@shelbyjazz I asked around. I never hire anyone for any job unless I know someone who has used the particular service. Always gone for “word of mouth” recommendations . This cleaning service came highly recommended by someone my son knew. Very happy with the cleaning team!

I think this is a real concern. I have talked to most of my friends about their cleaning people whether it's an individual or a team and they all say, prepare yourself to have your furniture, legs, dented, and a few have had things stolen. Of course I think there are a few that have had people long-term and are happy with them even though everything's not perfect. But even when I clean, everything is not perfect! When I interviewed Cleaners one woman who was an individual, who, for various reasons, I could not hire because she couldn't work the days I wanted, did give me a word of advice. She said to avoid "teams" that they often are the most likely to steal. Several of them, sort of scope things out and act as a diversion while one of them will take stuff. I don't know. Personally, I hate having strangers in my house.

We're planning to move into an independent living community that wraps in twice-a-month housekeeping, and I've been looking into lockable cabinets for sensitive financial papers, medicine, jewelry, etc. I'm not fussed about damage -- it's not as if I've never damaged something while cleaning. But I am concerned about privacy and the potential temptations created by leaving small valuable objects or medications easily accessible.

Having a friend refer someone is one way to make it more likely the person is trustworthy. If you hire someone from a service, ask about how they go about vetting their staff, and make sure they carry appropriate insurance. It's also possible to pay a firm to vet a potential employee if you want to hire directly.

While I'm at it, if you haven't looked at your homeowner's insurance to see if you are covered if an individual you have directly hired gets hurt while working for you, you should do that. And think about how you will pay them and how you and they will handle income taxes, etc. If you pay a service, they will handle all that, of course. Once upon a time, someone working on our house stepped in a gopher hole in the back yard and broke an ankle -- it really caused me to pay more attention to this sort of thing.

Look for 'bonded' services where the onus is on the service provider/employer as much as it is 'on you' to ensure your security and privacy.

Interview the provider AND the actual service rep who comes to clean your home. It must be a comfortable fit. Your spidey sense will help here. If you are likely to get two or three individuals coming on a revolving basis, insist on meeting each one of them.

Middle-aged and older cleaners might be more reliable than younger cleaners. I hate to 'go there', but the chances are a middle-aged person is more stable, less dependent, more mature, and has a better work ethic.,,by this point in their lives. They have more learning and scruples, generally, as they mature. And, they're generally more comfortable between their ears with who they are, including all their 'misses'. Happens to all of us who are sane and reasonable.