Are You Hiring a Laborer or a House Cleaning Professional?
When an electrician comes to work on your power box do you suggest that he use insulated pliers or change your outlets to look grounded when they are not? Of course not – s/he is the professional and you may have questions but you typically are consulting or possibly testing their knowledge, but never directing their work. Shouldn’t a professional cleaner be properly trained and certified before you turn them loose on your personal space with its expensive furnishings, fixtures and surfaces?
What’s Our Answer?
At both our companies, Institute for Service Excellence (a School offering professional certification to cleaning technicians and owners) and Town & Country Cleaning Services (a cleaning service for the greater Chapel Hill area) the answer to that question is a resounding ‘YES’. Today’s surfaces are changing so quickly and often unpredictably, we have to scramble to keep up and we are and should be asking manufacturers, installers and you, as the purchaser, leading questions about what is going to be cleaned in your home – how should it be maintained?
There are already in 2014, millions upon millions of dollars in warranty claims being fielded by manufacturers. Manufacturers are finding that the majority of the claims are not from product failure but from improper installation or maintenance.
Be Aware of ‘Look-alikes’
There are flooring materials that look like wood but are in fact porcelain or vinyl – all three of those flooring types as well as their sub-categories may all need to be cleaned differently to be both effective and safe for the material involved. Some vinyls are coming out with limestone in their finish which will be negatively affected by the use of any acid-side cleaners, including that household do-all: vinegar. In fact, the use of vinegar can void warranties from a variety of manufacturers for a variety of materials! What a change from just four or five years ago!
Our Best Recommendation — Lean on a Professional Who Has Earned House Cleaning Certification
Every year in the last decade we have attended major conventions, learning all we can about new trends and materials that could dramatically affect our knowledge base for both of our cleaning-related businesses and the care we offer to our clients. One of those conventions is the Association for Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI); another is the Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Every other year, Bruce also attends the gigantic “Surfaces” show in Las Vegas to update our knowledge in both the classroom and in the field.
Certified Cleaning Consultants at Your Beck and Call
Shouldn’t you be able to consult a professional about the care of your home or office environment and expect them to understand as much as possible about its maintenance, how it may affect your health and indoor air quality? Get a free in-home consultation with one of our professionals with no obligation. Use our contact page on this website or call us directly at (919) 967-7592.