You may be a bit nervous if this is your first time working with professional house cleaning services. As with any personal service provider, there are certain protocols that are expected. The following can help you prepare and understand what is expected of the client when housecleaning services are performed.

#1: Clear the Clutter

As a general rule, house cleaners clean up messes but they don't pick up or put away clutter. It's a good idea to make sure things are neat before your cleaner arrives. This way, they can focus on the hard work of dusting, sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming without having to pick their way around piles of dirty clothes or a counter-top covered in all your mail for the last week. If you are running short on time, grab an empty laundry basket and pile everything in it. You can even use a separate basket for each floor or room, if necessary. You can put the items away once your cleaner has finished and left.

#2: Set Appropriate Expectations

Survey the list of services, both included and extra, and use this to draft your own expectations and requests before your house cleaner arrives. For example, some services offer full laundry or partial laundry (folding) services, but you may need to request this service ahead of time. In other cases, you may have special requests, such as that your own cleaning items are used or that a certain room isn't included in the service. Plan for some time to walk through with a house cleaner, especially if this is that particularly cleaning technicians first time servicing your home, so you point out exactly what you want completed.

#3: Don't Forget to Tip

Tipping is still considered standard in the house cleaning industry, even if it is sometimes advertised otherwise. There is no need to tip after each cleaning visit, though. Some people tip once a month, perhaps including the tip with the monthly payment for services, if that option is available. It's also appropriate to tip only once per yer, such as by providing your cleaner with a  nice card and a holiday tip or bonus. If you prefer to tip after each visit, though, that is still appropriate. A 10% tip is average if you prefer to tip out per day or month. For an annual gift, the tip amount typically equals the cost of your weekly service.

Contact a house cleaning service today to schedule your cleaning appointment.