What a Professional Cleaner Will (and Won’t) Clean
Hiring a house cleaning service can be extremely helpful if you’re busy, disorganized, or in a hurry, but there are some etiquette you should know before hiring a stranger to clean up your mess. For example, there are things that a professional cleaner should not or cannot clean. Sometimes it’s a matter of time or efficiency, sometimes it’s a matter of safety, but whatever the reason, it’s good to have reasonable expectations. To avoid confusion or hype, here are some things your cleaner can handle and some things they can’t (or won’t), according to the pros.
What can you ask the cleaning lady to take over
James Penn, a New York-based professional cleaner with 12 years of experience, told Lifehacker that of course your cleaner can and should handle the basic tasks: dusting, mopping, vacuuming, mopping walls, etc. The areas are most important for dusting or cleaning, especially if they haven’t been in the house for a long period of time, but these basics are the kind of bread and butter you pay for.
“Organization is something to ask for if you are willing to learn to trust those they send,” he added. Let us know in advance if your cleaning lady is willing to, say, tidy up your shelves or closet, but this shouldn’t usually be a problem as long as you make it clear that this is what you’re looking for.
Penn noted that there are a few unexpected tasks that cleaners usually handle, such as cleaning and cleaning vents.
“Members of a professional home cleaning team typically have the best tools, products and experience to effectively clean a home,” said Vera Peterson, president of Molly Maid . For example, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask them to pack long-handled rags for your ceiling fans or moldings. You can reasonably expect a professional cleaner to be able to take on the following:
- Your kitchen including appliances, countertops, chairs, tables and floors
- Your living room, including dusting, vacuuming and cleaning under pillows
- Your bedrooms, including baseboards, window sills, picture frames and mirrors
- Your bathrooms, including bathtub, shower, mirrors, countertops, sink faucets and toilet.
What Not to Ask the Cleaning Lady
Penn said that “anything to do with stairs” is off-limits, so if you’re looking for someone to dust off a high-ceiling fan or decorate your curtains, don’t expect maid services to help you. It is dangerous for them, so even if you and the company have insurance, they are unlikely to want to put themselves in danger.
In addition, he added, “Some companies and people won’t even consider your home if you have pets, excessive pests, bad smell, too much clutter, and the list goes on.”
That’s why it’s important to find out about your services in advance, talk to your designated professional, and understand what they will and won’t do. For example, there are specialized services that deal with biohazard cleanups or serious accumulation cases, but your standard maid is not one of them.
Peterson added that professional cleaners are not equipped to remove mold, air ducts, chimneys or deep clean carpets, and you should look for specialists for these tasks, especially mold and air ducts, as handling them properly is a safety issue.
Cleaning teams also typically don’t clean up clutter, clean children’s toys, wash dishes or do laundry, Peterson said, although you can check with your cleaning lady ahead of time if they can. They can do the inside of cabinets, your stove and your fridge, but again, these are special requests that need to be worked out beforehand.