The economy is in a slowdown and gas and food prices are rising. All of this can mean less cash for discretionary spending. If your calendar is still as full as ever and you’re looking for assistance, don’t fret over the cost of hiring help. Using these budget-conscious ideas from THE MAIDS Home Services can save you money when outsourcing one to-do list chore – housecleaning.
Minimize your clutter. The more clutter your home has, the more time it takes to clean around it. The more time the cleaning professional is in your home, the higher the cost. Simply eliminating clutter can save them time and you money.
Minimize the number of rooms cleaned. Often the cost of a service is partially based on the number of rooms being cleaned. Have them skip the basement, home office or guest room. These rooms, often not regularly used, may not need to be cleaned as often as the main areas of the home.
Hands off the hard floors. Most maid services routinely wash kitchen, bathroom and entryway floors, some as thoroughly as hand washing. However, if your home has additional hard flooring, just ask that it be vacuumed, as washing additional hard floors will incur an extra cost.
Ask for and give referrals. Many maid services offer referrers and those referred a discount or gift as part of a referral program.
Maintain the clean. If you have regular cleaning service, be sure to maintain your home between visits. This doesn’t mean you must clean before the cleaning service comes; however, you should be sure to straighten up the house, use timesaving tools like daily shower spray or a squeegee in the shower, and quick wipes to keep sinks and toilets clean. What takes you a few seconds each morning will save a cleaning professional several minutes of scrubbing time during their visit.
Sign up for regular service. Most services will charge more for your first clean because it takes more time to rid your home of dirt, dust and grime buildup. However, after the first clean, your regular cleaning will be charged using a maintenance fee. In addition, increasing the cleaning frequency will also save you money per visit.
Although you can find ways to lessen a cleaning service’s bill, you should never sacrifice a quality, thorough clean from a reputable, bonded and insured service. Always check references and ensure the company has a satisfaction guarantee.