What Separates a Good Maid Service from a Bad One?

There’s no shortage of San Antonio maid services. There are, however, all too few that deliver reliable results and hassle free service. You’ve probably heard horror stories—or experienced them yourself—about maids that are unprofessional, shoddy, hard to work with or even dishonest. So what separates a bad maid service from a good one, and how can you tell the difference?

Enthusiastic flexibility vs. iron fisted demands.

One of the biggest things that separate a good maid service experience from a bad one is their level of flexibility. With a maid service, flexibility means coming when you want them to come, without insisting on a contract. Sometimes you may just want a maid service to come for a one time gig, like before you have a house party or when you’re getting ready to show your house to buyers. Other times, you may want sporadic or infrequent maid service, like once a month. A bad maid service will hassle you about committing to weekly cleanings, whereas a good one will clean on your terms—and offer you a discount if you do want ongoing service. 

Professional staff vs. wannabes.

Don’t all maids say that they are seasoned professionals? For someone who’s not in the industry it can be hard to tell the difference. But to a keen eye there are clear signs that show when a maid is a true professional. Here’s how to tell: 

·         They have a method. A professional maid will have a checklist for every house, office and building they clean, and will do things in a certain order for maximum efficiency. It doesn’t have to be the same from one service to another, but if they can’t go over their checklist or procedure with you, run. 

·         They bring their own equipment. No true maid relies on the customer to provide equipment, towels, cleaning sprays, or anything. They show up with everything they need. 

·         They can tell you how long it will take. Don’t accept vague estimates of how long they will need to do the job. A professional can tell you with confidence. 

Easy booking vs. hours on the phone.

Good maid services will provide you with an online booking feature. Bad maid services will require that you call every time—and sit around on hold. 

Up front pricing vs. hidden fees.

Prices should be based on the square footage of the space to be cleaned. Once that number is given, the quote should be final and contain no surprises. 

What do you see as the defining feature of a good, professional maid service?

Can Cleaning Services Get Your Rental Deposit Back?

If you're like the millions of Americans who rent a house or apartment, you're probably familiar with the concept of getting your deposit back after you move out. Sometimes that deposit is worth a month or more in rent, so it's safe to say it is a large sum of money. If you look back at your original renter's agreement, it's typical to come across some rules that allows a landlord or property manager to keep a portion of your deposit (or all of it) to cover the cost of 'damages' that may exist upon you leaving. With that in mind, you are going to want to do everything you can before you move out to ensure the unit is in top condition so you can get all of your deposit money back. Here are a few ways to increase that chance!

1. DIY Fixes

More than likely your rental unit was quite lived in, meaning it's not 100% up to par when it comes to cosmetics. There might be scruffs on the walls, nail holes from hanging pictures and a few stains on the carpet. If that's the case, you want to try and fix these minor issues because you can almost bet that those small blemishes will be heavily deducted from your deposit. Head to the local home improvement store and buy some spackling supplies to take care of the holes in the walls. While you're at it, rent (or purchase) a rug cleaner to give those carpets a much needed refresh and try good old fashioned elbow grease to rid the scuffs from the furniture.

2. Hire A Handyman

For the fixes that require more serious work, hire a handyman! If you've accidently put a hole through the wall from moving the couch or if the door knob swung back too fast and went through to the other room, a handyman can surely help. Replacing dry wall can be a little more hands on, which is why you can have someone who is experienced fix the wall instead of letting the landlord see the damage and inflate the estimated repair costs.

3. Cleaning Services

One of the best things you can do, even if you can't fix that little hole in the wall, is hire cleaning services in Austin. Schedule the cleaning service to come in as soon as you remove all of your belongings because they will be able to see every nook and cranny that's filled with grime and dirt. They can give your rental unit a top to bottom cleaning that will make it less likely for the landlord to come up with a reason to take money out of your deposit. Additionally, have the cleaning service come to your new address for a full scrub because you won't ever know who lived there before you and the best feeling is a clean feeling! 

These three tips could help you get all of your deposit back, so be sure that your unit is in the same condition as it was when you first moved in.

6 Things You Should Never Hear from Your Cleaning Service

Chicago is full of cleaning companies, but not every cleaning service in Chicago provides equal results. If you've ever made the mistake of hiring an amateur, you know exactly what we mean. Here are six lines you should never have to hear from your cleaning service:

1.  "Do you have a vacuum?"

It's amazing that in 2015, there are still cleaning services that expect the customer to provide the equipment and supplies. The whole point of having a cleaning service in the first place is convenience. Ideally, you should never have to think about cleaning—the house or office will just always looks great, and you can forget whether you even own a mop or broom.

2.  "We'll come between 12 and 4."

A cleaning service should make scheduling an appointment easy and then show up when they say they will. If they can't provide an exact appointment time, it indicates that they're disorganized and don't move efficiently through the appointments before yours. It also means they're putting the burden of waiting around on you, when they should be working around your schedule. No thanks.

3.  "We didn't know we were supposed to clean that."

Good cleaners are experienced professionals and often go above and beyond what you yourself would do if you were cleaning. Bad ones have a tendency to try and back out of doing work that is in their contract and that they are supposed to know about. A quality cleaning service doesn't have to make excuses because they leave you nothing to complain about in the first place and know exactly what is expected of them.

4.  "You have to sign a contract."

No, no, no! Sure, a long-term contract can make things easier and might even come with a nice discount, but sometimes you just legitimately need a one-time cleaning job. It's also fair to want to try out a cleaning service a few times before committing. If they give you trouble about this, they are not the service for you.

5.  "Leave a message and we'll get back to you."

A cleaning service is very much a luxury company and should make your life easier in any way they can. One simple way they can do this is by providing an online booking option, so you don't have to try to get a hold of someone to set, change or cancel an appointment.

6.  "We're sorry you're not happy, but there's nothing we can do."

This is bad coming from any business, but especially from a service-based business like a cleaning company. If they don't back their work with a guarantee, they are not worth your time.

Luckily, there are cleaning services in Chicago that will spare you all of these lines—and give you great results every time. What do you look for in a cleaner?

Questions to Ask When Choosing Cleaning Services in Austin

Are you in need of cleaning services in Austin, Texas? Whether you have a lot of children at home, pets, or both, it can be hard to keep your home neat and tidy while trying to juggle a job on top of everything else. Many people simply can't maintain their homes on their own, so they look into maid services. However, choosing the best cleaning services for your needs can be a stressful process. How can you tell a good company from a bad one? How do you know that a cleaning service will be able to meet your each and every need? These five questions will help you to choose the best services in Austin for your particular situation.

What services are available?

Ask about all of the available services so that you can be sure the company will meet your needs. Inquire about which rooms are covered in the cost, and what types of products will be used. You may also want to ask if they offer any special services such as green cleaning, cleaning inside of appliances such as a refrigerator or oven, and if they can offer special cleaning to prepare a home for sale or for moving in/out.

What is not covered in the services?

You should also ask what the cleaning company won't cover. Most cleaning services will not clean hazardous materials like mold, animal waste, or hoarding. Find out what a cleaning service will handle so that you know that you should in fact be investing in this kind of company (rather than one that removes materials such as mold).

How often can I book a cleaning?

You may only need to hire a maid as a one-time thing, and that's okay! Just be sure that if this is the case, you won't be required to make a commitment to pay for further services. However, you may also want to inquire about scheduling cleanings for a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis if you feel your home will require more frequent appointments.

How much will it cost?

In many cases, the costs will vary, which means that it is especially important to inquire about the price. Make sure you know exactly what you are paying for. Ask what services are covered automatically in the price and which services you will be charged extra for. Also, don't be afraid to ask about any special deals. Many cleaning service companies will give you a discount for more frequent cleanings.

Is it a trustworthy service?

Sadly, it is very easy these days to get scammed by cleaning service companies who claim to be professionals, but who are only looking to make quick money. Be sure that the company you choose is legitimate and trustworthy. Ask them if they can provide you with client testimonials or real reviews. Any good company should be more than happy to give you references, testimonials, or reviews.

What questions do you ask before investing in Austin cleaning services? When you ask all five of these questions, you'll be sure to find the best possible company for your current and future needs!

How Often Should My Home be Cleaned?

Springtime is almost here, which is a very much welcomed relief after a harsh cold winter. While spring brings beautiful, warmer weather and longer days, it also means that it’s time to do some heavy cleaning and getting your home in tip-top shape. Fortunately, you don’t have to do the work yourself by hiring only the best cleaning service in Chicago to do it for you. Experienced and professional maids will come to your home and give your home the best spring cleaning and keep your home looking and feeling fresh.

But one question many ask is “How often does my home need to be cleaned?” Is once a month enough or should you have a cleaning services company come once a week? This question is understandably important because cleaning services not only cost money but time as well. To help you determine how often you should have your home cleaned by a professional cleaning service in Chicago, check out these questions below.

How often do you clean your home?

To determine how often you will need cleaning services, it’s best to figure out how often you clean your home yourself, and not just a quick vacuum or some dusting but a very thorough cleaning.  Also take into account how other family members or those in the home contribute to the cleanliness of the home or add to the mess. If you have older children who can help around the home, have them do so. If you have younger kids it can be hard to get them to help clean.

What’s your budget?

Take into account how much cleaning services cost and how much you can afford. While you may want a weekly cleaning, do you have the money for it? You may find biweekly or monthly services to be more within your budget. Also, the level of cleaning and number of bedrooms and bathrooms in your home will impact the price. Any extra cleaning services are available at an additional cost. Just let us know what you’re expectations are so we can serve you the best way possible. You may want to start by determining how long between cleanings you can go. You may find that a monthly cleaning accommodates your budget and keeps your house clean.

By hiring an outside house cleaning service in Chicago, you can cut down on stress, save time, and keep your home clean.

5 Signs of a Good Maid Service

There are more Dallas maid services than ever before and yet so few that provide a great customer experience. When you are paying to have your home cleaned, it's vital that the service you hire can come through for you and that all of their staff members are good at what they do. But how do you find a good maid service when there are so many to choose from? At King of Maids, we know cleaning like no one else. Here are five positive signs to look for that we think show a maid service is truly on top of their game:

 

1.       Clear, up-front pricing – It's amazing what sorts of convoluted pricing structures you can run across when you start looking for a good maid service. There are companies that seem to want to nickel and dime you over every sweep of the broom, and others that claim to have low prices only to offer bare bones service with an up-sell offer once you're in the door. One of the first things you should ask when you contact a maid service is what is included in the price and what isn't. Ideally, look for a flat rate service that includes everything you want, with clear options and pricing on any extras. 

2.       Flexible plans and services – The dream of every maid service is to get clients who want cleanings every week or every day, under contract, forever. But that doesn't mean that setup fits your needs. The best maid services understand that and are happy to offer flexible options. That means if you need a cleaning just once prior to the holidays or a big event, they'll come just once and not pressure you to sign a contract. Similarly, if you need cleaning on an ongoing basis, but not every single week, or not always on the same day or time, they'll work with your needs. If a maid service pushes back against your scheduling needs, it's the wrong one.

3.       An online scheduler – It's much easier to book your cleanings if you can just go to the website, sign in and click the calendar. That lets you book after hours or when you don't have the time to make a phone call. It's just one more detail that makes life easier for you.

4.       100% of supplies provided – It's surprising that so many maid services today still don't get this. If you wanted to track how many rags were left in your closet you wouldn't call a maid service in the first place! Not only should a service provide all its own supplies, those supplies should be included in the price—not cost extra.

5.       Fully insured – We don't think of maids as contractors, but indeed a cleaning service is coming to do work on your property under contract from you. That means that, like any worker, you want a cleaning service that is fully insured and can manage their own liability. This is just one more way to protect yourself.

What else do you look for in a Dallas maid service? At King of Maids, we have it! Talk to us today or go online to schedule a cleaning!