Review + Giveaway: iMaid House Cleaning (Win a $200 Gift Card)

I loathe cleaning. I considered saying I hate cleaning but hate is such a strong word. I find once I get into the cleaning groove, I don’t mind it (I’m certainly thinking about other things I could be doing instead of cleaning), but once I’m doing it, it’s generally okay. It’s really just getting to the point of actually doing it, that I dislike. That I put-off until I absolutely can’t anymore.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t live in a pig sty or anything! And there are certain things I do make a point to keep tidy (dishes can’t be left in the sink for example). My general cleanliness I think is pretty high up there (daily showers, etc. lol).

But man, ask me to sweep, mop, or scrub (getting down on my knees to clean something) – and I will find ways to put it off.

That’s why I eagerly agreed when iMaid – a new Edmonton house cleaning service – reached out to ask if I’d be interested in trying them out and giving away a house cleaning package for readers!

Scroll down for details on how to enter to win a $200 house cleaning package with iMaid, and read my experience with the company! 

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

iMaid is Edmonton’s newest house cleaning service.

I think you need to take greater care in dealing with house cleaning services versus other types of businesses because you’re literally letting strangers into your home. That can be a scary thing and I was hesitant to go with a brand new company that didn’t have a lot of pre-existing reviews that I could feel out myself before deciding whether to go with them. But I also like to give new businesses a shot, and after looking over their website (which is really slick – and also mobile friendly, by the way), I asked iMaid owner Mohamed a few questions to put myself (and readers) at ease.

This is what he told me:

  • All iMaid cleaners are carefully vetted, insured, interviewed, reference and background (criminal record) checked, and have up-to-date Worker’s Compensation Board coverage
  • Keeping cleaners safe is also important: that’s one of the reasons they work in teams of 2
  • They’ve pursued accreditation with the Better Business Bureau but as they’re only 3 months old, they need to wait a full year of business before being eligible

Booking a cleaning with iMaid was really easy. They have flat rates based on size of home and they base that off of the number of bedrooms you have in your home – but that doesn’t necessarily mean they clean your bedrooms – unless you’d like them to. For example, 1 bedroom = $119 per clean. 2 bedrooms = $139 per clean. 3 bedrooms = $159. And so on up to $249 for a 6 bedroom home (mansion, lol).

With our three bedroom home, we were looking at a flat rate of $159 per clean. Their online booking form is quick and easy (they advertise that you could book a clean in under a minute).

I also like that you can select extras to your base rate, depending on if you have certain areas you’d like worked on including cleaning inside cabinets, the fridge, the oven, interior windows, walls, even doing your laundry for you.

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

Cleaning add-ons!

There’s also a comment section where you can leave any special instructions (or key/lock information – in our case I’d leave a warning as well stressing the point that we have three animals in the house and they need to make sure the animals don’t get out!)

iMaid offers cleaning start times of 8:30, 10:30, 12:30, 2:30, or their latest start time is 4:30 p.m. For this first clean, I booked for 4:30 p.m. because I wanted to be there to meet the cleaners and make sure everything went smoothly (moving forward, I can see how having them come in and do their own thing while we’re at work – then coming home to the clean end product – would be much more convenient).

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

Thanks to Andres and Candace with iMaid for the great cleaning job!

Our cleaners were a very nice couple named Candace and Andres. They arrived right on time! Candace came in and did an initial inspection, asking me specifically what I’d like to see cleaned (if you weren’t planning on being there when the cleaners arrived, you can specify your requirements in the customer comments section).

We wanted our den, living room, kitchen, bathrooms (2), and main bedroom cleaned. I had also requested an oven clean add-on because the oven especially is getting a ton of use this holiday season with all the baking and holiday hosting!

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

Andres working hard on our oven!

Andres and Candace came with their own supplies (including vacuum) which was great. They were both very professional, friendly and got right to work. The cats generally stayed out of their way but Olive was immediately trying to cause trouble by digging into their box of cleaning supplies so it didn’t take long before I had to lock Olive in the basement so she wouldn’t get in the way.

When we do it again (because we will!) we would likely choose a daytime clean and for that day just keep Olive in the basement.

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

Our oven has never been this clean. Ever.

Both Mike and I were so happy with the clean! You can also take that happiness and multiply it if you factor in how much I loathe cleaning.

There is nothing better for someone who loathes cleaning, to have their home clean without them having lifted a finger.

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

A clean sink = a clean home.

When Andres and Candace left, I went around to fully inspect the place and was so pleased with how clean certain corners and areas were – even areas where we typically in the past have had lots of trouble cleaning.

The first place I made a bee-line for was inspecting the kitchen sink. I always think it’s funny how certain things your parents say to you will stick with you forever. One example is my mom would constantly remind me not to stand too close to the curb when waiting to cross the street because you don’t know whether a car will come and clip you or not – that’s always stuck with me so I never stand too close to the curb. Another thing she used to tell me that I keep with me is – you can always tell how clean a place is by looking at their kitchen sink. Is there gunk in the bottom that they haven’t cleaned out yet? Has the gunk built up so much that the bottom is a different colour? Are there crusties forming at the base of the tap? Streaks of something along the edges?

Whether my mom’s kitchen sink statement actually reflects the cleanliness of people or not, I generally try to keep my sink clean in terms of no dishes piled up and general vicinity is wiped and cleared. Admittedly, my laziness takes over with any thorough clean beyond that so I was thrilled to see iMaid had made our sink look shiny and brand new again!

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

Before the cats get fur in the sink again!

Shiny and brand new was the general theme for the house after this cleaning.

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

THAT REFLECTION THOUGH!

It can be such a challenge to keep surfaces in our house clean (for long) when our cats are trotting along everything all day every day. Yes, I know some pet owners don’t let their cats jump on tables, etc., but our cats pretty much have free rein to jump and go wherever they please in our home, so hair and paw prints are kind of a given. The above table in our den is usually always smudgy – but the reflection on it after Candace/Andres worked on it was the prettiest.

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

That shiny floor.

One of the bigger jobs Mike and I always put off is cleaning the floor in our living room because it gets dirty again so quickly once Olive comes barrelling in from the yard. (Plus all the cat fur). I think Mike was thrilled to just not have to spend a couple hours going through his Swiffer, sweeping, and mop job process that he typically does.

iMaid Edmonton House Cleaning Service

Thor approves of the clean bath tub!

The house smelled so good after the clean and the bathtub also got Thor approval – she loves rolling around in the tub (and floor) after it’s been cleaned and after this clean she was rolling hard.

Overall, we really enjoyed our experience with iMaid and would absolutely recommend the service to others.

Along with the ease of booking online, what I really liked about iMaid’s service is that there wasn’t this timed pressure. We have used a cleaning service one other time when we moved out of our old place, and although it was considered a move-out clean, it was also specified that it was a 2-hour clean. In that situation, those cleaners didn’t even finish everything they were supposed to do, because when the 2-hour mark came up, they basically checked out! We haven’t had any other cleaning experiences since then, but that one obviously wasn’t a good one.

With Andres and Candace, they stayed for 2.5 hours (from 4:30 to 7 p.m.) and finished everything we had requested – and them some. They even cleaned up the fur on Thor and Loki’s cat towers! I think generally the cleans are supposed to be 2 hours but if you go with different cleaning add-ons (like we did with the oven), then it does extend their stay.

The only thing I would note that I didn’t like with iMaid was that Candace’s winter jacket coming into the home did smell like smoke. Not noticeable after she took the jacket off and the cleaning began, and of course it’s not like she’s smoking in the house, but I felt it important to note that because generally anytime I sniff smoke I make a point of avoiding whatever origin the smoke is coming from. I would re-state though that Candace was absolutely lovely even though the smoky jacket was not.

In terms of comparison to other cleaning services – as Mike and I have only hired one other cleaning service before (and it was a move-out, so it was one-time and generally pricier than more routine cleans), we don’t have a whole lot else to compare iMaid to. It was cheaper than our move-out clean (which had been in the $250 range). Some other cleaners I had quoted in past but never went with were charging in the $30-$40 per hour range – which would be about what iMaid charges if you broke it down (for a three bedroom rate), so I’d say it’s on par with other cleaning companies.

I did do an informal Twitter poll asking about cleaning experiences and it seemed like a lot of tweeps go with individual cleaners that run about $80-$100 for up to 2 hours clean-time. The frugal in me loves those rates so as Mike and I look more seriously into booking regular cleaning services (because we loved having iMaid clean for us so much, we definitely want to do it again), we will need to consider what we can afford. Maybe we’ll test out an individual cleaner too and then be better able to compare to how the iMaid service was when up against individual cleaners.

Either way, in some situations, Mike and I believe paying a bit extra for comfort and convenience is worth it – I think having someone clean the house for us is one of those situations.

Maybe we can’t afford to have a professional clean monthly, but perhaps quarterly would be realistic.

P.S. iMaid does offer discounts if you do repeat cleans (monthly, bi-weekly, weekly).

Learn more about their services (and see if their F.A.Q. answers questions you may have for them here)!

I would say in any cleaning situation, always do your research, always ask lots of questions, and always be a bit cautious – I’m probably more on the paranoid side, so I personally prefer being in the home if someone is there cleaning. I also make sure to hide certain papers or things I wouldn’t want other people to happen upon while they’re cleaning. I’m also living in fear that my animals are going to get out of the house and I’d lose them forever, so those are things I’d be extra careful about before inviting someone into the home (whether that is iMaid or any company/service that involves bringing people into your place).

iMaid Edmonton

Overall, I would absolutely recommend iMaid and were both really happy with the work Candace and Andres of iMaid did for us. The house is looking great – just in time for holiday entertaining!

Now to celebrate the season + kick off the new year, I’ve got a $200 iMaid house cleaning service gift card I’m giving away!

** GIVEAWAY **

ENTER TO WIN A FREE HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE (WORTH $200) WITH IMAID

Here are the different ways you can enter this contest (make sure you check off what you’ve done through the Rafflecopter widget below in order to qualify!)

  • Leave a comment on this blog post telling me what room/area in your home that’s really in need of a clean!
    Note: You MUST leave a comment in order to be eligible for the prize! All other ways to enter will get you additional/bonus entries and improve your chances of winning, but you won’t be eligible unless you leave a blog comment first.
  • Tweet this message: I’d love to win @lindork’s $200 gift card giveaway for house cleaning services with new #yeg #yegbiz @iMaidyeg! http://bit.ly/1PjxSmt 
  • Like iMaid’s Facebook Page – iMaid

I’ll randomly select a winner after the contest closes on December 29, 2015.

* Note: Comments are moderated so if they don’t appear right away, don’t worry!

Thanks to iMaid Edmonton for providing the $200 gift card giveaway for my readers and for the great cleaning job they did on our house!

Linda

Follow lindork on Instagram

Disclaimer: I will always provide my 100% honest opinion on this blog. iMaid offered me a one-time cleaning free of charge in exchange for a review of my experience. This has no impact on opinions stated in this post.

43 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

If you're Edmonton area, subscribe to my newsletter for hyperlocal recommendations on what to do, eat, and things to know this week!
If you're Edmonton area, subscribe to my FREE newsletter for hyperlocal recommendations on what to do, eat, things to know this week, and more!