New Client Information
Please review the New Client Intake Packet below for all of the information regarding standard operating procedures for your new cleaning account with North Lake Tahoe Cleaning
Thank you for choosing North Lake Tahoe Cleaning to be your trusted cleaning company. We appreciate your business and aim to provide you with the best cleaning and service possible. We have been serving the North Lake Tahoe area for almost 20 years and have the most professional, experienced, and well-trained cleaners around. We are here to help you whenever you need us.
Table of Contents
Cleaning Services
The following is an outline of what is included in our standard Guest Departure Maintenance Cleaning. Once you or your guests have left the property, this service is designed to get it cleaned and looking great for the next arrival. We understand that you may have unique needs or special requests for your individual property, and we do our best to accommodate those. While this has most likely been discussed and agreed upon during your estimate, please let us know if there is anything additional you need our cleaners to do. We want to ensure that the estimate is accurate and that you are pleased with the cleaning.
Guest Departure Maintenance Cleaning
- General cleaning of all agreed upon rooms
- Kitchen:
- Wash dirty dishes/ run dishwasher
- Clean sink and faucet
- Clean all counter surfaces
- General cleaning inside and outside of all kitchen appliances
- Refrigerator, oven, stovetop, microwave
- Clean hand towel put out
- Bathrooms:
- Clean tubs/shower
- Clean toilet
- Clean sink and faucet
- Wipe counters
- Wipe mirrors
- Clean towels put out as agreed upon
- Bedrooms and Living Areas:
- Make beds with clean bedding
- Wipe surfaces
- Vacuum furniture
- Stage as agreed upon
- Cold ash removed from wood burning fireplace
- All Floors:
- Vacuum and/or mop
- Light dusting throughout house
- All trash emptied
- Towels and linens washed
- Other
- General cleaning of outdoor grill’s grilling surface
- Set out any supplies provided
- Other previously agreed upon duties
Additionally, we offer Deep Cleans for your property. As with any house, after enough repeated use
there will always build up that our Guest Departure Maintenance Cleaning will not fully handle. Deep
Cleans are a much more in-depth cleaning and we generally will spend about twice the amount of time cleaning. While this time is usually spent cleaning all the regular areas more thoroughly, if you would like or need more of the time spent on specific areas please let us know. Should you desire additional cleaning beyond the allotted time, additional time will be billed at a predetermined rate, per man hour. Pricing for deep cleans are set on an individual basis so please let us know if you would like an estimate.
If you have one off, or special cleaning needs we are happy to assist you. This type of cleaning is billed at a predetermined rate, per man hour and is dependent on availability of cleaners.
*We will not use any abrasive cleaners or scrub pads on stainless steel surfaces.
*Most hard water stains will not be completely removed, and abrasive cleaners or scrub pads will not be used unless provided by the owner.
We offer carpet and rug cleaning for your property. The Lake Tahoe area is an incredibly beautiful place, but you and your guest’s enjoyment of it is tough on carpets. Regular cleaning can help extend the life of your carpets and keep your property looking clean and inviting to your guests. While we cannot guarantee that all spots will be removed, we are certified by the IICRC and use the industry’s best practices to clean all soil types. Pricing for carpet and rug cleaning is set on an individual basis so please let us know if you would like an estimate.
Laundry Procedures
Our Laundry Procedure
There is often not enough time during a clean to complete all the dirty laundry generated at your property before the next guest arrives. Because of this, we require you have, at minimum, two complete sets of bedding for all beds and, at minimum, a second set of all towels needed when your property is at maximum capacity. However, we recommend additional sets of linens and towels since these items do get stained, taken, thrown out, and eventually worn out by guests.
Clean bedding and towels are such an important part of ensuring your property is ready for the next guest. We make sure to wash every item that was or might have been used by the previous occupant. This creates a lot of laundry for our cleaners to complete. While we try our best to complete all laundry on site during a clean, many times this is not possible. When this occurs, we put the unfinished laundry into laundry bags, and label the bags with your property’s information on site. The bags are then brought to our facility at the end of the day where they are checked in to our system and inventoried. The laundry is then cleaned, folded, and put back into a corresponding clean laundry bag. The laundry is kept at our facility until the next time your property is cleaned. At that time, it is checked out to the cleaner and they take it back to your property. If there are large breaks between cleanings, we try to return the laundry to your property sooner.
*Please note, we do not clean blankets, mattress pads, decorative pillows, rubber backed bath mats, or comforters. These items are easily ruined by washing and should be cleaned by a laundry professional. Duvet covers can be washed if the property has extra. Extra charges will apply.
What We Need from You
The following items will be covered in your Client Onboarding Checklist
Contact Information
We need your contact information, including: Name, phone number, email address, property address, primary home billing address, other local or emergency contact.
Check-out/Check-in Times
10:00am / 4:00pm11:00am / 5:00pm One of the above Check-out/Check-in times is asked of all our clients. This allows our cleaners enough time to do their jobs properly and prepare your property for the next guests. This is especially important for Back to Back bookings where one party is checking out and another is checking in on the same day. These time frames also give us the necessary window to perform spot inspections. If you allow a guest to have a late check-out or early check-in for a non-back to back booking, please inform us as soon as possible so that our cleaners can plan accordingly and everyone has the best possible experience.
Property Access
Lockbox with Key or Electronic Door Lock; Backup Lockbox with Key We ask that our customers have either a lockbox with a key or an electronic door lock for us to be able to access your property to clean and inspect. Additionally, we ask that you have a backup lockbox with a key somewhere on premises in the event there is a problem with the main point of property access. At times, guests forget to return the main key, batteries run out on electronic locks, etc. We will need to know the code for your main and backup entry methods. If you change your codes, please inform us as soon as possible!
Bed Linens, Towels, and Supplies
Linens per bedPillowcases, bottom sheet, top sheet, duvet cover sheet (recommended)
Towels Kitchen towels, hand towel per bathroom sink, hotel style bath mat per bathroom, makeup towels, one body towel and washcloth per guest at maximum occupancy.
Extra Sets of linens and towels
It is extremely important, especially for back to back cleanings, that your property has at minimum a
second full set of linens for each bed, kitchen towels, bathroom hand towels, hotel style bath mat per bathroom, makeup towels, and set of bath towels per
guest at maximum occupancy. However, we highly recommend having more than that at your property.
Linens and towels will get stained, taken, thrown out, and eventually worn out by guests. Please ask us
if you have questions about proper stocking levels of linens and towels.
Inventory of linens and towels
Please make an inventory of all linens and towels you have at your property. This will help us in keeping track of your stock and informing you when replacements need to be ordered and stocked.
Supplies
Please let us know what consumable supplies you will be providing for guests (toilet paper, paper
towels, soap, etc.) that you would like us to set out. Pictures of how you like supplies presented are
always helpful and our cleaners will do their best to follow them.If you live relatively close to your
property it is always a good idea to make regular visits to check on supply levels, but we realize this is
not always possible for all customers. We will do our best to monitor supplies and let you know when
restocking is needed. It is extremely important that whenever you are at your property you fully stock
your supplies. (See example below).
Here are some common supplies: Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Dish Soap, Dish Sponges, Garbage
Liners (kitchen and smaller cans), Dishwasher Detergent, Laundry Detergent, Hand Soap, Tissues,
etc...
Space for extra linens and towels/Supply Closet
We will need space at your property to keep all extra linens and towels in one place. This can also be a
place where your extra supplies are kept. It is highly recommended that you have at least one locking
closet where extra linens, towels, and supplies are kept. This is a highly effective way to ensure that the
proper amount of linens, towels, and supplies are used by each guest at your property and greatly
reduces the possibility of shortages in these items for the next guests.
Special Requests
If you have any special requirements, guidelines, or cleaning instructions please let us know so that we
can ensure you and your guests are happy with the work we do. Some examples of this could be:
Cleaning with specific products you provide, cleaning unique surfaces, leaving on specific lights, etc.
Feel free to create a house cleaning guide to help our cleaners with special requests, but please keep
in mind that “Less is More” in this situation. A few clear concise requests are helpful, but a long list will
make it difficult to set us all up for success. It is also helpful if the requests are in both English and
Spanish if possible. Let us know if you need recommendations on translation services.
Food in the Refrigerator
Please let us know what you would like us to do with extra food in the refrigerator/freezer. Generally, we will dispose of everything but condiments. Guests do not like to come into the house and find the previous guest’s food in the refrigerator. We will dispose of those remaining items and leave only the condiments as guests tend to see them more as a convenience. We realize that some properties are only used by one family or friends and family so you would prefer us to only dispose of anything that is perishable. If this is the case, please let us know.
Snow Removal and Ice Melt
Please make sure you have dependable snow removal contracted before the first snow of the season. Given the area we live in, snow removal and ice mitigation are particularly important to you, your guests, and us as we access your property in the winter. We realize that it can take time for snow removal companies to get each property cleared during storms, so our cleaners manage the best they are able. Please keep in mind that they will be carrying in cleaning items and equipment, and that many guests coming in are not used to the amount of snow we can get here. We want the best experience possible for everyone and snow removal is a big part of that.
Integrated Booking System
We request that you use our integrated booking system. This is something that we are extremely excited about and our customers have really loved the ease of use and control that it gives you. It is extremely easy to set up. Once in place, any bookings guests make through your Airbnb, VRBO, or other account, automatically requests a cleaning to be scheduled in our system. This greatly reduces the possibility of forgetting to schedule a cleaning. Cancellations and changes are automatic as well. Additionally, you can log into our system directly to schedule and view cleans in the calendar, so you always feel confident your property will be ready for your next guest. Let us know if you have any questions or need any help setting up integrated booking.
Cancellations/Extensions
Please let us know as soon as possible if you have cancellations or extension of your reservations so we can adjust our cleaning schedules. That way our cleaners do not show up to a property that does not need cleaning or to guests that are not scheduled to check out. Our integrated booking greatly helps with this as it will automatically adjust when your guest booking system has an adjustment. Feel free to reach out to us when a change happens though. We appreciate the communication. If our cleaners show up to a property for a scheduled cleaning and are turned away due to the guest extending their stay or no guest having used the property, we will charge a $40 turn away fee. This is to respect our cleaner’s time and fuel expense.
Invoice Payment
As a small family owned community business, it is extremely important to us that you pay your invoices as soon as you receive them. Should an invoice remain open for 30 days we will start reaching out to you for payment. If it remains open beyond 45 days without any communication, unfortunately, we will have to refuse additional service. We greatly appreciate your cooperation with this!
Feedback
We always appreciate your feedback, both positive and negative. Are you happy with the job we are doing? We greatly appreciate you letting us know. Did the cleaners do a great job? They greatly appreciate it when we let them know you told us. Are you unhappy with the job we are doing? Did we miss something? Please let us know as soon as possible so we can try to make things right. As hard as we all try, we are still human and make mistakes. If this happens, let us know so we can correct the issue and continue to improve.
Best Practices and Suggestions
Below are some best practices and suggestions for your property that we have picked up over time. Hopefully, they will help to make your life a little easier.
Locking Closet
We highly suggest having a dedicated locking closet for linens, towels, and supplies. We have found that when these items are not locked up some guests tend to help themselves to extras that they might not actually need. This makes it extremely difficult for our cleaners to have your property ready for your next guests. When locked away, we can ensure that the correct amount of supplies and clean laundry are set out prior to each guest’s stay.
Matching White Linens and Towels
We suggest white linens and bath towels. This is the industry standard and having bright white linens gives the immediate impression of a clean property to your guests. It is also much easier for us to see stains on them. This allows us to give extra care when washing or pull them out of rotation and replace the individual item without having to replace the entire set. This way your guest always feels comfortable with what is set out for them. Hotels set the standard and this is what guests expect.
Protect your Mattress and Pillows
We suggest all mattresses and pillows be protected with mattress covers and pillow protectors. These will help prevent staining on your mattresses and pillows and can more easily be washed and treated when the need arises. This will prolong the life of both your mattresses and pillows.
Electronic/Keypad Lock Access
Having this style of access for your guests and us is extremely convenient and avoids the possibility of a lost key. At times, guests do forget to replace the entry key in the lockbox and these devices can prevent that from happening. Additionally, some electronic systems allow you to remotely monitor when your door is locked or unlocked and give you the ability to remotely control the lock. This gives you extra confidence that your property is secure when you are not there.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats are another device that gives you control and confidence remotely. They can let you use your smartphone to remotely monitor your HVAC system settings. This allows you to adjust your temperature settings when the property is vacant, saving money on utilities. Also, you will know that the system is running and keeping your property at the correct temperature in the winter. Yes, at times, guests will turn off the heat when leaving (even in the winter). While we always do our best to ensure that your system is set at your preferred temperature, a smart thermostat gives an extra layer of confidence and security against this.
Smart/Motion Lighting
Smart lights and motion activated lighting are both great ways to reduce energy usage, provide security, and make sure that guests can safely enter your property in the dark. Smart lights that are connected to your smart phone give you the ability to turn them on or off as needed when your property is not occupied. Motion sensing lights are an easy way to light up walkways and entryways when guests approach. These both help to provide a safe and comfortable environment for your guests!
Pricing
Spring 2023 Pricing
Core Cleanings
Guest Departure Maintenance Cleaning, Deep Cleaning, Office Cleaning, Homeowner Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning, and other related cleanings are all individually priced and determined with an onsite or over the phone estimate. Most properties and situations are unique, so this way all aspects of what is expected in a clean can be discussed and agreed upon.
Service Calls/Maintenance
While not common, at times you may need us to help with something at your property. Below is the pricing breakdown for service calls.
- Drop what you are doing and get over there now! $180/first hour
- Take care of it sometime today $80/first hour
- Take care of it within the next few days at your convenience $65
Prices include up to an hour of work, additional work will be billed at $65/hr.
Hourly Cleaning
If you have special cleaning needs, we are happy to assist you. This type of cleaning is billed on a per man hour basis and is dependent on availability of cleaners.
Current Rate: $47/man hour.
Payment Options
We can take payment in check, ACH (bill pay), Zelle or Venmo. The easiest way to do this is to set us up in your bank’s bill pay system. Invoices are typically emailed the day after service. Again, we do ask for prompt payment as we are a small family owned community business and our cleaners expect to be paid each week. For those whose house turns over frequently, we send out statements twice a month and payments can be made off of the statement amount. Payments delinquent over 45 days may result in discontinuation of service.
Please Note
- We do not clean on the following days. Please manage your calendar so back to back cleanings fall on these days: July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Day.
- If guests have not departed by the check out time and we are turned away and asked to come back later, we may charge a $40 fee to pay for our cleaner’s wasted time.
- Pricing includes (when applicable) laundering one full set of sheets and towels. Additional laundering, extra load of sheets/towels/comforters/etc.
- We ask that you choose one set check-out / check-in time of either 10:00am / 4:00pm or 11:00am / 5:00pm. Like everyone at the lake, we are trying to do more with less. We need this amount of time to adequately clean and inspect same day turnover/ back to backs. We are happy to accommodate late check outs and early check-ins if the cleaning is not for a same day turnover. Just let us know via text. 530-546-4438.
- Scheduling priorities. Given the normal cycles of arrivals and departures of visitors to the Lake, we often can’t clean on the same day of the departure (or scheduled service date in ResortCleaning). We will prioritize cleaning by the next arrival dates. Same day turnovers/back to backs will always get priority and we work down from there. It is extremely important that we know the next arrival dates to better plan our schedule.
- There are a few times during the year when all cleaning companies are completely overwhelmed. These occur when all the visitors to the lake depart and arrive on the same day. Such as following some major holidays and some severe snow storms. We will be well aware of this in advance and will communicate with you early so you can inform your incoming guests of the potential delay. These delays rarely occur but do know we will take care of you as soon as possible.
Again, we want to thank you for choosing us to be your cleaning company and we look forward to working with you!
Owners Chris and Tricia Hall are passionate about their company and the clients they serve. We understand the stresses of owning a vacation home outside your immediate market and the need to have complete trust in a cleaning company that will take care of the unique needs this relationship requires. We consider it a privilege to live in the Tahoe Basin and take seriously the responsibility of keeping your home in top shape. While taking care of our client’s home always comes first, we try
to find the time to get out on the lake or on a trail whenever possible.