Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will I have the same cleaner come to my house every time?
A. Yes! With the exception of holidays when we’ll have to send a substitute cleaner to you; otherwise you’ll ALWAYS get the same cleaner or cleaners.

Q. How many cleaners will come to clean my home?
A. Usually one or two, as we have found that most customers prefer this. But if you’d like three or even four, that’s not a problem.

Q. Will my cleaning be done on the same day and at the same time every time you come to my home?
A. We can usually clean for you on the same day every time we come to you, but we are unable to guarantee a specific time. We do however make every effort to arrive at your premises within an hour of the scheduled time, but again we are unable to guarantee a specific time.

Q. Can you do my ironing for me?
A. Yes.

Q. What areas do you cover?
A. The entire Tyneside, Wearside, Tyne Valley, Hexham, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Durham, Gateshead and Newcastle-upon-Tyne areas. In the North East that's Gateshead to Gosforth, Haydon Bridge to Stocksfield, Blaydon to Whitley Bay and all points in-between. We even go as far as Darras Hall, Morpeth, Prudhoe, Durham, Sunderland, Seaham, Peterlee and Ashington!

Q. Do you monitor the quality of the cleaning?
A. Yes, of course we do. We pride ourselves on the quality of our service delivery and our supervisors carry out frequent, unannounced spot-checks. Additionally, we always perform a detailed inspection following a first clean for all new clients.

Q. Do I need to buy any special cleaning materials or equipment?
A. No. We can use your products and equipment but we generally use our own. If you have any special requirements or requests, please tell us.

Q. Is there anything you don’t supply?
A. Yes. We do not carry bleach (for safety reasons) nor do we supply black bin bags. If you require us to use either, please leave these out for our cleaners.

Q. Can you clean my oven?
A. Yes. We offer a complete oven cleaning service. If you would like to have your oven cleaned, please give us a minimum of 2 working days notice so we can ensure that your cleaners have the correct equipment and cleaning solutions for the task. There is NO extra charge for this service.

Q. If I have an allergy, can you still clean for me?
A. Yes, of course we can. We have special professional products and equipment to help with most allergy sufferer’s requirements.

Q. Do you clean carpets and upholstery?
A. Yes we do. We can clean your carpets, rugs and all upholstered items, including most leather furniture.

Q. How long will it take to Spring Clean my home?
A. We know from our experience that a complete top-to-toe Spring Clean of a fairly well-kept three bedroom house can take up to 10 hours; however, we will advise you of what can realistically be achieved in the hours you choose to book when we visit you at your home to discuss your needs.

Q. Are you insured?
A. Yes, we are fully insured. But Mel’s Cleaning will not be liable for any liability caused by or arising out of or from: Damage to windows, articles of glass, china porcelain, earthenware, stone or other articles of a brittle nature.

Q. Are your cleaners paid the minimum wage?
A. No. ALL our operatives are paid considerably more than the minimum wage. We aim to keep our staff team happy and highly motivated; we believe that paying people the minimum wage is tantamount to robbery!

Q. Do your cleaners all speak English?
A. Yes, of course. We ONLY employ cleaners who speak perfect English.

Q. How long will it take to perform an end-of-tenancy clean?
A. We know from experience that this can be the MOST variable type of cleaning that we do! Every property is different which is why we must inspect it before we can give you an accurate indication of our fees. Here are some recent examples... A complete deep-clean of an extremely filthy nine bedroomed student house can take 30 hours, equally we have cleaned a six bedroom student house in Newcastle in under 10 hours. A top-to-toe clean of a small, and VERY dirty studio flat has taken 6 hours. What we can assure you of, is that you'll get a first rate clean as we are used to working closely with commercial landlords and letting agents and we can provide trade references on demand.

Q. Can I check your references?
A. Yes, of course you can. We have built up a very high reputation for both reliability and excellent quality, and many of our existing customers will be more than happy to provide references for us.

Q. Can you clean my home if I have pets?
A. Yes, of course we can. Many customers have dogs or cats and we are VERY experienced in managing your pet whilst we clean your house. We also have specialist vacuum cleaner attachments to deal with stubborn pet hair too.

Q. How do I book one-off cleaning?
A. You will need to call the main office number, 0191 257 2775 to make a booking for someone to visit you and give you an estimation as to the number of cleaner hours you'll need. If you wish to confirm the booking, we will require a non-refundable deposit of £20.00 which will be deducted from your final bill for the cleaning.

Q. Do I have to have cleaning every week?
A. No. You can have cleaning when it suits you. That can be weekly, every two weeks, monthly or as-and-when required. 

Q. What hours do you work?
A. We work when you need us. Most of our cleaning takes place between 0830 and 1700, Monday to Friday, but again, we clean when it suits you. Simply call us to discuss your requirements.

Q. What does domestic cleaning cost?
A. Unlike many of our competitors we make this crystal clear, we charge by the hour! And we charge exactly the same rate for ironing as we do for cleaning; this gives you the flexibility of being able to mix and match our services as and when you need them!
Weekday domestic cleaning, during ‘usual’ working hours in the Durham, Morpeth and Tyne and Wear areas for bookings of twelve hours or less, are charged from £12.00 per hour per cleaner. Regular weekly or fortnightly bookings of more than twelve hours in a single session are charged from £10.00 per hour per cleaner. One-off, end of tenancy and after builders cleaning starts from £13.00 per hour per cleaner.
In the Hexham area and A69 corridor regular domestic cleaning is charged from £13.00 per hour per cleaner. One-off, end of tenancy and after builders cleaning also starts from £13.00 per hour per cleaner.

Q. How do I book an end of tenancy student clean?
A. You will need to call the main office number, 0191 257 2775 to make a booking for someone to visit you and give you an estimation as to the number of cleaner hours you'll need. Please do not leave this to the last minute, as we are often fully booked. If you wish to confirm the booking, we will require a non-refundable deposit of £20.00 which will be deducted from your final bill for the cleaning.

Q. Can you clean the tops of cupboards and windows?
A. Yes, but we MUST use our own ladders in order to comply with the Health & Safety legislation. If you need cleaning at height, this is not a problem but we will need at least 24 hours notice so that we can ensure that we have the correct ladders (and trained staff) at your location.

Q. Can you clean my office or shop?
A. Yes, we offer a commercial cleaning service. Please call Mel to discuss your needs and to discuss pricing.

Q. If I want cleaning, what do I do next?
A. Call us or email us. In most cases we’ll make an appointment to come and see you to discuss your requirements in person

Q. Can I read your Terms & Conditions?
A. Yes, simply click here to access these

Q. I want to work for Mel’s Cleaning, what do I do?
A. Please click here to view our current vacancies.