Scheduling professional cleaning services for your home or business not only saves you time and helps avoid stress but also guarantees a deep, thorough clean of your property. In preparing for professional cleaning services, many customers have questions about what to expect, how to ready their space, and actions they can take to ensure the process is smooth and efficient for everyone involved.
Professional cleaning services in Maryland will typically schedule an initial consultation and may even visit your home or business to evaluate the size, layout, and condition before scheduling one-time or recurring cleaning services. This gives you a chance to get to know the cleaning team and ask any questions you have. Here is your ultimate guide to preparing for professional cleaning services for your home or business, including what questions you should ask and what information you should get ahead of time.
Find Out What to Expect from the Cleaning Service
Before scheduling professional cleaning services for your home or business, you should have an in-depth conversation with the cleaning company to find out what to expect. You will want to ask as many questions as possible[1] during this initial consultation, so there aren’t any surprises. For instance, you should find out what their cleaning schedule is, how long a professional cleaning will take, what services are included in their standard cleaning checklist, and how many cleaning professionals work on a team. Prepare your questions ahead of time so you won’t forget anything, and take the time to jot down notes as they answer your questions. This will help you compare one cleaning service to another when making your final choice.
Discuss Any Special Needs or Requests Ahead of Time
Each cleaning service in Maryland offers different specialty services, and you want to be sure that the specific cleaning needs you have will be met. For instance, if you’re moving out of your home, you will want a deeper move-out cleaning, which may include services that are not part of a standard one-time or recurring cleaning service. If you have special requests like cleaning the refrigerator or oven, cleaning blinds or windows, or deep-cleaning carpeting or upholstery, you should discuss them with the cleaning company ahead of time. They may not offer those services, or they may require an additional fee. You should also make sure the professional cleaning team knows ahead of time if there are certain rooms or areas you don’t want them to go in, if pets will be locked up somewhere in the home, or if there is a special place they need to park when they arrive.
Go Over Their Residential or Commercial Cleaning Checklist
You also want to go over the cleaning company’s residential or commercial cleaning checklist ahead of time to evaluate its thoroughness. You don’t want to make an appointment with a company for a whole-house clean or whole-office clean and then find out they only clean one or two key areas. It’s best to do a walk-through during your initial consultation. This will give you the opportunity to show the cleaning team around and discuss the specific areas you want cleaned. As you do the walk-through, ask the cleaning team or the cleaning company representative if they include specific tasks or areas in their checklist. Asking these questions during a walk-through is often easier and clearer than trying to communicate your needs over the phone. You can also ask to see a sample house cleaning checklist[2] or office cleaning checklist[3] to make sure it is sufficient for your needs.
Find Out if You Need to Provide Cleaning Supplies or Equipment
Most cleaning companies bring their own cleaning supplies and equipment to your home or office. Some will allow the customer to provide their own supplies if the customer has highly specific needs, allergies, or concerns. It’s always best to find out ahead of time if the cleaning company you hire will bring their own cleaning supplies and equipment. If they do not, you will need to have the right cleaning supplies and equipment on hand and in an accessible place on the day of your appointment.
Confirm the Appointment Time and Method of Entry
At least one day before your appointment, you should call the cleaning service and confirm your appointment date and time. You should also confirm the method of entry for the cleaning team. The method of entry is how they will enter your home or business. Most residential cleaning services are completed when the homeowner is away from the home, either at work or running errands. It’s best to be out of the cleaning team’s way while they work so that they can work efficiently and without delays. This means that you will either must be home to let them in and then leave again, leave a key under your mat or in another secure hiding place, give your key to a neighbor, or provide them with the code to an electronic lock box or smart lock system. It’s very important to confirm this information with the cleaning team at least 24 hours ahead of your appointment so there is no miscommunication or confusion. If they arrive at your home and don’t have any way to get in, you may end up being responsible for a cancellation fee or the full cost of the cleaning services.
If you have hired commercial cleaners, they will likely provide cleaning services after-hours, either before the office opens or after it has closed. You will need to decide if your company policy allows for non-employees to be in the building unaccompanied after-hours. If not, someone will have to be at the building to let them in and supervise. Otherwise, you will have to give the cleaning team a key and make sure the alarm system is disarmed when they arrive.
Tidy Up and Put Away Personal Belongings
Whether you have hired residential or commercial cleaners, you should make sure all areas are tidied up before the cleaning team arrives. You do not have to actually clean anything, but you should pick up your personal belongings and put away anything fragile or valuable. Clearing away clutter and making sure all surfaces are free from mess will make it easier for the cleaning team to work and will make their work more efficient and effective.
Schedule Residential or Commercial Cleaning Services from Cornerstone Cleaning
At Cornerstone Cleaning, we have an entire team of professionals who specialize in detailed residential and commercial cleaning services in Baltimore County, Cecil County, and Harford County. Call us today or contact us online to learn more about our residential, commercial, move-in/move-out, recurring cleaning, or occasional cleaning services. We will send someone to your home, property, or business to provide an estimate for the cost of cleaning services.
[1] Angi, 17 Go-To Questions You Should Ask a House Cleaning Service https://www.angi.com/articles/11-questions-ask-house-cleaning-services.htm
[2] Cleaning Business Academy, House Cleaning Checklist https://www.cleaningbusinessacademy.com/house-cleaning-checklist/
[3] Janitorial Manager, The Only Commercial Office Cleaning Checklist You’ll Ever Need https://www.janitorialmanager.com/blog/commercial-office-cleaning-checklist-youll-ever-need/