Where would one look if one wants a really well done thorough one-time cleaning of a complete apartment? Preferably arranged in English?
With thorough cleaning I mean including things like oil filter of the kitchen range hood, inside al kitchen closets, windows inside and outside (as far as reachable), removing stains from bathroom tiles, …
At your hands?
To be honest, I don’t think that many of the cleaners speak English. We have someone that does that and he has several cleaning teams depending on the job size.
Sure, my first thoughts as well. But please think of a situation where this might not be possible (broken hand for example).
English is not a must of course, but would be a plus. At least if someone at a company offering such services speaks English, not necessarily the workers themselves.
Do you need fapiao? This would rule out any informal workers (i.e., Filipino helpers who are working outside their work-permit or under permanent residency)
If you are open to informal workers, listing explicitly and comprehensively what your need to be covered will always help to build a quotation.
I have these Taiwanese people who come in every three months or so to clean my place. Two women. They bring along all of their own scrubbing utensils and detergents. Their English is fine. I get them to do the bathrooms and kitchen, and they do a fine job. Not cheap, though. NT$500/person/hour. Works out to around 3k for the job, which is quickly and immaculately done. Depending on the size of your place, you could be looking at around 5k.
Not “need” per se, but of course we wouldn’t be discussing illegal work here 
Thanks a lot for the idea of listing what needs to be done, that sounds like a good basis. Especially describing the things that I guess need a bit experience and knowledge or specialized tools/detergents, which I wouldn’t trust any random person (including myself) to do well.
I was imagining that such services exist, for example for landlords before or after a messy tenant leaves.
Sounds great. Cheap or fast is not the main focus, important is that they know how to clean certain things and have the necessary tools and detergents.
Would these two be willing to take on such a job?
I’ll check with the wife when she gets home from work.
You bet!
After two apartments have been done, it’s time for a resume. Read at the end for my recommendation.
1st try: Hoho, as suggested in another thread here. Professional looking services website, completely in Chinese. The line account speaks English. For cleaning empty apartments, they need an evaluation to make an offer. I made an appointment for that, waited a few hours for someone to show up, but nothing. Two weeks after the appointment (and after the job was already done by someone else) they called me in English telling me they will come the next day for the evaluation. After 3 different people called me they finally understood that they fucked it up and didn’t get the business.
Note: Another thing I ordered there was AC cleaning, which was professionally done on time.
2nd try: a well known moving company suggested a cleaning company, adding they don’t speak English. Turned out they did well enough. Same deal, first evaluation, then offer. The people doing the evaluation were nice, acting professional, on time, and quick. They gave an offer based on efforts not time, but it came down roughly to a bit below 500NT per hour per person. After removing some items that I deemed not necessary, the final offer was much lower in absolute numbers, but came to a bit above 500NT PHPP. Exactly 24h before the agreed time they lined me “we’re here”. After clarifying they’re a tad early, they came back right on time the next day. Impression of the cleaning was good at first, I went on doing some other stuff around the house in the meanwhile. When they were done we looked around together. Some things that I failed to do before they did amazingly well, like for example degreasing the range hood filter, and they were quite quick. Unfortunately lots of stuff was absolutely not OK, like tons of soap residue (a millimeter thick or so) left on some bathtub tap parts, huge patches of limescale on taps, and even some uncleaned drawers in the kitchen. Some things they cleaned after I pointed it out, some they argued it cannot be done (that’s not limescale - that’s oxydized metal, can’t reach that drawer) until I showed them how to do it (limescale: take sponge and scrub, drawer: remove from rails and clean, …), but some things I just didn’t have the nerve to argue with them and simply did again myself later. Not a good idea says my still a bit damaged hand, but hey, at least the glass wall in the shower is completely see through now. All in all nice enough people that did a lot of things ok, communication was good (except for the “cannot be done” BS) , but I wouldn’t recommend them simply because of the lacking results.
3rd try: @jimipresley got me in contact with the cleaning company he mentioned. I contacted them for help cleaning my old place before handing it back. Going rate seems to be a bit above 500, first timers get a discount. English is fine, no problem communicating. They were very eager and available at very short notice. Results were good. I am glad @jimipresley got me in touch with them, and I recommend their services. The company boss is an energetic chatty young woman, who seems to be handling it like a cooperative: All earnings are equally shared. This is the company, they are happily accepting new customers:
山納百景企業社
No. 22-1號, Zili Road, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City, 23580
02 2949 7105
https://maps.app.goo.gl/auhHUTbwPxs7bNva9
It is my understanding that the decreasing the hood thing is done separately. I have a couple of numbers from old folk who do that and do that only. Like the mosquito netting guy, they go around in a little truck announcing their trade.
I guess Jimi shares some of his whiskey with the young lady at times.
degreasing? That’s terrible sticky and messy when done by yourself.
Read what I said: there is a separate line of professionals for that kind of work.
I mean you do not call an electrician when you have a problem with your pipes.
I know they degrease the hood! Not make it smaller.
In Taiwan it’s the same guy tho, plumber, electrician … they do it all.
Normally I got good results with putting the filters in the dishwasher on hot. This time… No.
Does anyone have other suggestions for house cleaning service before moving out?
Tried to reach them the last few days by Line, Facebook Messenger, Phone… no reaction. I hope they are OK? Their last Facebook post was December 7, so I guess they are active, but on vacation or something like that.
The Facebook page was updated, it seems they are completely swamped with work before the new year. And the phone number changed. Glad to hear they are still around and are doing well.
The famous ‘yearly’ clean! Where people literally clean the house once a year.
They hose our gongyu’s stairwell down once a year. One year of dust, dirt and cigarette ash. It’s like a big event, they put big notices up on the front and back doors, and call the apartments on the day. We pay a monthly fee, but most of it goes to the crew that comes around daily picking up the rubbish.