Moving Clean-Up: Should I hire a cleaner or do it myself?

The idea of hiring a professional cleaner can be difficult for some people to choose. Why pay someone to do something that we do all the time? True, but you have to consider how busy you are going to be during move-out time and weigh the cost of doing it yourself versus outsourcing.

For some of us, there is also a trust factor that comes into play where we have a hard time not only trusting a stranger in our house but also that the stranger can do the job we want done or would do ourselves. While this article focuses on cleaning at the moving point, I’ve included a few general concepts as well for those considering hiring people to clean on a regular basis.

Cost will be the first factor in what you choose. Beyond just the point of pocket money, you need to look at the cost in terms of time and stress. There is a lot to be said for the freedom of time and responsibility which can be a huge relief to people who are usually overextended during a move. So consider carefully the actual dollar amount you will spend compared to the value of your time.

Trust is the other factor in whether to choose a cleaning service. The best way to work around any trust issues is be either hiring someone you know, someone who you have personal references for, or someone who has good online reviews. For people hiring a cleaner before you move, there should be less of a concern of theft due to lack of items and more of a concern over them doing a thorough job.

How to hire a professional cleaner

If you have the means and ultimately decide it is the right choice for you, let’s look at the steps you should take to employ a cleaner:

Start with references – Word of mouth is best from friends, neighbors and coworkers. That six-degrees-of-separation helps with becoming comfortable with a stranger

Do your research – No references? No problem! Even if you do have references, online research is important. You can check out Yelp, Angie’s List and even the Better Business Bureau to find out if there is anything hiding in the closet you need to know about.

Look for independent cleaners – While hiring a company might seem nice, the independent-model means you know exactly who you are always dealing with (fewer strangers in the house). The downside is less liability coverage and more staff for big jobs; however, many times the independent will work a bit harder for each job and referral as they depend upon them more.

Check pay rates – This can range from a flat rate to hourly. For flat rates, be sure to see exactly what is included and get a quote on the typical time it takes. Always check costs for special services. Don’t forget to tip if you feel the cleaner has done a particularly good job.

Use clear communication – If there is anything they need to know about such as pets, alarm codes, special requests, make sure they know including specific cleaning instructions for items.

Pre-Cleaning Checklist

So what should you do before cleaners arrive? Clean obviously! While that might sound crazy it is completely true. Cleaners are not organizers and additionally, the less time they spend doing easy stuff, the more time they have to work on the hard things.

Pick stuff up – Pick up and put away your stuff. A cleaner isn’t going to know, and shouldn’t have to guess, where your stuff goes.

Take care of toxics – Generally speaking cleaners do not deal with blood, urine, pet messes, or black mold. These should be handled by you or a specialty service unless the cleaner has agreed to handle it.

Move heavy items – Most cleaners are not going to move big objects so if you want them cleaned under you need to move them.

Post-Cleaning Checklist

We aren’t done yet? Well you can be, but if you want to be positive that you get the maximum deposit back from your landlord (if renting) it pays to go over a few things even after a cleaner is done.

Final walk through - Even after the cleaner has cleaned, it pays to do a walk through and assure yourself that they did a good job. After all, you are paying them to get it clean so it should be clean! Keep a copy of the bill to provide when you do your own walk-through with the landlord as evidence of a professional job.

Repairs – Go over each room looking for things that might need to be repaired such as window blinds, holes in the wall, worn spots and the like. Now is the time to fix them before your landlord notices.

Then you are done! Take a minute to pat yourself on the back for a job well done and head off to your new space!