6 questions to ask a home cleaning service

31 May 23

While it’s fairly easy these days to book a home cleaner online, you don’t want just anyone showing up at your door! You want to know that your cleaner is reputable, reliable and results-focused – not just out to make a quick buck.

So to help you hire a home cleaning service that will treat your home like their own, we’ve put together our top 6 questions to ask.

1. Is the home cleaning service reputable and highly recommended?

You've started your search by typing 'home cleaning service near me'. But before you start sending enquiries, take a moment to check whether the cleaner works independently or is part of a home cleaning franchise. Either way, they must have a good reputation. Scan their online reviews and social media pages – and look for an average rating, since one negative review from an unhappy customer doesn’t necessarily reflect reality.

Ask if the home cleaning service can share any references with you (a quality home cleaning service will be happy to do this). Knowing that your chosen cleaner will do a good job and is experienced in your area is a great place to start for your peace of mind.

2. Are they insured and verified?

A professional home cleaning service will treat your home and belongings with the very best care. But they still need to carry insurance, so you can feel safe knowing your home and family are protected. For example, your local V.I.P. Home Cleaning franchisee carries a minimum of $10 million public liability insurance, plus income protection insurance.

While you’re at it, make sure your house cleaner has been police-checked. It’s just one extra measure to know your home and loved ones will be in safe hands.

3. Are they experienced?

By this stage, you’ll probably have a pretty good idea of whether your chosen home cleaner knows what they’re doing. But experience means more than just how long they’ve been cleaning or running their business.

If you want a cleaner to tackle any specialist tasks – such as mould removal, window cleaning, spring cleaning or end of lease cleaning – you may want to ask if they have training and experience in those areas. Depending on what you’re after, a professional cleaning service should be able to come up with a package to suit your needs.

4. Are they the business owner?

Who will clean my house? This is something not many of us stop and ask when hiring a home cleaner, but it can make a big difference. Some cleaning companies will take on a job and then send someone unqualified (say, their friend’s cousin) to do the work for cheap – so steer clear!

What you want to find out is who will be doing the cleaning. Franchisees are a safe bet, because they tend to be owner-operators and will either do the job themselves – or they’ll have a small team of qualified, vetted cleaners who deliver consistent results. After all, it’s their business reputation on the line. And given how much they’ve invested in building their business, they’re more likely to take your satisfaction seriously.

5. Are they easy to communicate with?

We’ve all had that experience of sending an enquiry and hearing crickets. Or you ask a question and get an odd response. From the second you send your enquiry, go with your gut. Do you get a good feeling from the cleaning service? Do they seem engaged, friendly, helpful and customer-focused?

Take your time to ask questions like:

• What are your rates?
• What type of cleaning do you do?
• Do you offer a satisfaction guarantee?
• What cleaning supplies do you use?
• Who is on your cleaning team?
• How should I prepare my home for professional carpet cleaning?

This will give you a chance to feel them out and see if you’re comfortable welcoming them into your home.

6. Do they make my life easier?

At the end of the day, we hire a house cleaning service because we’re time poor and need someone we can count on to help keep our home clean and hygienic. So as you go through this quick checklist, make sure your chosen house cleaner answers all your questions, shows up on time, and genuinely cares about you and your home. Then you’ll know you’ve found a quality home cleaning service you can rely on to do a great job.

Book your reliable, local V.I.P. Home Cleaning franchisee today.