Before you hand over a key
How to hire a residential cleaner here
This directory lists crews. It does not employ, bond, or guarantee them. You call them. Ask these yourself.
Your supplies or theirs?
Ask who brings the bottles. Say pet and finish constraints before the first visit.
Pets in the home?
Name the species. Ask if the dog needs to be crated. Say if anyone is home.
Bonded and insured?
Ask to see the certificate and the bond. We mark a row "not stated" unless they showed us a certificate. We do not insure them.
Inside clean or move-out?
Weekly visits and a move-out reset price differently. Get both numbers in writing.
Who is in the house?
Name the people. Ask who holds the key.
Same crew next time?
Ask if the same people come back. If they rotate, get that in writing.
Watch-outs
- They will not show a certificate.
- They will not name who walks in.
- A new crew shows up with no heads-up.
Why Google ratings matter
Neighbors open Google before they call. They scan stars and recent notes, then decide if a cleaner looks real and reachable. A thin or silent profile loses that job. SteadyRank keeps the follow-up loop after a closed job ($297/mo). No rank promise. No lead cut.
Before you book a cleaner
- State business license
- Search the business name on the Washington Department of Revenue — Business Lookup. It shows whether the business holds an active Washington business license. No match is not proof of a problem (the license may be under an owner’s name), but it is a fair question to ask.
- Insurance and bonding
- Ask whether the company carries liability insurance and a janitorial bond, and whether the people who come are employees or subcontractors. A one-person business may carry neither; that is your call to make.
- Keys, pets and walk-through
- Agree in writing on what “standard” and “deep” clean include, who holds a key or code, and what happens if something breaks. Do a walk-through after the first visit.
Links checked on 2026-10-08. This is general guidance, not legal advice.