When to Call in Professional Cleaners

Have you ever tried your best to clean something and ended up feeling like you only made it worse? Same. Whenever you’re feeling out of your depth, it’s almost always worth calling a professional. They’re efficient and incredibly effective — and if you’re just hiring them for a one-off task, you might be surprised at how affordable they can be, too.

Here are five times it’s worth paying the pros for a cleanup job.

When there’s a smell you can’t get out

A lingering nasty smell you can’t seem to get rid of is the perfect use case for hiring professional cleaners. If you’ve identified the source and cleaned it as best you can and it still stinks, it’s time to get help.

No matter what kind of smell you’re dealing with, it’s nothing that professional house cleaners haven’t dealt with before. That means they won’t have to spend a couple hours on Google sifting through conflicting DIY advice — they will know exactly what to use to banish that awful smell for good. Plus, they’ve got stuff way stronger than baking soda and vinegar at their disposal.

When something is seriously stained

Much like odours, stains can resist even the most experienced housekeeper. But you would be absolutely amazed at what can magically disappear with the help of expert technique and some industrial stain remover. (A professional will also know how to lift a stain without destroying whatever it’s on.) With that said, there are some stains that just won’t come out no matter what — but until you’ve gotten a pro to work on it, don’t give up just yet.

When you’ve got a truly sticky (or greasy) situation

Whether you’ve got gum stuck on your couch, bike grease in the carpet, or an oven that hasn’t seen a self-cleaning cycle in decades, there are some messes that residential cleaners just weren’t designed to handle — but industrial-strength solvents sure were. Don’t waste your time and money trying to dissolve something that refuses to dissolve. Hire someone who’s seen way worse and will get the job done.

When your carpets and/or upholstery are gross

Soft surfaces like carpets and upholstery are among the most challenging things to clean; if you don’t know what you’re doing, you might damage your nicest rug instead of leaving it fresh and clean. This is why professional carpet and upholstery cleaners are pretty much always worth the expense. Their cleaning solutions and equipment are designed for the job at hand, so they can work serious magic on even the dirtiest fabric.

When you’re moving and have no time to clean

If you can squeeze professional cleaners into your moving budget, you absolutely will not regret it. They’re kind of like movers: Once you pay for the pros, you’ll never go back to doing it yourself. Of course, you don’t owe your landlord a professional cleaning, but it’s a great way to get your security deposit back and outsource the worst part of moving in one go.