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Cleaning Services FAQs

If you have questions, we have answers.
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  • Is it customary to tip cleaners?

    Tips are not expected but are very much appreciated by our cleaners. Many clients tip at the end of each cleaning or at the end of the year. You can also add tips to the check or credit card you use as payment.

  • Does The Organic Maids do commercial cleaning?

    Yes! We clean offices and light industrial work areas. What sets us apart is that we are able to perform these cleanings either during the day or at night or weekends. Most commercial cleaning companies can only work nights or weekends. See our section on office cleaning.

  • How much does The Organic Maids charge for cleaning?

    One of the most common questions we get is “What are our home cleaning rates,” or “What are our office cleaning rates?” Unfortunately, the answer is “It depends.” There are several factors that determine the price for cleaning. This includes square footage, number of bathrooms, current condition of the home or office, number of knickknacks, and whether there are any hair-shedding pets. It also very much depends on what service is needed. A Move-In cleaning is very different from the Pristine Cleaning Service or Ultimate cleaning.

    Many prospective customers request a quotation be given over the phone. If the home or office is under 2000 square feet or if the service requested is for a Move In/Out cleaning we can generally give an estimate over the phone. However, for larger sized home or offices, there are simply too many variables and we highly prefer coming out for a quick in-home consultation. The consultation is completely free, and there is never any obligation or pressure to use our services. Once a consultation has been completed, a formal quotation will be sent to you, usually the same day via email. This will give you an opportunity to consider our services privately.

  • What forms of payments does The Organic Maids accept?

    For your convenience, we accept payment in several forms and methods:

    Check – Feel free to leave a check, payable to The Organic Maids, for the cleaners to pick up each time service is rendered.

    Credit Card – We accept all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Your credit card information is secured with the latest encryption methodologies and can only be charged if service is rendered. If you cancel a cleaning session you will not be charged.

    ACH Check Drafting – We can also take a voided check from you one time and use the information on the check to draft your checking account each time service is rendered. This is our preferred method of payment. As is with managing credit cards, your checking information is encrypted using the most up to date encryption methodologies and we can only draft your account if service is rendered.

    Cash – In very rare instances we will accept cash. However, as a general rule, we do not accept cash as it can be complicated to manage. Moreover, we prefer all payments to be easily traceable and trackable.

    Venmo/Paypal – Please call the office if you would like to pay via Venmo or Paypal.

  • Do I need to be home on the day of cleaning?

    Absolutely not. In fact, the vast majority of our clients are not home when we clean. Of course, if you would like to be home that is also perfectly fine with us as well!

  • How will cleaners enter my home?

    We provide residential cleaning services and office cleaning services to over 350 clients in the Charlotte, NC area. The vast majority of our clients are not present when the cleaners clean. There are four ways the cleaners can gain access to your home or office.

     

    1. Client gives us a key. About 70 clients have given us a key to their home or office. Each key is tagged with a unique identification number (with no name or address) and is stored in a locked safe inside our office. Only the managers and the owner have the master list indicating which key belongs to which client. The key is given to the cleaners during the morning of the service day.

    2. Client gives us a code to the garage door or other door. In many cases our clients have a keypad that opens the garage door or another door in the house or office. When feasible, this is our preferred method of entering a home.

    3. Client leaves a key under the mat or somewhere else. In many cases the client will leave a key under a mat or somewhere else for the cleaners to find. This has a couple of disadvantages. First, clients sometimes forget to leave the key, in which case the cleaners are locked out. Second, leaving a key outside your home is a security risk for you.

    4. Client leaves the door open. Many clients will also leave their door, either the front door or back door open for the cleaners to enter. We also do not prefer this method because it does leave your home unsecured for the time the cleaners are not in your home.

    At The Organic Maids, we strive to be among the best cleaning companies in Charlotte. We take the security of your home or office very seriously and only hire the most trustworthy employees. Please read our section on how we hire employees for more information.

  • How do we hire Charlotte’s top cleaners?

    Many new clients are curious to know about our employees, who we hire and how we screen them for employment. At The Organic Maids we take great pride in providing clients with the creme de la creme of employees who not only are great cleaners but have a passion for cleaning.

    Our process for hiring, training and retaining employees is very comprehensive and unique to any other cleaning company in Charlotte, NC. It all starts with a highly detailed job description in which expectations and qualifications are explicitly outlined. This in of itself filters out many unqualified candidates. Each candidate that responds goes through a 20 minute phone screening process to ensure they have the basic qualifications. These qualifications include:

    • Prior cleaning experience
    • Clean criminal background and is eligible to legally work in the US
    • Clean driving record
    • Will pass a drug test
    • Fluency in English, etc

    Candidates that pass the phone screening process are then invited for a face to face interview in which one manager conducts the interview and another observes. This process can take up to an hour during which the interviewer asks a minimum of 20 questions and goes through a number of case scenarios, to see and observe how the candidate responds. We also evaluate the cleaner’s ability to work in different cleaning roles such as office cleaning or new construction cleaning. Upon completion of the interview, the managers get together and discuss the candidate’s background.

    If all are in agreement that the candidate is someone we to try, then a comprehensive background check is initiated. This background check includes:

    • A nation-wide criminal history search (most companies only search at a state level)
    • A nation-wide sex offender background check
    • A search on the candidate’s driving record
    • A drug screening test and
    • A verification that the candidate is authorized to work in United States.

    The candidate is only allowed to start working with our company if they pass each and every one of the above checks.

    If accepted, the candidate is then brought in for a training period that lasts several weeks. The first 5 days consists of intensive training during which the new employee is evaluated on work ethic, motivation, ability to clean, positive attitude and willingness to learn and accept feedback. During the subsequent weeks, the new employee is closely monitored with work being checked in-depth. We also solicit feedback from clients who will also evaluate the new employee and enable us to target specific areas that may need additional training.

    We believe that our process for hiring and training is one of the most comprehensive of all cleaning companies in Charlotte. For every 28 candidates that respond to our job posting only one will be able to pass through all of the above steps successfully and become a full time employee.

  • What are you doing to protect my home against COVID-19?

    We are closely monitoring the pandemic of COVID-19 and are following all CDC guidelines to minimize the risk to you or to our cleaners. This includes.

    1. Wearing gloves and masks. All maids will wear gloves and masks when inside your home or office.  Gloves are discarded safely after each cleaning and will never be used in multiple locations.

    2. No fever or illness (coughs, colds etc) policy – since opening our business in 2012, we have had a standard policy no cleaners may NOT enter a client’s home or office should they feel unwell.  This policy remains in-force and we are checking with each cleaner multiple times per day to make sure they are healthy.  For the safety of our cleaners, we are asking all clients to let us know immediately should you or a family member feel unwell.  We will gladly reschedule your appointment.  

    3. Hand and Equipment Sanitizing. Our employees are taking extra hygiene steps as they enter and leave homes. These steps include sanitizing hands and wiping down equipment with a disinfectant before entering your home.

    4. 100% Microfiber. We use 100% microfiber cloths which remove 99.9% of bacteria and viruses when used in combination with professional cleaning products. All cloths are cleaned and sanitized and never used in more than one house.

    5. Cleaning cloths and mop pads– Our standard policy is to separate used and unused cloths/mop pads in separate bags.  Cleaners are not allowed to bring dirty cloths into a client’s home.  Our cloths are all washed with scalding hot water and bleach.  Should you feel more comfortable having the cleaners use your own cleaning cloths, we would be glad to sell you a supply of new cleaning cloths that you would keep in your home and wash.  

    6. Social Distancing. We ask that our maids be given 6 feet of social space while cleaning.

    7. Disinfection– many clients have recently asked us to use a much stronger disinfectant in their home.  While our standard cleaning products disinfect very well, we have added to our list of cleaning products a disinfectant that is hospital grade.  See our section on disinfection.

  • Is The Organic Maids licensed, bonded and insured?

    The short answer is YES! We are fully insured, bonded and licensed. Now here is the long answer:

    Most new clients ask whether we are a licensed and bonded Charlotte cleaning company. Well yes but all that means is that we have obtained a license from the county and that your items in your home are protected. Therefore most companies are indeed bonded and licensed. But what does that really mean?

    At The Organic Maids, we take a conservative (some may even say paranoid!) approach to insurance. Here is how we protect you, your family, your home and our cleaners while cleaning your home or office:

    1. General Liability Insurance – We carry a $2 Million insurance policy that covers your entire home or office and its contents, so that if any damage were to happen to your home, you are completely covered. At any time, we would be happy to provide you with a certificate of insurance.

    2. Worker’s Compensation– With the cleaning of thousands of homes and offices per year there is a risk that a cleaner may get injured on the job. Fortunately, to date we have only had very minor injuries. However, we carry a very comprehensive Worker’s Compensation Insurance. This protects you from any liability and enables us to provide them with the medical care necessary to recover from any injuries.

    3. Fidelity Bond insurance – As stated before, this provides insurance against theft of any property. Thankfully we have not had to use the bond insurance, in part due to our rigorous hiring process.

    4. Auto Insurance – we also carry insurance for the cleaners while driving to and from your home.

    When comparing home cleaning companies (or office cleaning companies), do not hesitate to ask in great detail how your home and possessions are protected. At The Organic Maids we take great care of your home and possessions. If an accident were to occur then you are fully covered no questions asked. We believe we are amongst the most well prepared cleaning company in Charlotte, NC.

    Please see our section on Employee Hiring and Training to get a sense of how we screen and train employees to provide you with the best experience.

  • Does The Organic Maids guarantee its work?

    Yes! We want you to be absolutely thrilled with your cleaning service. If there is ever a problem please call us within 24 hours and we will send someone back to fix the areas that needed additional attention. If you are still not satisfied with our work then we will gladly refund part or all of your cleaning fee.

  • What if something is damaged during the cleaning?

    On rare instances, something does get damaged during the cleaning process. If this happens, the cleaner will leave a note for you and contact our office. Our office will then reach out to you and determine the best course of action to rectify the situation. We carry full liability insurance for this purpose.   When you begin working with us, you will be asked to point out and list any items of extreme value or items that are irreplaceable (eg. family heirlooms, antique items, etc).  It most cases we will not clean those items to be safe

  • Do I need to provide any supplies or equipment?

    We bring all cleaning supplies and tools needed to clean your home. If you would like us to line your garbage cans then please provide us with garbage bags. While we do carry toilet brushes we do ask that you provide a toilet brush for each toilet for sanitary purposes.

  • How do I reschedule my service?

    Give us a call at (704) 266-1150 or send us an email at office@theorganicmaids.com. Please note that we do ask that you give us 24 hours notice to reschedule or cancel an appointment. A late cancellation fee could be assessed for last minute cancellations.

  • What cleaning products do you use?

    At the “The Organic Maids”, all of our products are significantly healthier and less toxic than most of the cleaning products available in the grocery store such as Clorox, Windex and Pine Sol. Most of the cleaning products we use have been given a grade of A or better by the Environmental Working Group, often seen as the gold standard for product “greenness”.

    I say “most” because with one product things get a bit tricky. We have to balance greenness with cleaning effectiveness. We offer two options for our all purpose cleaner (used for countertops and some furniture) :
    Option 1: This product received the highest rating by the EWG.
    Option 2: This product received a lower rating by the EWG but is rated much better than most of store-bought products.
    So why do we offer two options when we say we are an organic cleaning service? I am sure that you can guess. Option 2 is a better cleaner. In fact, when we discuss these options with our clients, the overwhelming majority opt for Option 2. However, if you would like all products to be certified by the EWG as A or better, then we are happy to use only those products just so long as you understand the limitations of those products. Our goal is to be completely transparent with you and we will discuss this with you when booking.

  • Is an initial deep cleaning mandatory when starting service?

    Absolutely not! Unlike most other cleaning companies, we do not require an initial deep cleaning unless it is highly needed. This will save you money. However, if your home has not been professionally cleaned in some time, then it is usually to your advantage to have your home deep cleaned.

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