The free checks and plain questions that tell a Toledo homeowner or renter who is coming into the house, with Ohio's consumer complaint tools and the cautions an older home needs.
Letting a cleaner into your home means trusting someone with your keys, your belongings and, in a lot of Toledo houses, finishes that are close to a century old. A few free checks and the right questions sort out most of the risk before the first visit.
This guide walks through the Ohio tools available to anyone, what to ask any cleaning company, and the details that matter in Toledo's housing.
The Ohio Attorney General's office runs a free online search of consumer complaints its Consumer Protection Section has received. You can search by business name, phone number, city or county. The search returns summaries rather than full files, and a pattern of complaints about missed visits, damage or billing tells you a lot.
The same office takes new consumer complaints through an online form. It is worth knowing that before you need it: if a company takes a deposit and does not show, or charges for work that was not done, that is where to report it. Keep your booking confirmation, messages and any photos together in case you have to file.
A company that sends its own people should be able to answer each of these clearly and in writing before anyone comes to the house.
About 31 percent of Toledo's housing was built in 1939 or earlier, and about 58 percent before 1960. Paint from before 1978 can contain lead, and Toledo's Lead Safe program requires one to four unit rentals built before 1978 to hold a Lead-Safe Certificate, with dust wipe tests on floors, window sills and window wells.
Ask any cleaner how they handle old paint. The right answer is wet wiping with soft cloths, no sanding, no scraping, no abrasive pads and no power tools on painted trim. A cleaner who plans to scrub peeling paint off a sill is creating a hazard, not removing one.
Most Toledo homes are detached houses, about 65 percent of all housing units, and many have a front door, a side door to the driveway and a back porch. Decide which door the cleaner will use, and give access to that one only. A lockbox or a smart lock code you can change later is simpler and safer than copying keys.
If you rent, check the lease before handing out a key or code. About 47 percent of Toledo homes are rented, and many leases limit who can be given access or require notice to the landlord.
Pay by card through a booking system rather than cash at the door. A card payment leaves a record of what was booked, what it cost and when it was charged, which is the first thing the Attorney General's office or your card issuer will want if anything goes wrong. Be cautious with any company that wants a large cash deposit up front, especially for a one-time job.
Get the scope in writing, too. A clear checklist of what a visit covers, and what it does not, prevents most disagreements.
Put away valuables, medications and anything fragile you would rather handle yourself. Secure pets in one room or let the company know about them ahead of time. In winter, clear a path to the door the cleaner will use; Toledo averages about 40 days a year with at least an inch of snow on the ground, and an icy back step is a hazard for anyone carrying equipment.
The questions Toledo homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Toledo and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
