Asenso cleaning services

You've been cleaning your home yourself for years. You have your regular products, you know which stains disappear with what, and you're not averse to an hour of mopping or vacuuming. But then there comes a time when you wonder: should I really keep doing this myself, or is it wiser to outsource? Practical advice from Asenso cleaning services. 

That question comes up more often than you think. Not because you are lazy or because your house suddenly becomes too big, but because the situation changes, at work or in your family. Your time becomes scarce, the job bigger, or you find that certain cleaning chores keep getting pushed back because you simply don't get around to them.

For most regular cleaning, doing it yourself is the logical choice. Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning the bathroom, touching up the kitchen - these are jobs you can get done in an hour or an hour and a half, and for which you don't need a professional. You know your home, you know where the trouble spots are, and with the right products, you'll manage just fine.

The costs are limited to the products you use. A good plunger, floor cleaner, sanitary cleaner and some general cleaning products will cost you no more than 50 to 75 euros a year all together. The advantage of doing it yourself is complete control. You decide when you clean, how thoroughly you work, and what products you use. For people with allergies or specific preferences for ecological products, this is an important point. You don't have to explain to anyone how you want it done, you just do it.

But there are situations where cleaning yourself is not the smartest choice, even for people who normally take care of everything themselves.

Big jobs are the first tipping point. A revamp after a renovation, cleaning after a move, or a thorough spring clean where you do curtains, windows, cupboards and ceilings: these are projects that easily take a whole day or more. Time you may not have, or would rather spend on other things.

• A private cleaning company works with several people at once, has professional equipment, and finishes much faster than you would be on your own. What takes you a weekend, they do in a few hours. The question then becomes not whether it is more expensive, but whether that time is worth it.
• Structural busyness is a second reason. If you fall behind on cleaning every week because work, family or other commitments take priority, household chores pile up. Then, cleaning no longer becomes a regular maintenance chore, but a chore you constantly dread.
• Specific surfaces or materials are a third factor. Marble, natural stone, parquet, antique furniture - these are materials you need to be careful with. The wrong product or too aggressive brushing can cause damage that is expensive to repair. Professional cleaners know which products and techniques go with which materials, and have insurance in case something does go wrong.

The cost of a cleaning company ranges between 25 and 45 euros per hour, depending on the region and the type of work. For a standard house of 100 square metres, most companies charge between 2.5 and 4 hours for a thorough cleaning. That works out to between 75 and 160 euros a time.

If you compare that to doing it yourself, it seems expensive. But you have to be honest about what your own time is worth. If you spend four hours doing something that a professional does in two hours, and you earn 25 euros an hour in your work, doing it yourself actually costs you 100 euros in missed income. Surely that makes the trade-off different than it may seem at first glance.

Companies like Asenso cleaning services offer individuals different packages, from one-off big jobs to structural weekly or fortnightly appointments. The advantage of such a company is that you don't have to organise yourself - they arrange staff, materials and scheduling.

Daily practice is often not so black and white. Many people opt for a combination: they do the daily maintenance themselves, but outsource bigger jobs. Think of window cleaning three times a year, having curtains washed, or having the kitchen thoroughly degreased after the winter.

This approach works well because you keep control over your daily living environment, but don't get bogged down in big chores that get left behind. You use your own products for regular cleaning, and engage professionals for the jobs you are reluctant to do or don't have the time for.

When it's best to hire cleaning services depends on your situation, your budget, and how much you value your own time. For most people, regular cleaning you do yourself with good products, big jobs you discuss with a professional, and structural help you consider if you fall behind weekly. If cleaning every week is a frustration and it keeps getting left behind, it costs more energy than it brings in. Then outsourcing is not a luxury, but a wise choice.