Cleaning services

Are you considering hiring a cleaning service to clean your home or commercial property? Before you allow a stranger into your property check out our guide to what you should ask to help you choose the right service for your needs.

Why should I book a cleaning service?

Regular cleaning is important to keep your space free of dirt, germs and pests. A clean environment is not only important for your health; it can elevate your mood, reduce stress and keep dust-related allergies at bay. Using a cleaning service helps you have a clean home while also saving you plenty of time.

What does a cleaning service do?

An individual cleaner or cleaning service will do a range of tasks depending on what you agree:

• House cleaning.
  Cleaners will do general tasks throughout the home like vacuuming, mopping, dusting, and polishing, as well as disinfecting the kitchen and bathroom.
• Laundry.
  Some cleaning services will change bedding, do laundry, fold and put away clothes.
• Carpet.
  Some cleaners offer premium services like steam cleaning carpets.
• Outdoor surface cleaning.
  You can organise specific cleaning services to pressure wash outdoor surfaces like walls, driveways or patios to clean grime or dirt. Some cleaners can also sweep and degrease your garage if neccessary.
• Commercial.
  There are cleaning companies that specialise in cleaning business premises including offices, factories, shops and restaurants. They will cover tasks from wiping down desks to cleaning windows.

How do I hire a cleaner?

There are a few ways you can hire a professional cleaner. Getting a personal recommendation from a friend, relative or colleague will ensure that you find someone who is trustworthy and does a good job. You can use an established agency that will have checked the references of its staff. You can also find a cleaner online that has good customer reviews, although carefully look at their reviews to ensure they're written by real customers. In any case, always ask for references.

How much does a cleaner cost?

The cost of a cleaning service will depend on the size of your property and the type of work you want done. A small apartment costs less to clean than an office building. How much the cleaner charges will also depend on your location and how soon you want them to come. You'll find the average cost ranging from $30 per hour to $60+ depending on the work needed.

How do I compare cleaning services?

Having a checklist will help you compare cleaners. Look at their online reviews, qualifications and accreditation. Have them come to your property to give you a specific quote. Find out how many people will do the cleaning, as this will make it faster and more thorough. Ask which cleaning services they offer and whether they will bring their own products and equipment.

There are also online comparison services that will compare different quotes for you.

What should you look for when hiring a cleaning service?

As we have seen, when hiring a cleaner you are looking for an individual or company that is professional, experienced, recommended, and transparent about the services they provide.

What will a cleaning service do?

A cleaner will come to your home or business at the time of the appointment. They will do the tasks you agree in advance, cleaning and tidying the rooms or office space.

General house cleaning includes:

• Cleaning and disinfecting the toilet, sink and bathtub/shower
• Cleaning and disinfecting kitchen surfaces, including the stove and sink
• Wiping down and dusting in the living room, bedroom and common areas
• Cleaning the floors in all rooms

Deeper house cleaning can include:

• Cleaning the oven, microwave, fridge and other kitchen appliances
• Cleaning inside cupboards and cabinets
• Cleaning behind furniture and other hard-to-reach areas.
• Vacuuming upholstery
• Cleaning carpets
• Cleaning doors and windows

Commercial cleaning includes:

• Tidying and wiping down desks
• Washing up or loading the dishwasher with cups, plates and cutlery
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in kitchen and common areas
• Vacuuming carpets
• Disposing of rubbish

How should I prepare for a cleaner?

To allow the cleaner to make the best use of their time, you should tidy up before they arrive so they don't have to move things before they can start. If you haven't agreed that they will wash the dishes or laundry, doing this before they come will make it easier for them to clean. Make sure you put away important documents and valuable items.

When the cleaner comes for the first time, give them any particular instructions for how you want the cleaning done or any areas that need special attention. Let them know if there are any special instructions for access to the house or building like gate or security alarm codes.

How long does a cleaner take?

A professional cleaner can take anywhere from two hours to a whole day to clean a property depending on the number of rooms, the tasks you want them to do, and whether an individual cleaner or a team will come.

What should I consider when hiring a cleaning service?

Make sure that the individual cleaner or company you hire guarantees good service and has a formal complaints procedure and that they are insured to cover damage to your property or possessions.

Consider the costs you are quoted and balance affordability with the quality of the service you will receive.

How often should you get your house cleaned?

How often a cleaner comes to your home will depend on your preference, budget and the availability of the cleaning service. You could get your house cleaned monthly and then maintain it yourself in between, or you might opt to have a cleaner come weekly. Alternatively, you could have a spring clean or an occasional clean before having guests or a party.

Pros and cons of hiring a cleaner

Pros

• Hygienic living environment
• Saves time on housework
• Your home is ready for visitors

Cons

• Allowing strangers into your home, possibly unattended
• Tasks may not be done the way you want
• Costs more than doing the cleaning yourself

Frequently asked questions about cleaning services

Do I need to be home for a cleaner?

You don't necessarily need to be at home for a cleaner to come – you can let them into your home and then leave, or arrange for them to receive a set of keys to let themselves in. If you will not be present, you should be sure that the cleaner is trustworthy.

Can a cleaner come today?

There are companies that can arrange same-day cleaning services online or over the phone. You will usually pay a premium for the short notice.

Can I book a cleaner online?

Yes. You can find and book a cleaner online through their own website, an agency or a comparison site.