Even when you live by yourself, keeping a house clean and tidy is a chore. Factor in a spouse or roommate — let alone children and four-footed creatures in sundry feral states — and the task becomes a true job, one that often feels never-ending.
That is why more than a few people throw in the dish towel and hire a housekeeper. Yes, it’s a bit of a luxury and doesn’t happen for free. But some folks find the extra leisure time bought by hiring professional help well worth the price.
Like any service, there are questions to ask and points to work out before bringing a vacuum- and mop-bearing stranger into your home. It’s a position of trust, just like hiring a babysitter, contractor or income-tax preparer.
“I was reluctant to hire someone to clean my house at first,” says Jan Morse, who lives in south Denver. “I grew up in Wisconsin, and it was sort of a point of pride that you did that yourself. But when we had our second child it just became overwhelming for my husband and me.
“So we hired the same housekeeper a friend recommended and it’s made a world of difference,” Morse says. “Just having clean floors and countertops and stove is huge.”
There are two basic type of housekeepers: independents who work on their own, and those who work for companies. With independent contractors, you might be responsible for issues of work eligibility and withholding taxes, which you won’t be if you hire through a company.
Either way, make sure the cleaner is bonded and insured, for their protection as well as yours. (Bonding will help if the housekeeper damages something in your home; an insured worker can keep you off the hook for liability in on-the-job accidents.)
Some people arrange for weekly visits from a cleaning service. But unless you have a houseful of kids and pets, once every two weeks or monthly might be enough. Some people only bring in a housekeeper once a year, say, before the guest-intensive holiday season gets underway in late November. Hiring a one-time cleaner before a move is also common.
Services are negotiable, though many housekeepers don’t clean windows, particularly exterior ones. Others draw the line at anything involving heights.
Wendy Buytas has been in the housekeeping business since 1998. She launched her company soon after she started college. “After two years it got so big I needed to hire someone else, and eventually it was large enough that I needed to focus exclusively on the business,” she says.
Buytas works mainly in residential homes, save for a few commercial clients such as hair salons and a couple of restaurants.
Like many pro housekeepers, her agenda revolves around basic cleanliness: sweeping, dusting, mopping and sink-and-tile work. Her firm concentrates on kitchens, beds and baths, and floors.
“We sometimes work out extra services,” Buytas says. “Some people want their refrigerators or ovens cleaned once or twice a year. And we’ll organize closets.”
Housecleaners will provide services you might not think of: They’ll pick up clothes and fold them, a boon for anyone with teenagers. They will typically agree to do wash-and-dryer cycles, and will hand-wash dirty dishes.
But there are limits. MaidPro of Denver has a policy where its workers aren’t supposed to climb up anything taller than a two-step stool. And Buytas remembers a client who asked a worker to clean a chandelier by standing on a stepladder placed atop a glass-topped table. That request was declined.
One advantage of using a housekeeping service is the level of training good ones give employees.
“We hire our own staff and put them through a thorough two-week program,” says Matt Sherman, who owns MaidPro in Denver, which employs 30 service professionals in the field. “We go over everything about our products and equipment and what they can and cannot use on various surfaces.”
If you have dear or delicate items in your home, ask about how they will be cleaned — and don’t be shy about saying you don’t want them touched.
“Some people don’t want us going into a china cabinet, while others have us carefully take items out piece by piece to clean,” Sherman says. “It’s always good to ask that question. If you have something exotic like natural marble, you want to let someone know about that.”
Accidents happen, but bonded services will pay for normal accidents, such as an errant mop handle hitting something.
After doing background checks and vetting workers, it’s important to do a walk-through with them in your home, pointing out areas of concern. Like so many things, you want to get it in writing. A contract should address expectations, job standards, what is to be paid and when.
“The whole point of hiring a housekeeper is to outsource some of the stress in your life,” Sherman says. “You don’t want to swap one source of stress for another.”
William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp
Beyond mops and brooms. Here are some things to consider. Fees: Prices vary. Some cleaners charge by the hour, others a flat rate that is established after an initial walk-through and assessment of what the job entails. Basic cleaning — sweeping, dusting and scrubbing? Washing, drying and folding laundry? Interior windows? Rates range from $20-$35 an hour to $75-$85 flat rates per visit. More frequent intervals will drive down the cost a bit.
Background checks: This is a position of trust. You are letting a stranger into your home. Check professional references. If hiring a private contractor, it’s advisable to check work eligibility. As an employer, you are required to have a completed I-9 form (employment eligibility verification) when the housekeeper is hired. You can download a form from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis.
The walkthrough: This is where you and the cleaner hash out expectations. Common tasks include sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, changing bed linens, dusting, washing dishes and laundry. This is where a document signed by both parties is useful. Good housekeepers will have a checklist for each client.
Questions to ask: Does the housekeeper have references? Are they bonded and insured? Is the person legally able to work in the U.S.?
Children and critters: If you have pets, are the cleaners allergic to them? If children will be in the house, both they and the housekeeper should understand the standards for interaction. (Don’t ask the housekeeper to take on babysitter functions, and the kids should not be underfoot when the job is underway.)
Products and equipment: If you hire an independent contractor, you can have some leeway in what products are used. If a company provides the housekeeper, ask the company about their products. Progressive ones are using eco-friendly, biodegradable products these days. Stepstools, mops, vacuums and other equipments will typically be provided by the cleaner.
Employee relations: Civility and courtesy are essential when dealing with housekeepers, just as in any workplace. Communicate. Nip any problem or misunderstanding in the bud.
Payment: Housecleaners should be paid on the day of service, barring any prior arrangements. Tips are appreciated, especially if a special job was taken on, such as cleaning up after a New Year’s Eve bash.
