Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
UpperCrust Maids is a house cleaning company that targets upscale communities and families that enjoy keeping a beautiful home. At this time we specialize in cleaning single family homes, townhouses, and duplexes which are less than 3,000 square feet. We rarely take on condos or apartments but we are able to offer referrals to those who live in condos. We also take on commercial accounts. PRESS HERE if interested in commercial services.
Below is a sampling of some of our most frequently asked questions:
Are your employees in this country legally? Yes. We do not hire anyone who is not here legally.
Do you have any before/after pictures? Yes, and I plan to update them from time to time and add to the library of pictures. The problem is that as owner of the company, I don’t get out into the field as often as I would like to take the pictures. PRESS HERE to view a few of them.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We prefer credit cards. We accept checks but ask that clients keep a credit card on file.
How much do you charge? Visit our RATES page by pressing HERE
Are your prices comparable to other local cleaning companies? There are different types of cleaning companies out there, just as there are different types of restaurants or eateries. For example, if you choose to eat at a fast food restaurant, you would not expect the same level of service that you would at a 4 star restaurant. UpperCrust Maids is a top quality cleaning company and our rates are comparable to other similar companies in the area. We are, of course, more costly than the run-of-the-mill cleaning establishments. This is not a company for people who are on a tight budget. There is a cost for consistent quality and we understand that we are not the right fit for everyone.
I’m looking to pay the lowest possible rate. Any advice? Yes, PRESS HERE for advice on how you may get a dirt cheap cleaning.
Do you run specials? – Yes. Sign up for our mailing list and we will send out coupons from time to time. To get on our mailing list, look to the right and scroll up. There is a form over there. Also, be certain to check our Facebook page for discount details. You get an automatic $10 discount for “liking” us on Facebook, plus any other special we are running! PRESS HERE
Is it true that most of your clients are attorneys. Yes, that’s true. At any given time, 65% of our clients are attorneys and we have several couples who are attorneys. We accept all clients, of course regardless of profession.
What happens if I have a complaint about service? Unfortunately, no matter how good a company is, they will eventually receive a complaint. I take complaints very seriously. If it’s a small issue, we just ensure that we take note of it and the employees will cover it next cleaning. Larger issue, we deduct from your next cleaning (if you can wait). If you cannot wait, we will send someone back to re-clean the area of concern. Most families prefer to wait.
Now…..if there is a chronic problem, meaning that the same issue keeps cropping up, then we re-train the cleaning tech in question because clearly something is wrong beyond an occasional oversight. If the situation persists with a particular cleaning tech, we ultimately will release the person. We can trace the problems to particular techs based on the areas of the home at issue. We know which tech cleans which parts of a home. So if the kitchen is a consistent issue, we know who cleaned it. Same for bathrooms, living rooms, etc. And if we find that the same cleaning tech is having issues even after re-training, we release them. And that’s a good thing because clearly this is not the right profession for them and they would do better to find a more appropriate career path.
Safety and Privacy Policies
How are keys stored?
In an unmarked key box, which is in a hidden location. Your address is not attached to the key. We prefer that clients purchase a lockbox and issue us a code but at this time, we do accept keys. We are considering not accepting keys in the near future, as lockboxes are simpler for all involved. You may purchase a lockbox from Home Depot or online and they are reasonably priced. You can get a good lockbox for $22. You would only need to put it out on the day of the cleaning.
Does your company have rules of confidentiality? - Yes. We are not in your home to snoop, judge, or mind your business. Our employees are in your home for one reason: To clean! Employees are not allowed to discuss clients with each other.
Hygiene Policy
Employees do not touch blood or any types of bodily fluids or waste. If you have blood stains on anything in your home, we ask that you remove it.
We do not handle any form of animal droppings. That would include cat litter, dog waste, and droppings from rodents.
Cancellation and Holiday Policies
What if I need to reschedule or cancel an appointment?
You can reschedule or cancel an appointment by sending us an email at UpperCrustMaids@gmail.com , or call the office at (301) 322-7112. We ask that as a courtesy, clients give us 24 hours notice—and 48 hours would be even better. We do not charge for cancellations; however, if a client consistently cancels without notice, we will discontinue service to the home. (Twice is considered consistent)
What happens if my routine cleaning falls on a holiday?
We schedule a month in advance and will contact you to let you know if we have an employee willing to work that day and to determine whether or not you want to reschedule. Employees choose the days they want off and often elect to work on certain holidays. We do close on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The other holidays are touch and go, as some employees do not celebrate certain holidays and desire to work.
Window Cleaning Policy
Do you clean windows? - Yes and no. Window cleaning is a specialty area which takes a great amount of time. If you want to have expert window service, please contact a window company that specializes in cleaning windows. They will clean the inside and outside windows. What we do here is clean only inside windows that are reachable and only on an “as needed” basis.
Blinds, Draperies: Cleaning Policy
Like windows, blinds also are a specialty area. For expert blind cleaning, hire a company that specializes. Our employees will dust off blinds but we don’t offer expert blind cleaning.
What happens if a maid breaks something in our home?
Employees are told to inform us immediately if an item is broken and they are to leave you a note. We will inform you if anything is ever broken. And we will either pay for it directly or have you subtract its worth from the next cleaning. Rarely do any items get broken (beyond an occasional glass or cup).
Pick Up Policy
Please be certain that all toys and clothes, etc. are picked up from your floors prior to the cleaning techs arriving to clean. Pick-ups take extra time so we ask that families prepare the homes for cleaning by picking up. PRESS HERE to read a blog article that I wrote regarding pick-ups.
Products & Equipment Policy
Do I need to provide any cleaning products or supplies?
Products, no. UpperCrust Maids, LLC supplies all cleaning products and equipment unless you have specific items you would prefer we use.
Supplies: We ask that families supply us with a toilet brush to use in their homes. If you don’t have one, please purchase one. If you have bathrooms on more than one level, please be sure to have a toilet brush for each level.
Also, in the kitchen, we prefer to use the family’s own wash cloths, sponges and towels. We will use our own if necessary but prefer to use the family’s due to the nature of the kitchen in terms of hygiene and cleanliness. We use our own rags in all the other rooms. By the way, all of our own rags are clean. I want to be clear about that. But I am picky and would prefer to use the family’s own cloths in the kitchen. I have a “thing” about kitchens. Personal quirk.
***One more thing. We are human and things happen. There has been an occasional circumstance where a vacuum cleaner has gotten clogged or for whatever reason, stopped working. In such instances, employees have used the client’s vacuum cleaner and there has never been an issue. The employees would only use something of yours if ours malfunctions. In cases where vacuums have gotten broken, etc., I have them fixed immediately.
What name brands do you use?
Our services are customized to each client and what we use in House-A may be totally different from what we use in House-B, the house next door. We use a variety of environmentally safe products that clean well and are safer for families. In residences, we use a variety of products [based on needs of home], ranging from BioGreen Clean, Odoban, Simple Green, Dr. Bronner’s soap and Bar Keepers Friend. There are several other products that we use too…and we are always experimenting to ensure we are offering the best and safest out there.
Parking and Ticket Policy
We love DC but DC has some serious traffic as well as parking issues. At this time we can only take on a DC residence under the following circumstances:
(1) Employees can park on your property or in your parking spot
(2) You live in an area of DC that is not highly monitored by meter maids
(3) You have a parking permit to loan us on cleaning day
Do you have a referral policy? Yes. And it’s simple. You receive a FREE cleaning for every person who books with us as a result of your referral.
How many cleaning techs will clean my home? First time cleaning, 2 or 3 will clean your home. For ongoing cleanings, you will most likely have 2 cleaning techs in your home, as they work in pairs.
What should I do to prepare for cleaning service?
a. If you have anything that could possibly break sitting on a table that needs to be dusted, please remove it.
b. If there are a great number of toys, etc. in an area that needs to be vacuumed or mopped, please find a place to store it.
c. Place fresh linens on the beds if you would like us to remake the bed with clean linens. We change one bed as part of regular service. Additional beds are charged at $7 per bed (due to the amount of time that linen adds to the time in the home).
d. Because we wipe and/or dust picture frames, please check to ensure that they are on sturdy hooks. Likewise we do clean mirrors, so double check to ensure that the mirrors are on sturdy hooks.
e. Regarding animals, we are animal friendly.
Almost all of our homes that we service have either a cat or dog and our employees love animals and are kind to animals. We take extra care to ensure that your animals don’t sneak out of the door (yes, some of them attempt to sneak out)
PITT BULLS and potentially dangerous guard dogs
(Pitt Bull)
95% of our clients have pets and we are animal lovers. However, we will not allow employees to go into a home where a Pitt Bull is walking loose, unrestrained and unmonitored. I know that yours is sweet, but they are known to turn on owners, children, babies, friends and strangers. We’ll only take on a house where a Pitt Bull resides if it will be caged while employees are there or if the owner is there to keep an eye on him/her. GO HERE for information regarding the ban on Pitt Bulls in PG County.
Do you arrive at the time you indicated?
Our cleaning techs clean 2 – 3 houses a day. If you are the first on schedule, the cleaning tech will arrive on time unless an emergency arises or there is traffic congestion. Beyond that, we can offer you a window of time, generally a 45 minute window.
Do I need to be home when you arrive?
No….However, for the initial cleaning, it would be great for you to be there at least for a few minutes to meet the cleaning techs assigned to your home. After that, no, you won’t need to be home. 99.9% of our clients are at work or leave to run errands when the techs are in the house cleaning.
Are you a franchise? No, we are not a franchise. We are a family owned company. The advantage of using a family owned vs. franchise is that we actually care about your home. Most franchises care about selling more franchises.
Should I give tips?
The employees do not expect tips or gifts of any kind. However, the cleaning techs are permitted to accept tips should you choose to leave a tip as recognition for exceptional cleaning service. (please don’t feel obligated)
Are you feeling guilty about hiring a cleaning company?
Approximately 20% of those who contact us say they feel guilty about not cleaning their own homes. Don’t feel guilty! Didn’t you clean enough when you were growing up? Use your free time to do something you enjoy!
If your question was not answered above, email it to me at uppercrustmaids@gmail.com and I’ll respond almost instantly! My Blackberry is my constant companion.
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