If you’ve never hired a cleaner or housekeeper before it can be difficult to know where to start, and even if you do have experience hiring some domestic help you’ll know it can be a confusing process!
There are so many different factors to consider when looking for a cleaner, from the type of help you need to how much you can afford to pay them. We’ve created some top tips to make your search as smooth as possible so that you can find an affordable, trustworthy and high quality cleaner!
What type of help do I need?
At Yoopies we have a whole range of housekeeper applicants from general house keepers, to cleaning specific candidates so you are sure to find your perfect match but first you need to decide what type of help you need.
Cleaners will perform a vast number of household tasks related to keeping your house clean and hygienic. They can be employed on a regular or occasional basis and can be asked to perform regular or ‘deep’ cleaning duties. Regular cleaning duties include hoovering, wiping down surfaces, cleaning toilets and bathrooms, cleaning mirrors, cleaning kitchen appliances and more depending on what your particular needs are. A deep clean will be a much more thorough cleaning of certain areas and might be needed every few months to top up a regular clean.
Housekeepers will perform the same duties as cleaners but will also carry out additional household chores if necessary such as ironing, changing beds, doing laundry and more. Read our guide to housekeepers to discover the full range of what a housekeeper can do and why you might need to hire one!
Make a list of all the tasks you would like help with and decide whether the are simply cleaning related or whether you require more comprehensive help. Make sure to discuss all the required tasks with any prospective cleaners to ensure that they are capable and willing to meet your requirements to avoid confusion or disappointment at a later date!
How do I find someone reliable?
Hiring a domestic worker such as a cleaner or a housekeeper can seem daunting as you need to trust the person to potentially be alone in your house on a regular occasion and depending on your schedule and situation they may need a set of keys or access to your home. Therefore we understand that you want to find someone who is trustworthy and reliable as well as someone who delivers a high quality cleaning service.
How do you find someone who meets these criteria? Well it may take time to build up a trusting relationship with an individual but there are a few things you can do to get off to a good start:
Ask for recommendations from friends: If you know other people who regularly hire cleaners and domestic help ask them about their experiences. Check out their opinion by asking whether the cleaner is reliable, turns up on time, works efficiently and to a high standard, finishes all the required tasks and anything else you might be worried about. If you do not know anyone who employs the kind of help you are after or want some more varied opinions, platforms like Yoopies allow for open reviews on all of our applicants so that anyone who has employed them can leave an honest review of their performance to encourage and reassure future employers of the quality of cleaning provided.
Check their references: Once you have found a suitable candidate make sure to ask for references from previous employers to check their standard of work and professionalism is up to scratch. A good candidate who has listed experience on their resume should have no problem with providing references so if they do not want to offer them then this can be a sign of something wrong! Insist on email addresses and telephone numbers of at least two references so that you can contact them yourself to enquire about their employees previous work rather than accepting a letter through the employee themselves from the former employer.
Give them a trial shift: Check the standard of performance of your new cleaner by offering a trial shift before committing to regular employment. For this shift it is useful if you are in the house so that you can get to know the individual and explain what is expected of them, as well as reviewing how long they take to complete tasks and the standard of the job once it is finished.
Is it safe to have a cleaner during lockdown?
As of January 4th the Government has ruled that cleaners can continue to work during this lockdown and as long as restrictions continue which is great news for both you and your cleaner. However there are certain precautions and guidelines that both you and your cleaner should be taking to help minimise any potential health risks and ensure a safe working environment for all.
Some tips on how to stay safe whilst your cleaner works in your house:
- Leave the house whilst the cleaner is working: We know that with home schooling and working from home this will not always be possible but the best way to reduce the chances of contamination and infection is to have no contact with the other person. If there is a time where you know you will be out of the house running errands for a few hours, why not reschedule the cleaner to this time or try and get your daily exercise and walk in during the hours the cleaner is working.
- Stay in a different room to the cleaner: If you do happen to be in the house then choose one room to stay in whilst the cleaner is working to avoid constant contact and passing each other around the house.
- Wear a mask and PPE: Ask you cleaner to please wear a mask and if possible gloves and any other PPE they might have whilst working in your house. Encourage the use of hand sanitiser before and after they complete their duties and stay 2 metres apart from them at all times where possible.
- Contactless Payment: If you usually pay your cleaner in cash, why not take the chance to switch to online bank transfers to remove the need for any contact when giving payment. If this is not an option for whatever reason then leave the cash in an envelope or on the side for the cleaner to collect rather than handing it to them to again reduce contact.
What to look for in a good candidate?
A good candidate can come in many different forms and what might be the perfect solution for one many may not be acceptable for another, however there are certain qualities to look for in a great housekeeping or cleaning applicant:
Enthusiastic: A good candidate will be eager to work as many hours as possible and always asking what they can do to help, finding a capable and passionate worker may mean they can change more per hour but the higher standard of their work might save your money in the long run!
Flexible: We know that family and professional work life can be hectic and ever changing and sometimes you might need to make adjustments to your schedule. Finding a cleaner who is happy to work around your schedule could be a benefit if you lead a busy life!
Diligent: If you’re paying for a service you want to make sure it is done to a high standard, make sure the candidate you hire completes all the necessary tasks you set them.
Experienced: A cleaner who has lots of experienced in the industry will know how to get the job done quickly and efficiently and will have plenty of tricks and tips to improve their quality of service.
Professional: It can be a difficult adjustment to allow someone to work in your home, so hiring a candidate who knows how to behave in a professional manner and work discreetly can be a real bonus in getting used to having a cleaner in your home.