It’s not easy hiring green—unless you know what to look for
After a long day, the last thing anyone wants to do is clean the house. Yet the thought of hiring a cleaning service to take over the dirty work might feel a bit overwhelming. How can you ensure the service you employ is reliable and will do an excellent job without using harsh chemical cleaners? Here's how to hire a green-friendly house cleaning service that'll give you a clean, green home and true peace of mind.
It’s a good idea to take an organized approach to hiring a house cleaning service. After all, these are people who’ll have nearly full access to your home, so you should be able to trust and depend on these pros. With a green service, you also want to make sure the products and cleaning techniques used are safe, eco-friendly, and effective.
"Knowing the scope of services you would like done, the cleaning solutions you would like utilized, and the frequency you would like your home cleaned will greatly help the cleaning company determine cost and set a schedule for your services," said Asya Biddle, Angi Expert Review Board member and manager of The Dustbusters, a family-owned and operated janitorial company in Williamsport, PA.
Before you reach out to any of the cleaning services on your list, take some time to figure out the exact scope of services you want and how often they should do each task, including:
Dusting furniture, fans, baseboards, etc.
Dusting and cleaning blinds, windowsills, and ledges
Cleaning toilets, tubs, showers, and sinks
Vacuuming carpets
Mopping floors
Emptying trash cans
Scrubbing kitchen counters and appliance exteriors
Once you know what you’d like your cleaning service to do for you, it’s time to evaluate professionals in your area. One of the most effective ways to find a reliable cleaning service for your home is to ask friends and neighbors for referrals.
Create a short list of possible providers you can research and evaluate. Also, check our site for top house cleaning services near you. Ideally, you want to get at least three quotes from different cleaning services. After you get those quotes, talk with each service about what specific tasks and terms are included in their quote.
Ask how long the company has been in business and if they'll connect you with past clients to serve as references. You'll also want to verify that the company and its workers are insured and bonded against any potential damage to your home. Check any contacts the company provides and ask the contractor's references these questions, including what they liked about the service and what aspects of the cleaning work didn't pass muster.
Before you hire a house cleaning service, ask the green company these questions about how they deliver on the “green” promise. Consider the following questions:
What products do you use, and are they certified as being green?
Do your vacuum cleaners have closed canisters and proper filtration?
How much training in green cleaning techniques do you give your cleaners?
Also, consider asking more general questions, such as:
How do you charge, by the hour or a flat fee?
What’s included in that charge?
Can I request additional services or deeper cleaning from time to time?
Will you send the same person (or people) to my home each time?
How often will your cleaners visit (weekly, biweekly, monthly)?
Who’s responsible for purchasing the cleaning supplies?
Do you perform background checks on your workers?
Do a little prep work and research to hire the best house cleaning service for your home and family's needs. At a minimum, you'll want to interview each pro on your list, ask for background checks, and finalize in writing the details with the cleaning service.
Now that you have a few services to consider, it's time to schedule a phone or in-person interview with a company representative. The interview is a crucial aspect of doing your due diligence. This service will be sending people into your home for extended periods, so it's important to have a chance to ask them questions and clarify the details of how you'll work together. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you didn't get to in your earlier assessment.
While residential cleaners near you typically don't need to be licensed, it's a good idea to ensure the cleaning service has researched their workers. Background and criminal checks should be completed on anyone you allow into your home.
Go over the terms with your chosen cleaning service one more time, and get a written agreement. Cover essential payment terms, such as the amount, when the payment is due, what form of payments are accepted, and whether they allow tips to individual cleaners.
The agreement should also cover the basic terms you previously discussed with the service, such as the cleaning schedule, what tasks are included and excluded, and the sources and brands of the eco-friendly cleaning supplies they’ll use in your home.
Keep a copy of the contract for your records, as well as copies of checks and receipts. You may also want to keep a log detailing each cleaning visit, showing the date and time, how long the cleaners stayed, and any notes you'd like to make about their job performance.
Consistently missing an item the service agreed to handle for you is a topic for discussion, if not for termination of your agreement. Likewise, reward cleaners who go above and beyond with an additional tip and praise to their manager.
Prepare for your house cleaning by decluttering and securing any fragile or valuable items. You'll also want to wash your dishes and put them away, as house cleaners don't wash dishes but will want to scrub your sink, faucet, and countertops.
In addition, don't forget to put your pets away before the cleaners arrive, so they don't get underfoot and pose a risk of injury to themselves or the cleaners. Crate your dog and put the cats in a room the cleaners don't need to enter.
Did your local house cleaning crew do a great job? Was something left undone—or not done correctly? Make a list of positive and negative points and go over the list with the cleaning pros. Allow them to fix any problems, and praise the cleaners for work done exceptionally well.
After they resolve any issues, leave a review on websites where they're listed, and decide if you'd like to commit to an ongoing schedule for green cleaning with this company.
