Questions You Should Ask About A Cleaning Company

House cleaning in Perth can be a daunting responsibility for any homeowner or renter who is still learning the ropes on what the process is like behind availing these services. It is also understandable that entrusting your property to house cleaners Perth can cause you to have reservations as to how a total stranger will handle the cleaning process.

What if the cleaner ends up damaging your property or any of your possessions? Is there a risk of getting robbed? What types of house cleaners should you expect to meet? How well will the cleaner perform his duty? These questions, without a doubt, will run through any responsible homeowner’s mind.

This is why we have outlined all the queries you may have about house cleaning in Perth and provided the best answers to them. These questions were derived from people who, like you, have similar concerns regarding house cleaning. We hope that you will acquire all the necessary information you need from these answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click on any of the links below to jump to that part of this article.

Are there any deposits?

When it comes to regular home cleaning in Perth, there really is no need to be concerned with making a deposit to the house cleaning service. Deposits are only often associated with money given to the landowner, once you start renting a property (aka a rental bond).

Assuming you are about to avail of bond cleaning or vacate cleaning services, you often have to rely on professional house cleaners Perth to make sure the bond cleaning performed will satisfy the property manager or landlord. This so you can get your deposit back upon vacating. A lot of great Perth home cleaners will be more than happy to explain how this type of cleaning works.

What equipment do house cleaners use?

When you browse through the websites of plenty of house cleaning services, you’ll find out before long that they don’t really reveal much information about the equipment they use. They’ll probably claim that they use “high-quality” and “environmentally friendly” ones but not proceed to enumerate them one by one. This is because they probably think most clients aren’t really interested in knowing them. Perth Home Cleaners has customer service support is on standby to assist you with any queries you may have about the cleaning equipment we use.

But if you’re really curious, we took the time to research what most house cleaners Perth use, based on information derived from guides on how to start your own home-cleaning business. These are pretty much what we found in common (aka the essentials):

  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Mop and bucket
  • Sponges, cleaning brushes, and scourers
  • Cleaning cloths and dusters
  • Brushes and a dustpan
  • Gloves
  • A trolley or caddy for the cleaner to place all the cleaning items in

Do they also provide cleaning products and detergents?

As for cleaning products, expect most companies to bring a plethora of products that serve various purposes. They can be as all-around as bleach, sanitisers, dishwasher chemicals, and washing liquids to more specific products like floor cleaners, oven cleaners, glass cleaners, mildew cleaners, and toilet cleaners, to cite some. The cleaner is well aware of the purpose of each one and its proper application, having been trained extensively on how to use them.

This is, of course, assuming you are working with a big, established cleaning company operating in the area. If you choose to rely on on-call or part-time cleaners operating by themselves, the answer depends a lot on them. Don’t be surprised if these individuals only bring basic equipment and cleaning products, especially those who are only just starting out.

We’ll gladly outline to you the cleaning products we use if you want to know the importance of having a complete arsenal of cleaning tools and products on hand.

Is there a quality guarantee?

This depends a lot on the cleaning company. And, most of the time, the company will let you know this from the beginning by revealing it on their website or answering you via their live support chat. If they don’t reveal it, don’t expect them to offer it or they probably just have a different term for it.

More often than not, it’s good to opt for companies that have a quality guarantee simply because it affirms the cleaners’ professionalism and their confidence in the quality of their service. How do they fulfill a quality guarantee? Most of the time, the company will send another cleaner to re-clean the property after the client makes it known to them about the dissatisfaction with the previous cleaner’s work.

Knowing this, would you settle for anything less than a company that has a quality guarantee? You can learn more about the value of a quality guarantee by going to our site.

How much does a house cleaning cost?

A price range will suffice to give you a more valid tally of house cleaning costs. This is because it is based a lot on factors such as the size of the property, the base hourly rates of the company for each cleaning service, and the number of hours that you and your cleaning company agree upon. Prepare to spend between $100 – $180 for every house cleaning session at best.

It is not uncommon to come across companies that have way lower rates than this. You can even see ads selling their services for only $60 per week, but these usually come from on-call and part-time cleaners. You can definitely save a lot from them but you have to be extra wary because they are essentially not bound to a company that can regulate and manage them.

How can I save on house cleaning?

One of the best ways to save while trying out cleaning services and find the rates that are just right for you (or are generally cheaper) is to go to platforms like Service Seeking. The site allows you to get multiple quotes from available cleaning services in your area. You just have to enter your location, and you are pretty much good to go.

If you are willing to invest time, you can also check out bargain sites like Groupon for any available discount coupons related to house cleaning. You will probably get more discounts from buying actual cleaning products you can use than cleaning services, though. But it certainly is still worth a try.

How long will it take to clean my house?

This is another question that can be better answered by the cleaning company. But according to the data we’ve gathered, you can expect most cleaners to dedicate an hour for every room in your home. This includes all main rooms like the kitchen, bedroom, dining room, living room, and bathroom.

If, for example, you have 5 rooms in total, then expect the job to complete in 5 hours. Your chosen company should be able to give you a guarantee of how much time the cleaner will spend. It’s also crucial to remember that you absolutely have the right to refuse to pay for hours that the cleaner did not work for. Perth Home Cleaners makes sure all their cleaners’ work times are tracked and accounted for.

How do I book a house cleaning service?

Typically, you inform the company of your intent to have your house cleaned. You can either contact the company via phone, email, or live chat (assuming these platforms are made available). Take note that plenty of large cleaning companies in Perth, New York City, or London also make online booking available as a convenient way for their clients to reach them.

This often involves going through a smooth process where you pick the type of cleaning you want to be done, then informing them of your location (usually by entering your postcode). You will then get to select how often you want the cleaner to come, pick from the prices and schedules available, then you will be asked for your contact details. Afterward, the company will complete the booking and probably send you a confirmation email or notification. This just one example of how a cleaner company usually goes about with online booking.

Keep in mind that most also offer a free quote, so do not hesitate to get them from various services so you can compare their price estimates. You can even grab one now!

What is included in the cleaning service?

Most homeowners and renters ask this because they prefer companies that let you have the freedom to adjust the specific cleaning that you only want to be done for your home. One of the main reasons for this, obviously, is this may have a large impact on the cost. You can save more with a company that allows this, assuming you are willing to share the burden on other cleaning responsibilities.

Ultimately, common tasks like dusting, floor scrubbing, and window-washing are found in all types of cleaning services offered by a company – regular or deep clean. So be sure to know what is included in a standard package of each type before you start doing any possible customisations to it. Take note that some cleaners may even go all the way in helping you with day-to-day chores, and this might balloon the cost more as a result.

This is why you should know the exact services offered by the company. And only your chosen company, individual, or agency will be able to provide the exact answer to you.

How many people will come to clean my home?

This depends a lot on company policies, but oftentimes, they send a team of two cleaners for larger and more complete cleaning jobs so they can cover more ground easily. This is usually the case if the property is medium to large in size. But if it is only a touch-up job or only involves a studio or one- or two-bedroom home, then the company will probably deem that a single cleaner will suffice.

What’s important is for the company to stay consistent with their statements regarding the number of cleaners they send. Any instance that involves the company sending more or fewer cleaners than what was arranged should raise your eyebrows. Ask them about it immediately, and they should also be quick to respond to give you a reasonable answer. You need not put up with this if you choose a cleaning service that is always consistent and professional in this regard.

Do I have to be present during the cleaning?

In most cases, no. It’s entirely up to you whether you will stay around when the cleaners arrive. Although being around when the cleaners are doing the job for the first time is certainly encouraged so you will be able to know how they conduct their cleaning.

If you’re concerned about the safety of your property, know that most homeowners choose to install surveillance cameras in their homes to check how long the cleaners actually spend time in tidying up their place and, of course, to deter potential criminal activity.

Mind you, many renters and homeowners can actually attest that certain cleaners do tend to clean for less than the number of hours than what was initially agreed upon. Keep this in mind when deciding whether you are getting your money’s worth with your chosen house cleaners. Perth Home Cleaners manages the time carefully to ensure you receive value for money.

What happens if I’m not happy with the service?

Assuming they have a quality guarantee, then you should inform the company of your complaint as soon as possible. This is so they can send a different team to clean your property and make sure they do it better. Please remember that not all companies may use the “quality guarantee” phrase all the time.

What’s certain is that they should be able to inform you step-by-step about what you need to do if it happens that you find their service unsatisfactory. And, most of the time, cleaning services do not offer refunds; they simply redo the job until the client becomes satisfied (and, of course, they make sure to achieve this in the second attempt).

In the end, you won’t have to put up with this if you choose high-quality cleaners that always make sure to get the job done the first time. Perth Home Cleaners practically ensures this with its quality assurance policy.

How long does a full clean take?

The size of your home plays a very big role in this admittedly, as well as the number of cleaners that the service will send. If they will send a four-person team to conduct a full clean, it usually takes an hour to cover 100 square metres.

At best, two-person teams will take double that time to conduct a full clean of the same area. Of course, this does not serve as an absolute reflection of every cleaning service. We at Perth Home Cleaners also have different times and procedures when doing office cleaning, builders cleaning, renovation cleaning, and even for when you intend to sell it. An end of lease clean is also similar to full or comprehensive clean, with subtle differences in completion times because of the scope of each service.

How much does it cost to deep clean a house?

A deep clean is always more expensive, and the cost often hinges a lot on the services that cleaner will be performing, besides the standard yardstick that is property size. The per-hour rate in most Australian states ranges between $60 – $90 for a deep clean.

They should be transparent about how they arrive at their rates. It won’t hurt to ask them about why their deep clean rates cost as much; Perth Home Cleaners can provide you all the information you need about deep cleaning and our own rates. Feel free to ask us anytime about this!

How much should I tip house cleaners?

As tipping culture is basically absent in Australia, you don’t need to worry about tipping your house cleaner. In fact, many establishments (cleaning companies included) actually dissuade locals and tourists from tipping in Australia since, one, these cleaners are already being paid sufficient wages and, two, most Australians generally shun the culture of tipping and want to keep their country free from it.

If you live in the US, the rule of thumb in most states is often $15 or $20. Others, on the other hand, will argue that it’s actually 15 – 20% of the original charge. To be sure, just ask your cleaning company’s policies about tipping.

Is hiring a house cleaner worth it?

Considering the amount of dedicated training that cleaners hired by reputable companies undergo, they are certainly well worth the money. The way the company renders the service should pretty much tell you all you need to decide whether they are worth it or not. Do not expect the service of all companies to be the same. It also wouldn’t be wise to place all the weight of your decision on the claims found on the company’s website or even on the feedback it has received in the past.

Your best bet is to try their service out for a short time (a week is the most recommended option), so you will know how consistently they will be able to utilise their superb cleaning skills (or lack thereof). If you have a bad experience with one company, it simply won’t do to generalise the quality of all cleaning services because of a single incident.

Consistency in quality service is the key here, and Perth Home Cleaners definitely prioritises that to make sure you do not have to put up with such hassles.

What does a full clean include?

A full or deep clean costs more because it is a more thorough or complete clean. Expect cleaners to not only clean all the rooms (and the respective furniture and fixtures) of your home but to also pay attention to every minute detail in them. From photos and mirrors to light switches and fittings, these will all be checked for dust and dirt then cleaned meticulously.

It will not be a surprise if the company will perform all the home cleaning services it offers in a deep clean – may it be vacuuming and mopping floors, disinfecting bathroom fixtures, polishing surfaces, degreasing, wiping door handles, dusting lamp shades, among others. Detail-cleans or spring cleaning often settle for no less, and this is just standard procedure in Home Cleaners Perth.

What are the most toxic household cleaners?

Very good question. It’s not for nothing why many cleaning companies make it known to their clients that they are using green cleaners. This also underscores the importance of asking just what type of cleaners your chosen company will be using. Of course, knowing the household cleaners that can potentially be harmful to your health will also be good for you in the long run. This way, you will, at least, have an inkling as to the household cleaners you need to be more wary of. Here they are as follows:

  • Bleach – A ubiquitous cleaning product, bleach fumes when inhaled has been attributed to high toxicity. Exposure to the eyes, lungs, and nose can cause adverse reactions that might require immediate medical intervention. This is especially true if it is also mixed with ammonia.
  • Liquid soap – If your cleaner is using “washing liquid”, there’s a high chance that it is just another term for liquid soap or detergent. Certain brands that contain diethanolamine, 4-dioxane, and sodium lauryl sulfate have very high toxicity and are even linked to cancer. Soaps that contain these chemicals often deal the most damage to the environment too. And when cleaners use them to clean appliances and fixtures that are connected to drains, they often end up getting directly deposited into the water supply.
  • Oven and toilet bowl cleaners – Another common cleaning implement in the cleaners’ arsenal, these specialised cleaners can cause extreme burn symptoms and can also irritate the eyes. Users are advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible as well if these are accidentally ingested as they can cause damage to the throat and esophagus. This is why cleaning personnel receive training to handle these kinds of household cleaning products.
  • Air fresheners and cleaning products with artificial scents – Plenty of air fresheners can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms among both susceptible and healthy individuals. Certain cleaning products with artificial fragrances, on the other hand, have been found to be toxic as well. Be sure to verify whether your cleaning company uses these products and if they do, make sure you inquire about their safety.

Perth Home Cleaners use high-quality cleaning chemicals; if you have any special requirement just let us know at the time of inquiry.

How much should I pay my house cleaner?

You should only pay the cleaner according to the rates agreed upon once you decided to avail of a company or individual’s services. Do not pay more (or less) than the verified rate, regardless of whether the cleaner charges every hour or every cleaning session.

How does the company recruit cleaners?

Plenty of homeowners are concerned with safety, after all, which is understandable. Some companies can be lax in their recruitment policies, as proven by their average at best background checks and the tendency of certain agencies to recruit illegal cleaners who do not even possess a valid Australia VISA. If the company does not readily reveal how they hire their cleaners, then that should be a red flag for you. Perth Home Cleaners is very meticulous when it comes to this.

How does the company train their cleaning staff?

There is no shortage of house cleaners Perth who are passionate about their chosen profession and the companies who hire them are surely no less meticulous when it comes to the training their staff. At best, the company will be more than willing (and proud) to reveal its staff training process.

What are the specialties that they train their staff in? What kind of training do they undergo? You don’t need to know the exact details, of course. As long as the company can enumerate these specialties and provide a general, clear answer to these questions, then that is certainly a good sign of a great home cleaning company.

How can I clean my house in 2 hours?

If you have a tight schedule and need to clean your home in 2 hours, there is really no “magic bullet” to helping you achieve this. The only strategy that works is planning a strict cleaning plan and sticking to it, much like how our professional cleaners do it.

What most people do is allot a limited number of minutes to every cleaning activity they need to do. For example, you can allot 10 minutes for each task like putting away clutter, vacuuming, doing the dishes, and cleaning fixtures, etc. Chances are, you will probably not need that much time for certain cleaning tasks (like picking up clutter) so you can certainly invest that time in another task that requires more time.

Learn to prioritise the areas that you need to invest more time in cleaning. Every property’s size and layout is obviously different, after all, so you definitely have to put this into consideration. Before long, you will be able to come up with a sound two-hour cleaning plan as long as you take the time to know these things. Of course, you certainly have to be quicker and more attentive than normal to get desirable results.

Think cleaning an entire house in 2 hours is impossible? This video says otherwise. Know that we also specialise in emergency cleaning that you can freely avail anytime should the need arise.

Want an actual demonstration of specific types of cleaning like carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, high-pressure cleaning, or window cleaning and get more tips from a professional cleaner? Contact us now.