[tabitha]

hi, can anyone tell me how to find good house cleaning staff. All the people i have taken on do not seem to clean thoroughly to my standards.They have all been reliable and trutworthy just not enough attention to detail even though they have worked along side me. Has anyone else had this problem? and how did you overcome it?

[suffolkclean]

I've had this problem in the past, start from scratch with them create a training schedule/checklist listing the stages of cleaning eg. Toilet. You show them, then get cleaner to do one & tick they have been shown so there should be no need for it not to be done your way in future. I've learned you cant expect them to do it to your standards if you havn't shown them step by step.
I have just created one for a bathroom clean let me know if u want a copy emailed.

Barbara

[tabitha]

hi ,thanks barbara  that would be great. My email is tullsharon@aol.com

[Pristine Clean]

Suffolk clean is right,

You need to train them step by step. However, what you have to realise is they are workers and just working for the hourly rate or wage you set.

They will not have the same ambitions as you as you want the business to succeed and grow.

We have the same in commercial cleaning industry, some cleaners are great, others are reliable and trustworthy but standards are terrible. Hence a probation period of 6 months. If not up to scratch in 3 months there out!

Dave

[suffolkclean]

Tabitha you have mail bx

[kelley]

could i get a copy also please barbara? i have one member of staff who cant seem to get to grips with the bathroom clean! she has been told so many times and shown but its the smalll details she leaves out. it would be nice to see what you have on your list and use it to help me.

email is kelley@eco-logicalcleaning.co.uk

many thanks in advance.

kelley

[suffolkclean]

Hi Kelley
I have emailed it - I have obviously created to suit the cleans we do but it'll give you an idea.
Barbara

[shine services]

Hi, could I be cheeky and ask for a copy. Same problem with staff cleaning standards.
My e-mail is: peter.maddocks@hotmail.co.uk

Many thanks in advance

[tinker]

Hi Barbara, hello all, we have just decided to take on our first member of staff (scary but exciting times!) so could I also be cheeky and ask for a copy please? I would be so grateful for your help as I have read this forum regularly for the past year but only now I've summoned the courage to get posting...this is my first post so please be kind to me....!

My e-mail address is: ramona@homesweephome.co.uk

Many thanks for your help,
Ramona

[kelley]

hi Barbara,

i got your email thanks very much. i had an idea in my head of what i would be writing so it has been very helpful.

 

[Neil kell]

So lets get this straight? The pied piper of Suffolk, a clean it up God with 705 posts to her name has only now after all of this time, just draughted up a schedule for cleaning what? A toilet. I'd love to get my jazz bands on this document. This top secret Pentagon, C.I.A piece of paper. Let me guess
Step one: place sponge in hand
Step Two: Scrubb jacks
Step Three: Drink tea.
Ok sorry for the scarcasm ok but come off it like.

Just get them to wear head lights and check each others work. You don't see dirt with your eyes, you see it with your brain. After a while it just switches off. And a fresh pair of eyes will always see something fresh. If one is doing the ensuite and the other is doing the main bath room, get them to switch and check and then discuss the pros and cons of each others standards. Adequate job rotation is also a must to prevent mental illness and rsi. Thats repetitive strain injury for those of you who don't talk ignorant. I speak it fluently. Is this where I type lol well i'm not typing it cause im not laughing.

[gordonswindows]

Well Neil

Were you sitting in your "head office" at home while typing your clever post?

Suffolk is a kind and generous poster who gives to this forum far far more than she takes

She isn't asking you or anyone else to follow "her instructions" she is merely offering support to less experienced and without that help many people would not manage to grow their business.

Have you got a detailed procedure manual that you are willing to share with us all?

Ours has taken eight years to complie and is still growing and yes we do have a procedure on how to correctly clean a toilet.

You have shown your lack of concern for your clients by allowing your staff (how many do you employ or is just you and Nataliya?) to judge what is clean and what is not. I can just see your staff checking each others work going "yes that looks fine what about mine yes its fine too, lets go for a fAg"

I am absolutely sure that Suffolk demands her standards to be achieved and not just what her staff think is ok and that is why she has a procedure on how to clean a toilet, it means her standards are achieved each and every time. It is a business run on systems not by people anyone who still believes that their people are the most important part of their business are naive and probably struggling to succeed, all and I mean all succesful business are system based and when you manage to grow up and stop chuckling from behind your hand in your bedroom sorry home office you might just manage to understand.

By the way always trying to find the good in people I do like your website

Regards

Gordon

[kelley]

i agree with you gordon completely!! 

you came across rather rude there neil.

i think you have to have such things in place if only to avoid staff saying

"well i was never told to do it like that"

i want my staff to do it how i would i do it so therefore think they need step by step instructions to avoid any bad situations arising. if they dont clean up to my standards then i can pull them up on it straight away and they will have no excuse.

it was very useful for barbara to share her checklist with me as it helped me know i was on the right track.

there was a post earlier saying that alot of newbies are shy to post on the forum and they should come out of hiding but it is a bit scary especially when there are people ready to shoot you down.   

 
 

[Neil kell]

I specialize in deep after tenant type one off cleans, and builders type initial cleans. No two are ever the same. You need to get down low and under everything to get the ensuite or bathroom spotless for the next tenant. Its all fresh silicone, grout marker, acid scrubb type of stuff you can't just send someone on a BICSc level one and throw them in the deep end. I get bathrooms back to brand new that havn't been cleaned in years.
Ofcourse you guys have rota's for your regular cleaning schedules, thats a no brainer. Checklists are essential but what I do, would break a normal cleaners heart.
Sorry if I offended anyone by the way.

[suffolkclean]

Neil you are a really rude & ignorant person & I am offended by your idiotic comments.
My checklist was created to enable my cleaners to make sure EVERY area is cleaned to the standard I expect, it took up a complete A4 sheet for all areas so thats why its one page for bathroom NOT that I should have to explain to you. No it dosn't say put sponge in hand
This forum is full of very experienced people who have really helped me & I appreciate that, so I was pleased to beable to help others that's what its all about.
I suggest in future you get your idiotic comments to yourself & thanks Kelley & Gordon for sticking up for me x
PS NO NEIL YOUR NOT GETTING A COPY OF MY STEP BY STEP GUIDE OF HOW TO CLEAN A TOILET

[Neil kell]

If I wanted to be rude, I could have suggested that you should leave a copy of it in the toilet to used as toilet paper. i was just kidding about the earlier stuff, no need to get offended just trying to liven up the discussion. Ignorance is bliss.
Any chance you'd send me on a copy of that, I gotta get me one o' those!

[Pristine Clean]

I specialize in deep after tenant type one off cleans, and builders type initial cleans. No two are ever the same. You need to get down low and under everything to get the ensuite or bathroom spotless for the next tenant. Its all fresh silicone, grout marker, acid scrubb type of stuff you can't just send someone on a BICSc level one and throw them in the deep end. I get bathrooms back to brand new that havn't been cleaned in years.
Ofcourse you guys have rota's for your regular cleaning schedules, thats a no brainer. Checklists are essential but what I do, would break a normal cleaners heart.
Sorry if I offended anyone by the way.

Hi Neil,

How do you know that a "normal" cleaner if there is such a thing with a BICSc level 1 would not be able to handle the filthy Deep  EOT Cleans. 

We also carry out lots of Deep EOT Cleans, Builders cleans, Initial move in cleans, carpet cleans, both HWE AND LM and encap. both residential & Commercially and use what we term as a standard normal cleaner that usually works on regular office cleaning contracts if at the time we are short staffed.

They work extremely well. And manage the work to a high standard

Everybody needs training even if they have worked in that environment before with another firm. This is because we all have different procedures and different standards.

The reason behind the Check lists & Procedure for cleaning certain items, is not designed to be demoralising in anyway. Most of us know how to clean most things but to actually achieve a certain standard  100% of the time is what is the hardest to maintain. This is where the procedure documents are very helpful especially in training new employees.

It also covers you in the event of the disciplinary procedures where an employee may not be up to the standard and you can show that every item has a cleaning procedure manual. This is vital in both corporate and small cleaning companies to one man bands. It show professionalism.

I will say from a on lookers point of view yes your comments are funny and made me chuckle, but in this case have come over possibly wrong.

Dave

[Neil kell]

Do you do all of that yourself Dave? Would you ever get into crime and trauma scene, bio hazard stuff. I got a copy of a c.d send over from the states from a guy called Michael Tillman.  The c.d was 200 euros but is on of those, the kind that you can only play in the computer. It mimics the class room setting and has lots of juicy stuff in there. Its 30 or 35 hrs long or something, brilliant, I was enthralled.
Pristine are like Jan Pro right, its a franchise? Have I seen your vehicles over here? The logo looks familiar.

[Pristine Clean]

Hi Neil,

No I don't do all the work myself. I have over 40 staff now. However I do still go on sites and clean nearly every day. I am not really suited for the office environment..too fidgety!

Also my company is not a Franchise, nothing like Jan Pro. I started out doing it part time, the usual story, you know the one where you slog your guts out.... etc.

We have managed to grow and have kept 99.9% of our customers. We have lost 2 customers since trading over 8 years ago, one in recession the other we cancelled due to the client being rude to a member of my staff.

As for trauma cleaning, I have thought about it. But as we are very busy in most lines I don't think it is for us. Our main line is Office Cleaning contracts, window cleaning, carpets cleaning.

Dave

[Vonny]

Hi Suffolk,

Wow being new to this forum I would just like to say how lovely it is to be offered advice from those that genuinly wish to help others!
It is pretty daunting getting off the ground and there are so many areas to consider in going forward!

I too would be gratefull for a copy of this as I do believe it is very important to follow procedures & guidance to get the most from people.

The whole idea of joining a forum like this is to seek advice and share experiences, and enjoying it as we go 

Many Thanks

Vonny