Are You Looking For A Cheap Cleaner?

I have recently noticed an increase in comments online from people who are looking for a cleaner but "not someone too expensive" or "someone who's cheap" or "someone who doesn't charge an arm and a leg". But having a cleaner is a luxury and really shouldn't come "cheap". There are some people out there who still expect cleaners to charge £10 an hour like they used to a few years back. But the price of everything has increased and we are not going to see that slowing down anytime soon. No other trade seems to be questioned and hesitated on as much as the cleaning industry, but cleaners invest time and money into their businesses and like every other self employed professional providing a service, our overheads have risen too. The truth is that some people just don't want to pay a cleaner a decent rate. They feel that our choice of job/career doesn't justify earning a wage that is anything above the minimum.

But if you think it's expensive to hire a professional cleaner, wait until you hire an amateur. As a professional cleaner, I cannot stress this enough. You get what you pay for and as the saying goes, you buy cheap you buy twice. I work with all of my clients to their budgets. So if that is £30 a week, why waste it on a quick wipe around when you could have a detailed and thorough clean once a month instead? Cheap is not the same as value, and you don't get good value for your hard-earned money with cheap. If high quality cleaning products and equipment are included in the quote, you may be getting a better bargain than you think.

I do not claim or aspire to be the cheapest cleaner around. My value lies in being a reputable professional with high standards who takes great pride in my work. I build trusting relationships with my clients and care for their homes as if they were my own, striving for nothing less than perfection. My prices reflect my experience, professionalism, reliability and the quality of my service. If you are just looking for a cheap, quick wipe around, £12 an hour, cash in hand cleaner then in all honesty, I am not the right cleaner for you. And with the minimum wage for employees now almost £12 an hour, you really need to be careful who you let into your home for a cheap price. I'm not saying all cheap cleaners are bad cleaners but if they're good, they're unlikely to be the cheapest. Cleaners charging very low prices can often be low quality, inexperienced, unregistered, uninsured, untrained and unreliable. So many people get into this game because they think it's easy money. Every genuine cleaning company out there will laugh with me at that. You wouldn't let any other cowboy trade come into your home for anything else so please don't settle for less and scrimp on the cost of your cleaner.

I understand that there is always someone out there who may offer a cheaper price. But with no official industry body or regulation, literally anyone can buy a mop and call themselves a professional cleaner. If I price a job for you, it is because you have reached out to me as a highly recommended, trained professional with up to date insurance and DBS checks. I am fully health and safety and COSHH certificated and I use high quality products that are mostly eco friendly and won't damage your beautiful home. Client satisfaction is paramount to me and my online reviews and testimonials speak for themselves. Pricing depends on the type and frequency of cleaning and the size of your property. Think about how much you would like to be paid if you had to clean your house to a professional standard. And please take into account that the price you pay me is not my take-home pay and is not all profit. Like all businesses, I too have numerous expenses to cover.

With all of this being said, if you are still intent on finding a "cheap" cleaner, please be extra careful who you let into your home. Not everyone can call themselves a professional cleaner. Cleaning is hard work, strenuous on the body and takes a keen eye for detail. A lot of people that say they can clean are NOT professional cleaners. This means you're not guaranteed the clean will be carried out to a satisfactory standard and they are less likely to be reliable and consistent. I have come across several clients who have told me stories of having dreadful cleaners in their homes and the main reason they hired them was due to the cleaner being "cheap". Lower costs often means lower care and when you have someone enter your home, you want them to care about your home as much as you do.

If a cleaner is not busy and has full availability at the drop of a hat for you, think about why that might be. Not everyone is trustworthy and not everyone can clean professionally. It should be a no brainer but it's surprising how many people are willing to let anyone into their home just because they say they can "do cleaning". Consider the safety of your home and do not put yourself at risk. Please do your research rather than just choosing the cheapest cleaner and check any credentials that a cleaner may say they have (insurance, DBS check, etc). People may say they have these things but you must make sure before parting with payments and the keys to your property. Insurance is a big deal. It means in the unfortunate event that a cleaner accidentally causes damage to your property or an item within it, then they have the financial backing to have the item repaired or replaced. If you didn't scrimp on the beautiful, high quality finish of your home, don't scrimp when it comes to cleaning it.

Is a cleaner value for money? It all depends on how you view cleaning professionals. Do you view us as unskilled, uneducated and unable to do anything else? Or do you view us as competent and skilled professionals who help to take the load off you and give you the gift of time? A good cleaner isn't "cheap" but we're certainly value for money. So the next time you are looking for a cleaner, remember we are not "just cleaners", we are professionals and our price is our price for a reason. And remember, the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.