Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve been asked just about every question in the book. Whether you’re looking for deep cleaning or just the typical upkeep and maintenance home cleaning, here is the list of all our most frequently asked questions regarding standard home cleaning services.
New Customer
How to decide which service to purchase for my home?
Thanks for considering TB Cleaning for your regular house cleaning. We believe our clients should have all the information in order to make an informed decision, so read below:
ONE TIME VISITS:
When to decide for Deep clean or Standard clean?
This decision should be made on 2 factors. House condition and budget:
House condition: Homes that have not been cleaned for over 30 days or have extensive grime on surfaces, requiring hand washing throughout and significant scrubbing in the bathrooms, need a deep clean.
Budget: If budget is a concern then, we recommend the Standard cleaning about half price which we focus on the essential areas (Kitchen and bathrooms), perfect when on a budget, but when you still need the job done professionally.
RECURRING VISITS:
When to decide for Recurring Service?
This decision should be made on 2 factors. Do you have the time to clean yourself and frequency.
Do you have the time? If you rather work and make additional income or have time for family while we clean, then this makes sense. Most modern families in Zürich, tend to hire house cleaning services for lack of time.
Budget: If your budget allows, most people uses our service biweekly (every other week). This is the ideal amount of service frequency for most people. It's not too often like weekly, but not to distant like the monthly.
Can I have a trial session?
The 1st cleaning session is always a trial one. If you are happy with a cleaner, you can continue on a regular basis. If not, we can arrange a replacement cleaner.
How do I book a cleaning?
Easy! Simply click on the Book Now or Get Online Pricing button and complete the online booking process, then a price quote will show on the "Booking Summary" section of our form.
Appointments are reserved with a credit card on file, but your card is not charged until the day of your appointment and after your appointment has started.
You can also book by phone or Whatsapp at 076 447 83 35.
What happens after I book my cleaning?
You relax! You will receive a notification by email confirming the appointment and arrival time.
How do I prepare my house for the cleaning?
GET READY FOR YOUR CLEANING VISIT! While we never like to give pre-cleaning chores to our customers, there are things people can do to prepare for a great cleaning experience.
Those things include:
Decluttering and organizing: In order for us to perform our job properly, your home should be uncluttered when we arrive. This means clothes, toys and general items should be out of the way and off of the floors. If you are unable to remove clutter beforehand, please let us know so we can add additional time (this normally adds extra cost to the cleaning) to do some picking up prior to cleaning.
Get dishes out of the sink: While we’re one of the few cleaning companies that rinse and put dishes into the dishwasher, it can be a very time-consuming process that takes attention away from other home areas. Having the dishes done allows us to pay more attention to things like blinds and baseboards.
Provide cleaning materials: Please let the cleaning materials in a visible place of the house in every visit.
Secure pets: Make sure pets are safely put away and out of harm’s way. It keeps pets from getting out if we leave the door open for too long.
Store valuables, important documents and medications: Please put all jewelry, valuables, medications and important documents in drawers or cabinets so they are easy to find after your cleaning visit.
Communicate special needs or instructions: Always let us know ahead of time if there are any special considerations we’ll need to keep in mind while cleaning. The sooner ahead of time we know, the better we can prepare.
Provide cleaning materials: Please let the cleaning materials in a visible place of the house in every visit.
All these things help the cleaning go smoothly and allow us to deliver the best resul
Do I have to be present for the first visit
We’re here to make life easier for you, so we don’t require your presence during your house cleanings. Feel free to stick around if you want to, though!
If you don't plan to be around, please simply select how should we access your home on the booking form and let the cleaning materials in a visible place for the cleaner.
Is your service guaranteed?
Absolutely!
If you are not completely satisfied with our service, let us know within 24-hours and we will gladly return and make it right at no additional charge.
Do I need to provides the cleaning products, tools and supplies?
As our regular cleaners travel by public transport they are unable to provide cleaning materials or tools, such as hoover, mop and bucket.
Customers are responsible for supplying cleaning products and tools.
In the "EXTRAS" section of our online booking, customers can choose to have cleaning technicians arrive with all necessary cleaning products and supplies, except hoover and mop.
Scheduling
Appointment reminders by email
You'll receive an email reminder 48 hours (2 days) before your scheduled service, including the date, time, and the name of your designated cleaner. These reminders will allow you to review your schedule and reschedule, if necessary, leading you to a more convenient experience with TB Cleaning.
Please check your Customer Dashboard or contact our office to cancel or reschedule.
If you need to update your mobile number or email, kindly contact our office for assistance.
What is the appointment window arrival time for the cleaner?
We reserve the right to arrive for scheduled appointments within 1 hour of the scheduled time provided in the confirmation. For example, if your cleaning is scheduled to start at 11am, your cleaning team will arrive within 11am to 12pm. This allows us to create routes according to home locations and also to deal with the unpredictability of traffic, parking and other surprises.
Can I cancel or reschedule my service?
Yes, you can cancel or reschedule anytime, however extra fees may apply. Please go to your Customer Dashboard to manage your bookings.
Or send a text via Whatsapp before your service to 076 447 83 35 mentioning you want to cancel your subscription ASAP to avoid a late cancelation fee.
What if it's TB Cleaning who reschedules on me last-minute? Do I get compensated?
No. We do not compensate clients when we reschedule, whether it's in advance or last minute. When a client cancels a service late, the financial impact on our cleaners is direct and real. We don’t expect clients to experience financial loss from a reschedule, and we make every effort to avoid it. Rescheduling is rare, as consistency and reliability are our priorities. However, if a reschedule would cause you financial hardship, we recommend not booking with us.
Appointment Restrictions
A cleaning will not take place if there are other professional services in the home, such as movers, plumbers, painters, carpet cleaners, or any other professional service. The appointment will be cancelled and a late cancellation fee will be charged.
Bug infestations will result in a cancelled appointment and a late cancellation fee.
No access to the home will result in a cancelled appointment and a late cancellation fee.
Pricing
How are prices determined?
Pricing for your house cleaning is determined by 4 factors:
- The configuration of your home (size, bedrooms/baths, etc.)
- Type of service
- How often you need service.
- And sometime your home’s location in relation to our service area.
Houses or apartments under 70 sqm with only a basic cleaning service start around CHF118,89 excl VAT, while large homes or apartments requiring more cleaning services could cost well over CHF150.50 – CHF 245.29 excl VAT per visit.
Note: Select the most accurate sqm size. If the amount of sqm, bedrooms, or bathrooms isn’t accurate, we reserve the right to update them to resemble the home’s actual size more closely. Making this change may result in a price change.
Don’t be afraid to call with any questions about pricing, cleaning services, or questions regarding the use of our online booking form. As always, we’re here to help!
Skipping cleaning from Weekly to Biweekly or Monthly
When clients skip a date during their subscription service and it bumps their appointment from a Weekly to a Biweekly (or Biweekly to Monthly, etc.) during their normal subscription, the pricing will be adjusted accordingly on their next visit. In the past we didn't acknowledge the added work.
i.e. A client pays CHF150+VAT for a biweekly service. They skip one week because they're out of town. The next visit will be charged the monthly rate of CHF170+ VAT. Original pricing will be adjusted to the normal amount on the following services. You can always ask us for the difference via email or chat here.
Custom pricing for homes with a different scope of work.
There are few situations where our normal rates change.
Bad condition jobs (when client auto-selects in the booking form). Homes that have not been cleaned in more than 1 yr.
Hourly rate is CHF50/hr + sales tax per hour per cleaner.
Very messy places that we need to pick up/clear areas in order to be able to clean.
Hourly rate is CHF50/hr + sales tax per hour per cleaner.
Do you offer discounts?
Once in a while we send promotional discounts via our social networks. Please follow us in Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and others in order to get this.
Cancellation
How are schedule changes handled?
If you would like to request a schedule change:
- Go to your Customer Dashboard and cancel the appointment.
- Send a text via Whatsapp at 076 447 83 35.
- Contact [email protected] requesting the cancellation of your visit.
All schedule changes are handled directly with the company and not through your cleaning team, who will not have full access to our scheduling systems.
When the Late Cancellation fee applies?
To serve you better and keep the best cleaning technicians staffed in your homes, we need to guarantee that our employees have a full schedule, and last-minute cancellations and lockouts prevent us from reaching that goal. Therefore, after much consideration, we have updated our policy to guarantee our cancelled spot does not go unsold.
- Less than 8 days notice, day of service, or lockout: 100% of the full-service rate will be charged
- Between 28 days-8 days from the start of the appointment: CHF20.00
- More than 28 days from the start of the appointment: no charge
Since we reserve this spot especially for you, the fee will be used to pay our cleaners that would otherwise be cleaning for another customer. While cancellation fees are charged, we also offer options for rescheduling without penalty if done within a specific time frame: You can reschedule for a different day of the same week free of charge.
What if I need to go on holidays?
If you miss couple sessions, please kindly let us know beforehand (at least 8 days in advance) and we’ll adjust our schedule accordingly. No extra fee is charged.
What if I accidentally leave the door locked and my cleaning team comes?
Oops! Please be aware that this means the team will be driving back and forth around town and dealing with an empty window of 2-3 working hours. A 50% of the full service rate fee will be applied unfortunately.
What if I want to cancel our regular cleaning arrangement?
Our notice period is one month if you wish to cancel the service completely.
Credit card fee for declined payments
If the day before the cleaning is not possible to put the total amount on hold in your credit bank, due to card expiracy or insufficient funds in your card, a CHF20 fee will be assessed.
Billing
What are the payment options available?
You can make payments using the following methods:
- Credit Card: We accept all major credit cards for your convenience.
- Twint: You can easily pay using the Twint app for quick and secure transactions.
- Bank Transfer: Payments can also be made via bank transfer in exceptional situations. Please let us know if you need our bank details. If you have any questions regarding payment methods or need assistance, feel free to reach out.
When is my payment processed?
Payment will be put on hold the day before the service and processed the same day of the service.
We put the total amount for the service on hold the business day before service. While this isn’t a charge and the money doesn’t leave the account, some banks will show this transaction as a charge.
Since so much can change on the day of the service, like adding tips or additional services which may affect the final price of the cleaning, we only fully charge cards after the cleaning service is completed.
That said, putting a hold on the account the business day before the service is an integral part of ensuring all the billing information is correct, and we can pay our cleaners.
How do I update my credit/debit card?
Please visit your secure Customer Dashboard to update it: https://portal.tbcleaning.ch/login
Your account will be updated and will be using that new form of payment to charge for our service.
How can I get a statement of my account and payments I’ve made?
Email us at [email protected] and we'll reply via email.
Coupons
We rarely offer any coupons or discounts, but if you happen to a have a coupon code it will be valid only at the time of booking. Multiple coupons and/or promotions can not be combined.
Your House
How will you access my home?
We have several options, but it’s up to how you prefer it.
You can choose from the following options:
- Leave an authorization for a key release.
- Open the door for us if you plan to be there every cleaning appointment.
- Use a lockbox
Lastly, hide it somewhere safe.
How do we handle clutter?
In order for us to perform our job properly, your home should be uncluttered when we arrive. This means clothes, toys and general items should be out of the way and off of the floors. If you are unable to remove clutter beforehand, please let us know so we can add additional time (this normally adds extra cost to the cleaning) to do some picking up prior to cleaning.
Are your cleaning teams pet friendly?
Definitely! Cleaning teams know how to handle dogs, cats and common pets.
Please let us know in advance what kind of pets you have, so we can take care not to startle them or accidentally let them outside. We also ask that you secure them as appropriate in case visitors make them nervous. Your cleaning team will be kind to your pets, but TB Cleaning can not be responsible for them in the unlikely event they run out.
What cleaning supplied does the cleaner needs? (Basic List)
To deliver a quality service is important that the following cleaning products and equipment are available to our staff at the time of cleaning.
- Two scrub sponges and at least 10 microfiber cleaning cloths. (washed between visits)
- Kitchen countertop cleaner ( any eco-friendly brands, like the Migros or Coop house brands)
- Bathroom countertop cleaner (any eco-friendly brands, like the Migros or Coop house brands)
- Toilet cleaner
- Grout cleaner
- Limescale remover (Vinegar or any vinegar-based cleaner)
- Duster (We highly recommend Swiffer brand available in COOP
- Hoover/Mop
- Gloves
MIGROS: https://produkte.migros.ch/sortiment/supermarkt/haushalt-reinigung?facets=brand~m-plus
EXTRAS
If you have selected some extra options in your booking, please make sure you have at home:
- An oven cleaner
- A washing & softener liquids for your clothes
- A glass cleaner and some microfibers or squeegee for your windows
- An ironing board and an iron
What brands of eco-friendly products do you recommend?
We recommend a variety of nontoxic, green cleaning products, including but not limited to:
Safety & Confidentiality
STORE VALUABLES, IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS & MEDICATIONS
Please be sure all jewelry, valuables, medications and important documents are put away in drawers or cabinets so they are easy to find after your cleaning visit.
What does your insurance cover?
Damage to your property caused by the cleaner, theft by the cleaner, key and lock replacement and personal injury to the cleaner.ds.
Our Services
What’s the difference between deep cleaning and a regular cleaning?
Deep cleanings include everything a standard cleaning does but with more detailed work, which includes the following.
- Dust under furnitures
- Dust top of cabinets
- Dust baseboards
- Wipe waste bins
- Dust doors and door frames
How long does a cleaning take?
The time needed for a home cleaning can vary based on many factors.
Factors that affect the time cleaning may take include:
- The condition and size of the home: For example, has the home been cleaned in the last few months, or maybe it’s been years since it was professionally cleaned? If it hasn’t been professionally cleaned recently, has the home been kept up in between cleanings? All these things play into the amount of elbow grease and time required to clean and can add or subtract away from the total time needed.
- Any extras requested with the cleaning: We offer additional services like deep cleaning, baseboards, inside the oven, and wet wiping of the blinds. All these services add additional time depending on what’s being requested.
- Which team is assigned to the home cleaning: It’s no surprise our home cleaners are human; some cleaners clean faster than others. We use flat rate pricing on all our cleanings. This intentional practice allows our cleaning teams to take their time and focus on the cleaning done well without being rushed.
All homes are unique, and all cleaners work at different speeds. Spending more time in a home doesn’t always lead to better results. For this reason, we don’t charge by the hour for our services. The best results come from focusing on completing a list of cleaning tasks and completing them well.
That said, we expect a standard cleaning for most homes takes between 2-3 hours for a one-person team.
While we expect most homes to fall into this time frame, not all will, which should be expected.
If a more accurate timeline is needed for planning purposes, we’re always happy to provide a possible time range over the phone or by email. Feel free to call or email us anytime. We’re always glad to help!
NOTE: We’ve learned it’s impossible to guarantee an exact time since all homes are different and all cleaner(s) work at different speeds.
What tasks are included in each service?
Please visit our Services page to view what is included in each service.
Can I put my service on hold?
It is possible to put the service on hold for 1 month or more. You will need to inform our customer service team and we will be able to pause your service and cancel your cleaner until you are ready to resume. Please note we can’t guarantee that the same cleaner be available once you resume domestic cleaning service.
What are the Add-ons you offer?
Add-ons are additional areas that need to be cleaned by request of the client, but not included unless client selects them at the time of booking such:
- Complete Fridge/freezer inside (this means getting the food out and clean completely on the inside)
- Kitchen inside oven
- Inside windows
- Outside/Inside Doors
- Closets/Cabinets/Drawers inside
Do you clean windows?
Yes, but we have some recommendations:
Note: Our core and expertise is home cleaning, and windows are, of course, part of the house, but we can clean the following:
- We just clean inside windows (and outside if is easy to access.)
- Normal height windows 2 mts inside or outside no higher than 2.5 mts.
- If higher than 2 mts, please provide us with a stool or ladder. You know your home better than us, and will know what's required for us to reach there.
What do we use to clean windows?
We use squeegee, sponges, and microfiber rags.
How much do we charge for window cleaning?
Contact our sales and customer service number to know pricing.
When are we NOT a good fit for your windows job?
A Window Cleaning Professional company will be best for you in the following situations:
- Your windows are 3 mts. or higher.
- You live in an apartment and need outside windows that can't be reached easily.
- Access to the windows is difficult and dangerous to a regular cleaner.
- A big ladder is required or special tools to reach higher.
Do you clean or handle collectibles
We dust visible and accessible surfaces and items except collectibles, fine china or other items inside cabinets. For liability reasons, we don't access cabinet interiors.
Excluded Services
Review the following guidelines prior to booking to make sure your cleaning requirements do not conflict with the following appointment restrictions and exclusions. This is not an exhaustive list and only services as an example. Please use common sense
Excluded Services (not offered)
- Surface restoration (fixing or repairing surfaces)
- Permanent stain removal (tubs, showers, or floors that have years of build up and staining will not be 100% renewed after cleaning)
- Removal of significant hard water build up (when damage is likely to occur)
- Carpet cleaning
- Grout cleaning (with grout machinery)
- Black mold
- Clutter pickup
- Trash hauling
- Heavily soiled areas
- Pet Waste
- Human Waste
- Biohazards materials (blood, feces, etc)
- Exterior windows
- Extermination services
- Bug infested homes
- Ceilings
- Washing walls (due to potential to harm paint)
- Washing light fixtures
- Electronics (TVs, game consoles, computers, etc)
- Surfaces that cannot be reached with a 2-step ladder
- Moving furniture
- Lifting items heavier than 5 kilos
- If a surface is not listed in the standard cleaning checklist then assume the surface is not included in a cleaning
Terms of Service
Visit our Terms of Service page
The Cleaner
How are the cleaners vetted?
We carefully interview each of the cleaners and check their documents to confirm they have the right to work in Switzerland. We also check their proof of address and references. We created series of the online video trainings to upgrade the skills of our cleaners. Cleaners who do not have enough experience go through induction with one of our supervisors or in the homes of our management team.
Will you send a difference cleaner every time I book a service
Recurring Appointments
We know how important it is to build rapport with the people working in your home. Especially if they’re coming weekly, we do our best to keep you with the same cleaner(s) as much as possible. For recurring appointments, we’ll try and send the same team every time unless instructed otherwise.
With that, we ambitiously want our cleaners to be available every time. We, unfortunately, haven’t gotten our robot cleaners built yet. So until then, we do work with human beings. That being the case, they take vacations, get sick, or sometimes switch careers. This won’t happen often, and we’re usually pretty good about sending the same cleaners if possible.
In cases where the usual team isn’t available, we’ll communicate in our reminder emails that a new cleaner(s) will be arriving. That way, you and your family aren’t caught off-guard and know to expect a new happy face from TB Cleaning.
If we do need to switch the cleaner for any reason and we’re unable to connect with you via text, phone, email, or if it’s a soft request (Example: “Please, send Evelyn if she’s available.“), we’ll assign the best cleaner(s) we have on our roster at the requested date/time.
The good news is that our cleaning professionals are highly vetted, world-class cleaners you know you can trust, and our 24 hours guarantee always applies.
One-Time/Monthly Appointments
If there are cleaner(s) you’d prefer, make sure to request them in the notes, so we’re aware of the preference.
Our cleaner(s) stay very busy, so it can be challenging to keep the same cleaner(s) working on jobs that aren’t on a regular schedule like bi-weekly, or weekly. That said, we’ll do our best to put them on the schedule but won’t be able to guarantee anyone cleaner(s) will be available at the chosen date/time.
In those cases, as long as we’re made aware of the preference, we’ll do our best to communicate a time that will work for both parties. In cases where we’re unable to connect via text, phone, email, or if it’s a soft request (Example: “Please, send Linda if she’s available.“), we’ll assign the best cleaner(s) we have on our roster at the requested date/time.
If the cleaner is sick, can I have a replacement?
Yes. If we have any notice, we’ll send you another cleaner. If there’s no notice and we can’t assign a replacement in time, we’ll be able to re-arrange the session at the time convenient for you. Please inform us if she misses a session for any reason.
What if the cleaner is running late?
Our cleaners do our best to to arrive at your agreed window arrival time. There are situations when traffic is delayed and cleaner may arrive late. Cleaners are instructed to contact you if they are stuck in traffic. Please feel free to contact the office if you need to go and we will try to find out how far the cleaner is from your place.
What if I don't like the cleaner?
We can provide a free replacement to ensure you are absolutely happy with the service.
How do I know my house is being taken care of?
We provide regular updates, including photos and videos of your home and pets, so you can stay connected and informed about how everything is going while you’re away.
Can I schedule house sitting services for recurring visits?
Yes, we offer recurring house sitting services. Whether it’s for regular check-ins, daily pet care, or routine maintenance, we can tailor a schedule that fits your needs.
Ready For a Spotless Home?
Don't wait—let us take care of the mess so you can enjoy a pristine and cozy home.