Questions to Ask and why they matter!
Hiring the right cleaning service ensures you get value, reliability, and a stress-free experience. Here are essential questions to ask a potential cleaning company/person!
Are you licensed?
Why It Matters: A licensed company is operating legally, which does increase the cost of services. But there are legal options if something were to go wrong on either side of the transaction. Legally, even a text message can be considered contractually binding in some circumstances, even if the company doesn’t have a signed contract they provide.
What cleaning services do you provide?
Why It Matters: Cleaning companies may offer basic, deep, or specialized services like move-out cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, or hoarding cleanups. Knowing their scope ensures they meet your needs without surprise limitations. You’d be surprised to know some companies only do basic cleans and won’t touch a moving clean. Other companies are properly licensed for carpets, ptrap cleaning, duct cleaning, and more that can save you money if you compare the price of having to call 3 separate contractors rather than just using one company.
Do you bring your own supplies and equipment? If so, what do you use?
Why It Matters: Some companies provide everything; others require you to supply products or tools. Asking ensures you’re prepared. Additionally, understanding the products used is critical if you have allergies, pets, or environmental concerns.
How do you determine pricing? Do you charge hourly or per job?
Why It Matters: Pricing can vary greatly. Hourly rates may seem better upfront, but flat fees prevent surprises and prevent clock riding or taking too many breaks. Understanding their structure helps you budget and compare fairly. Hourly rates can lead to clock riding or a longer task than anticipated-not only costing you more but also taking up more of your time. While it can be standard for established companies, paying any contractor upfront can put you at risk of losing that money if they’re not reputable.
How do you handle special requests or customized tasks?
Why It Matters: Clients often need specific tasks (e.g., baseboard cleaning, appliance deep cleaning). A good cleaning company will outline if special requests can be accommodated and if there’s an extra fee. Some cleaners/companies specialize in certain tasks and others will not do other tasks no matter what. So always ask!
Do you conduct background checks on your cleaners?
Why It Matters: Cleaners will have access to your private spaces. Ensuring they are trustworthy, vetted, and professional gives peace of mind. But to be clear, a cleaner with a clean record could just be really good at concealing her actions or more manipulative. A person with a criminal record could have just gotten caught the one and only time they decided to try something new out. So don’t automatically assume a person is safe or not solely based off their criminal record!
People can change. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for worse.
Will the same cleaner or team come every time?
Why It Matters: Consistency allows cleaners to learn your home’s needs and your preferences. If the team rotates, ask how they ensure quality and communication. Over time, most cleaners learn more time efficient ways to shave 10 or 20 minutes or get extra tasks done in addition to saving time. Which is a benefit to you. More tasks but less time!
What’s your policy on cancellations, rescheduling, and late arrivals?
Why It Matters: Life happens. Understanding cancellation fees or how flexibility works helps you avoid frustration or unexpected costs. Personally I’m growing so tired of rich companies charging us when life happens. Yet when they have a bad day and life happens to them-they get a bailout check. But pass none of that on in savings to us.
Personally, I don’t charge cancelation fees for this reason. Life happens. That car accident didn’t let me know 72 hours beforehand that it was going to occur. So why should I charge my client?
I know it’s so easy to get into the mindset of “Everybody is scamming.” But I do my best to keep in mind, nobody wakes up each morning thinking “How can I **** up everybody’s day and make everything miserable around me?” Usually things just happen, we are only human and maybe have to make split second decisions, and then we accidentally become the villain in another person’s story. Not on purpose but it happens. I try to assume people did their best and some days, that best is mediocre. I assume a cancellation is an emergency and I text them that i hope everything goes well.
So far, I’ve never had a client ghost me, and honestly if I accomplish nothing else but this I’ll be proud. In this day and age, I’ve never been ghosted by a client.
How do you ensure quality and client satisfaction?
Why It Matters: Reliable companies often have quality control processes, such as inspections, follow-up calls, or satisfaction guarantees. This ensures you receive the service promised. This also protects the company against false claims, blackmail, or theats.
Can you provide references or reviews from past clients?
Why It Matters: Testimonials and references are a great way to gauge the company’s reliability, professionalism, and performance. Look for recent, authentic reviews. New companies can still be a diamond in the making but most companies should have a few they can give you or show you. A lot of clients never review (we’ll never know if it would have been a good or bad review. I can only assume.). So maybe make a mental note to also review after you clean! Good or bad! I love bad feedback! Not every day of course. That would bum me out. But how else am I going to improve unless somebody tells me? I can barely read handwriting, I definitely cannot read minds!
Do you offer contracts or recurring cleaning discounts?
Why It Matters: Contracts or recurring services often provide discounts for regular clients, saving money in the long term if you plan to hire cleaners frequently.
How do you handle pets/kids during the cleaning?
Why It Matters: If you have pets or kids, this question ensures cleaners are pet-friendly, kid-safe, and understand how to work around animals or kids without stress or danger to your furry friends. Some cleaners have allergies, trauma they haven’t faced yet or more importantly–fees associated with pets or kids if they’re not kept secure in a cage. You want to know this upfront to avoid fees or retraumatizing anybody.
Just to clarify, cage the pets, not the kids. Kids can share the leash with their pets but not the cage. I do have to notify authorities if there is a kid in a cage in a cage situation. I hate to call the cops and try to avoid doing so at all costs but I am obligated morally, ethically, and legally even if there is a kid in a cage situation.
I’m actually astonished by how many times I’ve actually had to say that sentence-the whole sentence, all those words in that order. Came out of my mouth. Out of necessity, not even just a preemptive rule but because something happened and somebody didn’t know that kids are not cage adaptable.
What is included in your basic clean, deep clean, and add-on services?
Why It Matters: Definitions of “basic” and “deep” cleaning vary. Clarifying what’s included helps manage expectations and prevents misunderstandings. For some cleaners, a deep clean is based on condition and for others, its task based. You don’t want expectations to go unmet because of miscommunication. The different cleaning packages mostly are comprised of tiers that aren’t really choices, but based on why you’re getting the clean. I’m amazed at the condition of some of the clients houses were in when they told me “we just need a quick basic dusting and mopping.” And I walked into this:
**Obviously I’m not going to post a real clients house and caption it “OMG so gross! Definitely NOT a basic, more like Biohazard” 😂 So I’m using a fake photo of a fake mess and a fake Queen Cat acting like this is all normal. It’s not normal. Also how long have those newspapers been there?? I didn’t even know newspapers still existed in the outdated, unfreshable, uneditable formats.
How do you handle access to my home if I’m not there?
Why It Matters: If you’re unavailable during the clean, ensure the company has a trusted process for securing entry and locking up afterward. Some companies have strict policies against virtual cleans (client being absent) to prevent fraud or accusations. Other companies have a streamlined process for it and it’s no big deal.
How much time will the cleaning take?
Why It Matters: Knowing how long a cleaning session will take helps you plan your schedule and ensures clear expectations for the service duration.
Do you have a satisfaction guarantee or refund policy?
F*** them clients. 😂 I kid!
But seriously though: A company confident in its services will offer a guarantee, ensuring any issues are addressed promptly, but they can vary in terms so make sure to familiarize yourself with their terms to ensure you get what you paid for. Companies/Cleaners may have policies in place to avoid scammers, too.