October 31, 2021
You’ve finally decided enough is enough, you want a clean house, and you can’t do it yourself.
Sure, you want to avoid paying for it. And you like the way your house feels when you personally give it a good deep clean.
Yet, like so many people, you are too busy to keep up with it all. Plus, you’re tired of giving up a whole day on the weekend just to get your house clean.
Are you wondering how to find a housekeeper so you can have a clean house and have some free time too?
Read on for tips on how to find a cleaning lady to keep your house in tip-top shape.
Evaluate Needs and Budget First
Before beginning your search, first, take stock of your goals and budget.
Ask yourself some questions to decide on your goals for hiring a housekeeper:
- Do you want a one-time deep clean?
- How often do you want a housekeeper to come into your home?
- What do you want cleaned?
- Is your goal basic cleaning or customized cleaning of certain areas?
Once you have thought about what you hope to accomplish, consider your budget. Remember, less cleaning doesn’t always save you. If it’s harder to clean each time, it might take longer.
Begin Your Search
As you begin your search, consider if you want to hire a cleaning service where a team of people will work on your home. This might mean several people are in the house, but the job gets done more quickly.
Would you prefer to hire an individual who comes in to clean?
A great way to begin your search is to ask around for references. Do any friends or family employ a housekeeper that they love and would share? It makes your task of finding someone so much easier if you can already get a great reference from a friend.
Search online for possible cleaners. You’re more likely to find services this way, but you are likely to find more information online for a service than an individual housekeeper.
Be sure to read all the reviews carefully if there are some available. This helps to give you a picture of how the housekeeper works and what to expect from them.
Don’t be alarmed if you find a negative review. Remember, some people like to complain no matter the circumstances. Also, if you decide to interview that particular housekeeper, ask them about the review and listen to how they respond to feedback.
Once you have narrowed down your search, ask a few to meet with you for an interview.
Talk with them and get a feeling about how they will communicate with you. Ask how they will approach cleaning your house. Go over what you would want to be cleaned, then ask for an estimate.
References and Credentials
While this can be time-consuming, it’s worth the trouble. Make phone calls to references. Ask about their experiences with the potential housekeeper.
Ask about how they took feedback if something wasn’t done correctly. Also, ask if they were times they felt disappointed with the services. You can also ask if they would hire the housekeeper again, given the opportunity.
One thing you want to find out from the candidate is if they carry liability insurance in case something goes wrong while they are in your house.
This type of insurance coverage help protect you as a homeowner, while the housekeepers are inside your home working.
Hiring the Housekeeper
One thing to ask your housekeeper candidate is if they will do a trial cleaning or a trial period. Of course, you will pay them for their services. But before you enter into a full agreement with them, you will get a sense of the work they do.
Housekeeping Rates
If you have decided on a house cleaning lady, discuss rates and a payment plan. How much will they charge, and what will it cover?
Ask how you pay them for their services. Are you billed? Do you leave payment for them on the day of the cleaning?
Set Up a Cleaning Schedule
Rates may be connected to the cleaning schedule. Will your housekeeper come weekly, bi-weekly, or once a month? How often the professional house cleaners come into your home may impact the rate they can offer.
Also, make sure you know what day of the week they come on and what time you can expect them.
Establish Expectations
This is probably one of the most important steps once you have someone you like. Remember, they are in your employment. As their “boss” you need to establish and communicate your expectations.
It’s not fair to the housekeeper to be annoyed if something doesn’t get done to your liking if you haven’t communicated your expectations.
It might be smart to make a list of your expectations by room. If they are coming on a regular schedule, what things do you want to be cleaned every time, and what things can be done on a rotating schedule?
This is also a good time to ask your housekeeper how they would like you to communicate with them if something gets missed or isn’t to your satisfaction. Nobody likes to be told they did something wrong, but it benefits you both to openly communicate.
Find a Housekeeper to Have Your House Cleaned by a Professional
While that might seem like a lot of work to find a housekeeper, once you have a great one, you also have the benefit of a clean house all the time.
Not only is your house regularly cleaned, but it also frees up your time to do all kinds of things you enjoy.
If you’re looking to hire a housekeeper, we can help. Get a free instant quote from us. Or feel free to contact us for more information about our services.