BBB offers tips for hiring house-cleaning service

With news of Covid-19/coronavirus cases across the country, many people are seeking ways to sanitize their environments, especially their homes.

Homeowners can take basic steps to wipe down and disinfect surfaces, but finding time to thoroughly clean your home may be challenging.

For some, it may be necessary to find help from a house-cleaning company you can trust at a fair price.

The Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas provides the following tips on hiring a cleaning business or individual cleaning professional:

• Do your research. Ask friends, family members, and neighbors to recommend a reputable cleaning business or individual. It’s a good practice to interview at least three companies to get an estimate before selecting one to hire. Check out the businesses through BBBHouston.org to read reviews or complaints on them.

Beware of businesses with poor reviews and multiple complaints and, more importantly, see how they address them.

• Interview candidates. Interview multiple candidates to determine if you would rather hire a large cleaning business or an individual cleaning professional. During the interview you should be able to meet with someone from the cleaning business, as well as with the person who will actually be cleaning your home. During the interview process find someone you feel comfortable with since they will be working in your home.

• Check credentials. Any individual or business you hire to work in your home should be bonded and insured. This will protect you in the event something is broken, stolen, or if someone gets injured on the job. Whether you hire an individual or a business, be sure to request that the employees working in your home have a background check done.

• Request references. Ask that the business or individual you hire provide you with a list of references you may contact. When speaking with the references, look for a business or individual that has repeat satisfied customers. Ask the references about the services they use and if the business lives up to their expectations.

• Discuss cost. Determine whether you will need to hire the cleaning service for a weekly, biweekly, or monthly visit and ask about their pricing. Find out exactly what is included in their services and make sure it encompasses everything you wish to have cleaned.

If you want something specific, communicate that up front so the cleaning company is prepared to accommodate your request. The business should walk through your home before giving you an estimate.

Be sure to find out if the cleaning business provides their own cleaning supplies, if not the cost of the services should be less expensive.

Keep in mind the least expensive cleaning services may not be giving you the best deal for your money.

• Get everything in writing. When you decide on the company to hire, make sure you have a written agreement that spells out clearly what the cleaners in your home will be doing. It should also set a reasonable time limit for the tasks to be done each day the cleaners come to work.

• Prepare for the services. Before the cleaning business arrives at your home, it’s important to put away any clutter, but this does not mean you need to clean before they arrive.

Put away jewelry and other valuables and warn the cleaning business about pets living in your home.

The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Visit www.bbbhouston.org or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the BBB of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send questions to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include your mailing address and phone number.