Trying to hold down a job and run a busy family home is a task that millions of people have to perform every day. While the vast majority of people manage, success comes at varying degrees. Not only that, this mammoth task often leaves very little time for spending quality leisure time with loved ones.
To simply make more time for the important things in life, many householders turn to professional cleaners for help. If this is something you’re considering, there are both advantages and disadvantages to consider. Inviting strangers into your inner sanctum is not something you should do lightly, so consider these pros and cons before taking the plunge.
The pros of hiring a domestic cleaner
Your house will always be clean
Even if your cleaner visits just two or three times a week, regular preventative cleaning keeps a home clean and organised at all times. In many cases, cleaners and cleaning companies insist on an initial deep clean in order to achieve a benchmark level of cleanliness. After that’s, it’s just a matter of upkeep.
More time for family and friends
Bigger cleaning jobs can take up several hours of your free time a week. And if you’re working or have other commitments, you might be left with very little time for spending with the people most important to you. Hiring a cleaner frees up your time, and allows you to pursue interests and be with the people you love.
A hygienic living environment
Good cleaning is not just about appearances; it is also about reducing allergens and pathogens to levels that don’t pose risks to health. A trained and experienced cleaner knows exactly where to look for these potentially damaging problems — and how to ensure they never become a major problem.
Your home is always ready for visitors
How many times have you been forced to clean in a hurry because an unexpected guest has arrived? Instead of living in a constant state of panic, you can ensure your home is always presentable by hiring a cleaner. It doesn’t matter what time of the day or week it is, your property will never be the cause of embarrassment again.
Avoid physically demanding chores
Whether you have a disability or suffer from aches and pains, many cleaning jobs can prove physically difficult — and in many cases, impossible. Jobs such as cleaning a kitchen floor, cleaning an oven and changing beds can be very tricky for some people, which is why they are best left to the professionals.
The cons of hiring a domestic cleaner
It’s usually expensive
Cleaners and cleaning services usually charge by the hour, and the rates involved are often well in excess of national minimum wages. In addition, there are often minimum weekly hours involved, which can send the costs of household cleaning soaring. Hiring a domestic cleaner is a luxury, which is why so few householders actually do it.
You’re inviting strangers into your home
A cleaner will have access to the most private areas of your home, including your bathrooms and bedrooms. Your most prized possessions are likely to be in these rooms — and so are your most intimate relationships. Bringing strangers into your home means you will have to sacrifice an element of your privacy, which is one of the main reasons why most people decide against hiring a cleaner.
Jobs won’t necessarily be done the way you do them
There’s a good chance that you have a particular way of performing cleaning tasks in your home. This may involve your own methods, schedules and standards. However, professional cleaners will often bring their own way of doing things into your home… something that might concern or irritate you. However, as long as the end results are the same, this is something you will eventually forget.
The potential for crime
While you should always perform your own background checks on cleaners and cleaning services, there is always a risk that the individuals you invite into your home will steal from you. Theft by professional cleaners is, of course, very rare, but it should be something you’re aware of from the outset.
Hiring a cleaner for your home is a big step, so it should be thought about and discussed at length before making a final decision.
