Maid Matrimony: Choosing the Right Cleaning Company {for you}

House cleaning is likely the most invasive home service you will ever have.  We know all your dirty secrets (pun intended).  I liken this to marriage, because it is imperative you choose wisely.  For one, you may end up signing a service contract.  Second, most people find it very hard to divorce their cleaners after having them for awhile.  Here is a list of tips so hopefully you won't have to!

1. Make a list of non-negotiables and things you must have cleaned each visit.  Knowing what is important to you is the best start.
2. Ask for referrals.  Most people do not want to “clean and tell” (I’m hilarious), but everyone gets their house cleaned.  And if they aren’t, they wish they were.  So don’t feel bad.  If your best friend gets her house cleaned {and she is happy with her service}, start by checking that company out.  And by checking them out I do not mean hiring them.  I mean researching their company.  What works for her may not work for you.
3. If you don’t have any referrals —> YELP!  Replace your best friend with Yelp.  Take advantage of it.  READ A LOT OF REVIEWS.  Good and bad.  Take the bad with a grain of salt.  Those could be clients that would never be pleased even if their house was sparkling from top to bottom or outlier situations (unfortunately, bad things happen to good companies).  If there are way more good than bad, than you are probably looking at a good company.  If you see a company with a lot of good reviews all within days of each other, this company is probably buying good reviews. Keep that in mind.  In five years of business we have about 20 reviews but have cleaned hundreds of Yelper’s homes.
4. Make sure they service your area.  I know this sounds so much like common sense.  But I get at least one appointment made per month through online booking for someone that doesn’t even live in DC, MD, or VA.  So make sure they service your area (and if there are any traveling fees associated with servicing your area).
5. Check out their website.  It is not likely you will find pricing there (because it is a competitive industry), but you will most likely find a list of services they offer.  If they don’t have a website, beware.  Most legit companies will have at least a minimalistic website.
6. Email - You can call, but this is why I say email:  It is better to have everything in writing.  To be honest, Swept Away gets so many calls a day that I can’t remember every discussion I’ve had anymore.  There was a point in time where I could remember the date, exact time, and word for word conversation I had with someone.  Now that we get more business than we can handle, my brain has officially maxed out.  However, when I make a promise in writing - it is pretty hard to forget that.  This works to your benefit because everything you said you wanted done is right there and can be easily proved that it was not done (if that were to happen). 
7. Details - Try to be as specific as possible with the company you are going to work with.  Neither party likes surprises when it comes to ensuring expectations are all in line.  You don’t want to feel taken advantage of and your company doesn’t want complaints about things they didn’t do (that they normally wouldn’t do).  If you want your fridge cleaned - make sure it is something they can do or will do (usually at an additional cost).  If you want your closet vacuumed in vertical lines - make sure they know this.  It is better to be specific (to the point of being anal) and get the company that can make these things happen than feeling like you spent $200 on a bad job (that may not have really been bad, you just had different expectations).  If you have certain cleaning products you do or do not want used - make this known NOW.  You don’t want to come home to a bathroom full of bleach if you only wanted water and vinegar.
8. Make sure they accept the payment you prefer.  If you’re wanting to charge this to your AMEX to build your points, don’t wait until they get there to ensure they take credit cards.  If this is a non-negotiable - make sure you know in advance.  And, make sure they are within your budget.  Nothing is worse than falling in love with something you can't have.  AND, make sure that you understand their rates and how they are charging you.  Some companies charge you by the hour and they will stop after a certain amount of time unless you pay more (usually the big franchises do this).  Make sure you understand if this is a flat rate or an hourly rate.
9. Make sure they are insured and/or bonded.  Insurance is for damages and bonding is for theft.  I’m proud to say I’ve never had to use either, but I still carry them just in case.  Any responsible company would.  And you want a responsible company.
10. Be realistic!  Expect a clean home, but don’t set your expectations so high no one can meet!

Good luck.  Don’t fret if your first few calls, cleanings don’t go as well as hoped - there are plenty of fish in the sea :)

Spring Cleaning: It is NOT too late (and it is not just for Spring)!

Since June 21, 2015 marks the first official day of summer (regardless of these temps that may be saying otherwise)...it is not too late to do your spring cleaning!

Before I provide you with my favorite checklist by Martha Stewart, here are some things you should keep in mind:

1. Make a realistic schedule.  The list is lengthy and can overwhelm you if you think you want to do it all in one day.  You will likely need several days to get this done.  If you can't realistically see yourself completing all these tasks, it may be good to hire a company.  This may be costly (but will be so worth it when you have it done all in one day by someone else), save up!

2. Make a list of all the supplies you will need and try to get them all at once.  Having to go back and forth to buy cleaning supplies will wear you out and make the process feel much longer.

3. Tailor Martha's list to your own home.  Even if you are going to hire a company to do this, having a list of the things you want done will make sure you know what you are getting and minuses the possibility of price surprises.  

4. While it may seem daunting, try to do this every 3 or 4 months (I try to do mine with every season change).  It will keep your home fresh from the lack of build up.

Here you go:

http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/2007Q2/la_0407_spring_cleaning.pdf

Friday Fixer: Homemade Stain Remover aka Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is one of my best kept miracle secrets to removing any type of stain.  Recently, I hosted a dinner party in my home and spilled an ENTIRE GLASS OF RED WINE on my dining room bench made of cream colored fabric.  While all of my guests pretty much stopped breathing and staring at me for my reaction (knowing what a spaz I can be), I knew exactly what to do :)  Grab a towel and my Peroxide.  Can you tell where I spilled? :)

Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for this.  I just kind of eyeball it.  This seems like a good website to follow: http://moderndaymoms.com/homemade-miracle-cleaner/

Product Spotlight: Vacuums

In this business, you test {a lot} of supplies, products, equipment, you name it - I've bought it/rented it/borrowed it.  One of the most essential items you can have in your cleaning arsenal is a good vacuum.  I currently own a total of 6 vacuums.  While I won't tell you about the ones I hate (and never use), I will tell you about the tried and trues that I would recommend.

What: Kenmore Progressive Canister Vacuum Cleaner  
Where to Buy: Sears 
Price: $349.99 (but usually on sale for much less) + warranty + bags
Grade: A
I own two Kenmore Progressive Canister Vacuums. 




{Side note - Kenmore makes other Canister vacuums that are a little less expensive.  While I don't own those, I trust Kenmore and have heard good things about the others.  The downside is you can usually only take to Sears for repairs opposed to your run of the mill vacuum repair store.  BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.  I don't even keep these vacuums once my warranty is up because of the cost of repair.}

What: Bissell Powerforce Bagged Vacuum with Febreze, 1398
Where to Buy: Walmart
Price: $39.99 + cost of bags
Grade: B (But for the price, A+)

If you are looking for a budget friendly, no frills option - this is it.  RUN to Walmart and find this vacuum (running to your computer to buy it online will also work).  While I tend to be one of those people that says you get what you pay for - not the case here.

Back in 2011, I was taking one of rather expensive vacuums to the repair shop (shop details will be below) for probably the 10th time.  Much to my dismay, I was informed that it would probably be two weeks before they had time to fix it.  While Swept Away was not nearly as busy as it is now, it was too busy to have my only vacuum at the time not working for two weeks.  The shop owner told me to go to Walmart and get the Bissell to hold me over while I waited for this vacuum to get fixed.  Long story short, I've never used the repaired vacuum again.  It is lightweight (good for going up and down steps) and it works very good.  Honestly, if the cleaners had not asked me to switch to a canister vacuum, we would still use this as the main vac versus the backup vac.

The Bissell comes with a detachable hose (necessity), but it does not have any of the other perks you will get with Kenmore.  However, keep in mind that your vacuum does not have to survive thousands of appointments each year and you may not truly need all of the various options a Kenmore offers.

Where I go for all repairs and supplies: 
American Vacuum Cleaner Company 
11212 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902
(301) 933-6662


I don't recommend buying vacuum bags at Sears.  They are much more expensive (something like $9.99) than American Vacuum ($4.99) and I cannot tell you how many times they didn't even have them in stock.  As of now, he doesn't repair the Kenmore vacs, so getting the warranty is key!

Friday Fixer: Magic Erasers

Product: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Price: $3.98 for 4 

Where to Buy: Home Depot, Loews, Giant, Shoppers, etc.

One of my favorite Swept Away tricks for a clean home is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  To be honest, these little white sponges are life savers.  While they have a number of uses, Swept Away primarily uses them for cleaning doors, baseboards, and light switches.  They do wonders for removing scuffs and finger prints.  However, we never use them on anything that is not white.  I try to stray away from trying things that could damage or discolor.

In my own home, I use the Magic Eraser for everything.  Here are a few of my most common uses (besides the three I mentioned above):

1. Wall scuffs - As a new homeowner, one of my biggest pet peeves are scuffs on the walls.  I {detest} them.  And I don't know about you, but it always seems like mine come out of nowhere.  Walk by the wall. Scuffed.  Breathe by the wall. Scuffed. Think about the wall. Scuffed.  Anytime I am about to have company over (and sometimes just because of my OCD) I go through my condo and use the Magic Eraser on all the scuffs to get my place looking new again.  I have white walls and have never had an issue with the walls discoloring or leaving weird marks. 
2. Pots and Pans - They get out tough grease spots.
3. Ink Stains on my desk.  

How to use:

1. Wet 

2. Ring out excess water

3. Wipe Away (should only need a few swipes)

4. Be Amazed

I would recommend trying this in a small and inconspicuous spot to ensure that if you do not like the result, it will not stand out and be a sore reminder of that time you tried to fix something yourself.

Here are some before and after pictures from my recent Magic Eraser party (and by party, I mean just me.  Erasing things all over my house).

BEFORE  (black mark)   AFTER

BEFORE (blue mark)            AFTER

 {side note - I have not idea what that big blue mark is on my kitchen wall -_-}

BEFORE (diagonal mark)      AFTER

I did this in about ten other places, but the marks didn't show up in pictures as well as they do in real life.  I think you get the point.  Go try it!

New Year (Cleaning) Resolutions

Disclaimer: I do know that today is Monday, January 12th, 2015.  However, it is not quite half way through the month, so I'm going to say it is not too late for some 2015 resolutions.  Quite honestly, it is really never too late to start some good new habits, right?  So if you are just reading this blog and it is July 12th, 2015...get going! With that being said...

I love the new year.  I am one of those people that makes a list of everything that I'm going to do when it starts.  'New Years Resolutions' lists are my guilty pleasure (I handwrite them every year) and I consider myself to be somewhat of a list making aficionado.  There is an art to it and it goes something like this:

• Reminder: I'm not perfect. Don't make a list of "perfect person" items.  Make a list of {insert your name} items.

When I first started my list writing, I would commonly put too much on my list (causing feelings of anxiety and frustration at the end of the year when I only did half the list), re-use the ones I missed (but always use the same approach that didn't work to getting those goals done before).  I quickly learned that if I wanted to feel like I conquered the goals I set out for myself it would require 1) Being Realistic 2) Promising to approach my goals differently.

The same goes for "cleaning" resolutions.  I know many of us put "Keep My House Clean and Organized" (or some variation of this goal) on our 2015 lists.  However, we probably also put it on 2014, 2013, 2012 (you get the point).  If it hasn't worked in the past, it may not work again.  Because lets be honest, once the holidays are long gone and the real world goes back to: Kids. Relationship. Work. Social Life. Repeat., cleaning and organizing gets pushed further and further down the list.  Between you and I, I still struggle with keeping up on some of my own cleaning resolutions (and I have no kids or pets).

However, I have gotten much better.  Here is the beginners guide to staying clean in 2015:

• Declutter your home.  When I say "declutter" I do not mean organize and I do not mean clean.  I mean if you see a pile of paper that has been sitting on your desk for the past 6 months, spend 30 minutes and trash (or shred) what you don't need.  Then, put away what you do.  You will honestly be surprised by how fast you go through the pile.  Just try it.  Then try it again every day for a week and see how much progress you make.
• Routine is key.  Develop one that you know you can stick to and make it work for you (you will find the one I use on the Printables page).  I highly recommend it.  If you fall off the routine, do not use that as the excuse that you can't do it.  Just get back on it.  Missing a day or two is just that - a day or two.  There are still 363/4 others.
• Another note about a routine.  You will likely set yourself up for failure if it says this:  Every single day at 6pm I am going to clean for one hour.  Life just doesn't work like that (and if yours does - can we trade?).  Instead, try setting timed goals i.e. 4 days a week I will dedicate a total of one hour to cleaning.  If that means 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes right before bed - you're done!
• Reward yourself!  Set small goals and correlate  a reward with each item (and don't get the reward until you complete the item - I did that many times the first year I tried this.  Hence the reason I call it "the first year I tried this"). 
• Last, but certainly not least, be REALISTIC!  Do not say that you are going to go from Hoarders (see AE TV channel) to Martha Stewart in one year.  You aren't.  There is nothing wrong with that.  And if you know that you really just can't get your act together, hire a company.  There is nothing wrong with that either.  I have more than 100 clients on regular schedules (some of them that have been with us for yearssssss) that will attest to this.  You have to do what works for you.

See below or head over to my Printables page to get a blank printable New Years Resolutions List and a Cleaning Routine list.

     

*Happy New Year*

Hello and Happy NewYear!

My name is Dominique and I am the proud owner of Swept Away, a
residential and commercial cleaning company in the Washington, D.C. metro area.  You are probably wondering how a Twenty-Something year old comes to own a cleaning company.  This is how it happened for this Twenty-Something:

When I graduated from the University of Maryland-College Park, my mom gifted me with a lease to a beautiful BMW 328i (she was on one of those highs your parents experience when you do something great).  At 22 this was my dream car.  New. Beautiful. Expensive.  Everything I wanted.  Fast forward 2.5 years later and it was just about time for my lease to end.  When I asked my mom what "we" were going to do for my new car, her response was "No, what are YOU going to do?"  Call me crazy (and you will), but I was beyond shocked.  Here I am sitting in law school, not really working, not even really sure what I was going to do post law school (my grades were not the most spectacular) - how am I buying myself a new car?  Where was her proud parent high?  Cue the start of Swept Away (not precisely that moment, but it all happened pretty fast once I knew she wasn't helping me get my next "dream car").

Most people that knew me thought it was pretty laughable that I was starting a cleaning company.  To be honest, I was NOT the tidiest person anyone knew (probably still not).  To be even a little more honest, I really wonder at times how my college roommate dealt with some of my horrible habits.  This + no experience what-so-ever = fail, right?  Not quite  :)

However, that is why I started this blog.  Over the years, I have been blessed to see my company grow each and every year.  I have learned more than I would have ever imagined from watching my employees clean the homes of many.  I incorporate a majority of this into my own cleaning routine (in between my own Swept Away cleanings, of course).  I think now is a great time to begin to share.  So, if you are on a limited budget, pinching pennies, or just can't bring yourself to hire a company, I hope the tips to follow will help.  Enjoy!