Cleaning is not something many people love to do. Sometimes, it can be hard to find time to clean your home. Many turn to a cleaning service to help. But when you’re hiring a stranger to come into your home to clean, you want to be confident he or she is trustworthy. Better Business Bureau can help.
BBB can provide lists of BBB Accredited cleaning services and Business Profiles on ones you’re considering hiring. You can request them by visiting bbb.org or calling (937) 222-5825 or (800) 776-5301. In 2019, people requested nearly 3,300 Business Profiles, checking out Miami Valley cleaning services they were considering hiring. In just the first four months of 2020, nearly 1,300 Business Profiles have been requested on local cleaning services.
BBB offers these additional tips to help you find a reputable cleaning service:
• Determine your need. Decide how often you’ll be using the cleaning service. Most services offer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and one-time only services. Also, walk through each room in your home and decide what you want the cleaning service to do (rooms to be cleaned, what can and cannot be touched, etc.)
• Do your research. Ask friends and family for recommendations of services they’ve used. Reach out to companies for estimates to compare. Ask them for a list of references you may contact.
• Check credentials. Determine if companies are bonded and insured and verify it.
• Conduct interviews with the cleaning service itself and the person that will be cleaning your home. You want to be comfortable with who is coming in your home.
• Be sure the company runs background checks on individuals cleaning your home.
• Inquire about cleaning supplies. Are to provide them or will the cleaning service bring them? If you provide them, the overall cost for service should be less.
• Ask about professional affiliations, such as the Professional Association for the Residential Cleaning Industry (ARCSI), which keeps members informed of new developments, safety, training and regulations.
• Have clear expectations for what you want the cleaning service to do and communicate them to the service.
• Get everything in writing, including a list of services to be provided, a timeline of services, and when and how payments should be made.
Once you’ve made your selection, it’s important to prepare for the service to arrive. Put away any valuables you wish to protect, such as jewelry or electronics, and notify the cleaning services about any other circumstance they need to be aware of, such as a pet in the house. Put away clutter prior to the service’s arrival.
