7 questions to ask when hiring a cleaner in the Hawkesbury

The questions to ask when hiring a cleaner come down to trust and clarity. Are they insured? Are the people coming into your home police checked? Will it be the same faces each time? What's included, and how is the price set? A good cleaning business will answer all seven of these straight away, in writing if you ask.

Letting someone into your home is a big call, especially the first time. Most people we talk to across Windsor, Richmond and Pitt Town have never hired a cleaner before and aren't sure what to ask. So here's the list we'd want answered if we were on your side of the table, with our own answers alongside so you can see what a straight answer looks like.

1. Are you insured?

Start here. Accidents are rare, but a cleaner works around your benchtops, glass, floors and fittings for hours at a time. If something gets damaged, you want to know a business is covered for it, and not left to sort it out between you and whoever happened to be holding the cloth.

Ask whether the business holds insurance and whether it covers the people who actually turn up.

Our answer: yes. Ascend is fully insured, and that covers our whole team.

2. Are your cleaners police checked, and do they hold a Working with Children Check?

This is the one most people feel awkward asking. Don't. A good business expects it.

Two checks are worth knowing about:

• National Police Check. Shows any disclosable criminal history at the date it was issued. It's a point-in-time check, so ask how recent it is.
• Working with Children Check (WWCC). In NSW it's issued by the Office of the Children's Guardian, lasts five years, and is continuously monitored while it's current. If you've got kids at home, or they'll be home during a clean, this one matters.

Our answer: every member of our team holds a current National Police Check and a current WWCC.

3. Will it be the same cleaner each time?

A lot of complaints about cleaners come from a revolving door. A new person every visit means a new person learning your home every visit, and things get missed.

Ask who you'll actually get, and what happens when they're sick or on leave.

Our answer: we keep the same people on your home wherever we possibly can, so the team gets to know it. You'll see familiar faces, and you can meet them on our About page. When someone's away, the cover works off the same checklist, so the standard doesn't drop.

4. What's included in a clean, and what's an extra?

"A general clean" means something different to every business. One might do the shower screen every time. Another might only get to it if there's time left over.

Ask for the list. A real one, room by room. Then ask what costs extra, so you aren't caught out on the day.

Our answer: every recurring clean works through our 110 touch-point checklist, covering the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, living areas and bedrooms, plus light switches, door handles, ceiling fans and windowsills throughout. We've published exactly what's on the list. Things like inside the oven, inside the fridge, internal windows and tracks, and making beds are optional extras you book ahead.

While you're asking about the list, ask how they keep things hygienic. We use colour-coded cloths so the cloth that did the toilet never goes near your kitchen, and we clean and sanitise all our cloths and equipment in-house.

5. How do you work out the price, and will it change?

Some cleaners charge by the hour. Others charge per cleaner. Both can leave you guessing what the final bill will be.

Ask how the price is set, whether it's fixed, and whether you get it in writing before anyone starts.

Our answer: we price on your home, its size, layout and condition. Not on the time we spend there or how many cleaners turn up. Every job is quoted in writing before we start, so the price you agree to is the price you pay. Your first clean usually costs more because it brings the home up to the standard we'll keep it at. See how our pricing works, or get an instant price estimate in about a minute.

6. How do you handle keys and access?

Most of our clients are at work when we clean. That means handing over a key, a code or a garage remote, and it's fair to ask what happens to it.

Ask where your key is kept between visits, and whether it's labelled with your name or address.

Our answer: you don't need to be home. Client keys are kept in a locked key box at our office and labelled with a code, never a name or address. If you're not sure how to prepare for the first visit, we've written up what to do before your cleaner arrives.

7. What happens if something isn't right?

Every cleaner has an off moment. What matters is what happens next.

Ask how you raise a problem and how quickly it gets looked at. Ask too about the first clean. Some build-up and surface wear won't lift in one visit, and a good cleaner will tell you that upfront rather than leave you wondering.

Our answer: tell us. We'd rather hear about a missed spot than have you put up with it. If something didn't come up on the first visit, we'll tell you honestly and keep working on it over the next few.

A few more worth asking

• Do you bring your own products and equipment? You shouldn't have to buy anything. We arrive with everything. If you'd like us to use your own products, tell us beforehand so we can check the safety information first.
• Can I skip or move a clean? Life happens. Ask what notice they need.
• Will you move furniture? For safety, our team doesn't lift heavy furniture. We clean around and under what we can reach, so let us know if there's a spot you want done.

The short version

A cleaner you can trust will answer every one of these without hesitating. If a business gets vague about insurance, checks or pricing, that tells you what you need to know.

Ready to ask us?

We've been cleaning homes across the Hawkesbury for over five years, with more than 3,000 cleans done and a 4.9 rating on Google. Ask us anything on this list.

Get an instant price estimate, call us on 0435 348 434, or send us a message. Find out more about our recurring home cleaning across the Hawkesbury.