners are well equipped and enough skills:

Professional cleaners from reputable cleaning companies are equipped with the right tools and proper skills that are necessary to handle various cleaning tasks. Most of them have gathered enough experience to handle cleaning work within the least time possible.

Affordable to use:

Professional cleaning services are available at more affordable cost as compared to acquiring expensive tools and spending your precious time doing the task yourself. You just have to part with a little amount and concentrate on your core business. Doing the cleaning job alone may also subject you to injuries that will need expensive treatment.

Secured and Licensed:

Professional cleaners in Singapore are secured and licensed. This ensures that you are protected from various risks. Ensure that your company has a legit permit before hiring. Licensed cleaners can do the cleaning job when you are away. In case that you are not satisfied with their cleaning work, you can present your complaints to the cleaning service provider, and the cleaners will come back and rectify the problem.

Final Verdict:

House cleaning service offers a lot of benefits. With proper house cleaning service helps to flush out bad odor and allergens such as rodents, dust, and pollens. Ignoring such stuff can lead to various health problems to people living in that house. Hiring a genuine license and insured professional cleaners is the best way of ensuring that your home is cleaned properly and you are protected in the case that the cleaners make a mistake during the cleaning job.

[rafeegworld]

Guide To Part Time cleaning services

Guide To Part Time Maids: Are They Worth It?

Whenever we have friends over, people never fail to go, “Waaaa… Your house is so clean! Which part-time cleaning service are you guys using?

To which my wife would sheepishly reply, “

… We don’t hire any help. We… I mean, my husband does most of the cleaning.”

Well, to be fair, she does help out.

With laundry, vacuuming, and taking care of the five thousand plants we have. I simply do the heavy-duty stuff like mopping the floors, washing the toilets, changing the bedlinen, and the other five billion stuff that keeps our home looking like this:

But it did get me thinking. How much would it cost to hire a part time cleaner? And is a part-time maid as expensive as most people think?

Let’s find out.

Is A Part Time Maid Really Worth It?

Worried about cost? Hiring a part-time cleaner or maid for a 4-hours will cost you approximately $272 a month, as compared to $500 to $800 a month for a full-time maid.

Wondering if there’s a cheaper option? Freelance cleaners usually charge lesser but there are risks.

Concerned about privacy? A part-time maid will leave once the job is done.

Unsatisfied with the part-timer? Simply hire another one, or ask for a replacement if you engaged an agency.

Conclusion? A part time maid or cleaner is usually better for young couples. For larger families, you might want to consider hiring full-time help.

Why Hire A Part-Time Cleaner?

A quick check with my friends revealed that hiring part-time cleaning services is quickly becoming a norm among Singaporean families. Especially young, married couples. Here’s why:

The cost of hiring a part-time helper is lower as compared to hiring a full-time maid (no need to pay the $300 monthly levy for foreign maids)

The part-time maid can be hired to clean as often or as seldom as you wish

The part-time cleaner will leave once the job is done so you may enjoy your privacy

The part time maid can be replaced anytime, with little to no hassle, if you’re not satisfied with your current help

To be honest, it does sound great so far. I mean, who wouldn’t love having the couple of hours it takes to clean the house to do something else?

Part-Time Maid Agency Or Independent Home Cleaning Service?

When I probed further, I learnt that you can choose to hire help from an agency or choose an independent cleaning service.

So what’s the difference?

A friend of mine who has a part-time helper summed it quite nicely: Cost and Accountability.

If you choose to hire a part-time cleaner from an agency, you’ll definitely have to pay a little bit more. However, the cleaners they send are professionally trained and they tend to be more reliable. And if your designated cleaner is unable to clean your house for some reason, the agency will send a replacement to do the job.

Unsatisfied with the standard of work? No problem. Just request for a change of cleaner.

With freelance cleaners… It’s a little bit of a gamble.

Having been through multiple ‘Standby Universes’ during my time in Basic Military Training, I’d hire him. But I digress.

Another friend shared that her current cleaning auntie is a PR who was recommended to her by word-of-mouth. She did caution that these part time cleaners are not professionally trained and are not insured. This means that you’ll have to assume all risks – damage, injury, theft and etc.

However, these cleaning aunties are usually cheaper and if you’re really lucky, you might find one who is an experienced domestic goddess. My friend paid a little extra for her cleaning auntie to help out with her crying baby and to do a little cooking too. As a gauge, she usually pays freelance cleaners about $60 to $80 for 4 hours of cleaning or about $15 to $20 per hour.

She also recommends being around when they’re cleaning so they’re less likely to skive, won’t compromise on cleaning standards, and you can keep an eye on your valuables as well. Until they’ve proven that they can be trusted.

What’s Covered By A Part-Time Cleaner?

The job scope varies from agency to agency, as well as for independent cleaner as well. But here’s an idea of what you can usually expect:

Bedroom and Living Room

Cleaning of mirrors

Changing of bed linen (frequencies vary)

Dusting of furniture

Vacuuming and mopping of floors

Bathroom

Cleaning of bathtub or shower

Cleaning of wash basin and toilet bowl

Washing of toilet floor and walls

Kitchen

Cleaning of exterior surfaces of kitchen cabinets and surfaces

Mopping of floor

Washing of basin (used dishes in the basin are usually not included)

Wiping of stove and exterior of electrical appliances

Misc

Emptying the trash

Ironing (charges usually subjected to a period and

And here’s a non-exhaustive list of chores that most agencies and cleaners might offer, but usually at an additional charge:

Cleaning of oven or fridge interior

Cleaning of windows (interior only)

Laundry

Moving of furniture

Packing of personal effects

So How Much Would It Cost To Hire A Part-Time Helper From An Agency?

It goes without saying you definitely have to pay more if your house is a mansion, or if you hire more cleaners to clean your home each time.

Oh, and just in case you’re wondering. It’s pretty much industry standard for customers to provide cleaning equipment such as:

Brushes

Cleaning cloth

Detergent

Dusters

Mops

Pails

Vacuum cleaner

Is It Worth Hiring A Part-Time Maid?

Assuming I hire a part-time maid to do a 4-hour clean-up of my 4-room flat every Sunday, I’ll be looking at paying approximately $272 a month – excluding any one-time registration or agent fee.

This is as compared to hiring a full-time maid, which would cost me about $500 to $800 a month. However, this is not inclusive of maid insurance, applicable levies, medical examinations and the works.

Naturally, having a full-time maid has its benefits because you’ll have someone on-call 24/7. This would be most ideal for large families who have babies, young children, elderly folks who need special care, a whole zoo of animals to take care of and etc.

[rafeegworld]

The Power of a Weekly Home Cleaning Schedule

​

The House that Cleans Itself: The Power of a Weekly Cleaning Schedule

I’ve been using a cleaning schedule for several years now, and when I’m good about keeping up with it, I really feel like my house cleans itself. With just a few 15-minute tasks a day, I have a presentable house pretty much all the time — and that’s not a small feat with five kids, a dog, and two cats.

I’ll share my weekly cleaning schedule below. But first, here are four rules that make it work for me…

1. Good Enough Means Done

Don’t be too thorough. Aim to keep each task to 15 minutes. Do what you can do in that amount of time, a la Flylady. It doesn’t have to be perfect; you’ll get to it again next week (or sooner for chores you do more than once a week). Just get it done.

2. Keep Cleaning Supplies Very Close

If it takes you 5 minutes just to gather up all your cleaning supplies, you’re wasting time you could be using to actually clean. Keep rags and cleaning products in each bathroom so you can easily grab and clean, for example, and house kitchen cleaning supplies under the sink. An inexpensive cleaning caddy will be your best friend here.

3. Plan Strategically to Save Time

In addition to saving time by storing products where you use them, save time by thinking about how you use them. For instance, if you haul out the vacuum to clean your bedroom carpet, make that the day you vacuum all the bedroom carpets (rather than, say, cleaning your bedroom and bathroom in one day).

4. Keep Yourself Accountable

Make a laminated printable and cross off items, or use an app. Tody is an app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play designed for just this reason—keeping track of housekeeping. You will know exactly what you need to do every day, and you’ll feel accomplished crossing items off.

A Weekly Cleaning Schedule

You can use it as a starting point, and within a week or two you’ll have a good sense of what you need to tweak.

Monday

Vacuum bedroom carpets

Wash bathroom towels

Clean common area floors

Tuesday

Master bathroom

Monthly to-do

Dust surfaces and clean glass doors

Wednesday

Clean common area floors

Outside pruning, sweeping, etc.

Wipe kitchen chairs

Thursday

Guest and kids’ bathrooms

Deep clean kitchen, sort through fridge

Vacuum bedroom carpets

Friday

Clean common area floors

Pick up desk, laundry room, mudroom

Wet mop kitchen

Saturday

Strip beds and wash bed linens

Monthly to-do

Pick up closets

Sunday

Rotate toys and books

Do you have a cleaning schedule? If so, what does it look like?

[rafeegworld]

Things Your housekeeper Won’t Tell You

​As more Singaporeans find themselves with less time on their hands, it is becoming common for people to hire professional cleaning help to get their houses professionally cleaned. Some professionals - especially singles or childless couples - find that hiring maid service once or twice a week is enough. However, for others, especially those with large families, having a full time house cleaning person to help them with cleaning, cooking, shopping, childcare and ironing can be a blessing. Most domestic helpers in Singapore are from Indonesia and the Philippines and they are mostly diligent, conscientious women looking to support their families back home. Part time helpers are available at an hourly cost and can be hired independently or through a company. On the other hand, There are some things you need to know to get the best home care experience, but there are some things your house cleaning person just won't say. Here are the top 6 things your domestic helper won't tell you: 1. Most are more about speed than thoroughness Many housekeepers will just whiz though your property if they are under pressure to get through multiple homes in one day. This can sometimes result in them missing spots, breaking things or generally doing a subpar job. To prevent staff from rushing the job, the best cleaning companies assign small crews of two or more employees to each property, since larger crews are more able to combine speed and thoroughness. The same crews also remain responsible for the property on repeat visit which allows them to get to know you over time, and offer a service based on your needs. You can help them by creating a checklist of the task they must complete at each visit. 2. I can work full time, but it is you who will lose It is easy to succumb to the temptation to slash home care costs by hiring a self-employed helper instead of turning to a large cleaning company. And with individual helpers charging a lot less per hour than what is typically charged by Singapore cleaning companies, the savings can be substantial. However, their cheaper fees may result in the tax man demanding a bigger check. This may include the helper's social security and Medicare taxes. It may be tempting to avoid all this by paying the house help in cash, but if caught, you could owe the government back taxes and other penalties. When hiring a cleaning service, ensure that it handles the employees' wages and taxes or that the helpers are independent contractors who handle their own taxes. 3. My injuries will hurt you too You may be on the hook for medical bills incurred by a house cleaning person who gets injured working in your home. While most insurance policies will cover injuries incurred by individuals while in your property, most policies limit coverage for someone who is considered an employee of the household. In many cases, you will settle the bills privately easier than filing a claim, but a single incident could leave you spending a lot of money out of pocket. When hiring a cleaning agency, ask if their helpers carry workers' compensation insurance, as this is what covers any injuries the helper might suffer while on the job. It is also recommended to inquire if the agency caries general liability insurance which covers any damage a helper might accidentally do to your house. 4. Some of us have gone high tech, but not necessarily more efficient Web-based online companies have entered the market, promising to help people find house cleaning persons by instantly booking pre-vetted workers. These helpers are not employees of the company, but simply sign up and wait to be picked. To be sure, some of the complaints about workers from these web-based job companies may not differ much from those raised over conventional cleaning services. However, scheduling problems are much more common with some Singaporeans saying that it is easy to book appointments with the helpers, but it is quite difficult to confirm scheduling changes or even reach the helper's representatives on the phone. This is not to mention that their vetting process, training and insurance policies may be questionable. 5. Going green is not easyChanges in the family such as a baby being born or adding exotic surfaces and finishes that require more care may prompt a household to make the decision to switch to only organic cleaning products. While she may not tell you, an in-house helper may struggle to adjust, sometimes not using enough water with the soap when mopping wooden floors or vice versa, and having to redo the job constantly, thereby taking up more time. While many helpers are ready and willing to use the organic cleaning products you may provide for their use, some aren’t trained to properly use those products. Professional cleaning companies, on the other hand are constantly adding more green products to the repertoire of cleaning agents while training their workers on the best and quickest ways of using these products to treat exotic home surfaces. Some are even taking tentative steps to becoming more environmentally friendly by carpooling, recycling and even introducing their own lines of green cleaning products. 6. It is harder to clean your house if it is a disorganized messPlease pick up toys, piles of papers and other clutter from surfaces so that your house cleaning person can actually get to them. This is the main reason why cleaning companies charge more for their first visit where the helpers expect to an initial deep cleaning, followed by arranging your things in the right order. After this initial deep cleaning, subsequent visits are more a matter of maintenance than heavy lifting. For instance, the crew might use the first visit to move most of the furniture in order to vacuum underneath while dusting off the ceiling fans; which are tasks that can be done less frequently or alternated in subsequent visits. However, this shouldn’t necessarily be the case if you keep your house in good order, and you can even specify what tasks the cleaners should focus on.