3 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Cleaning Day

Hiring someone to clean your home is an awesome way to enjoy a sanitary space without having to sacrifice your free time. To make sure that you’re getting the most out of your house cleaning services, we’ve put together some helpful tasks and tips to help us help you. Let’s take a look.

Don’t Clean Before the Cleaners

When we come into your home, we’re going to focus on cleaning and sanitizing. To do that, we need to make sure that obstacles are minimized. A home that is picked up and tidy prior to our arrival enables us to work efficiently while bringing consistently effective results.   But please, don’t “clean before the cleaners”. Cleaning is our job, and we’re really good at it!

Let Us Know What Rooms Cause Your Family The Biggest Challenge

Do you feel like you can handle the brunt of the routine weekly maintenance cleaning of your home, but just wish you could “get a little help from your friends” in those high traffic areas that take too much of your time?   Bathrooms and kitchens always feel like they never stay clean for long? We can customize your service plan to only address the areas that you would rather not have to tend to. We are here for you and ready to go to battle for you, fighting those dirt and germs that never seem to stop.   With professional grade equipment, tools and cleaning agents, there’s no job to difficult. Turn to your friends at Immaculate Clean. Our staff is trained to tackle the toughest jobs. They are equipped with the right tools that will get the results that you have wished for. Imagine how proud you’ll feel when those unexpected guests pop in on you and your home has been maintained by the professionals.

Make Sure Your Furry Family Members Feel Comfortable and Not Afraid

At Immaculate Clean, our entire staff loves animals. In fact, most of us have furry family members of our own.   This is why it is very important to us that your furry friends feel safe and secure on day of service. We also want our staff to feel safe and secure.   Make sure that any questions or concerns are addressed at time of hire in regards to your pet’s(s’) favorite place to rest and play. Our goal is to ensure that everyone living in your home has a positive experience. We’ll make sure to address any concerns at time of hire.

Ready for The Pride that Results from an “Immaculate Clean” Home?

We’re ready to help bring a whole new level of harmony into your home.   You deserve it and we’re prepared to deliver a consistent level of service excellence.   To learn more about how we serve our clients, contact us today. We look forward to meeting your needs and improving your quality of life.  Life’s way to short for busy homeowners to stress over the cleanliness of their home. Immaculate Clean is here to help. There’s a pride that results when you place your trust in the hands of the professionals.  We hope you’ll choose to experience this for yourself. Your family will thank you for taking back your free time to spend it doing what you and your family enjoy the most.

Why Quality Cleaning Products Make a Difference

When it comes to your home, cleanliness does matter. After all, this is where you live. It may be that you are raising a family, and/or fostering pets. You prepare food, eat meals, entertain guests and hopefully you find time to relax inside your home. When maintaining the cleanliness of your home, it’s important that you are using products that also sanitize.

What Does It Mean to Be Clean?

When you wipe surfaces down with a cloth, how sanitized are the surfaces when you are done? This is a question of chemistry. Bacteria can remain if the products being used to clean do not also disinfect. This isn’t meant to scare you, but to make you aware that what you use to clean your home does matter. It is important to use products that clean thoroughly and gently while also acting as a disinfectant. . Your home should be a safe and clean place to live.

Quality Products Keep Your Surfaces Safe

Water alone will clean but will not sanitize your surfaces, and harsh chemicals aren’t advisable. It is important to find products that clean and disinfect safely for all surfaces. When the proper cleaning products are used, there will be no concern of damage to your home or hazard to your health.

Immaculate Clean Maintains the Cleanliness of Every Home while Keeping the Safety and Health of Families in Mind

Immaculate has been in the professional cleaning industry for 15 years. We have spent significant time researching, testing and selecting quality products to be used in tens of thousands of homes each year. Top of line microfiber cleaning clothes, and commercial grade cleaning products, tools, and equipment have all been carefully selected to safely care for our clients’ homes. Our products have been tested and approved for use in hospitals, hotels, and assisted living facilities across the country. Whether you’re looking for an Initial Clean (onetime cleaning), or Maintenance Service (weekly or every other week), we are equipped to do the job well. Immaculate Clean has been on the pursuit of cleanliness since 2004, delivering service excellence and consistency. We’ve earned the trust of tens of thousands of busy homeowners. Call today 410 549-0727 to learn more about the professional products, staff, and residential cleaning services in Sykesville md provided by Immaculate Clean since 2004.

“Selling a Home is So Much Fun,” said No One Ever

My parents are selling their home. It’s not exactly my childhood home. In fact, it’s more than that. I moved a lot as a child. From Ohio to Poughkeepsie, Miami to Buffalo, and a longer stay in NJ. That’s what we did with a Dad in sales. I didn’t mind, really. It helped me to be adaptable or, at least, that’s what I tell myself. It may have just made me antsy and always looking for a change. Either way, I survived all of the moving, but one place always stayed the same. We spent summers at the lake. Back then, we owned a cabin. I called it my “summer house” to friends, but with no HVAC, phone (yes, that was before cell phones), television or washer and dryer, it really wasn’t more than a glorified cabin. And, I loved it. When my father retired, he and mom moved to the lake. It was shocking, to say the least. Mom was never a fan of it up there. Then again, what mother of three children would be without a phone or a TV? And, don’t get her started on the lack of a washer and dryer. I’m sure she spent at least a full day each week at the local laundromat. Somehow, however, Dad convinced Mom to buy an actual house at the lake, and there they have lived for the past 20+ years. The lake has continued to be the place we go. The kids, the grandkids…we all gather there for the 4th of July and any other occasion we can coordinate. Aunts, uncles, cousins, friends…they’ve all been there with us. It’s our happy place. Our home. And, now, they’re selling it. Lakes are beautiful, calm, and serene. They’re also a lot of work. The docks, the boat, the beach…it’s all hard to take care of. So, mom and dad are looking for a simpler life in an “active adult” community. Now, the fun begins.

The Nitty Gritty

“Selling a home is so much fun,” said no one ever. On the contrary, it’s work. A lot of work. And, stressful. And, let’s not forget, emotional. Most people focus on the work, and the stress. Those are the parts that wear us down, or so we think. But, the reality is, the logistics of selling a home are manageable. All we need to do is find the right people to help us.

Realtor

It starts with the realtor. A realtor is someone we have to trust. We have to believe they are working for us. Of course, every penny matters to them. It’s how they make a living. But, if they’re good at their job, each house is one of many. A realtor’s goal should be to make their clients happy. Happy clients refer realtors to friends. Smart realtors understand this. So, look for a smart, good realtor and that part should go rather smoothly.

Repair Person

Of course, no home is sale ready from the get go. A realtor can help to identify the things that obviously need repair. We also know all of the hidden issues like the loose faucet, receptacles that don’t work, and floor boards that are exceptionally squeaky. Our teenagers helped us to discover the latter one when they came in after curfew. A good handyman, or contractor if the problems are really big, can help us make the repairs. Some of us lucky people may have a handyman in the house. (Note: this is not the time to build your spouse’s ego by reassuring him he’s handy. Make sure he actually knows how to fix things.) Many of us may actually be the handymen, or should I say, handywomen. When preparing to sell a home, we shouldn’t go crazy fixing everything. We should focus on the things that may pop up as potential buyers are walking through the house. The inspection will come later. That’s when they’ll decide what needs to be fixed. If it doesn’t come up, don’t worry about it. They’ll discover it eventually, but that will likely be after they’ve signed on the dotted line. It’s their problem then.

Cleaning Service

The really fun part comes when the showings begin. That’s when we have to figure out how to clean up all of the kids’ toys, get the dirty dishes out of the sink, and get the sleeping baby out of her crib all in a matter of minutes because a realtor is down the street and his clients just noticed your home. The mad dashes out of the house are bad enough, but keeping the house clean day after day is enough to drive any parent of young children absolutely mad. This is a good time to let go of the ego, and remember there are people to help with this too. It might be impractical, and far too expensive, to have a daily cleaning service. But, if there was ever a time to splurge on it weekly, now’s that time. And, don’t forget, most cleaning companies offer deep cleaning and moving cleaning services, too. These can absolutely take the pressure off as we deal with all of the other details of selling a home.

Other Services

Other services to look for when listing a home might be: decluttering companies, storage units, moving trucks, and lawn services. Don’t forget a good massage therapist for when things get too stressful. In general, it’s important to remember that we sometimes have to spend money to make money. And, when it’s a matter of our sanity, the services are absolutely worth it.

The Emotional Factor

The only service we really can’t hire, is the one that removes the emotional factor from selling a home. That’s the truly hard part. Saying good-bye to our happy place is like saying farewell to a best friend. It’s letting go of the ties that bind us, the comfort, and the familiarity. It’s letting go of a part of us. Despite the frequent moves, nothing prepared me for letting go of the one constant in my life. I know it’s the right thing for mom and dad. I know new adventures await us and we will find a new happy place. Hopefully, anyway. But, saying good-bye will be the hardest part for sure. Fortunately, we have one last 4th of July. I think we may need to stock up on tissues.

Just Say ‘Yes’ To Hiring a Cleaning Person

  Many of us struggle with the decision to hire a cleaning person. It seems so extravagant to some. Others, like my mom, worry if anyone can actually clean up to our standards. It might be a matter of trust, awkwardness, or money. Whatever it is, there’s a lot to consider before employing someone to clean our homes.   Personally, I’ve always used two main criteria: 1) How busy am I; 2) How much ‘’extra’ money do I have. The assumption was that the busier I was, the more money I had coming in, and, therefore, I could justify hiring a cleaning person. The problem is, I’m now less busy than I have been in years, and have far less money, but my need (or is it a want?) for a cleaning person is just as great. It’s time I face the fact: I just don’t like to clean. Is that enough reason to indulge in the luxury of having someone do it for me? I believe the answer is yes, and here’s my rationale:

Why should I hire someone to do something I can do myself?

Well, I can grow vegetables, but I buy them at the store. I can cook, but I often go out to eat or have food delivered. Heck, I can do all kinds of things that I hire others to do for me. Why is it wrong to hire someone to clean? I suppose it goes back to the days of class privilege. It seems wrong to make someone do something as undesirable as clean up after me or my kids. I’m sure few people grow up saying they want to clean for a living when they grow up. But, it’s work. It’s admirable, hard work. My hiring someone helps them to have a job. What’s wrong with that?

What if they don’t clean up to my standards?

There’s nothing that says I can’t clean before or after the cleaning people are here. It just makes my job easier. They may not wipe the baseboards as often as I would like, but if that’s all I have to do this week, it’s a lot easier than cleaning the whole house. And, there’s always the reality that I can just ask them to do things differently.

Should I trust someone in my home?

Word of mouth is pretty valuable when hiring someone to work in my home. If a friend trusts them, shouldn’t I? In this day and age of online reviews, it’s also easy to see what others have to say. Hiring a reputable company, like Immaculate Clean, makes the process even more secure with insurance and background checks for their employees.

Can I really afford it?

I suppose it comes down to two other questions: how much do I value my free-time; and, how much do I care if my home is a mess. For me, I place a huge value on my time to do things with my kids. And, when I’m not with them, or working, I’d much rather be meeting up with friends or doing a DIY project than cleaning the house. As for having a messy house, I don’t mind stuff as much as I do dirt. I can pick up the stuff in a matter of minutes. The dirt takes a lot more time and effort, and it’s what really bothers me. There’s honestly few better feelings than walking into my home when it’s just been cleaned by someone else. For me, the answers to these questions justify my hiring a cleaning person. It’s time I do so. For the rest of you, you might have more questions before making your final decision. Visit the Immaculate Clean FAQ to help you decide. Or, call them at 410-549-0727.

Vote for Us in the 2015 Carroll’s Best Survey

Thanks to the support of the Carroll County community, Immaculate Clean has been elected Carroll’s Best Home Cleaning Service 5 years in a row. We are hoping to make it 6 this year with your help! Please vote for us in this online survey in the “best home cleaning service” category. The categories are listed alphabetically, so it’s easy to find! Voting is now closed. Feel free to also name your favorite restaurants, home remodeling companies and other businesses while you are at it. However, you are not required to fill out each and every field in the survey. You are also not required to provide any personal information such as your name or email address. Only one vote is allowed per device. We will greatly appreciate your vote!

Can You Trust Your Maryland Cleaning Company?

It’s normal to feel leery about letting strangers into your home, whether it’s a handyman, a mover or a cleaning person. It’s good to be cautious, because there are dishonest people in our world. In fact, just recently we came across a story about a local Westminster, MD woman who was arrested for stealing from the homes she cleaned. She stole over $10,000 worth of jewelry and other valuable items while working for a local cleaning company. The name of the cleaning “company” was not revealed in the article. Please know that this woman was NOT employed by Immaculate Clean.  

Hiring a Company You Can Trust

You can protect yourself and your property by hiring a cleaning company that has a strong reputation for being professional. There are a few important factors that you should consider when making your decision. Look for the following when doing your research:

Is the company appropriately licensed and insured?

In the State of Maryland, liability insurance, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and payroll taxes are all required to operate as a legal business. Immaculate Clean carries extensive policies with the Hartford Insurance (general liability, an umbrella policy, workers’ comp, etc.) and utilizes ADP Payroll services to ensure proper collection and payment of unemployment, social security, federal and state taxes.

Does the company conduct background checks?

Does the company utilize a third-party data provider to conduct comprehensive background screenings? Immaculate Clean turns to the experts at Intellicorp and ADP Screening Services. Our completed screenings are kept on file for every hired employee.

Does the company have an employee training program?

Immaculate Clean has worked hard over the years to develop and continuously improve upon our training program. Video training, along with one-on-one hands-on training are an important part of our ongoing training process.

Does the company retain its employees?

A trust-worthy cleaning company should be able to retain its employees for more than 1 year, as well as have many repeat customers. You can start by asking how long, on average, employees have been with the company and ask if the company has any clients that they have serviced for a minimum of 5-10yrs.

Can the company provide references?

Don’t be afraid to ask for references and speak to those loyal clients yourself. Ask them why they have stayed with the company for so many years. Take time to contact the references, as well as interview the company and see how open and honest they are in responding to your questions. When you hire any service company, always keep your jewelry, money and keepsakes tucked away. It’s the smartest practice every homeowner should follow.

How Bad Candidates Get Hired

Background screenings, although never a 100% guarantee for eliminating dishonesty, are certainly an important tool in a responsible hiring process. Reference checks and detailed interviews are also important. Recruiting, hiring, conducting background screenings and on-the-job training is very costly and very time consuming, but it is absolutely necessary! Companies that are quick to hire in an effort to service a rapidly growing client base are setting themselves and their customers up for a disappointment and a potential for disaster. Service companies sometimes skip important hiring practices because their main focus is volume. They will lower their prices to secure high client count. As a result, they most likely sacrifice in the area of responsible hiring practices. They need employees quickly to meet the demands of their fast growth. These companies typically experience high employee turnover, which can lead to inconsistency of service, unreliability and frustration.

How Immaculate Clean is Different

If you are an Immaculate Clean customer, you already know that we have a strong team of cleaning representatives. Our belief is that slow and steady growth wins the race.  We focus on quality, not quantity, and we believe this has allowed us to make the best hiring decisions without feeling rushed to hire someone.  This is indeed how we are different than other companies in our area. And that’s one of the reasons why 5 years in a row, Immaculate Clean has been awarded the Carroll’s Best Award for maintaining a level of professionalism that can’t be matched in the industry. We take pride in our professional team at Immaculate Clean and the service delivered to our clients. We are hardworking, honest and dependable, and our company culture supports this approach. A relationship of any type (personal and business) must be built upon trust! Without trust, a strong relationship will never exist. Immaculate Clean has been voted Best of Carroll for 5 years in a row for a reason! Give us a call today to discuss your important and never-ending cleaning needs. You can trust the professionals at Immaculate Clean as your honest, locally owned and operated Maryland cleaning company. We have been on the pursuit of cleanliness since 2004, bringing happiness and harmony to busy homes and small businesses.

6 Easy Ways to Make House Cleaning Less of a Chore

House cleaning is a necessary evil that just needs to be done if you want to maintain a healthy, happy home. So how do you make this chore less dreadful and more fun? Our Maryland cleaning crew has a few ideas:

Play some music

There is something about music that boosts your enthusiasm and makes whatever you are doing more fun. You could blast your iPod via a portable speaker or turn on one of those music channels on your TV.

Put cleaning on your calendar

No one likes to spend weekends cleaning, so why not spread your chores throughout the week? If you clean one room a day, they’ll never get messy to the point of a weekend-long cleaning ordeal. And unless you live in a mansion, you’ll be done by the end of the week, which means you’ll have the weekend all to yourself or to spend with your family.

Use a timer

How much cleaning can you get done in 20 minutes? It might not sound like enough time to do anything, but you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish if you just stay focused on cleaning. Set your kitchen timer to a short interval and don’t stop cleaning until it goes off. In just 20 minutes, you can put away surface clutter, load your dishwasher, gather laundry in the basket and even vacuum one room.

Make a to-do list

Cleaning may feel overwhelming, especially if you treat it like it’s one big chore. Try creating a check list. Do the laundry—check! Put away clean dishes— check! Organize the pantry—check! Clean the bathrooms—check! Wash the kitchen floor—check! Dust—check! Vacuum—check! This way, you will feel more accomplished as you cross each item off your list. And house cleaning won’t feel like it’s never-ending, because you’ve just itemized it on a piece of paper. If you love apps and gadgets, you can use a to-do app on your phone—there are plenty to choose from. Some apps even allow you to assign tasks to family members, which is a great way to get everyone involved in maintaining a clean home.

Reward yourself

For some people, just having a clean house is rewarding enough. If you are not one of these people, then come up with something to make cleaning more rewarding. Go out to your favorite restaurant after cleaning, sneak in an episode of your favorite show or take a power nap. Whatever your guilty pleasure is, indulge in it after you are done cleaning—you deserve it!

Hire a cleaning service

A live-in maid might not be a viable option, but you can certainly afford a weekly or biweekly professional cleaning service. As a Maryland cleaning company, we help many homeowners like you maintain a healthy, happy and more harmonious home. Just let us know what your top priorities are and you won’t have to worry about anything. It’s not the lazy approach—it’s a smart way of cleaning for people who value their time. Consider hiring a service if you have a busy schedule. We all know that life is busy and we need time to relax, and time to spend with family and friends. Live in Maryland and tired of cleaning? Contact us to work out a cleaning schedule that will meet your cleaning needs and fit into your budget.

How to Choose the Best Cleaning Company in Maryland

Have you finally decided to let someone else handle your cleaning duties? Great decision! We bet you are looking forward to all the free time you will get from not having to clean anymore. But before you can enjoy the long-forgotten craft of resting, you need to find a reliable Maryland cleaning company you can trust. Keep in mind that not all cleaning companies are created equal. And price isn’t even the top factor you should look at when choosing a cleaning service for your home or office. Here are a few tips to help you make the right choice.

Determine the Scope of the Services

Ask your Maryland cleaning company what exactly they mean by “cleaning.” Some companies might only mop and vacuum, while others will clean your microwave and disinfect your toilet as a part of their routine cleaning. Beware of companies that nickle-and-dime you for every extra service you want to add to your package. For example, things like sink scrubbing and emptying of trash don’t really qualify for extras, at least in our book, and don’t carry any additional cost. Look for a company that offers a variety of cleaning services depending on your needs. At Immaculate Clean, for example, on top of all the service packages we have, we also offer a “pick your own plan” deal that means we will work with your budget to design a cleaning plan that works for you.

Verify Who Provides the Supplies

Have you ever thought that these cheap rates for Maryland cleaning services you are seeing are cheap for a reason? And that reason could be that the cleaning staff that comes to your home or office expect to use your cleaning supplies. Be sure to verify who provides supplies before you sign the contract. And if you care about your health and indoor pollution, also ask what kind of cleaning products the company plans on using.

Check Their Service Agreement

Some companies will try to lock you into a 12-month contract right from the start. If that’s the only option your cleaning company offers, consider looking elsewhere. You can’t possibly be sure that you are signing up for a good service unless you try it first or know someone who did. Look for a company that offers trial runs or flexible contracts that can be adjusted or terminated on a monthly basis. For example, at Immaculate Clean we are very flexible in terms of service schedules and our new clients are welcome to start with temporary cleanings if they are not ready to commit to a weekly or biweekly schedule just yet.

Ask About the Staff

The cleaning company you hire is only as good as their staff and customer service. That being said, keep in mind that the home cleaning industry is largely unregulated and doesn’t require any special licensing, unlike plumbers or electricians. It’s ultimately up to the management to select and train the employees they trust to enter your home. Don’t hesitate to ask the company about their background check process and employee training. You want to make sure the company you choose has long-term, experienced employees who have proven their talents and dedication.

Check Reviews and References

If after talking to the company and reviewing their contracts you are still not sure if they are a good fit, ask them for references or look up their testimonials online. Even when everything looks good on paper, your personal satisfactions comes down to how well your expectations are met. And there is no better way to predict it than talking to other people who already used the service you have in mind. Every reputable cleaning company in Maryland should have a list of clients they use as their references. Of course, no business or person in their right mind would refer you to someone who is likely to speak ill about their services. However, the fact that they have satisfied customers to refer you to, as well as the fact that they welcome such requests for references are good signs. Ready to practice your interviewing skills? Contact Immaculate Clean today and we’ll gladly answer all of your questions regarding our company and services.