Eco-Friendly House Cleaning

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Well, before they call to ask the professional any questions they need to identify their list of needs. This can be based on the ideal cost the consumer wants to spend, the experience the professional has, the specific type of work the consumer needs (in regard to cleaning: move outs, regular cleaning, deep cleaning, etc.), and customer reviews (if there are any). The professional should be able to give a fairly accurate estimate over the phone (if they can't they probably don't know very well what they're doing) so make sure to get an estimated price. Most professionals will consult you before they begin their services, and this is a great way to get some face time with your provider before their alone in your home. Always ask about the providers professional experience, and if they've been working for an extended period of time you know at least that someone else was happy with their services. Finally, ask them about any specialty work they can do. This allows you to see what they focus on mostly and get a better idea of what they have to offer you.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Happy clients. It might sound a little cliche but having a comfortable and friendly client-professional relationship is definitely the most enjoyable part of cleaning. I do definitely enjoy leaving a house sparkling, but the most important part to me is the clients reaction.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Be ready to 1.) Work hard 2.) Be friendly 3.) Be detailed
Wiping down a toilet isn't hard, but doing it quickly, making absolutely sure there are no remaining hairs, and cleaning the entirety of the toilet isn't quite as easy. People can clean their own houses, but what they can't do is clean it like a cleaner can. Before you start with a real client practice on your home. Perform one heavy clean (record how long that takes), and two weeks later perform a second clean. For every 1000 sq feet it should take you about 2 hours. If it's higher than that, get quicker. All it takes is practice and there are tons of tips out there. Wipe surfaces in lines and in sections so you can quickly scan the area you cleaned and see if there is anything left. There's tons more. Essentially, practice. You have to have confidence in your abilities in order to make a good impression, so get the skill first and then begin advertising. As far as advertising goes, Craigslist and social groups are the best targets. It may sound wrong but churches are an amazing place to start. They are extremely tight social networks where one good impression can lead to 5 clients or more (it happened to me). The internet is an amazing resource for researching and advertising so use it well.