Keeping your home clean can be an exhausting task, especially if you have to squeeze it in between the chaos and work and keeping your family in line. And if your life feels like it’s nothing but cleaning and tedious chores, perhaps it’s time to do something about it, like hiring a professional maid company.

These services hire experienced, professional cleaners and offer their services as regularly as you need them, be it once, twice, several times a week or a couple of times a month. They can help you with tasks like cleaning the bathroom and the kitchen, vacuuming, dusting, laundry, and others.

But when hiring a cleaning service, you need to be careful who you hire. If you don’t hire a reputable, professional service you might end up with hidden costs, poor cleaning or worse, having your stuff stolen. That’s why you need to pay special attention when choosing the best cleaning company. Here’s what you need to know!

Interview a Couple of Them

Don’t rush to hire the first cleaning service whose ad popped up while you were surfing the web. Instead, find a couple of references and interview a couple of cleaning service reps to see what kinds of services they offer and at what cost. Ask for their references and see whether you feel comfortable having them clean every inch of your house.

Ask Whether They Carry Their Own Equipment

A lot of cleaning companies come to your home completely equipped for the job. This includes green, child-friendly cleaning products, HEPA vacuums, and other cutting-edge cleaning equipment. On the other hand, the cleaning service might ask you to provide such supplies. In this case, make sure the price of hiring a service combined with the price of these products doesn’t exceed your budget. Sometimes paying a bit extra for a completely prepared cleaning crew is well worth the investment.

Specify Which Areas Need Cleaning

Before the team gets down to business, it’s a good idea to tell them which parts of your home you want them to clean. It’s important to highlight the areas that need special attention such as the bathroom. See if the cleaning service can cater to your needs. Before every scheduled cleaning, make sure to leave a list of areas that need special attention.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask About the Price

You should work out the payment details before the first cleaning appointment. A professional cleaning company likely has a price list already in place. If you need the cleaning to be done more or less frequently, the price will change accordingly. If having a cleaner more than once a week is more than you can afford, ask about a timetable (and a price) that better suits your needs and your wallet.

Some cleaning companies also have different prices according to your type of residence. So townhomes, flats, and houses are priced differently, due to the different amount of work involved. If the cleaning service needs a special clearance to enter your building or park, make sure you provide them upfront.

Experience and Reputation

When hiring a professional maid service, trust is everything. And if you’re looking for a clear indicator, look no further than the company’s reputation and experience. When hiring a cleaning service, the best option is to choose a local company. That way you can ask people you know whether they’ve used their services and how satisfied they were. You can always look up references online, on sites such as the Better Business Bureau.

Employee Training and Checkup

The best maid companies know that their services are only as good as their staff. That is why they hire trustworthy, professional maids and provide additional training if necessary. When asking about the staff, make sure to inquire whether they’ve had any professional training. Equally as important, make sure the company has done the necessary screening, including criminal and background checks.

Are They Insured

Professional cleaning companies have all the necessary bonds and insurance policies. The company is responsible if one of their staff members is injured at work and they should have the right insurance policies for them. This will help you get your peace of mind knowing you won’t have to worry about the maids getting hurt and suing you for their injuries.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Practices

In this day and age, there’s no excuse for not going green. The company you hire should also employ green cleaning practices and use eco-friendly, organic products such as microfiber tools, low energy vacuum cleaners, safe waste disposal policies and others.

Are They Covering the Taxes

Finally, the company you hire should take care of the taxes related to employment, so you don’t have to worry. Some companies hire independent contractors, which could be a problem for you since they are a possible tax liability.