Broomstick has been serving the Greater Seattle / East Side market since 1992. A significant number of our current clients have been with us since that time. We feel that this record of client retention speaks volumes about the quality and success of our personalized approach to taking care of your home.
Who cleans my home?
All Broomstick housekeepers are our employees and legally work in the U.S. They undergo stringent background and reference checks, are formally trained in Broomstick cleaning methods, insured, bonded and are able to communicate effectively in English. Working in teams of two and three our dedicated team housekeeping approach assures you of consistent, efficient, high-quality housekeeping relationship that includes the ability to easily communicate by written note or in person with all the housekeepers assigned to your home.
Will the same housekeeper always clean my home?
Under normal circumstances, the same housekeeping team will always be the one to clean your home. From time to time, as in all businesses, employees will move on to other pursuits or become unavailable due to illness or other pressing personal matters. If a team member is temporarily unavailable on the day assigned for your service, a suitable substitute will be assigned. If an assigned housekeeper becomes permanently unavailable, a new one will be assigned. In that event, the team supervisor will thoroughly review all practices and procedures specific to your custom service and introduce you to the new member of her team if you are available. From that time forward, the new team member will be permanently assigned to you.
Do I have to be home while cleaning takes place?
No. In fact, most clients prefer to have their homes cleaned while they are out or at work. If your home is equipped with a security system, please make the necessary arrangement to give the housekeeping team access to your home on the scheduled day. If you would like to give us an alarm code, we will see that it is safe in our multi password-protected computer system and provided only to your dedicated team supervisor and the owners of Broomstick.
Do I leave a set of keys with Broomstick? Where and how are the keys kept?
It is a practice of Broomstick Cleaning to keep keys which clients entrust to us. The keys are kept locked up in the office in an area only accessible to the owners or a trusted supervisor in their absence. Additionally, they are coded for identification in a way that makes it impossible for anyone not privy to the code to know what home or client they belong to. They are distributed each morning to your team supervisor and checked in each evening by either Bruce or Liz or in our absence, by a trusted supervisor. You can be sure that security of your home and the safety of your family are of the utmost importance to Broomstick Cleaning.
What are your rates?
Our pricing is completely individualized as are the services we can provide. Our years of experience have helped us learn that every home is as unique as the people living there. We base our per service pricing on many factors, including the number and age of family members, the presence of pets, clutter, your lifestyle, decor and furnishings and the frequency of service. That is why we consult with you in your home prior to providing service, take detailed notes during a consultation and complete a detailed client task list that documents exactly what you require each service and the per service price agreed to during our initial consultation. The task list then becomes a part of your permanent Broomstick client file.
Can I just get a ballpark figure of how much it will cost to clean my home?
Based on the information you provide, we will provide a “ballpark” quote for services over the phone or in response to an internet inquiry using our “Free Estimate” page on the website. However, these estimates are just that; estimates. We can’t tell you where the price for cleaning will fall sight unseen. Because every home and family is unique, we base our pricing on factors like clutter, pets, number and age of people in your family, furnishings and décor, your lifestyle and your particulars and preferences all of which affect the way we clean and so, impact the price. That’s why we consult with you in your home before giving you a firm price.
What do customers provide for the cleaning?
Broomstick housekeepers will bring all required materials and equipment with them for all normal cleaning tasks. In some instances, the client may have specific requirements or may prefer certain products for specific applications. These preferences are noted when you sign up for service and will be accommodated by your dedicated Broomstick housekeeping team as long as the specified products are made available by the client.
Do I have to commit to a long-term contract?
No, we do not bind you to the service in any way. You can start and end at any time. Should you request our services on a regularly scheduled basis, you will be scheduled indefinitely in advance to reserve your day based on the frequency of service you select. Should you choose to reschedule or cancel services, simply call our office a minimum of two business days in advance. Broomstick Cleaning retains customer loyalty by providing exceptional service – not through binding contracts.
How do I make payment?
Payment for service is due on the day service is provided. Simply place your payment (check or cash) on an agreed location such as your kitchen counter or dining table and leave it out for the team supervisor before you depart for the day, or you can provide the payment directly to your dedicated team supervisor if you’re home. Some clients with weekly and bi-weekly service prefer to pay in advance by using payment services offered by their bank. Not accepting credit cards or carrying receivables makes a significant contribution to keeping our rates down and affordable.
What about my pet?
Broomstick Cleaning realizes that pets are family! Please advise us if you have pets before we clean. We can be prepared when we arrive at your home. We don’t want to upset your pet with the introduction of new people, smells and noises. In some cases, pets that tend to be hyperactive, aggressive or in fear of unfamiliar people are better kept away or restricted to allow us to clean your house better with less stress on your pet. Just tell us what works best for you and your pet and we will work with you to accommodate those needs. We love animals too and all our employees are selected in part for their love of animals.
Do you guarantee your work?
Happy, satisfied clients are our highest priority. If any area or item we were scheduled to clean is unacceptable; do not re-clean the area, call either Bruce or Liz within 24 hours and we will take care of it immediately and make sure that it does not reoccur in the future. It is important to us that we provide the very best service available to all of our clients. If there are any issues or problems with Broomstick service, they will be personally attended to by an owner of the company at the earliest time possible. It is our goal to make you a Broomstick client for life.
How do I know your service fits my needs?
Our published standard program is based on the most common tasks requested by our clients but is by no means all we are willing to do. It is our standard practice to address individual client needs from the outset of service. In our view, every Broomstick client is “special” and will be treated as such. The only measure of our success is your complete satisfaction. That’s why our motto is, Affordable custom housekeeping with integrity and a smile.”
If there is a problem, who can I call?
If you see a problem while a Broomstick housekeeper is in your home, you can talk to them directly. They have been specifically trained to understand that your satisfaction is the number one measure of their performance. They will make immediate efforts to correct the problem. If you find a problem area after service has been performed or if you are for any reason not comfortable discussing the issue with your dedicated housekeeper, we hope you will call either Liz or Bruce, the owners and the issue or problem will be dealt with immediately and permanently.
Do you use environmentally safe cleaning products?
Like most citizens of the Great Northwest, we are very environmentally conscientious. Through extensive research and in that spirit we have developed a cleaning system comprised of state of the art equipment, materials and cleaning solutions that address what we believe to be the most important aspects of our profession. They are number one; delivering an exceptionally clean home for our clients and number two; professional, environmentally safe, eco-friendly, housekeeping practices. Additionally, we retain on file the manufacturers EPA required MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) on all products and cleaning solutions used. Any or all can be made available upon request. If any of these products do not meet with your approval we are happy to substitute one provided by you. Keeping the environment within your home comfortable, clean and safe for your family is our number one priority.
