Keeping the house clean and sparkly all year long is a continuous effort, and a little help can go a long way. Today, it is easy to find professional cleaning services that can handle a variety of projects, such as regular cleaning, spring cleaning, and even special event cleaning. However, finding professionals one trusts around their home can require some research and careful consideration, so here are some tips to make the process easier:

1. Seek recommendations
When starting the search, one can speak to friends, family, and other trusted contacts and ask them for referrals or recommendations. This will also provide one with honest insight into what to expect from a cleaning service.

2. Carefully assess online reviews
While reviews can help in shortlisting top services, one should not fall for a 100% performance rating, as some companies pay customers to leave reviews, which can skew the ratings. Also remember that unhappy customers are quicker to leave reviews as compared to happy or satisfied customers. They often use third-party websites to vent about their experiences, sometimes in an attempt to damage the company’s reputation. The truth may not be as bad as it is made out to be. As a regular practice, steer clear of companies with a perfect or absolutely abysmal performance rating. Look for those that have a mixed bag of reviews, and try to pick ones that seem to perform consistently.

3. Ask for references
Self-employed professionals and cleaning services that have been in business for a while should be able to share proper references of former or current clients. Use their contacts to verify the professional’s legitimacy before booking an appointment.

4. Look for insurance coverage
When hiring a cleaning service, check if the company has insurance coverage in place. This will help cover the cost of any injuries and/or broken or stolen items in the home should something untoward happen. As this adds to the cost of operation of a company, such professionals may be slightly more expensive to hire as well.

5. Check if they use their own cleaning supplies
Some cleaning services bring with them all supplies, such as brooms, mops, chemical cleaners, and more, while others ask customers to provide them. Knowing about the cleaner’s policies in advance can help establish a smoother working relationship.

6. Understand their service offerings
Cleaning companies offer varying services and the ways in which they provide said services. Some are open to taking ad-hoc requests, while others only take on projects with fixed tasks. In most cases, basic services involve sweeping, dusting, mopping, and carrying out other general cleaning duties around the house. Always inquire about what a particular service involves, as it can save a lot of hassle later.

7. Determine the frequency of the service
Depending on one’s needs, one can hire house cleaners for varying lengths of time. The services can be scheduled regularly (on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis), on a full-time or live-in basis with the family, or on a one-time basis. Prices for each can differ greatly, so one should pay attention to these details before signing up for a house cleaning service.