Let’s be honest.  It’s pretty easy to let our house cleaning chores go by the wayside when we are busy.  When there are reports to prepare, meetings to be had, and children to be fed, there sometimes aren’t enough hours in a day.  It’s not hard to believe that mopping, dusting, vacuuming, and window washing are last on our list of things to do.

You can, however, have the best of both worlds.  Hire a cleaner!  When you make the decision to hire cleaner for your home, you aren’t wasting money or being lazy.  You are devoting whatever free time you have to enhancing your life.  When you have to choose between time and money, more times than not, time wins.  This is especially true if you have children or pets that you’d like to spend more time with.

It’s pretty easy to hire a cleaner.  Follow these 4 steps and you’ll have a cleaner house and more free time very soon.

1.Go for it!
Don’t waste a lot of time debating whether or not you should hire a cleaner.  You already know you need cleaner.  Many people, especially women, feel inadequate once they recognize they aren’t keeping their homes as clean as they’d like.  There are things far more important than house cleaning that you have prioritized.  Let someone help with the menial task of home maintenance so that you can build relationships, advance at work, or simply relax a little bit more.

2. Find a local company.
There are cleaning companies headquartered all over the world.  Since you’re busy, it’s best to use a cleaner that is based right in your neighborhood.  This way you won’t have to hunt down telephone numbers or call toll-free directories if you need to talk to management about a complaint or service issue.

3. Interview at least three candidates.
This is the most time consuming part of hiring a cleaner.  It is also the most important part.  Etching out a few hours to interview your cleaner candidates is important because you want to make sure that they are going to be able to work around your schedule, meet your expectations, and fit within your budget.  It can be tempting to forgo a detailed interview.  However, it’s not recommended.  Learning more about the person that is going to be in your home is always advisable.  Make sure to ask about the flexibility of the workload and whether or not she or her company is bonded and insured.

4.Get it in writing.
You’ve made the decision to hire a cleaner.  You’ve found a great local company and conducted interviews.  You’ve even found the perfect person.  Great!  Now is the time to get your agreement in writing.  Do they need to arrive at the same time every week or have they agreed to a flexible cleaning routine.  All of these things should be detailed in your contract.  Don’t leave specifics to chance.

Once you hire a cleaner, you probably won’t be able to figure out how you survived without her.  Keep these four steps in mind during the process and you’ll end up with a cleaner house and more time to devote to the people and activities you love.

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Once you’ve determined that you need to hire a cleaner, it is best to set up an interview with the candidate.  The domestic help industry is known for scams.  Take the time to discuss your expectations and requirements with the candidate.  Also, ask the following ten questions to get a good idea of whether or not you’ve found a good fit for your job.

1. Are you or your company bonded and insured?

Most cleaning companies will advertise this fact.  It is quite attractive to property owners and takes away a great deal of the risk involved with bringing someone into your home or office.  Most independent cleaners won’t have these credentials.

2.   Are you a member of any trade organizations?

There are quite a few trade organizations specifically for the cleaning industry.  These organizations require that members follow certain guidelines as well as maintain ethical business standards.  While there is no trade organization police, individuals and companies that are members usually follow the guidelines of their organization.

3.   Do you have proof of trade organization membership?

Make sure to ask for proof of membership.  Some companies will not be truthful when asked about membership in trade organizations.  Ask to see a certificate or badge and make sure it is up-to-date.

4. What training have you undergone?  What training does your company provide?

Anyone can claim to be a professional cleaner.  The best cleaners are going to have undergone training.  It cannot be assumed that everyone knows how to sufficiently clean a bathroom or kitchen.  Companies that are concerned about their reputation will definitely offer training to their employees.  Individuals can sometimes receive ongoing training as members of trade organizations.  Ask what areas she considers herself an expert and which she has just attained basic proficiency

5.  Do you have references that I can contact?

This is especially important.  Don’t take her word for it.  Ask for the name and number of any reference and actually call.  If she doesn’t have references on hand, ask her to call you the next business day with the contact information

6.  What is your physical address?

Much independent cleaning work from home.  This is acceptable; however, you should still get the address of anyone working in your home.  Just like any company, cleaning companies that don t provides an address present a red flag.  Consider how you will reach them if their phones are disconnected

7.  How long have you been in business?

This is a simple question; however it will help you determine if the company has sufficient experience.

8.  Has your company run a background check on you?  Can I have a copy?

Most reputable cleaning companies will run background checks on all of their cleaners and should have no problem providing you with one.  Independent cleaners almost never have background checks.  If you’d like to proceed with an independent cleaner running your own background check is advisable.

9.  Will I be able to customize my cleaning or are there set schedules?

This question will help you determine whether or not there is any flexibility in the work that you have done on your scheduled visits.  Some cleaners will allow for you to customize what work you’d like done at every visit.  Others will follow a checklist that you selected at the start of your services.

10.   Will you wash windows, iron, fold laundry, etc.

Are there specific tasks that you would like completed, but aren’t mentioned in the company’s literature.  Ask about them.  Independent cleaners are usually more flexible.  Companies focused on customer service will often offer extra services that can be added to your job for free or a nominal fee.

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How hiring a green cleaning service can keep your children safe

There has been a glaring spotlight placed on traditional cleaning products lately.  Completely green cleaning lines have popped up all over, not just at the health food store.  You can now buy laundry detergent, toilet bowl cleaner and all-purpose cleaner free of harsh chemicals.  Though eco-friendly products have been around a long time, they have gained immense popularity over the last five or so years.  These products have gained such popularity that many cleaning services offer a “green clean”.

Parents particularly like these green services because they cut down on the amount of chemicals coming in contact with their children.  This is one of the best reasons to use a green cleaning service.  You can throw out all of your traditional cleaning products and allow a cleaning service to clean your home in a more eco-friendly way.  This will greatly limit the amount of chemicals in your home.  By replacing the necessary cleaning products with their green counterpart and allowing the cleaning service to do the heavy duty work, your children will be much safer.  The air in your home will be cleaner and fresher, your carpets won’t be full of chemical residue, and your toddler won’t discover the dangerous cleaning products under the sink.

Besides the benefits of green cleaning, hiring a cleaner gives you an opportunity to spend more time with your children.  One of the most common complaints from working parents is not having enough time to spend with their children.  Using a cleaning service will give you a chance to devote more of your day to your children.  What parent wouldn’t want that?  You’ll also be less stressed in the process.  Coming home to a clean, fresh smelling home makes for more pleasant interactions with your family; no running around trying to clean, cook dinner, and do homework.  With the cleaning out of the way you can get on with your regular routine in a more calm and peaceful environment.

We are all aware of the dangers of stress.  If you want to eliminate some of the stress in your life, consider hiring a cleaning service.  Free yourself from the demands of keeping your home clean and tidy and focus on building stronger family relationships.  If you want to keep your home free of harsh chemicals, ask for green cleaning products.  You’ll be more relaxed and your family will love the extra time you have available.

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