One of the many reasons why homeowners look to hire a professional Virginia house cleaning service is owed to their busy day-to-day schedules. For most working individuals, trying to balance the responsibilities of managing a career and taking care of kids along with the household can be rather stressful and overwhelming, to say the least.
The services of a Virginia cleaning professional can help solve this problem by maintaining the spick and span home you desire without having to take time away from your family and job.
So, establishing the fact that you need a professional Virginia house cleaning service is the first step; the second is to find a trusted and reliable one to hire, and the third being to prepare for your house cleaner.
In this article, we are sharing what is expected of clients to do in order to help the cleaner provide a satisfactory cleaning experience.
From a couple of must-dos, to treating your house cleaner with respect; here is everything you need to know about being fully prepared for your first Virginia house cleaning service by a professional cleaning service.
Don’t Let Anything Get in Your Cleaner’s Way
You can’t expect your cleaning professional to do a satisfactory job if they haven’t been given a fair chance to do so. In other words, it is your responsibility to ensure that there is no clutter or untidiness around the house that will hinder their cleaning process. This means picking up stuff from the floor and tidying up surfaces so that they can be cleaned efficiently.
It should be noted that some Virginia house cleaning service include tasks that go beyond basic tidying up; however, for those that do not, it conveys a certain level of respect when you do your bit to make the cleaner’s job a little easier.
Moreover, the help you hire should not feel like they are being taken advantage of when doing things that aren’t part of their job description become a habit.
Give Clear and Concise Instructions
A professional house cleaning service understands that their job is to clean your house; however, every home and family is unique and therefore, the requirements differ. Along with this, you may have a set of rules or boundaries that you would like the cleaner to follow such as knocking before entering a bedroom or bathroom.
Along with this, some homeowners have specific preferences where home cleaning is concerned; for example, you can request for the use of eco-friendly cleaning products or simply supply the hired professional with your choice of cleaners. This, of course, is something that should be discussed with the professional prior to their arrival. If you have any other instructions, be clear and concise when politely explaining them to the cleaner.
Put Valuables Away
Firstly, it pays to hire a maid from a reputable Virginia house cleaning service wherein employees are thoroughly vetted, as well as insured and bonded. On the other hand, from a cleaner’s perspective, they are not always comfortable working in a house where money or valuables are left lying around.
This is because if you were to misplace something of value, they are likely to be the first ones to get blamed.
This is particularly true when a homeowner is hiring help for the first time, or dealing with a new maid. In other cases where clients and cleaners have formed a strong bond or close relationship over a long period of time, this doesn’t become a problem.
Having said that, when hiring a professional Virginia house cleaning service, it is your responsibility to make the cleaner feel comfortable on every occasion, and this includes securing valuables.
Don’t Leave Important Papers Lying Around
If your cleaner is tidying up your home, they may end up mixing important papers with junk mail or magazines that are likely to get misplaced or worse, trashed. Another scenario to consider is the breeze from fans or windows knocking papers to the floor which are then likely to be mistaken for worthless pieces and hence, discarded or accidentally vacuumed up.
Regardless of the above, it is advisable to organize important papers and documents with the help of files and binders. If at all there are important letters in the mail such as bills or insurance papers, instruct your cleaner to leave them as they are or better yet, keep a tray and paperweight for letters so that they remain untouched.
Keep Kids and Pets Occupied
It can be rather difficult and distracting to clean a home when there are kids and pets running around or getting in the way. More importantly, it can be dangerous if there are heavy, electrical appliances being used such as a vacuum cleaner or steam carpet cleaner. There will also be wires lying across the floor which your children can trip on if they are playing a game of ‘tag’!
The best way to keep your kids and pets away from the cleaning tools and products is to keep them occupied. Perhaps, they could play in the yard or in a bedroom which your house cleaner can clean last so that they are safe and out of the way while the rest of your home is being cleaned.
Be Polite and Patient
Sadly, there are people out there who don’t treat house cleaners with any respect or compassion. In fact, 1 in 5 maids have experienced verbal abuse or have been mistreated by homeowners and therefore, are often afraid of making a single mistake.
Remember, to err is human; even the most experienced and skilled cleaning professionals in Virginia are bound to make a mistake at some point; be as patient and understanding as you can when they do.
Furthermore, being polite and building a good relationship with your maid is very important if you are looking for a recurring Virginia house cleaning service.
Having a house cleaner who is trustworthy and reliable comes with a list of benefits that include having your house cleaned and sanitised regularly, as well as always being prepared for surprise visitors!
Give Them Honest Feedback
Whether it’s good or bad, feedback is a great way to help house cleaners better their skills or strive for consistency. Again, it’s important to be kind when offering valuable feedback to them; the goal here is to help your house cleaner understand how they can do better or what you are expecting of them.
Of course, expectations must be discussed prior to hiring a maid to ensure that you are choosing one that is capable of meeting your cleaning needs.
Although many Virginia house cleaning services ask customers to submit feedback via online reviews and/or ratings, it doesn’t hurt to give your house cleaner an honest opinion (with a smile on your face). Similarly, it is equally important to praise them for their efforts and desirable cleaning results when fitting.
While it pays to find yourself a reputable Virginia house cleaning service, how you prepare for a house cleaner’s visit can have a positive impact on the overall cleaning experience.
So, if you are hiring a Virginia house cleaning service for the very first time, make sure that you are ready for them with the help of the tips above!