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What to Look for in a House Cleaning Service

 
Imagine if you could spend your weekends lazying in bed, without the worry of doing your laundry, vacuuming, and the weekly house cleaning! A lovely thought, indeed. Doing the laborious chores at the end of every week is not how one intends to spend the weekend. Everybody deserves a chilled-out time at home after a tough week at work. It is only fair! But if you do not want to get caught up in the domestic duties, then someone's got to do it.

So, this is where the house cleaning services come in. The relief of someone cleaning up your home the way you want is just a call away with these services. However, before you hire them, there are a few things you need to know. The dream of hiring a house cleaning service could turn into a nightmare, if some important things are not considered or discussed well in advance.

Aspects to Look for

Punctuality
The first quality to look for while hiring a house cleaning service is punctuality. It is essential that the job starts and gets done as per the decided time. No one likes to follow up a service provider with a thousand calls. Also, if you have given the hired services a certain time, it is of utmost importance that they honor it.

Professionalism
The only way to find out professionalism of a certain service provider is to do some asking around. Here, professionalism translates to how well they do the job. House cleaning is one of the toughest jobs and definitely not for those with a laid-back attitude.

Insured and Bonded
It is always safe to hire a company which is both, insured and has a bond. In the event of any accidents, such as theft, breakage, or such other things, such a company will always take responsibility. If the company is not insured or bonded, the homeowner will have to be responsible for the same.

Licensing
It is always advisable to hire a house cleaning company which is licensed. Getting a license is a very difficult thing to do. Each state has its own set of laws, which makes operations of every house cleaning service differ state-wise. However, a license ensures that the company is working within its legal rights.

Own Equipment
Another important factor that needs to be checked is who will be providing the cleaning equipment. There are contracts, wherein the house cleaning service will bring their own equipment, and there are those which expect the homeowner to supply the same. To avoid any kind of confusion at the last minute, find out about this beforehand.

Cost
Cost is the main factor which makes people think twice about hiring these services. Some of the service providers charge per square inch or meter for cleaning the area, while there are some others who charge you a lump sum amount for the entire job. Find out which one turns out to be cost-effective for you, to save on unnecessary expenditure. The other option available with some of the service providers is signing a yearly contract. This, too, could be a wise decision, as the price might be discounted.

Reputation
A good reputation is the best selling point of any service provider. Ask your friends around or check for online reviews about the service providers you are planning to hire. Knowing about house cleaning services from those who have actually experienced it will help you make an informed decision about hiring them.

Besides these important points, there are a few more vital considerations to be made while hiring house cleaning services. The following questions should be asked before you make a contract with them.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a House Cleaning Service

» Will you bring your own equipment for cleaning the house or will the equipment have to be provided?
» What are the typical things included in residential cleaning?
» What is the mode of payment?
» Can I sign a weekly or monthly cleaning contract?
» Would it be alright to hand over the house to the agency for cleaning in my absence?
» Will cleaning also include my laundry and cleaning kitchen utensils?
» What if the service does not match my expectations despite explaining my needs in advance?
» Will you customize your house cleaning plan as per my requirements?
» Which chemical agents will be used while cleaning? What if I am allergic to them?
» Am I expected to give my key to a complete stranger? How safe is it?
» Will you send me monthly reminders?
» Do you also clean certain gadgets and electronic appliances, such as a washing machine or an oven?
» What if something is broken or goes missing after cleaning my house?
» Does residential cleaning also include the outdoor area of the house, such as the porch, deck, garden, and backyard?
» Does house cleaning also include cleaning the carpet and curtains?
» What if someone is injured while cleaning the house?
» Will the furniture, such as sofas and beds be moved while cleaning the house, or will the area be mopped around them?

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Creative Foyer Lighting Ideas





Contrary to popular belief, foyer is one area of your house that needs special attention. After all, it is the first thing that your guests will get to see, when they come to your place. This inevitably makes foyer décor as well as lighting, an important part of any home decoration project. When we talk of foyer lighting, it includes both natural as well as ambient lighting. As the amount of natural light a foyer gets completely depends on the architecture of the house and nothing much can be done about it, let us simply focus on ambient lighting as well as ways to use it in the best possible way.

Innovative Foyer Lighting Ideas

The first thing to do when deciding on the lighting for the foyer is to look at its size. Is it wide or is it narrow? Is it single story or double? A double story, large foyer will any day need more lighting than a single story one. The second very important thing that you should consider is the paint color on the walls of the foyer. Usually, the paint color on the walls of the foyer is in accordance with the adjoining rooms, however, if you are planning to repaint the walls, go for lighter shades as they give the illusion of a much wider and larger space. If you already have a wide foyer, you can definitely go in for some interesting, darker paint colors.

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