Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. I have never had maid service before. How does it work?

Just call our office. We will create your client profile by asking you some simple questions – including the type of service you desire. We will provide you a cost estimate and book you an appointment at the time and date of your choosing (pending availability).

For your cleaning appointment, a Maid to Clean team of three or four cleaning professionals will arrive at your home or office within a four-to five-hour arrival window. If you choose to be onsite when we arrive, you can let us in. Otherwise, we can work out the entry details (most clients provide us with keys). We provide our own supplies and equipment, and will follow any instructions you may have provided when you contacted our office. We encourage you to tidy up before we arrive (it will lower your invoice if you do). We work well with pets.

Our policy is payment at time of service, and we require a credit card on file. Once the team has finished cleaning, we will process your payment. We charge hourly, and determine your rate according to the amount of time we spend cleaning your home. After your cleaning, we will contact you to verify that you were pleased with our service; and you may wish to complete a customer feedback on our website.

2. Should I do anything to prepare for cleaning service?

You can help us provide exceptional cleaning service by following these steps:

• You can contact us with any concerns or questions at any time. Current customers can fill out the provide special instructions form available on the customer service page of our website.
• If you pick up and tidy all rooms before we arrive, we can dedicate our time to cleaning, rather than to straightening up. Because we charge for the amount of time we spend cleaning your home, it will be more cost-effective if you do the straightening up before we arrive. Tidying the house before our arrival also prevents us from putting stray objects in the wrong location (thus, you will never have to hunt for the remote control).
• Place fresh linens on the beds if you would like us to strip the sheets and remake the bed with clean linens.
  Hang picture frames and mirrors on sturdy wall hooks appropriate for the weight of the hanging item. Also inspect the hanging wire and replace if deteriorated. Place bumper guards on the backside corners of wall hangings to keep the wall paint from getting scratched.
• Place felt padding on the feet of furniture pieces that are on hardwood floors to avoid scratching the floor when we move the furniture to clean under it.
• Check and repair loose or broken items, such as towel racks, toilet paper holders, microwave and refrigerator handles, glass shelves, and so on.

3. What should I do with my pet while you are cleaning?

Nothing. Our cleaning teams work safely around house pets, and all our cleaning solutions are non-toxic and harmless. However, if you would like to give us specific instructions regarding your pet, please contact us.

4. What time will you arrive?

We clean from 7 am until 3 pm. While we cannot tell you the exact time of arrival, we can give you an estimated time (generally, a four-to five-hour window).

5. Do I need to be home when you arrive? What about a key?

You don’t need to be home when we clean. For convenience, most clients provide us with a key. You can leave a key for us at the initial cleaning, or you can send us a key in the mail (be sure to use a padded mailer). We take the security of our client’s keys very seriously.

Clients who use a security alarm typically assign us our own unique security code. For apartment and condominium complexes, we generally register at the front desk and sign out a key.

6. Do I need to provide any supplies or equipment?

We provide all our own equipment and supplies. Because we practice green cleaning, we select our cleaning products carefully. Our products are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, non-abrasive, and non-allergenic. We use no waxes, polishes, ammonia, bleach, scented, or alcohol-based products. However, we will be happy to use any products that you supply (please advise our office of any special instructions).

We generally clean only items that are within reach when using the three-tiered step-stool that we bring with us. Although we do not climb ladders (for liability reasons), we will clean in higher areas if you provide a step-stool that will allow us to reach those areas.

7. Who will clean my home or commercial space?

A team of three or four cleaning professionals will clean your home or office. One of the team members will be a team leader, who, in addition to assisting with the cleaning, will guide the team and perform an inspection at the end of the visit.

8. Will the same team clean for me every time?

The same three or four person team will clean for you if you schedule weekly or bi-weekly cleaning service.

9. Can I request team members to remove their shoes when they clean?

For personal safety reasons, team members are required to wear shoes at all times when cleaning.

10. How do I pay for service?

Payment is due at the time of service. We accept cash, personal check, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. For clients who wish to set up recurring payment with their bank’s auto-pay feature, please be sure to schedule checks to arrive at the office before or on the day of service. It is our policy to keep a credit card on file to guarantee your cleaning appointment. Arrange automatic credit card billing for future cleaning service by enrolling in our Credit Card Payment Plan.
Click here to download the Credit Card Enrollment Form

11. How do you determine your rates?

The cost to clean your home is based on the amount of time we spend cleaning.

• Rate for recurring cleaning service is $32 per hour, per team member.
• Rate for other cleaning services (initial cleaning, one-time cleaning, move-in/move out and construction clean-up) is $35 per hour, per team member.
• A cleaning team is generally comprised of three or four members.
• The minimum rate to send a team to your home for recurring service is $96.
• The minimum for all other services is $210 (initial cleaning, one-time cleaning, move-in/move-out, construction clean-up). If your space is under 700 square feet, the minimum is $157.

12. Do you wash laundry or dishes?

We do not provide laundry or dishwashing service at this time.

13. Do you steam clean carpets?

Currently, we are not staffed for carpet-cleaning. However, we are happy to offer these recommendations.

www.AngiesList.com
Diamond Carpet Services

14. Do you wash windows?

We do not wash windows at this time, but following are links to entities we recommend:
www.AngiesList.com
Dr Glass Window Washing

15. Do you use HEPA filters on your vacuum cleaners?

Yes, our vacuum cleaners do contain HEPA filters.

16. Are you licensed, bonded and insured?

Yes, we are fully licensed, bonded, and insured in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland.

17. What if something breaks while your team is cleaning?

We treat your home or office with as much care as if it were our own. In the event of a mishap, our cleaning team will leave you a note, and our office manager will promptly contact you to discuss the incident. We pay the cost of replacement or repair, and we carry insurance for valuable items.

When it comes to items or collections of significant sentimental or monetary value, we ask that clients bring these items to our attention and direct us to avoid cleaning them. In such cases, we prefer to leave your precious objects undisturbed, rather than risking a mishap.

In addition to valuable items and collections, we avoid cleaning curio cabinet interiors. We may also avoid cleaning sensitive items such as plasma television screens, computers, other electronic devices, and associated wires or plugs.

18. What if I’m not satisfied with a cleaning?

At Maid to Clean we have a 200% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your cleaning for any reason, contact us within 24 hours of service, and we will return the next day at our expense to meet with you, receive your instructions, and correct the problem. If you are still not satisfied with our service, we will write you a credit to your account for the total cleaning bill. That’s how confident we are that you will love our cleaning.

19. What if I need to reschedule or cancel an appointment?

You may cancel or reschedule; however, please keep in mind that we reserve time in our day to accommodate your cleaning. Therefore we require a 24-hour advance notice to cancel your appointment without penalty.

There is no charge for cancellations made with 24-hour’s notice on business days (M-F, 7am-5pm). However, we charge a $96 fee for cancellations made with less than 24-hour’s notice. Please note, to avoid a fee, Monday clients are required to cancel by 3 pm on the preceding Thursday.

20. What if my routine cleaning falls on a holiday?

We observe these holidays:

New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

If a routine cleaning falls on one of these holidays, we will contact you in advance to arrange a make-up date (please be sure to provide us with a valid email address for convenience). We work on many federal holidays. Unless you cancel service, you can expect us to arrive as scheduled, if your cleaning date falls on any holiday except those stated above.

21. Should I tip the cleaning team?

Team members do not expect tips. However, team members are permitted to accept tips should you choose to leave a tip as recognition for exceptional cleaning service.

22. Do team members speak English?

We are a non-discriminating employer and have a diverse, multi-cultural staff. Good communication is important to us. Thus, we ask our clients to contact us to relay any notes or requests. We will add this information to the work orders for the team.

All our teams are in touch with the office via cell phone throughout the work day. We can easily call a team to relay a message for you even while they are working in your home. Just let us know.

23. How can I keep my house looking clean between service appointments?

Reduce or eliminate things that need cleaning:

• Place a mat in front of entrance doors.
• Use a basket for mail, newspaper, and car keys to reduce clutter.
• Instruct household members to pick up personal belongings.

When cleaning, try these time-savers:

• Dust from top to bottom. Also dust before vacuuming or mopping.
• When sweeping, spray a broom or dust mop with furniture polish for easy removal of dust and dirt.
• Vacuum regularly.

24. Do you have tips for cleaning delicate surfaces?

Follow these suggestions to avoid damaging glass, marble, and other delicate surfaces:

Glass — To clean, rub with lemon juice, dry with paper towels, and polish with newspaper. Use toothpaste to remove small scratches from glass.
Marble — To remove stains, sprinkle salt onto a freshly-cut lemon. Rub lightly over stain. Wash off with soap and water.
Wood Furniture — To clean carved furniture, dip an old toothbrush into furniture polish and brush lightly. To remove polish build-up, mix one cup water with one cup vinegar. Dip soft cloth in the mixture. Wring out before wiping furniture. Dry immediately with a soft, dry cloth.
Wallpaper — To dust, tie a dust cloth over a broom and dust from top to bottom. To remove pencil marks and other non-greasy spots from non-washable wallpaper, use an art-gum eraser. To remove greasy spots, crayon marks, fingerprints and food stains, apply Fuller’s Earth Clay (available at pharmacies). Let dry and brush off. Repeat until spot is removed.
Wicker — To remove dust from wicker, vacuum using dust brush attachment. To remove grime, wash with a solution of two tablespoons ammonia per gallon of water. Rinse well. Let air dry.
Mini-blinds — To clean, fit an old sock around each hand (like a mitten). Dip one hand into a bucket of warm, soapy water. Use the wet sock to clean the blind while holding the blind with the other hand. Use the dry sock to dry off the blind.

25. Do you have tips for removing tough stains?

Use these suggestions to tackle tough stains (and always be careful when working with delicate fabrics or surfaces. A test patch is a good idea):

Blood stains — To remove fresh stains, rinse with cold water, never hot. Apply a paste of water and cornstarch. Let dry and brush off. Cover fresh or dried stains with meat tenderizer and add cool water. Wait 30 minutes then sponge off with cool water.
Ball point ink – Use cheap hairspray: better brands won’t work. Spray the stain lightly (test the fabric in an unnoticeable spot first), and gently wipe or brush. Rinse fabric when ink has lifted.
Crayon marks — To remove marks from painted walls, scrub with toothpaste or an ammonia-soaked cloth. Rinse and dry.
Heel marks — Use a pencil eraser.
Candle wax — To remove from carpets and upholstery, place a paper bag over the dried wax and run a hot iron across it. For dried wax on wood floors, soften the wax with a hair dryer, then remove with paper towels. Wash the spot down with a solution of vinegar and water.
Water stains — To remove hard-water stains from glasses and bottles, rub with steel wool dipped in vinegar. Remove hard-water stains from bathroom fixtures by applying a paste of baking soda and vinegar. Cover with a towel and let stand for one hour. Wipe off, rinse and dry.
Pet urine — Treat with commercial pet stain and odor remover. For cat urine, we recommend Nature’s Miracle, which is widely available in pet stores.
Cigarette odor — Place bowls of vinegar, pine-scented cleaner, or activated charcoal around the rooms in your home, being mindful to keep the bowls out of reach of children and pets. Close off the rooms overnight, if possible. Sprinkle baking soda on carpet and upholstery, let sit overnight, and vacuum.
Smoke and fire damage — Because of the difficulty in removing smoke odor from a home, we recommend a professional. Click here to read more on the subject or download this publication.

26. What does it mean that you don’t service my area?

Although we continue to expand our coverage of the DC metro area, there are some neighborhoods that remain outside our service zones. Please continue to check back with us, as we may expand our service to encompass your neighborhood in the future.