Get the facts when hiring a cleaning company

I'm frequently asked by friends and associates how to reduce the amount of time and labor spent in housework. My response is, and will always be, "you need professional help."

Most of us are apprehensive about someone entering our home and looking for dirt. To me, there's no way around it. Our lives are so busy with work and family responsibilities that, for most of us, we simply don't have the time to spend hours or days cleaning where we live. Professional help can reduce those hours to minutes and days to hours.

In today's market, there seems to be an abundance of businesses that specialize in the cleaning business in one form or another. The cast of characters will vary from highly professional and capable companies to one-night operations. It's very difficult to find the right company that will make it their job to satisfy your individual cleaning needs. If you find yourself in this situation, please consider the following before you hire a company:

1. Find out if they maintain certifications in professional societies. Most societies require a certain amount of education, knowledge testing and minimum amount of time in the field, usually five years. This verification usually assures a certain amount of professionalism.

2. Find out if they are members of local associations, e.g., Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, etc.

3. Get proof of insurance, e.g., liability insurance of at least $500,000 and workmen's compensation.

4. Have them put in writing exactly what they are going to do for you and what the fees are for their services. Anyone who has been in business very long knows how long it will take to clean something and costs associated with the service. It should be noted that fire, water, crime scene and meth lab cleanups are going to be fairly expensive because of the specialized type of cleaning that is required. Also, the time required to finish the project may vary depending on conditions found at the property. Remember Murphy's law — anything can happen doing a protracted cleanup.

5. Find out where their personal background is like. Are they a local company? Where did they initially learn their skills? (Such as military, apprenticeship, etc.)

6. Don't open your door to just anyone. They should have identification, business cards and literature that shows they are a solidly-based business. Remember, your safety and security are the most important thing.

7. Your satisfaction should be their guarantee. If you are not happy with what they have done, they should come back promptly and complete the job to your satisfaction.

If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed Madan at Northwest Environmental Services (255-2266) or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed Do?

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified executive housekeeper and certified fire, water and mold inspection and remediation contractor. Ed is chief executive officer of Northwest Environmental Services, which specializes in commercial, residential construction, and crime scene cleanup.