What to Ask a House Cleaning Service Before You Hire One

Insurance, references, and who actually shows up

Before anyone comes into your home, ask whether the company is licensed and insured, and ask for references. Accidents happen to careful people. A cleaner who slips on a wet floor or a vase that gets knocked off a shelf is not something you want to sort out with your own homeowner's policy.

A real company will say yes without a pause and offer to put you in touch with other customers. At SC Cleaning Services we're fully insured and licensed, and we give references on request. If the answer you get is vague, that's information.

This is the question most people forget, and it matters more than you'd expect. A house cleaning is a relationship, because the people in your home learn where things go and how you like them. Ask whether the same team comes every visit.

With us, weekly and bi-weekly customers typically get the same team each time. That's one reason a recurring schedule tends to get easier: nobody needs to be re-taught that the cat's bowl stays put or that the guest room door stays closed.

Who brings the cleaning products?

This one catches people off guard on the first bill. Policies vary a lot, so ask directly. Here's how ours works: for recurring service, you provide the cleaning supplies. For a one-time cleaning, we can bring the products for an additional $45, plus $15 for the rags.

If you're sensitive to certain products or have allergies, say so up front. Supplying your own is also a simple way to make sure what's used in your house is what you'd pick.

Do I need to be home, and what about pets?

You don't. Plenty of homeowners are at work, and that's fine with us. If you won't be there, you'll need to give us a way to get in. We also ask that you tell us any inclusions or exclusions ahead of time, so nobody is guessing which closet is off limits.

Small thing that helps: if you want the beds made, leave the clean sheets out where we can find them.

Our team is fine with pets. If a dog or cat is getting in the way of the work, putting it in a crate until the visit is done keeps everyone calmer, the animal included. Mention any pets when you book so the crew knows what to expect, and let us know if an animal is nervous around strangers or likely to bolt through an open door.

What isn't included?

Every cleaning company has limits, and you want to hear them before the visit instead of after. On ours, areas out of reach of a stepladder, roughly 12 to 15 feet up, aren't part of the clean. Our staff don't carry ladders, so those spots get extendable dusters only. If you have a tall foyer or a vaulted ceiling you'd like reached, you'd need to have a ladder on hand.

Extras such as outside windows, porch and deck, sweeping the garage, decluttering toys, and professional carpet cleaning carry an additional fee. Contact us for costs.

How long will it take, and how does the estimate work?

Size and condition both matter, and a first cleaning is the longest one. In our experience a first visit takes at least four hours. Ask any company you're considering how they handle the first visit, and whether they require a deep clean before regular service starts. We do, and we explain why: it puts every later visit on a clean baseline.

On pricing, ask whether the estimate is a firm number or a range. Ours are rough ranges built from the details you give us, and they may be adjusted after the work is done if the house turns out different from the description. We'd rather say that now than surprise you later.

Tipping, payment, and the little things

If you want to tip, you're welcome to. There's no set amount, and it goes in a separate envelope addressed to the office. For anything else, such as payment method or scheduling changes, just ask. You shouldn't have to dig for answers about how your own cleaning works.

If you're in Framingham, Ashland, Holliston, Sudbury, Wellesley, or another town nearby and you'd like to run through these questions with us, call (508) 816-6286. Our house cleaning page also has the full recurring checklist, so you can see what's included before you ever pick up the phone.