Do you like to clean your home? Of course you don’t! Daily household chores seem to be the most dreaded task in life. This is especially true after a long day of work. Nobody wants to come home after a hard day of work, only to find they need to clean their home!
According to the American Cleaning Institute, (Canadians may not have a “cleaning institute but truly, we can’t be much different!). You spend an average of 6 hours per week cleaning your home. Of those surveyed, unsurprisingly, 52% said cleaning the bathrooms is the most dreaded cleaning task. The second was the kitchen; dusting came in 3rd; mopping 4th; and laundry, 5th. 88% of those surveyed claimed that toilets get the most regular maintenance cleaning while floors came in 2nd. Floors take the most time based on space in the home. If there exists a cleaning institute in the U.S., the subject must be worthy of discussion.
So let’s discuss it! Can you truly afford to pass the task along to a professional cleaning service or should you just clean your home yourself? The following are 3 factors you should consider.
1. Money Savings vs Time Saving
I recently visited a website where a local Windsor Essex, Ontario company was offering a special of $250 to clean an entire home up to 1200 square feet. Aside from finding out what cleaning services this entails, even if you only require full home cleaning services twice per month, you are still looking at a cost of about $120 per week.
The best way to determine whether this is work the cost is the level of dread and your own weekly household income. If your income is $500 per week, ¼ of your income may be more than you are willing to part with. The costs become just as daunting if cleaning services charging by the hour. Chances are if the cleaning company is paying their maids minimum wage, after insurance, bonding and costs for cleaning products, service may cost you anywhere between $20-$30 per hour!
Independent maids may take much longer to complete than a cleaning service so even if you think you may be saving by choosing a smaller business, you may find the price difference between a professional cleaning company and independent maid doesn’t differ much. The size of your home will also be a factor in affordability. Find out if your preferred cleaning service requires package pricing or whether they will allow smaller requests where you can share the tasks with the service to lessen the load.
Time is money and if you work long hours, chances are you can afford this service. Let me clarify, you can’t afford to NOT use this service because you probably lack the time to keep your home in order. Everyone values their time, but if you are simply too busy to squeeze in the dreaded task of CLEANING, this service is for you!
2. Cleaning Standards
I, myself, require the highest standards of cleanliness in my own home. So I would expect no less from a company I was paying. How do I ensure the cleaning company meets my standards? I start with reviews and references but the best way to find out is to have them CLEAN your home at its very worst condition. I have 3 beautiful children and a dog, so my home can get out of order pretty fast. If your lifestyle is quieter, you may not require the same level of cleaning that my house may. This is a good way to determine pricing. Ask yourself the following questions…
Do I desire a spotless home or can you deal with a lower level of clean? Can I live with basic wipe ups or do I require a deep clean every time? Are there certain areas in my home that are less-lived in the cleaning company can avoid? Is this a green company and will they use my favourite products?
3. Chronic Medical Issues
There is something extremely positive said about cleaning companies if you are suffer from chronic medical issues like allergies and asthma. It has also been proven that these conditions are escalated by the presence of dust, mold and mildew in enclosed areas. Professional cleaning companies are equipped with industrial cleaning products and equipment that annihilate these mites. These products are not readily accessible or commonly found in over the counter cleaning product.
Professional cleaning companies are also equipped with heavy duty industrial size HEPA filters that do much of the same. Larger cleaning companies not only have the manpower but also the personal investment to deep clean bacteria and viruses so your family can be relieved of their medical symptoms.
Conclusion
Nobody really wants to clean their home and most would rather hire someone to do it! You do need to decide though, whether hiring a professional cleaning service is the right decision for you and your family. Also decide whether you can afford the service, whether the company you choose has cleaning standards that match your own and whether your chronic medical issues require a deeper clean every time. So as you make this very personal decision for yourself and your family, make sure you select a reputable company. One that is bonded insured and provides their employees with workers compensation. Tis the season to be cleaning, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional cleaning company!
