Illinois Valley Clean Team, Author at Illinois Valley House Cleaning Services

6 Reasons Why Tipping Your Pro Cleaner Is More Than Welcome

March 14, 2022 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

People know what to expect when going to a business, so tipping for good service is customary, whether it’s on the table, in hand, or inside a tipping jar.

However, when it comes to cleaning services, people have a lot of doubts concerning tipping. Are you supposed to give a gratuity to the cleaner on top of paying for the service?

Usually, the biggest question is, “How much should I tip the maid?” There are no definitive answers, but here are a few reasons why tipping may be a good idea. Don’t fret! These are only recommendations. It’s up to you to tip in the first place.

How much I’m supposed to tip a maid

This blog is by no means a guide you have to follow, but the tipping etiquette has shown that a rule of thumb is giving 10-20% of service.

It also depends on the area you’re living in. New York prices aren’t the same as in Los Angeles. Illinois Valley stands in a comfortable middle ground, so consider it if you decide to tip.

Here are the six reasons why you might consider tipping your maid.

Reason #1: It’s a one-time cleaning (or a tall order)

Whether you’re a new customer or returning client, chances are your home needs a deeper cleaning, and it’s always a lot of work for a maid, especially if your house is way too messy.

After the service, you may reward your maid’s bigger effort to clean your dirty kitchen and unkempt bathroom by tipping generously.

Reason #2: The maid came from far

Traffic can get unexpectedly bothersome for a house cleaner to get on time, or it can be a long way to reach your property. Always keep in mind the time and hassle it takes to reach your home when deciding if you tip.

Reason #3: You hired a last-minute service

Cleaning services always do their best to be readily available at all times; however, there’ll be moments when it’s difficult to accept everyone’s request. Consider a larger tip when the maid is making the time in their packed schedule to help you with your home.

Reason #4: The cleaner might depend on tips

An independent maid charges less, but their rates might not cover a minimum or a living wage. Tipping is a way to close that gap. However, consider if you really want to hire an independent maid. Most aren’t insured and bonded, while a cleaner in a larger company has these benefits.

Reason #5: It’s the holidays

Close the year with the holiday spirit and give an extra tip. You can be flexible in this situation; tipping in cash is the norm, but a gift card, a small present, or a “thank you” will be more than welcome.

Reason #6: You’re satisfied with the cleaning service

It would be best to reward your maid for an exceptional cleaning service. Tipping is a “Thank you” in the language of service, and if you’re delighted with the results, a larger tip means “Thank you very much!”

Note: If you didn’t like the cleaning job for some reason, that’s ok; tip the bare minimum or don’t tip at all. Doing this will communicate that your maid could do better next time. Also, remember that tipping is always welcome but never mandatory—even if you are happy with the service!

Do you need a professional cleaner? Hire the best!

The Illinois Valley Clean Team is ready to help you if you need professional house cleaning. We stand by our guarantee of giving the best service. Our trustworthy cleaners use the latest equipment and top-quality products to meet your expectations!

Request your free quote here!

Maintain Your Vacuum Cleaner By Avoiding These 5 Mistakes

February 28, 2022 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Vacuum cleaners can break so easily if you’re not careful. If you want to know how to avoid it, we’ll tell you five mistakes you must never make.

Do you need time off from your chores? Illinois Valley Clean Team will take it from here!

Messy Rooms? 5 Tips To Get Your Kids Cleaning!

February 14, 2022 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Kids are energetic and playful. Most of the time, that carefree mindset clashes with order and cleanliness, so chances are you’ve run into their messy bedrooms and dirty laundry across the floor.

If you want your children to learn the value of taking care of personal spaces, we’ll tell you # tips on how to teach a child to clean their room.

Tip #1: Set your priorities straight

For some people, having kids cleaning can be concerning because it might look like they’re working. But it’s more about letting them in on the whole group of activities, which make a better home. You’ll teach a lesson in responsibility, not assigning work.

Having your children do these chores will show them how to be responsible for their belongings. Also, by developing the habit of cleaning, they will enjoy their free time even more after having these small achievements.

Tip #2: Plan accordingly to your children’s age

If you plan well a cleaning schedule for your kids, you’ll have a daily routine that will ensure proper learning in a way it won’t bore them. Of course, make it accordingly with age-appropriate chores. You’re not managing a workforce.

You can give easier tasks to smaller kids, like clearing up clutter from their toys, while older children can dust hard to reach places and make their beds.

If you wonder how old your kids should be before planning all of this, it’s better until the age of 4, so these lessons go hand in hand with their education.

Tip #3: Understand your children’s denial

Some kids want all play and no work, so they won’t take requests very well, resulting in the classic temper tantrum.

If this happens, here are three ways to help your kid to comply:

Remove a benefit: Take away playtime or electronics until the task is done.
Give them two choices: Instead of giving orders, let your child pick one of two activities.
Reward them for their effort: You can also give them extra playtime or a small but significant gift for doing the chore.

You must remember to be patient. If your kids see that you’re willing to meet them halfway, it will improve their behavior and ensure future success in different aspects of their life.

Tip #4: Break chores into smaller tasks

When making your children clean, you must be very specific about the tasks at hand. If you tell them where the laundry goes or which trash bin do food wrappers belong to, it’ll reinforce your kid’s understanding of the things that add up to a clean room. Don’t be afraid to help them at first.

In time, to tell them to “clean the room” is enough for them to do all the related tasks.

Tip #5: Take a supporting role

Once your children get the hang of cleaning their room, step aside but keep encouraging them. If they see you paying them attention and cheering them on, they’ll make an effort to keep their beds neat and floors cleared. Be always supportive.

Bonus tip: Not all time should be clean-up time

At the end of the day, what matters most is to have quality time together as a family. If you need to rest from all the dusting and mopping, hiring a cleaning service is a great choice and Illinois Valley Clean Team is a safe bet.

Click here to get a free quote and enjoy more free time with your loved ones.

5 Natural Alternative Cleaners To Forget About Bleach

January 24, 2022 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Chlorine bleach is a widely used cleaning product and disinfectant. However, this chemical is too harsh to use as your go-to cleaner! Instead, you could use these five alternatives.

Illinois Valley Clean Team uses high-quality and safe cleaning supplies. Get your free quote here!

Paper Towels Vs. Cloths: Which One Is More Eco-Friendly?

January 10, 2022 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

Let’s be honest: most people trying to clean up a spill would reach for a paper towel or cloth without making a distinction. Both cleaning tools will get the job done, no doubt.

However, when you consider the environmental impact, you may see the choice in a different light.

Which one is more eco-friendly, paper towels or cloths? There are no easy answers in this regard. Read on to dive further into the topic!

Paper towels

Paper towels are biodegradable and come from a renewable source. However, most paper towels lose against any reusable cleaning cloth for more than one reason when considering their environmental impact. Here are just a few:

Paper may contain chemicals: Have you ever thought about why paper towels are white? It’s because manufacturers bleach them with chemicals like chlorine! Also, other chemicals like formaldehyde can be found in paper towels.
Trees are cut down to make paper: Most paper towels are made from trees. Sure, trees might be a renewable resource, but they take several years to grow.
They’ll likely end up in a landfill: The fact that paper towels are disposable is enough to turn them into a big concern. Whenever you can reuse, that’s the way to go!

Cleaning cloths

As you may imagine, the environmental impact of a reusable cleaning cloth depends greatly on its materials. You can find everything from organic cotton cloths to synthetic microfiber cloths.

However, the manufacturing process can also affect how eco-friendly a cleaning cloth is. Microfiber made from recycled plastic is gentler with the environment than when it’s made from virgin materials. In the same way, natural fibers like cotton are not necessarily more eco-friendly.

Tips for choosing eco-friendly paper towels or cloths

Picking a product with a low environmental impact is not always easy. However, even trying it is worth it! Here are general tips that might help you choose the best product from the available options.

1. Don’t fall from greenwashed products!

Manufacturers can claim many things to mislead customers into buying their products. Greenwashing occurs when the manufacturer suggests their products are eco-friendly—but they aren’t!

However, avoiding greenwashed products can be more challenging than it seems! Learn the most you can about the towels before buying: Do they contain chemicals? Where do they come from? Do a quick research before buying a new cloth or paper towel.

2. Choose reusable over convenient

Disposable paper towels can be much more convenient because you can skip the washing. However, all that waste has to arrive somewhere! In most cases, a good-quality, reusable cloth beats any disposable towel.

3. Recycle whenever possible

Did you know that even cotton isn’t entirely eco-friendly? If you want to reduce the environmental impact of cleaning with a cloth, first consider if you really need to buy brand-new cloths. Instead, you can cut out several small rags from an old t-shirt!

Do you need help with the chores? Let Illinois Valley Clean Team help!

Keeping your home clean and healthy can be a hassle: from choosing the cleaning supplies to scrubbing and wiping every surface.

If you need a break from your cleaning chores, you can count on the Illinois Valley Clean Team! Our staff uses the latest equipment, cleaning supplies, and procedures to ensure you a spotless home. Request your free estimate today!