When I coordinate cleaning services with my customers, I often ask very specific questions to be sure we are all on the same page when it comes to the scope of work and so the notes I take and communicate to the cleaning crew are as clear as possible. Some of the items covered are as follows: Depth of clean, areas to focus on and areas to avoid.
Scope of clean: There are different reasons why customers hire a Boston cleaning service. Some customers may call because they need to get rid of their pet’s hair, others may not have pets but may not have time to maintain their homes cleaned. Some customers call because they are moving in/out and need the place professionally cleaned. A lot of our customers have asthma or allergies or respiratory problems, some more are physically impaired to take on the tasks of cleaning their home by themselves. Cleaning is not an easy task and often not as rewarding or exciting, leave it to the professionals.
In order to have a successful job, we would need to identify what your needs are and the reasons why you are hiring a Boston Maid Service. Quality is always a priority for The Maids, so we need to make sure we show up prepared to accomplish the cleaning that you expect. For example, we would ask for the type of flooring to make sure we bring the proper cleaning products and equipment. If you call us to make sure we remove mold from your bathroom shower, we’ll pay specific attention to your concern. Your dog likes to play in that corner of the living room and needs extra attention to remove build up and pet hair, we need to bring the proper cleaning agent to remove pet odors and pet hair.
Each house is different and you know your home better than anyone else. That is the reason why the initial call may take several minutes, we are trying to connect and identify what you need and make sure we deliver the service that you want.
The depth of clean also refers to the inside of the appliances. Usually vacant units require the inside of the appliances to be cleaned, sometimes the inside of the cabinets, drawers, closets are also included in this type of cleaning, windows are also added in this service. In order for us to provide you with an accurate estimate of the time we’ll need to clean your home and cover the areas you are requesting, we need to be very well informed and make sure it gets communicated to the team and added to the work order.
Areas to focus on: This refers to specific requests my customers may have. Sometimes we have some customers that appreciate art and antiques. These items require special care and attention. For example; antique rugs cannot be vacuumed with the same tools we vacuum a high traffic office space carpeted area, antique or delicate rugs will need to be lightly vacuumed with a specific attachment. Antique vases and frames as well as electronics will need to be dusted with a dry microfiber cloth. Delicate paintings and picture frames would also require dry dusting. Focusing on the details is what sets the quality of your Boston cleaning service. A lot of my customers also ask me to be mindful of the areas they know to be of high traffic and use. This means build up in the kitchen sink and stove as well as the counters and tables. Areas such as restrooms also require a detail cleaning process, build up like soap scum, hard water marks and even mold and mildew need to be property treated and contained. A cleaning tip to avoid mold is to make sure the bathroom is well ventilated. Another focus point is of course the mirrors and windows. Getting details on the mirror sizes will prepare the team to bring what’s needed to avoid streaks.
Areas to avoid: I’m not suggesting that the maid service should leave areas untouched, but coordinate with the customer what is not allowed to touch or what rooms will be out of the scope of cleaning in order to achieve the desired clean without disrupting. A lot of our customers have home offices and a lot of times they do not want their desks to be touched or cleaned, this is what I like to call an “organized chaos”, are you familiar with this term?
Picture Credit: Geiluminacion.com
Specific instructions should be followed for these areas. One of my customers mentioned that if the desk in the home office is cleared, then it’s ok to clean the surface. If there is paperwork, then cleaning don’t, just to go ahead and clean around the desk, so we add these comments to our work order and make sure the team leader reminds the rest of the crew of the instructions. One thing that should never be cleaned by the maid service is the back of the computer because of the cabling. Another area that may need “avoiding” is some art pieces. Make sure to have a “do not touch” list when calling Boston Maids.
Getting on the same page with your cleaning service will help the clean go smoothly and will prevent any damage. By being specific about your needs, a quality maid service will be able to meet them. Do you have a story to share with us when you hired a maid service and they were not able to deliver the requirements you requested and whether this caused more than just a poor cleaning. You wouldn’t want this happening again, would you?
