* Cleaning Blog

WOW maid1! PROMOTION!!!

SPECIAL PROMOTION: “WOW maid1”!!!

We’re excited to roll out a special promotion that brings a touch of magic to our valued customers – introducing “WOW MAID1”! As a token of our appreciation, we’re offering free cleanings to select customers who meet the following criteria:

Who it’s for:
• Homeowners in our select service areas, including Evanston, Glenview, Wilmette, Northbrook, or nearby.
• Those who are social media savvy and willing to collaborate with us in enhancing our online presence. This includes activities like liking our page, providing testimonials, and sharing before/after pictures on social media.

When:

• The “WOW MAID1” promotion runs from January through April 2024.
• We will award one free cleaning per week during this period.

How to participate:
If you believe you meet the criteria and are interested in this fantastic opportunity, simply fill out the form below. We’ll get in touch with you to discuss the details.

Background:
We’re trying something new! Instead of spending money on Google advertising , we think we can achieve even better results by working with those people for whom social media come as a second nature . If you’re believe it’s you and don’t mind helping us out, this promotion is for you!

WHAT WE DO (and don’t do) ON A TYPICAL CLEANING

WHAT WE DO ON A TYPICAL CLEANING

We are happy to customize the cleaning to your needs if you just tell us, but here is what most customers want us to do on a typical cleaning:

clean the bathrooms – tubs/ showers/ toilets/ sinks/ counters/ tiles/ floors

and the kitchen – counters/ appliances/ sink/ floor/ check cabinets

dust and vacuum, mop and wash all carpets and floors

pick up trash (just tell us where you want us to put it when we are done)

SO WHAT ABOUT:

/refrigerator (inside) – we do a quick check for any spills but if you’d like us to take everything out and clean all shelves and drawers we can do that as a special project

/cabinets – we do a quick check of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and if we have time we can do a more thorough job

/dirty dishes – most customers want us to use the time to clean not to wash dishes, so if there are dirty dishes in the sink we usually just rinse them and put them aside (so we can clean the sink) but If you want us to wash them or put them in a dishwasher just let us know

/oven – we don’t clean it on a regular cleaning but if you need it done that would be an extra project, and if you have a self-cleaning oven it’s best to run it earlier so it has time to cool down before we come and then we would just wipe it

/beds – we make the beds (if they are not already made) and if you need the sheets changed pls put clean set on the bed and we will know what to do

/windows – we check for spots and clean them as needed where we can reach. We don’t do outside windows and we don’t climb ladders. We also clean glass on front and patio doors (on both sides weather permitting)

/basement – if the basement is finished we do a quick clean, let us know if you don’t need it done or if you want it done just once in a while

/laundry room – we wipe appliances and clean and floor

/chandeliers – we can gently check for spider webs with a feather duster but if you need a more thorough job there are specialized companies that do that (usually window cleaning guys)

/breakables – like porcelain and glass shelves – we normally don’t touch them at all unless we make special arrangements

So that’s what the typical cleaning looks like. We can also do a deep cleaning – which basically means we spend more time on the details, corners, hard to get places, or special projects. For regularly scheduled customers we can also do quick cleanings that can save you money so if you are interested ask for more details.

AND HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE DONT DO:

either because we aren’t equipped to do them or because we consider them too dangerous to do:

/we don’t climb ladders – but a small stepstool is ok

/we don’t use certain strong or dangerous chemicals, like for example ammonia or stove cleaners. Those are dangerous for everybody, our employees and for the environment and can cause a lot of damage. We actually don’t really need them and we can get good results with less toxic substitutes

/we don’t handle animal or medical waste – but we can clean around litter boxes (we expect the house to be picked up before we clean)

/ we don’t move heavy appliances like refrigerators, washers or dryers, or heavy beds or mattresses, but we can help you if you move them. We are usually able to clean under furniture or couches without moving them but if you need us to move small couches we can make special arrangements

/we won’t clean houses when there is an indication of any infestation

In general we reserve the right to refuse any job or part of a job for any reason that we are not comfortable doing. If you think that any of those above would apply to you please let me know in advance and we can discuss it and see if possible that we can find an alternate way.

During coronavirus time

4/23/20

Stay-at-home has been extended again, this time until 5/30/20.  

4/2/20 

Illinois’ stay-at-home order has been extended to 4/30/20.

3/21/20 

Illinois’ stay-at-home order is now in effect so we won’t be able to work until at least 4/7/20.

3/13/20

National emergency has been declared so we will be suspending our operations until we have more clarity about the situation. We will resume when we know we can do it safely. Stay well and we will be in touch soon. If you have any questions or suggestions pls let me know.

 

3/12/20

Here is how we try to do our part in this pandemic besides the obvious precautions like hand washing, wiping door knobs, using sanitizer etc.

– we are monitoring if any of us might have any symptoms and if anybody feels sick that person will stay home. We will do our best but it might mean that there will be last minute changes to our arrival time.

– we ask if you think that anybody in your house has symptoms to pls let us know – even if you have to cancel last minute.

– also if you don’t feel comfortable having us come and clean during this time we totally understand.

– if the schools in the area will close we will also close.

Thank you for understanding. If you have any other suggestions pls let us know.

If you do cancel pls consider contributing to our maintenance fund so we can help our employees get thru this tough time. This would allow us to get back on our feet quickly once this pandemic is over.

 

We were featured in the City of Chicago Community Land Trust article on Spring Cleaning!

We were interviewed for a newsletter of City of Chicago Community Land Trust. Here is the excerpt from the article:

SPRING CLEANING
Homeowners also tend to think of cleaning their homes in the spring,
at least cleaning them in deeper and broader ways than they have in a
while.

Customers of the home cleaning service Maid 1 often ask to have their
patios and porches cleaned, since they will be using those areas of
the home for the first time in several months, says Marek Slomczynski,
who co-owns the service with his wife, Sylvia. “Winter is over, and
all of the sudden people want to spend more time on the patio,” he
says. “We will clean the outside furniture.”

Although there’s no specific reason to do so during the spring,
homeowners often ask the Chicago-based service to have appliances like
ovens and refrigerators cleaned, which Slomczynski says probably only
need to be deep-cleaned once per year. But other “deep cleaning” items
like blinds and baseboards probably should be done more often because
otherwise the buildup of crud gets harder to remove, he says.

Maid 1 customers rarely ask for a “spring cleaning,” per se,
Slomczynski says. “Most people that talk about spring cleaning are
people who don’t have a service,” he says. “They don’t do it
regularly, so they want to get caught up.”

The blog on Maid 1’s website offers a basic checklist of spring
cleaning that includes removing spider webs, wiping appliances and
ceiling fans, cleaning woodwork and windows, and clearing out and
cleaning smaller spaces like kitchen drawers and bathroom medicine
cabinets. The full list is at HTTP://WWW.MAID1.COM/CLEANING-BLOG/
[11].

Check out the CCLT Newsletter .

Smiley

KeySafe Information

Here are the instructions for Kidde AccessPoint KeySafe that you can use to leave a key for us.

Click on a link to view detailed instructions.

opening link 1Hanging the Keysafesetting link 1

If you have any questions about the KeySafe do not hesitate to contact us.

Setting up House Cleaning Service with Maid1.com

your questions answered.

How do I know I can trust you?

We have been around since 1982 cleaning homes in Chicago and North Shore area. We have references that we can provide upon request. We are insured and bonded. You can also check our reviews here and here.

We are not in the business to make money and run. We want to be your long term choice for reliable and professional house cleaning. We guarantee our work.

How much will I pay? 

Use our Super Quick Price Estimator to get an idea about how much we would charge to clean your house. In general we charge by hour. We have 1 hour minimum based on a 3 person team (another words 3 labor hours). You can see our current specials here. Three labor hours is usually enough to clean a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment.

For a two bathroom home you might need 4 hours, and 6 hour is good for three bathroom home. If you need more time you can buy additional time in 15 minutes increments, at your discretion.

Keep in mind that if your house has not been cleaned professionally recently it probably will take longer that first time. With Maid1.com you can put a limit on how much you pay, as long as you understand that we will do our best in the time that you purchased and that it might not be perfect. We can talk about those choices when you call.

How do I get started with Maid1.com?

You can fill out “Let’s Get Started” or “Contact” form or  call us at 847 238 2485. If we are not picking up please leave a message and I will call you right back. To set up a cleaning it should take just a few minutes, and we can then schedule a day that works for you and for us. I will also be able to give you an idea of how much it will cost right then.

Do you come to … ?

Here is our service area map.

How long will the cleaning take?

We have a team cleaning approach so we are in and out quickly, anywhere from 1 hour for a small apartment to 2 or 3 hours for a bigger house.

How do I pay you?

At this point we accept cash, checks and electronic payments like Chase QuickPay and Zelle. We do not accept credit cards, which allows us to save some money and pass the savings to you. Payment is expected at the end of the cleaning.

When can you come?

We work from Monday thru Friday typically between 7:30 AM and 5 to 5:30 PM (occasionally later). When we set up appointments we start by asking what would work for you, and then try to find something that also works with our schedule. We need to know what days work for you, but also what range of hours works for each of those days. The more flexible you are the easier it is to set up an appointment.

What about cleaning supplies?

We can use our supplies or yours. There is a surcharge to use our chemicals, rags, and vacuum cleaner, but it’s free on the first cleaning. After that you can decide what to do.

We ask you what you prefer to use in your house, and we can make suggestions if you’d like. We use gentle chemicals, that are safe for humans and the environment, but we know how to use them to make your house sparkling clean.

Do I need to be home when you clean?

On the first visit it’s best if you can be at home at least part of the time. It makes sense for you to be there when we start so we can gather some information, and at the end so you can check that everything is looking good.

After that it’s up to you if you want to be at home. If you decide that you are comfortable leaving us in your home it’s fine, but then we have to figure out how we get in. You can consider leaving a key in a lockbox or giving us garage code. We can talk about it at any time.

Do I have choices when it comes to cleaning my home?

Of course. Don’t need basement done – no problem. Need to change sheets – just leave clean ones on the bed. Need to reschedule or skip cleaning – just text me a few days before – no charge, no problem. Want to use your vacuum cleaner or chemicals – we figure it out during our first appointment. We are very flexible and we customize our cleaning to your needs.

Do you come out to give me an estimate?

We do estimates by phone. When we first talk I will give you an idea of how much the cleaning will cost, but you can also put a limit on how much you will pay and say for example: I want to try you for 3 or 4 hours. This way there are no risks and no surprises. This process saves both you and us time, and let’s us keep our prices low.

It’s all fine and great but what is that lake and dead grass doing on your logo?

I’m not sure if that works, but the lake was supposed to convey feeling of peace of mind that you will have when you hire us for your house cleaning needs. And the grass – you know – organic?

Comments? Suggestions?

Should I tip the maids?

If you use Maid1.com for your house cleaning tipping is neither expected nor required. With us it’s simple and straightforward: you pay the quoted price – no hidden fees, no surprises. It doesn’t matter if it’s one time or regularly scheduled cleaning, the same rule applies. We do have a once a year voluntary contribution to a Xmas fund, but that’s another story.

If you feel you want to show appreciation for our hard work you can do it in a variety of ways. Simple thank you, a nice note or a compliment on a job well done will make our day. On hot days some customers might offer our women bottled water or a choice of soda, and we appreciate it. You can also write a nice review for our business online. It’s always great to hear that we have made somebody’s life easier!

Some customers still insist on giving our maids tips, and that’s fine. Maybe their work was exceptionally great, or they had to work harder than usual. Maybe your A/C broke down and we had to sweat a bit more. Those situations are unique and that would be an exception.

Writing a Google review for a local business

The way to write a review changes often, but as of August 2015 this is what works. You need any type of Google Account for example Gmail, You Tube, Voice or a Google + account. On a smart phone it helps if you have Google Maps installed.

– On a desktop do a search for Maid1. Then look for a Write a Review button. You have to log in with your Google Account.

– On a mobile device it’s probably best done with Google Maps app. Again look for Maid1 and then it will take you to our page, where you can rate us.

You know you are in a right place if you see a place where you can give star rating.

I found this useful 3 minute video on You Tube:

On our website I put a link on the home page to our online reviews. Just click here.