Thanks to residential cleaning services, cleaning our homes doesn’t seem like a hassle anymore. But with so many companies around, making a choice can be confusing.

As a homeowner, you might have valid concerns over selecting cleaning services. After all, it’s like allowing strangers into the house, and there’s no guarantee that they work with care.

In this post, we will talk about the things that you must discuss before selecting one of the many local services.

1. Start with the basics. Is the company licensed? Local companies need to have the necessary papers to do business. A business license is the first prerequisite.

Make sure that you check these details in person. Also, the company must have a proper address. If you have the time, visit their office, especially if you intend them to hire them on a yearly contract.

2. Don’t ignore insurance. Sample this situation – Cleaners and maids working in your house damage one of the sofas. What can you do about it?

If the parent company doesn’t have liability insurance, you will have to deal with the losses. And in case of any workplace accident, medical bills of the workers might become your responsibility.

3. Do they deal in commercial services? Homeowners don’t need to bother about this aspect. But if a company deals in commercial work besides residential cleaning services, they might have an edge in work.

Few companies take up corporate clients because the requirements are much more complicated.

4. Check their website. If you want to know a cleaning company better, you should check their website. That's where you can find a lot of relevant details.

This will help in understanding the range of work they do along with FAQs related to their services. A company should have a hotline number to attend customer calls as and when required. Online portals also have testimonials from other clients. Besides necessary details like business hours, pricing strategy, and help offered.

5. Understand the estimate. This is another aspect you shouldn't ignore. That's because some of the cleaning services have earned a bad name for hidden costs.

In this industry, companies either give custom estimates, or they may have a fixed price for each room. The latter is preferable for small homeowners. Are looking for specific help with cleaning and maintenance? Then it’s best to hire a company that offers customized prices. Typically, the concerned service will send their executives to check the work. And, based on the requirements, they will give a quote on email or paper.

Finally, you need to know if the company has a proper system for addressing customer complaints. In some cases, there’s a money-back guarantee, while some companies like the idea of redoing the job for no added costs.

Also, take a moment to check if there is a choice of green cleaning supplies. The cost of supplies and equipment is usually included in the price, but greener supplies may cost a tad more.