Top 5 mistakes people make when hiring a cleaner

You work long hours and try to fit in your housekeeping duties but then find that you have no time for yourself or your friends and family. We all get to a point where we look at our situations and think there must be a better way! But finding a good cleaner that you can trust is difficult. Here are some of the mistakes to watch out for.

1.Choosing a service based on price only

You can find people cleaning at an extremely low price. Beware. These people are probably not experienced or vetted, never background checked, and probably could not reimburse you for breakage. You are likely to get a poor-quality service and potential problems ahead.

2. Blindly hiring a cleaner

The days of “my cleaning lady just lives down the street and is a family friend” have faded away. However, do you really want to give a complete stranger access to your home and personal belongings? To hire an independent cleaner, you should carry out some background checks on all candidates. For agencies, you should check their credentials and find out who will carry out the work.

What is the best background check? Getting somebody who has happily employed that housekeeper to recommend her service and tell you how she goes about her work. In the 21st century, you should get detailed descriptions and recommendations online. Always verify they come from a trusted source.

3. Choosing an agency or website that takes an excessive percentage commission from cleaners

Think about it, if a cleaner receives only 60% or 70% of their hourly rate they are not going to be happy or motivated. If the cleaners are not happy you will not get a good service.

4. Choosing a company that locks you into an iron clad contract

Some residential cleaning contracts lock you into a set amount of time with extremely high cancellation fees. Make sure you don’t get locked into anything like that, after all, if you are unhappy with the service, you should not get penalised for wanting to cancel it.

5. Choosing an agency or website that does not really understand your needs

Cleaning is a personal service and should be tailored to your needs. Is there an agency or website that is willing to make sure that they understand your needs? Do they always ensure that the same cleaner carries out the work so that the work consistently meets your needs? Do you have to constantly explain your requirements to a new cleaner?

In many ways, finding a good housekeeper is a match-making exercise. Avoid these typical mistakes and you will have higher chances to find your perfect match!