Questions about how we clean
The questions Molly hears every week, answered the way she answers them on the phone. If yours isn’t here, text (612) 555-0193.
Booking
How far out are you booked?
A first visit is usually four to six business days out. Mondays and Thursdays are easiest to get. Saturdays have a waitlist and go to recurring clients only.
Do I need to be home while you clean?
No. About two thirds of our clients are at work. Leave a key in a lockbox, share a garage code, or set up a smart-lock code you delete afterward. Keys we hold carry a number tag, never your address.
Will I get the same cleaners every time?
On a recurring plan, yes: the same two people at every visit. If one is out sick or on vacation, we text you the day before with the name of whoever is covering.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
It’s free with 48 hours’ notice. Inside 48 hours it’s $50, since we rarely manage to fill the slot. If the team arrives and can’t get in, it’s $75.
Pricing
Why does the first visit have to be a deep clean?
Because a two-hour standard clean can’t make up for months of dusty baseboards, grout and blinds. Without the deep clean, the first few standard visits would look half done and you would still be paying for them. After that first deep clean, recurring visits drop to the standard price less your discount.
Do you charge by the hour?
Homes get a flat price by size and type of clean, so a slow day is our problem, not yours. Offices are billed at $52 per cleaner-hour, because no two offices are alike.
Is there a travel fee?
No, nowhere in our service area. If you are outside it, we will tell you so instead of charging extra to drive out.
Should I tip?
It’s optional, and every dollar goes to the two people who cleaned. Many one-time clients tip $20 to $40. Plenty of recurring clients tip at the holidays instead of each visit. Our cleaners earn $24.50 an hour or more whether you tip or not.
The clean
Do you bring your own supplies?
Yes: HEPA vacuums, color-coded microfiber (bathroom cloths never go near a kitchen) and fragrance-free products. Want us to use your own vacuum or a product you like? Leave it out with a note.
We have a baby and allergies. What do you clean with?
Fragrance-free, dye-free cleaners by default, a hydrogen peroxide cleaner in bathrooms and no bleach unless you ask for it. Note any allergies when you book and the team lead reads it before the visit.
Will you clean up after my pets?
Pet hair, nose prints on glass and food-bowl mess, yes. We will empty litter boxes if you ask. We don’t pick up pet waste in yards, and if we find an accident indoors we text you before cleaning it.
Do you do laundry or dishes?
We load or empty the dishwasher and hand-wash one sink load. Laundry is an add-on at $25 a load, washed, dried and folded while we clean.
What don’t you clean?
Outside windows above the first floor, carpet shampooing, mold, biohazards, furniture over 50 lb, and hoarding situations, where a specialist does better work than we can. We will point you to one.
Trust and safety
Are your cleaners employees?
Yes. All 29 people at Sundell are W-2 employees with paid time off and workers’ comp. None of them is a contractor, and no one finds your job on an app.
Are you insured and bonded?
$2 million in general liability, a janitorial bond and workers’ comp for every employee. We email a certificate to you, your condo board or your property manager on request.
What happens if something gets broken?
The team tells you the same day, before you find it, and we repair or replace it at fair value. It happened seven times in 2025: mostly glasses, one lamp and one mirror.
Payment
When do you charge my card?
After the clean, once the team has gone and sent the checklist. There is no deposit, and we charge recurring visits one at a time.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes, in any amount from $100. Call or text us and we email the gift card as a PDF the same day. They’re a favorite for new parents and people who just moved.