Urban areas are often inhabited by very busy people. They are often ambitious and on a very tight working schedule, creating issues for their social lives, let alone anything else. Many inhabitants of metropolitan areas are people who are short on time but have pretty well-stacked finances.
That’s why hiring a maid is typical in urban areas like Chicago. Running around, commuting, long hours, and clawing for a social life amid the chaos can be overwhelming and make you neglect your house chores. It can lead to less socializing, less inviting people, and health issues that can become very serious if ignored.
Let’s see what you need to find a reliable maid in Chicago.
Insurance and Bonding
Naturally, most people hire maids from cleaning companies. It’s the safest route as the company ensures there are protocols to how cleaning is done and ensure the maids do their job well. Still, there are some things that you should check before you decide to go for any particular Chicago maid service.
Of course, you need to look at the reviews; that much is a given these days. What’s more important to check is if the cleaning company has insurance and bonding. Insurance is crucial to make sure that if an accident happens during the clean-up of your home, you are not liable for any coverage. That also ensures that your insurance premiums don’t go up if an accident happens.
Bonding is another thing altogether. It’s a common stereotype that maids steal, and while not valid for every person, they are in a situation where things are available to them, and some may succumb to the temptation.
Bonding is a fund prepared for cases where the cleaning company does not meet the agreed-upon cleaning standards or cover any theft that might occur during their service.
These two aspects are the basic things you need to check before agreeing on anything with a cleaning company.
Checking the Rates
It’s crucial to figure out the average rate for maid cleaning in Chicago. That’s relatively easy to do — just browse through 5 to 10 Chicago-based cleaning services websites or make a few calls and compare the prices for their basic services.
Also, make sure you get all the details about their service based on the rates they are asking for. You could run into similar rates, but one cleaning agency offers more for the same buck.
If you are unsure about anything, give them a call and ask for an explanation of the services on offer.
Asking About Their Hiring Philosophy
While it may seem that just about anyone can be a maid, like with all other jobs, training, experience, and dedication go a long way. You can find out a lot about the quality of service of a particular company based on their hiring habits.
On top of this, you can ask to go through the list of cleaners they employ currently and meet some of them. Once you run into one that is satisfactory and trustworthy, you simply always request them when hiring from the agency.
Cleaning Products And Equipment
Any cleaning company worth its salt has all the necessary equipment to take care of your home in its entirety. Still, if your home has special materials that require specific equipment and products to clean without damaging them, you might want to inquire if the cleaning agency has those.
Furthermore, if you only accept eco-friendly cleaning products in your house, it’s important to mention this in advance. The same goes if you want some specific product to be used.
Taxes and Maids
If you are paying your cleaning person more than $1,200 per year, by the letter of the law in Illinois, you are responsible for paying their social security and other taxes. Keep in mind that most cleaning companies withhold taxes for their maids, but it doesn’t hurt to inquire about this.
You just don’t want to get in trouble with your taxes over hiring a maid service, so be sure you are in the clear.
Asking for References
While reviews are pretty reliable these days, it doesn’t hurt to get a recommendation from someone you know. This way, you’re 100% sure that this person is giving you their first-hand experience working with maids from a particular Chicago-based company.
On top of that, they have no ulterior motive behind their recommendations. They can even recommend a specific maid to ask for if they found one that is particularly good at her job.
Conclusion
If you can’t seem to keep your home clean and orderly because it’s too big or you just don’t have the time, hiring a maid is a great idea. Consider all the things we’ve mentioned above to ensure that the maid service provider can cover all your requirements. It’s a great way to keep your home clean and healthy without wasting too much money or time.
We hope we managed to help you make a decision and take the proper steps to find a good maid.
