10 Questions To Ask A Potential Housekeeper Before Hiring

I’ve written before on how hiring a housekeeper basically changed my life. I’m serious- I would recommend it to anyone. I don’t get my hair or nails done, so this is my one indulgence.

My old housekeeper was a college student who was doing this as a side job, and upon recently getting a job in her field, she had to cut back on her housekeeping hours. It can be SO intimidating trying to find a new person to fill the old person’s shoes! It’s like hearing that your favorite hair stylist is moving- but WHO will be able to do as good of a job? Who will understand me like she did?

I took to the local buy and sell sites in search of someone new, and came across an ad that looked almost too good to be true. It was a retired military woman who charged LESS than any housekeeper on the market, and cleaned for longer. WHAT?! I was skeptical at first, but knew I had to contact her to inquire. We met at my house a week later, and sat down to discuss my needs, and her services.

During this process, I came up with these 10 questions to ask any potential housekeeper before hiring them.

1- Can you provide a criminal record check?

This one is pretty self explanatory, but their willingness to provide a criminal record check is super important. Where I live, a record check is done by the local police station, and it costs around $25, so having them provide one proves that they take their business seriously, and aren’t a threat to your home.

2- Can you provide references?

Providing cleaning references isn’t ALWAYS possible, especially if they are first starting out, but they should be able to provide some kind of work experience reference that showcases their work ethic.

3- Do you bring your own supplies?

Knowing if they bring their own supplies is necessary because if they don’t, you need to be prepared to have every cleaning supply they may need in stock at your house. My last housekeeper provided her own supplies, right down to the vacuum, mop and bucket. My new girl provides the cleaning products, but does not bring her own vacuum, mop and bucket, so I had to make sure those were out and ready for her when she came by.

If they don’t provide their own supplies, make sure to come up with a list of supplies they may need. I personally keep basic products at my house (floor cleaner, Lysol wipes, etc) but I don’t have things like oven cleaner or draino laying around. If you think they will need those products, make sure to provide them if they don’t.

4- what cleaning products do you use?

This is especially important if you have children, pets or allergies. One housekeeper I had used all natural cleaning solutions, like vinegar, essential oils and water. The current one uses every day products like Mr.Clean. If you have certain flooring or appliances that require specific cleaning solutions, it’s important to discuss them before hiring, and make sure they are okay using what is required.

5- Are you okay with me being home while you clean, or would you prefer I leave the house?

I personally prefer to be home or close by while a cleaning is happening. This is mainly because I feel more comfortable with it, I like to be available to answer any questions, and since I have her come over on my day off, I usually have things to do around the house. I hire her for 3 hours, so when she is working downstairs, I stay upstairs, and when she comes upstairs, I go downstairs or outside.

My last housekeeper told me that she felt uncomfortable being watched while she cleaned (understandably so), so I make sure to stay out of their way and basically unseen unless they need me.

6- Do You have any allergies?

This is important to ask anyone that’s going to be working in your home. If you have a cat and they are allergic to cats, it probably won’t be a great fit to hire them. A worse situation would be if they had a serious allergy and you had that item in your home, however in that case I’m sure they would discuss this with you regardless.

7- Is there anything you aren’t willing to clean?

My current housekeeper will do anything, from washing dishes, to doing laundry, to changing the kitty litter (even when I tell her she doesn’t have to), but some companies or individuals have rules for what they will and won’t do. It’s important to discuss this ahead of time so you aren’t assigning tasks that they refuse to complete.

8- How long would it take you to clean _________”

Asking how long they take to accomplish certain tasks is important because you need to know that you’re getting your money’s worth. A few years ago I hired someone for a trial cleaning and she spent the entire 2 hours in the bathroom! She told me as she was leaving that she would be tacking another room next time (and I had pre-cleaned the bathroom beforehand). Needless to say, there was not a next time. You should have a general idea of how long it takes you to clean something in your home. Add a little bit of time to accommodate for the time they need to get used to your space and you’ll have a general idea of how long they should need for each room.

9- Do you require extra breaks?

This one is often overlooked, but in my opinion is really important! I recommend asking this because you should be aware if they require cigarette breaks, or any other non-typical extra break. A 2-3 hour cleaning typically does not require a break (other than to get a drink or something), so if your cleaner requires cigarette breaks, you deserve to know, as you’re paying for this time. Personally if someone requires more than 1 break but they still do a great job, I don’t mind at all. The issue comes when people are taking breaks to make lengthy personal calls (non emergency), on their phone texting the entire time, etc.

Also, while you typically don’t want to ask someone if they smoke directly, asking if they need cigarette breaks will give you an idea if they do. We’ve had people come into our home before that do smoke, and the smell of cigarette smoke usually lingers. Other than family that may visit, we are a non-smoking household and prefer the house not smell like smoke.

10- Is this a side-job or a full time job for you?

It’s important to know whether or not the person you hire plans on doing this long term! It’s so upsetting to find someone amazing, only to have them find another job a few months later. You can always hire an actual company to come and clean if this worries you, however they tend to be more expensive than hiring an individual. Many people do home cleaning on the side, or as supplemental income (which is great, I’m ALL about the side hustle), but if you need a housekeeper long term, and the person doesn’t have long term plans of doing this, they may not be a good fit for you.

So, have I convinced you to outsource your home cleaning yet? I swear, it will change your life! What are some things that you outsource for your home?

Dedreanna