Keeping a tidy home is crucial for maintaining a healthy, comfortable, and cozy living space. Whether you prefer to take on the cleaning tasks yourself or hire professional house cleaners, keeping your space spick and span is a vital part of daily life. For those who opt to hire professionals, it’s important to understand what their service includes and what it doesn’t.
While professional house cleaners come with specialized knowledge, tools, and the expertise to make your home sparkle, they aren’t miracle workers. Every cleaner has a specific set of tasks they are trained to handle, and certain areas of your home are often left off the list. But don’t worry—this doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a dirty home in those areas! You just need to know how to handle those tasks separately or prepare accordingly.
Why Hire a House Cleaner?
There are several benefits to hiring a professional house cleaner, with one of the most prominent being the quality of the clean. These professionals have years of experience cleaning all types of homes, from small apartments to large estates, and they bring with them a suite of tools and supplies that most homeowners don’t have access to. This includes heavy-duty vacuums, industrial-grade cleaning solutions, microfiber cloths, and special equipment designed for deep cleans that target hard-to-reach places.
In addition to their equipment, house cleaners are well-versed in the art of cleaning efficiently. They know how to tackle dirt, grime, and dust in the most efficient way, allowing you to benefit from a more thorough clean in less time than it would take you to do it yourself. Moreover, house cleaners are often able to clean areas that are commonly overlooked, such as behind appliances or under furniture, which are easy to miss during routine cleaning.
However, while they bring much-needed expertise to the table, it’s important to remember that professional cleaners do not do everything. Their work will save you hours of labor, but there are certain tasks and areas that typically fall outside the scope of their service.
Preparing for House Cleaners
A little preparation before the cleaning crew arrives will go a long way. You’ll want to make sure the space is ready for them to do their job efficiently.
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Create a To-Do List: One of the best things you can do is create a detailed list of tasks you want your cleaner to focus on. While many cleaning companies offer standard services, there might be specific areas you want extra attention to be paid, such as baseboards, kitchen cabinets, or the inside of your oven. Having a list will ensure that nothing is overlooked.
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Clear Surfaces and Clutter: Remove personal items such as clothes, toys, or papers that might get in the way of the cleaning process. Clutter can make it harder for the cleaners to do their job effectively, especially in high-traffic areas such as the kitchen or living room. It also allows them to clean surfaces more thoroughly.
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Secure Pets: Pets, while often lovable companions, can become a challenge when cleaners are in the house. Whether it’s a cat who insists on sitting in the middle of the cleaning area or a dog that is too curious for its own good, it’s always best to put your pets in a designated area to keep them safe and avoid any accidents.
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Communicate Special Requests: If you have delicate areas or specific items that need extra attention, be sure to communicate this before the cleaning begins. Some cleaning services may offer additional services for a higher fee, like cleaning inside the fridge or washing the windows, so it’s always good to ask beforehand.
Areas House Cleaners Should Always Clean
Professional house cleaners are skilled at tackling the usual areas of the home that need regular upkeep. These areas should always be on the cleaning checklist when hiring a cleaner.
1. Kitchen Surfaces and Appliances:
The kitchen is often the heart of the home, and it’s also one of the messiest places. A professional house cleaner should always clean the countertops, stovetops, sinks, and backsplashes.
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Appliances: Appliances like microwaves, refrigerators, and ovens are common areas that need deep cleaning. The inside of the microwave should be wiped down to remove splatters of food, while ovens should have the grease wiped off, and the refrigerator should be organized and sanitized.
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Floors: A professional cleaner will mop and scrub the floors, especially around high-traffic areas like the kitchen sink and stove, where grease and grime accumulate.
2. Bathroom Fixtures:
Bathrooms require a regular clean to maintain their hygiene and freshness. House cleaners should always focus on high-touch areas like sinks, toilets, and showers.
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Toilets: Professional cleaners should disinfect the toilet, including the bowl, tank, and seat. The toilet brush and surrounding areas should also be wiped down.
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Showers and Bathtubs: A good cleaner will focus on removing soap scum, mold, and mildew from the tiles, glass shower doors, and bathtub. If you have any special cleaning solutions you use for your bathroom, let the cleaners know in advance.
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Mirrors and Faucets: Cleaners should clean mirrors and faucets to a streak-free shine, ensuring your bathroom looks pristine.
3. Bedrooms and Living Areas:
Your bedroom and living room areas also need regular maintenance to look fresh. In these spaces, cleaners should focus on dusting all furniture, vacuuming, and wiping down surfaces.
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Dusting: Dusting furniture, lampshades, and baseboards is essential to ensure that the air quality remains good. Cleaners should dust both horizontal and vertical surfaces, such as shelves, window sills, and light fixtures.
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Vacuuming: Carpets, area rugs, and upholstery should be vacuumed thoroughly. Cleaners may use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to ensure that dust, pet dander, and allergens are removed from the environment.
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High-Touch Areas: Wiping down high-touch areas such as light switches, doorknobs, and remotes should always be included in the standard cleaning.
Things House Cleaners Won’t Clean
Although house cleaners can tackle most areas of your home, there are certain tasks and areas they typically won’t handle. These exclusions often involve more specialized cleaning needs, heavy-duty tasks, or things that might require additional safety precautions.
1. Bug-Infested Areas:
If your home has a bug infestation, such as a pest problem involving ants, roaches, or bedbugs, this is not something that a regular house cleaner will deal with. Professional cleaners are not equipped to handle extermination, and the proper pest control experts should be called in.
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Specialized Services: If your home has any signs of bugs, it’s best to reach out to a pest control company. They have the necessary treatments and knowledge to safely eliminate the infestation.
2. Deep-Cleaning Carpets:
While regular vacuuming is part of a professional cleaning service, deep-cleaning carpets goes beyond the typical house cleaner’s duties. Deep cleaning usually requires a steam cleaner or a specialized carpet-cleaning machine that requires an additional level of expertise and training.
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Professional Carpet Cleaning: For deep stains, odors, or overall sanitation, it’s best to hire a professional carpet-cleaning service. These companies have the right equipment and techniques to extract deep-seated dirt and stains from your carpets.
3. Chimneys:
Cleaning chimneys requires specialized training to ensure that the flue is free of soot and debris. Chimney cleaning professionals are equipped with the proper tools, such as chimney brushes and cameras, to inspect the chimney safely.
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Avoid DIY: Chimney cleaning is not only a messy job, but it can also be dangerous if not done correctly. Soot and creosote buildup can cause chimney fires, which is why it’s essential to hire a certified chimney sweep.
4. Air Ducts and HVAC Systems:
Cleaning air ducts and HVAC systems is a complex and specialized task that house cleaners typically don’t perform. Air duct cleaning requires specific equipment like vacuums with long hoses and brushes designed to reach deep into ducts.
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HVAC Professionals: If you notice a buildup of dust or allergens in your air ducts, it’s best to contact an HVAC specialist who is qualified to clean ducts safely and effectively.
5. Mold and Mildew:
Mold is a serious issue that can impact your home’s air quality and your health. While a house cleaner may wipe down surfaces and remove surface-level mold, serious mold problems require the attention of a specialist.
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Mold Remediation: If you discover mold, especially in large quantities or in hidden areas such as behind walls or under flooring, you should contact a mold remediation company. These experts will perform a thorough inspection and use advanced equipment to remove the mold safely.
6. Hazardous Materials:
If there are hazardous materials present in your home, such as lead paint, asbestos, or toxic cleaning chemicals, house cleaners will not handle these items. Proper disposal and removal of hazardous substances should only be done by certified professionals.
High Areas and Special Items
In addition to the things listed above, there are certain areas and items that regular house cleaners may not handle due to accessibility or the delicate nature of the object.
1. High Areas and Ceiling Fixtures:
High areas like ceiling fans, light fixtures, or tall shelving units often pose challenges for regular house cleaners, particularly if they don’t have the appropriate tools to reach them. While basic dusting might be covered, deep cleaning of these high areas typically requires ladders or special