Ask a House Cleaner

"How do you upsell to party hosting from house cleaning? I've got a client who wants me to do party hosting for their Passover party and I don't know how to price hosting. I'm trying to grow my cleaning company and a job like this (if we can get the terms of agreement right) would be a gift. What pro cleaning tips would you give to a maid upselling party hosting from a clean?" Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru on today's Ask a House Cleaner talks party clothes.

Religious stereotypes are nothing to keep you from house cleaning. When a customer says "Clean my space and respect my religious stereotypes." It's usually because their religion and beliefs honor the tradition of a clean house. Angela Brown, the House Cleaning Guru in today's Ask a House Cleaner digs into religious stereotypes. Clean with me on today's pro cleaning tips and allow your customers to worship how, where or what they may.

What is the annual cost of cleaning supplies for a startup cleaning business?  We Ask a House Cleaner the annual cost of cleaning supplies and if it's cheaper to mix solutions or make your own. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says clean with me on a budget you create from ready to use cleaners. The annual cost of cleaning supplies can scale up or down. It's determined by the number of customers you serve as a professional cleaner. 

Entitlement is a problem with house cleaning customers. You go to bid a job and they're like "clean my space, I'm a VIP, and I need special treatment." They reek of entitlement with expectations of speed cleaning and they deserve a discount. The entitlement starts with the promise of rewards and a license to be rude. They expect you to stay longer than the job requires because they deserve it all. They have special rights, expect favors, and the rules don't apply to them.

How do you get a teenager to do chores? Teenager chores are different from kid’s housework, right? Or if a teenager’s dirty room doesn't bother the teen, should it bother you? We Ask a House Cleaner about cleaning motivation and cleaning hacks for teenager housework. Angela Brown says kids cleaning the house is a good idea and trains them to keep up a dirty room. Kids clean when there is a rewards system. And there should be a kid cleaning routine that easy for them to do.

Healthcare benefits for house cleaning employees - do they exist? Are we required by law to provide healthcare benefits and if so what and how much? We Ask a House Cleaner about Healthcare Benefits for your maid service.  Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru shares mandatory regulations for employee benefits.  Today's sponsors are Savvy Perks (employee perks for small business owners.) Savvy Cleaner (house cleaning training.) And My Cleaning Connection (A hub for all things cleaning.)

Speed cleaning vacuum style - should you vacuum fast or vacuum slow?  We Ask a House Cleaner if speed cleaning vacuum style is good for the carpets or just the house cleaner in a hurry to go to the next job. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru gives cleaning advice tips on speed cleaning vacuum style. Get a good quality vacuum with lots of suction to pick up stuff. Vacuum your carpets and vacuum rugs as part of regular maintenance. How fast should you vacuum depends on level of skill.

How do you deal with incompatible coworkers when you are house cleaning? Incompatible coworkers who don't get along or have a lousy work ethic bring the company down.  We Ask a House Cleaner tips for incompatible coworkers, catfights, different work systems and more. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru includes in her house cleaner training ways to inspire co-workers. Set an example for annoying coworkers cleaning in the same space. 

Let's talk sponges. Should you use sponges for house cleaning? Or do sponges carry too much bacteria? And when should you use a non-scratch scrub sponge (or scrubby sponge) over a Magic Eraser sponge? We Ask a House Cleaner how to disinfect a sponge and best kitchen sponges for everyday use. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru talks type of sponges and the best sponge for cleaning a bathroom.

What do you do when a customer hits on you? If he is in your personal space or tries to attack you do you stay and clean or go? If you are cleaning and he hits on you do you still get paid if you use pepper spray and leave? We Ask a House Cleaner about the client who hits on you, boundaries, and no dating clients. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says when you mix pleasure with business you change the tone of the job.

"What can you tell me about menopause and house cleaning when you just don't care? I know I should clean my space, but since menopause, I've got hot flashes, low energy and I'm always fatigued. With menopause, I don't feel like cleaning. My hormones are out of whack, I have weight gain and I'm too exhausted to clean my messy house. I think I need someone to come clean with me. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru cites Mom Syndrome.

"Help. There is a mystery smell in our Airbnb and a different mystery smell in another vacation rental. I'm wondering how to get rid of the stinky odor. I clean my space with eco-friendly enzyme cleaner and I'm not talking speed cleaning. I've washed and scrubbed everything. There is no mold or mildew just a bacterial mystery smell.” We Ask a House Cleaner any tips on the lingering smell and cleaning advice to get rid of it. 

"How do I overcome a 1-star review for house cleaning? I'm trying to grow my cleaning business with ratings and reviews but I got a 1-star review filled with hate and animosity." We Ask a House Cleaner about DIY reputation management and how to resolve a bad review on Google, and Yelp. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says a 1-star review isn't going to kill you. Focus on your satisfaction guarantee, customer service, attention, and care.

What tax tips for house cleaners and maids do I need to know to grow my cleaning business? Are taxes and spending part of a cleaning business plan? And are there tax tips or tax deductions that are standard for house cleaners and maids? We Ask a House Cleaner about tax tips and ways to track expenses and receipts. Angela Brown gives recommends accounting software like TurboTax, QuickBooks, FreshBooks. Whether you do e-filing or you hire an accountant, your cleaning service wins when you pay

"How do we keep uniforms looking nice? I want to grow my cleaning company and brand my professional look." We Ask a House Cleaner about stain resistant, non-fade, wrinkle-free clothes and how to keep uniforms looking nice.  Angela Brown, the house Cleaning Guru gives tips to keep uniforms looking nice with a disposable apron. Especially if you use bleach. A must-have for every maid service.  Today's sponsors are My Cleaning Connection where you can pick up a colorfast cleaning apron.