Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Sophia’s Cleaning Service is fully licensed, bonded, and insured, with workers’ compensation coverage for every team member. We have maintained this standard for 41+ years.

Every cleaner goes through our multi-stage vetting process before they ever enter a client’s home: multiple in-person interviews, hands-on onboarding, and test cleanings at our own homes and the homes of friends and family. This is the most thorough vetting in the industry and the main reason our cleaners average 5 to 20+ years of tenure. Learn more on our Trust and Safety page.

Three things: your cleaner actually stays. Sophia’s cleaners average 5 to 20+ years of tenure because we protect their income, their schedule, and their working conditions. Franchises rotate staff constantly, so you never build that relationship.

Second, our average rate works out to about $52 per hour vs. $72 to $94 per hour at franchises like Molly Maid and The Cleaning Authority in the same area. That is 30 to 45% less for better consistency.

Third, we are your actual neighbors. Family-owned since 1984, based in La Grange, serving 39 cities across Cook and DuPage counties. The people running Sophia’s live in the western suburbs, not in a corporate office three states away. See 10 data-backed reasons families choose Sophia’s for the full comparison.

A few quick things you can do before your visit to help us clean more efficiently:

• Pick up loose items: Clothes, toys, and clutter on surfaces and floors. The more we can access, the more thorough the clean.
• Secure valuables: Store jewelry, fragile items, or anything irreplaceable in a safe spot.
• Pets: Keep them in a separate area if possible. If your pet has any behavioral concerns, let us know ahead of time.
• Special requests: Text or message us if you want extra attention on a specific room or surface.

For the full walkthrough, check out our guide on preparing for your house cleaner.

We send two reminders before every visit: an email 3 days before and a text 24 hours before, so you always know when your cleaning is coming. If you need to reschedule, the 3-day email notice gives you a built-in window to do so at no cost.

Your cleaner reserves their entire day around a set route, and because every client that day has committed to their time, your cleaning runs like clockwork. No shuffling, no surprise changes.

Within 48 hours, a $100 rescheduling fee applies. Within 24 hours, the full visit rate applies. The fee goes directly to your cleaner to cover lost wages from the missed appointment. Any remaining amount goes to local charities and cancer research through our Cleaning for a Cause initiative.

For genuine emergencies, we have a grace period. We often reduce, waive, or credit the fee toward your next visit. We rarely charge someone outright for a real one-time situation.

This wage stability is why our cleaners stay for 5, 10, even 20+ years. When your cleaner knows they can count on their schedule, they deliver better work and stay with you long enough to know every detail of your home.

No. We bring everything, including HEPA vacuums, color-coded microfiber cloths, and our own cleaning products. Green cleaning supplies are available upon request at no extra cost. Our team holds the IJCSA Master Green Cleaning certification, the highest level in the program.

Before your first clean, we ask about allergies and sensitivities (including food-based, since some products contain ingredients like peanut oil) and document your preferences on a permanent checklist. If you prefer a specific product for certain surfaces, let our office know and leave it out with instructions, and we will use it at no extra cost.

We do not book dormitories, fraternity or sorority homes, post-party cleanups, or medical-grade sanitation for daycares, dental offices, or veterinary clinics.

The following are outside our scope: chandeliers and delicate fixtures, wet-wiping light bulbs, biohazard materials (heavy mold, human or animal waste), junk removal or hoarding, heavy wall scrubbing, carpet shampooing or steaming, anything higher than a two-step ladder, putting away dishes (we can load the dishwasher), and exterior surfaces like windows, patios, and garages.

Questions about whether something is included? Call (708) 485-8100 or email contact@sophiascleaning.com.

We offer recurring cleaning (weekly, biweekly, or monthly), one-time deep cleans, move-in and move-out cleaning, heavy-duty cleaning for neglected homes, commercial and office cleaning, Airbnb and vacation rental turnovers, post-construction cleanup, and pre-sale real estate prep.

Every visit follows our 56-Point Professional Cleaning Checklist so nothing gets missed. Green cleaning is available upon request at no extra charge.

Tips are always appreciated but never expected. If you choose to tip, 100% goes directly to your cleaner. Sophia’s takes no cut.

You can add tips automatically through autopay in the client portal, so there is no cash or awkward exchanges. Most clients who tip add 15 to 20% of the visit cost.

No, it is not a requirement and many of our regular clients are not home during cleanings. We please ask that you include instructions on gaining entry to the home when scheduling. You may also provide a key, lockbox or code with instructions.

However, in the case of initial or first-time cleanings, we highly recommend that you are home for the first 5 minutes to do a quick walk-through with your cleaner.

This ensures the best result and allows you to share any last-minute notes in regarding your preferences. We also highly recommend taking a walk-through at the end of the service to check that the areas are done to your satisfaction.

We also ask that you please provide parking instructions if necessary to avoid any tickets (park on the street, park in the driveway, etc.)

Visits follows our 56-Point Professional Cleaning Checklist, so nothing gets missed. Here is what a standard cleaning covers in each area of your home.

Kitchen

• Countertops: Wipe and sanitize all surfaces.
• Sink: Scrub and disinfect.
• Stovetop: Clean surfaces and spot-clean the exterior of the oven hood (reachable areas).
• Microwave: Wipe down inside and out.
• Cabinet Exteriors: Spot-clean doors and handles.
• Appliances: Wipe the exterior of the fridge, oven, dishwasher, and small appliances.
• Trash: Empty bins, replace liners, and clean the exterior of the trash can if needed.
• Floors: Sweep and mop.

Living and Common Areas

• Dusting: Dust all reachable surfaces.
• Glass Surfaces: Clean mirrors and glass-top tables.
• Furniture: Vacuum or wipe down furniture, including under cushions where applicable.
• Trash: Empty bins and replace liners.
• Floors: Vacuum carpets and rugs. Sweep and mop hard floors.

Bathrooms

• Sink and Countertops: Scrub and sanitize.
• Toilet: Scrub the bowl, clean the exterior, and disinfect the handle.
• Shower and Tub: Clean and scrub walls, tub, and shower doors or curtains.
• Mirror: Clean and polish.
• Cabinet Exteriors: Wipe down doors and handles.
• Trash: Empty bins and replace liners.
• Floors: Sweep and mop.

Bedrooms

• Dusting: Dust all reachable surfaces.
• Mirrors and Glass: Clean mirrors and other glass surfaces.
• Bed: Make the bed and replace sheets if fresh linens are provided.
• Trash: Empty bins and replace liners.
• Floors: Vacuum carpets and rugs. Sweep and mop hard floors.

Need something beyond the standard visit? Deep cleans, inside-appliance cleaning, baseboard scrubbing, and other add-ons are available. Call (708) 485-8100 or visit our Services page for the full list.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express through our secure online client portal. A credit card is required to secure your booking, but you are not charged until cleaning day.

Most clients set up autopay so their cleaning is billed automatically after each visit, including tips if they choose to add them. For recurring commercial customers, we also accept Zelle, QuickPay, ACH payments, and invoiced payments by check.

Yes, our budget for these rooms is similar to a standard bedroom. For the most accurate quote, please count any home offices and dens as an additional bedroom on our cleaning quote form. We tracked how often customers mention trust, punctuality, and attention to detail. The numbers are clear.

Yes, pets are welcome. We clean homes with dogs, cats, and everything in between every day.

For the best results, we recommend keeping pets out of the rooms being cleaned. It helps our team work more efficiently and keeps your pet comfortable in a quieter part of the house.

If your pet is aggressive or territorial, please keep them in a gated area or outside while we are there. If you will not be home, leave a note or text us with any pet handling instructions so the team knows what to expect when they arrive.

Every home is different, but we give you an exact flat-rate quote before your first visit so there are no surprises. The price is based on your home’s size, layout, and the type of cleaning, not an hourly meter.

Most services start at 4 hours. For smaller apartments and spaces, we offer 3-hour single cleaner options. A team of two can often complete a standard maintenance clean faster than a single cleaner, and we match the right setup to your home based on 41 years of experience.

Deeper services like move-in and move-out, post-construction, or heavy duty cleaning take longer and are quoted accordingly.

Yes. Visit our gift certificates page to purchase one online, or call (708) 485-8100 to order over the phone in a few minutes. You can also email contact@sophiascleaning.com.

Every cleaning is also documented with before, during, and after photos through CompanyCam, and we provide direct feedback after each visit so quality improves over time.

Yes. Sophia’s Cleaning Service is the original, founded in 1984 by Sophia Borek in La Grange, Illinois. We are now in our second generation of family ownership, run by Andre, Carol, and Laura Kazimierski. We are not a franchise, not part of a chain, and not affiliated with any other cleaning company using a similar name.

Because “Sophia” and “Sofia” are common names, other cleaning businesses in other states sometimes appear in search results alongside ours. We are the only Sophia’s Cleaning Service based in La Grange, IL, and we have been here for over 41 years. Our service area covers 39 cities across Cook County and DuPage County in Chicago’s western suburbs. We do not operate outside this area.

The easiest way to confirm you’ve reached the right company: our website is sophiascleaning.com, our phone number is (708) 485-8100, and our office is at 200 East Ave APT 1, La Grange, IL 60525. You can also find us on our Google Business Profile in La Grange, Illinois, where we have 396 reviews at 4.9 stars. We hold an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, including a 2025 Complaint Free Award.

If you found us through a search and aren’t sure whether you’re looking at the right Sophia’s, just give us a call. Laura can usually answer any questions you might have.