Cleaning companies for a very deep clean

[mummyandbaby]

My elderly parents house is in desperate need of a very deep clean. It is rundown and hasn't had a proper clean for years. Clearly they are struggling but refuse to accept any help. I've tried for years but they deem me as a nuisance for even suggesting it.

Does anyone know of any cleaning companies who specifically work with the elderly? TIA.

[onsen]

They tend to be very local. We had luck with social workers, who gave us recommendations for suitable companies.

[MrsSup]

If they live in an area with a military presence, companies that offer military 'march out' cleans will scrub their place to within an inch of its life!

[Teaandtoastie]

You could contact Age UK? I’m in the process of organising this for my dad and they have been very helpful.

[Moondancer73]

I spoke to age U.K. and they told me that they don't specifically recommend any companies but if you go on your local councils page they will have a list of buy with confidence companies for every trade you can think of. Good luck.

[Needmoresleep]

A good letting agent will know of firms able to do a 'prof' ie end of tenancy, deep clean, (windows, carpets, upholstery, oven etc) and may help with someone who would be good with the elderly.

If it is worse than that...you need an environmental clean. Specialist cleaners who deal with real challenges. A council housing department would know people in the area who do this work for them.

[Needmoresleep]

I am a landlord, so have a cleaning firm I use a lot. Before a surgery a few years back, I got them to come into my own home as a treat. It was wonderful. They cleaned lampshades, skirtings, went through kitchebn cupboards, polished the bathroom. It was lovely convalesing in a shiny clean house.

If you can get someone in, i think your parents would enjoy the result.

[SomeDayPerhaps]

@needmoresleep if you don't mind me asking how much was it?

[Bayleyf]

If you're in London, look at Fantastic Cleaners. Not cheap, but will do anything reasonable and are happy with a one off job.

[Needmoresleep]

I am central London and would expect to pay around £350 for a prof clean for a three bed house to include oven, carpet steam clean, insides of cupboards, and the outside of windows, in an empty property which is reasonably clean to start with. Essentially two people working efficiently for a full day. So probably around £15 per hour once parking and travel time are taken into account.

It could be more if the property is occupied and grubby (like mine!) but they normally come round and quote. There is a real difference between domestic clean and prof clean.

It will be less outside London, though my experience there is that there, cleaners tend to be less "professional". More normally a couple of school run mums who have a gig of doing one off cleans for the local letting agent. So not the same whirlwind and thus about the same cost.

(Be very wary of people who advertise on the internet. Prof cleans are a real cowboy industry. One very high earning tenant - probably around £half mill pa - tried to argue against using my preferred cleaner on the basis he had found someone for a third the price. I broke costs down and suggested the only way the firm could break even was by paying staff about £2.50 an hour. The tenant could not see a problem in that!)

The good thing with your job is that you could schedule it at the cleaners convenience, which should bring the quote down a bit.

And if you are in central London (and why would you not be....as I plan another foray to the property board to argue the case for London living) my cleaner is fab. And could dig out a couple of suggestions for Dorset as well.