Even the cleanest house can harbor bacteria and germs—especially on high-touch surfaces
You’re exposed to germs wherever you go, whether you have kids who catch colds at school or you work in an office around dozens of coworkers. Those germs come home with you and can linger on the surfaces in your house, spreading illness and pathogens to your family and guests.
A disinfecting service can remove germs and bacteria, leaving your home clean and healthy. Learn how to hire someone to disinfect your home, from choosing the right pro to asking the right questions.
Most house cleaning professionals offer disinfection services that target high-touch and high-traffic areas prone to germs. If you already work with a cleaning company, you can ask whether they provide disinfection services to add to your weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleaning appointment.
A housekeeper maintains a home's cleanliness, including disinfecting services. In addition to keeping the house clean and free from germs, a housekeeper performs additional everyday tasks like washing dishes, making beds and changing linens, washing clothes, and running errands.
Finally, if you need to disinfect your home after a flood or other natural disaster, a restoration service can help. Cleanup and restoration companies help restore homes with water, fire, or mold damage. They can also provide disinfection services for homes exposed to viruses (including coronavirus).
Here are some popular disinfecting services:
Disinfection of high-touch surfaces
Home disinfection before an event
Disinfection during cold and flu season
Disinfection after a resident has been ill
Deep cleaning a home
Disinfectant fogging services
Many professional house cleaners often include disinfection as part of their regular services, while others may offer disinfection as an add-on.
Disinfecting your home can be a DIY project with the right tools and supplies. However, it can also be a time-consuming task that some homeowners feel is worth the money to hire a pro. A professional house cleaning service can disinfect your home quickly, using proven cleaning equipment and solutions to remove dirt and germs and keep your home and its residents healthy.
Hiring someone to disinfect your home is a relatively simple process. Follow these four steps to get started.
Why do you need to have your home disinfected? Perhaps your family just recovered from a nasty case of flu or COVID-19, and you want to remove the germs from your house. You may have a family member coming to stay who has a weak immune system, and you want a deep cleaning service to prevent them from getting sick. You might hate germs and want a pro to banish them for you.
Before you hire a pro, it’s essential to understand your needs. For example, you’ll need to specify whether this will be a one-time service or whether you want to schedule a regular disinfection service. You’ll also need to know the level of disinfection you want. Regular disinfection during flu season will be less intensive than a disinfection service after a flood causes mold growth in your basement. Make sure you know what you need before you contact any professionals.
When you search for a professional to disinfect your home, check the qualifications and references for each company you’re considering. Look for information about licensing, bonding, and insurance on the website. If a company isn’t licensed and insured, you’ll be on the hook to repair any damage that occurs during the service rather than the company’s insurance policy.
Also, check whether the company explicitly lists disinfection as a service on its website. If it has a section on disinfection and describes its process, you can feel confident that the company knows what it’s doing. You can also check to see if the company lists the products it uses to disinfect homes.
Finally, check the references of each company you’re considering. If you know someone who has used that company’s services, ask about their experience and whether they’d recommend working with that company. You can also read online reviews, though taking these with a grain of salt is essential, as disgruntled customers are more likely to leave reviews than satisfied customers.
Once you’ve narrowed your list, contact each cleaning company and request a quote. Specify the services you need during the quote process to ensure you get comparable quotes. We recommend getting at least three quotes to compare before you hire a pro.
You might be tempted to choose the cheapest quote, but before you sign anything, make sure that the quote includes the same services as the more expensive ones.
The contract should include information about the service to be provided and its cost. You can also ask the pro about their preferred payment method. Some companies accept credit and debit cards, while others prefer cash or checks to avoid fees. And some accept digital payment methods like Venmo or CashApp. Ask when payment is due and ensure you have the amount handy to prevent late payments.
There are several essential questions to ask a house cleaning service before hiring them to disinfect your home. Here are a few to start your list.
Are you licensed, bonded, and insured?
Can you provide references?
Do you work alone or with employees?
Do you conduct employee background checks?
How do I need to prepare for the disinfecting service?
Will you provide the cleaning and disinfecting supplies?
How long will the service take?
What should I do with my pets?
How will you get into my home?
What payment methods do you accept?
How can I leave a review of your work?
There are several ways to find a home disinfecting service. The simplest way is to ask your friends and family if they have any recommendations. If you don’t get any leads this way, you can find a local home cleaning service by searching Angi’s database and requesting quotes. You can then narrow down your options and choose the best fit for your needs.
After your disinfecting service, you can either schedule regular maintenance services or keep up with disinfecting your home yourself. Focus your efforts on high-touch surfaces that are prone to harboring germs. These include:
Doorknobs
Appliance handles
Cabinet and drawer pulls and handles
Light switches
Countertops and tabletops
Handrails
Toilet seats and handles
Wipe these surfaces down regularly with a disinfecting solution to keep your home healthy and prevent the spread of germs. Cleaning your home regularly can prevent dirt and germs from building up and causing health issues.
Hiring a professional house cleaner costs between $120 and $240 per visit, with homeowners paying an average of $170. House cleaning services may include disinfection of high-touch surfaces, but it’s best to ask your cleaner to be sure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using an EPA-registered disinfectant product to disinfect a house properly. If such a product isn't handy, a strong bleach solution can disinfect high-touch surfaces.
According to the National Library of Medicine, ethyl alcohol is the best disinfectant for killing the flu virus, while bleach effectively kills bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
