Maid Service 101

The following recommendations are offered to help you become a more knowledgeable consumer. It is our belief that knowledgeable consumers make better service purchasing decisions.

We believe that you can quickly check out any service that you are considering purchasing by following these simple steps.

www.dutchtouchmaids.com

 

Maid Service 101

1. Take the time to learn about the service you are considering purchasing.

2. Ask for the advice of local experts.

3. What should the service cost?

4. What is typically included in the service?

5. What level of training is typically required and is the service a licensed service by your state contractor’s license board?

6. Does the service provider offer references? Check them out!

7. For services above $1,000.00 work - out payment schedules that you can monitor and see so that you pay as the work progresses.

Maid Services

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is your cancellation policy?

If you need to change or cancel a scheduled service, we require 24 hours notice.

If we really like the housekeeping contractor you sent us can we request them again?

When you are satisfied and happy with your service provider every effort is made to have the same contractor provide you with regular scheduled service. We suggest that you schedule your regular service based on the contractor’s availability and that you try to stay with the agreed upon schedule.

How many people will clean my home?

Typically our contractors work with two person teams. Usually they are partnerships of two ladies often family members such as two sisters, mother daughter, two friends etc. Two- person teams provide efficient productivity as each person can concentrate on a specific task while in your home. Our contractors provide superior workmanship as owners of their own business.

Do I Have To Provide Cleaning Supplies?

This is your option too. Your housekeeping contractor provides all the necessary cleaning solutions, sanitized supplies and state-of-the-art equipment. However, if you have a special product you prefer us to use when cleaning the house, such as a specific wax or polish, they will be happy to use it be happy to use it. If you require that a particular cleaner be used on your stainless steel appliances, or a particular cleaner for the furniture or hardwood floors these items should be pointed out and provided to the contractor.

Who Is responsible for breakage or damage to my property?

Each contractor is responsible for all breakage or damage to your property. Generally it is a very good idea for you to take a few minutes the first time a service is provided by a team and detail your expectations. When the work is completed it is a very good idea to do a detailed walk thru and to point out any thing that may have been missed. The contractors are happy to correct missed items and it is far less costly for you and the contractor to have it done right the first time VS coming back to fix it later.

Does someone need to be home when the housekeeping contractor arrives?

You can make a variety of different arrangements to enter your home if you will not be there. We recommend that once you have established a regular housekeeping contractor that you decide together the best arrangement for your specific situation. Many customers prefer to give us a key. Others leave us a key in a safe place each visit. Alarm systems can either be left off or you can give us entry/exit codes.

What about tipping?

We leave that up to you. Tips are always appreciated!

Am I subject to employer responsibilities?

Dutch Touch, Inc. is not the employer of the housekeeping contractor it refers to you. The contractor may be your employee or an independent contractor depending on the relationship you establish. If you direct and control the manner and means by which the contractors perform their work you may have employer responsibilities, including employment taxes and workers compensation, under state and federal law. If you pay any one person providing domestic service in excess of $1000.00 per calendar quarter, you may be considered by the IRS to have employer responsibilities. For additional information, contact your local Employment Development Department and the Internal Revenue Service.

What if I just need housekeeping services only on an occasional basis?

Most of our clients need service weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, but housekeeping contractors are also available on a demand basis.

What if I am not happy with the housekeeping contractor that you refer?

If you are compatible with the first housekeeping contractor and use the service on a regular basis, then the first contractor will provide you with services at the frequency you request. If, for any reason, you are not satisfied, we will refer a contractor who better suits your needs for the next service. If you are not happy we want to know so we can make things right.

Do you accept credit cards?

NO. You can pay your with cash or a check at the time of your service.

Maid Services

SELF CLEANING TIPS:

Kitchen Cleaning Tips:

Use a system of working left to right, from the top to the bottom, starting with the top of the refrigerator ( an often-missed surface). And after using stainless steel cleaner for your stainless steel sink, buff it with a dry cloth to really make it shine.

Water, mild detergent and a sponge is all you need to clean a microwave oven; avoid harsh or abrasive cleaning agents.

Unplug and pull the refrigerator / freezer out three to four times a year to clean underneath. Vacuum the front of the motor and coils to remove dust and dirt. Your refrigerator will work better longer.

A small cotton ball with a few drops of vanilla on it will eliminate odors when placed in your refrigerator.

Clean under sinks where mold is present with denatured alcohol and one-cup water. Check plumbing under sink periodically to look for leaks.

Refrigerators

Wash the inside of refrigerators with a mild soap and water solution. If the refrigerator has a bad smell, add a teaspoon of lemon extract or a teaspoon of vanilla to the wash water.

Wipe off fingerprints on appliances. Remove any dishes from the sink or countertops.

Fingerprints – Buff surfaces with a clean cloth dampened with a neutral disinfectant. This will not only remove fingerprints, but childhood germs as well.

Bathroom Cleaning Tips:

Use a dry tissue to pick up loose hairs in tubs and sinks nicely. Then use glass cleaner on tile walls and ceramic fixtures for clean, shiny surfaces.

Mix a paste of baking soda and vinegar to remove stubborn toilet bowl rings.

You can mix borax, also called sodium borate, with vinegar or lemon juice to clean the toilet.

Burn scented candles in the bathroom and kitchen or set out potpourri.

What's the best way to remove stubborn stains from toilets?

The first thing to do is to empty the bowl of most of its water using one of three methods:

Take a bucket of water and pour it rapidly into your bowl — this drives most of the water down by sort of a manual flush — enabling you to work directly on the stains.

Another method — the most convenient — is to take a bowl brush and ram the water in a controlled way down the toilet trap ten or fifteen times until all the water's out except a little pool at the bottom.

A third way you can do it is to take a plunger and plunge the water down the trap.

In each case, your objective is the same: emptying the bowl so you can work. Then sprinkle the inside of your bowl liberally with cleanser and give it first a general cleaning using a bowl brush. Rinse the bowl by taking water from that little pool at the bottom. Then take your pumice stick and work directly on the deposits. The pumice stone is a great tool because it is softer than the porcelain but harder than the deposits — it won't scratch the bowl; but wet it before using it to be safe and to make it easier to use. Work until all the rings and stains are gone.

Carpet Cleaning Tips:

Small whisk broom will help you clean the carpet edges around the outside of each room and in corners.

If you spill either red or white wine on carpet, believe it or not, use salt! Pour salt over the spill. Allow the wine to soak into the salt and then vacuum up the salt. If the stain remains, mix 1/2 tsp of dishwashing soap with 8 oz of warm water. Apply a small amount, then blot and repeat until the stain is completely removed. Cover the stain with a towel and press down repeatedly to absorb the stain and the soap. Once the stain is completely removed, rinse the area with cold water. Blot with a dry terrycloth towel and repeat if necessary until all the moisture and residue is removed. If the spot or stain turns to a brown color when dry, mix 1 part white vinegar and two parts water. Apply a small amount and blot. Repeat only once.

Wood Floors

Always remember to use a very dry mop when you mop hardwood floors. This prevents moisture from leaking between boards in the floor. Polish wood with three parts olive oil and one part white vinegar. Some homeowners use vinegar combined with vegetable oil on wood floors.

Ceramic Floors

During mopping, use two mop buckets: one for the cleaning solution and one to rinse your mop. The dirt and sand from your mop will wash out and settle in the rinse bucket, keeping the cleaning solution cleaner longer.

To remove a water-based stain from a marble surface, mix _ cup of flour and add 1 tsp. of hydrogen peroxide. To remove an oil-based stain from a marble surface, mix _ cup of flour and some dishwashing soap (a few squeezes of the bottle will do the trick!). Pour warm water into the mixture until the consistency is thick and no longer runny. Spread the substance over the stain and cover it with clear plastic wrap. Tape the wrap to the floor and let it settle overnight. Remove it in the morning and let the mixture dry. Scrape the mixture off the marble once dry.

Upholstery Cleaning Tips:

A lint remover with tape strips is a great way to remove loose hair, dirt and particles from the fabric on your sofa and chairs. It puts less pressure on the upholstery than a regular lint brush, pulling dirt away rather than pushing it into the fabric weave.

Windows and Mirrors

Clean your windows and mirrors more on a monthly basis. It is less work yet still prevents buildup from occurring.

Only use ammonia or alcohol-based window cleaners to efficiently remove dirt and grease while minimizing smearing or streaking.

A dry newspaper works better than paper towels to clean wet windows and prevent streaking.

Rub windows down with a cotton-swab of rubbing alcohol to remove old cleaning product residue and wash with a mixture of two tablespoons vinegar and one-quart water.

Use multi-purpose baking soda for scouring or to remove scuff-marks from vinyl floors. Add a small square of aluminum foil, boiling water, and it makes a great silver bath!

Baking soda will neutralize carpet odor: just dust on carpet prior to vacuuming. Effective pet carpet deodorizers frequently contain this old, reliable, powdery standby. Moving up from the floor, its lightly abrasive action removes marks and stains from countertops and dinnerware when combined with water to make a paste.

Because of its acidic properties, vinegar works well to remove lime scale in the shower and around sink surfaces. Lemon juice and vinegar, each used alone, also clean brass and copper, but they don’t really attack soil.

Add vinegar to your laundry loads to soften water, which will allow detergent to work more efficiently.