Tidy Review – Our Experience [House Cleaning Service App]

Recently, my wife started experimenting with home remolding and flipping. One of the main selling points for potential buyers is a clean and tidy home when they come for a showing. With little time to do it on our own, she found the Tidy App and decided to give it a try. This Tidy review is a full review of our experience with the house cleaning service app – and if we would use it again.

What Exactly Is Tidy?

Tidy, in a nutshell, is an app that connects people who are looking for someone to clean their home, with available housecleaners. It’s similar to the business design of Lyft, Uber, and other gig economy type applications. If you want to “tidy away your life,” this maid service option may be right up your alley.

How do I know this? I’ve used Tidy myself. My experience with it has been mostly positive. In the age of apps to make our life easier, we decided to give Tidy a try.

As stated earlier, we used the Tidy app for a couple of homes we flipped, and we have also used it for our personal residence. My wife first heard about it from a couple of her friends and decided to download the app and give it a try.

We quickly realized the use of Tidy can simplify the process of reserving local housekeepers. If you’re searching high and low for professional cleaning assistance that is also reasonably priced, then Tidy services may be right for you and your household. We found Tidy is a relatively new and upcoming app that has an amazing amount of potential.

Where Tidy Cleaners Operate

At the time of this review, the Tidy App is only available in certain locations. Currently, the Tidy App connects house cleaners with customers in the following areas:

• Arizona
• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Nevada
• Colorado
• Washington, D.C.
• Virginia
• Illinois
• Georgia

*More locations are continually being added.

Signing Up For Tidy

We own Android phones, so a quick search in my Google Play located the Tidy App right away. The app is available for iPhone users as well.

Important! There are two house cleaning apps in the app store that are labeled as “Tidy.” One is the authentic Tidy.com app, the other is not.

When we first download the app, we found the initial sign up and onboarding process was straightforward. You can register to use the Tidy app via your cell phone or the main website at Tidy.com.

If you head to the official Tidy website, you can fill out a simple registration form. All you have to do is include accurate details regarding your full name and email address. You have to come up with a suitable password, too. Once you’re through providing the Tidy team with this information, you can click on the “Continue” button.

After you registering for a Tidy account, click “login” on the company’s site. You can get inside of your account using your email address and password.

How Much Does Tidy Cost?

We found Tidy home cleanings were way cheaper than we expected. For example, the screenshot below shows how much Tidy charges by time:

Tidy Rates

Tidy rates vary by the length of cleaning time requested as well as where you live. Here in Arizona, the rates are as follows:

Regular Tidy Cleaning

A regular Tidy cleaning is $40 for one hour of cleaning with one housekeeper.

Tidy+ Cleaning

A Tidy+ cleaning is $75 for 2.5 hours of cleaning with one housekeeper.

Tidy XL Cleaning

A Tidy XL cleaning is $115 for 4 hours of cleaning with one housekeeper.

Tidy Mighty Cleaning

A Tidy Mighty cleaning is $200 for 4 hours of cleaning with two housekeepers.

How The Tidy App Works

Cleaning durations vary depending on the service requested. Customers can choose durations of one, two and a half, and four hours. Staff member numbers differ as well. If you want a cleaning service from one housekeeper, that’s up to you. If you want a cleaning service from two individuals at the same time, then that’s up to you, too.

Geography also determines pricing. Some people pay a little more than $15.00 for cleaning service by the hour. Others pay up to $30.00 hourly.

The Tidy website makes it easy for potential customers to get detailed cleaning service price estimates. If you want to predict pricing for a whole house clean job, a partial one, or anything else, all you have to do is check out the site. That’s precisely what we did before booking anything.

All you have to do is provide Tidy with your zip code, your desired cleaning service duration, and your desired frequency. Some people want rates that apply to continued Tidy home cleanings. Others want rates that apply to single cleaning sessions. There are even many who need prices that are suitable for last-minute same-day service (added 10% upcharge for same day).

You can pay for Tidy services with a credit card and later write a review on how your Tidy cleaning went.

If you’re planning on booking your first Tidy cleaning session, you should think about certain things that relate to pricing in advance. We found Tidy doesn’t tack on any mysterious additional charges. It enables customers to reduce their cleaning costs by as much as $50.00 from other cleaning alternatives we were looking into.

Is Tidy Legitimate?

The last thing you ever want to do is squander your money and time on a cleaning company that’s not legitimate or credible. I did a bit of research and found Tidy takes a cautious approach to recruiting all of its housekeepers. Its team members meticulously analyze each application by hand, rather than relying on an algorithm.

I was also surprised to learn that the bulk of applicants are denied certification by Tidy. Certified Tidy home keepers go through in-depth background checks. That’s one of the things that made me a little less apprehensive about a stranger coming into my home.

Tidy E-Verify

Tidy maids are all legally permitted to live in the United States. They’re also English speakers. From my experience, I’ve never had any issues communicating with a Tidy home keeper.

I also liked the option of being able to schedule the same home keeper each time rather than having new people continually cleaning my home.

Do Tidy Cleaners Bring Their Own Supplies?

If you work with Tidy, you should never have to think about sharing your cleaning supplies. This can help reduce your costs significantly. Tidy home keepers all come equipped with safe and eco-friendly cleaning devices.

They all come equipped with safe, gentle, and mild cleaning formulas beneficial for the environment as well. Tidy’s professionals tend to show up with vacuum cleaners, towels, sponges, glass cleaners, shower cleaners, toilet cleaners, and mops. They tend to show up with cleaning formulas that are suitable for many diverse applications, too.

I was relieved when I realized that I didn’t have to have any cleaning tools on hand. That saved me a lot of stress and energy.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

The cleaning formulas its team members use are required to be safe, natural, and eco-friendly. Tidy exclusively authorizes cleaning products that do not endanger pets or children in any way, shape, or form.

Tidy states they meticulously assess cleaning company manufacturers before approving them. Tidy goes exclusively with pH neutral manufacturers. This can keep home destruction at bay.

If you have any detailed cleaning wishes, that’s fine because I always do. Some people have requirements that relate to things like hardwood floor cleaning formulas. You can safeguard a note on the app for your cleaner to view. Remember, Tidy cleaners do not routinely come equipped with bleach. That’s because bleach can potentially wreak havoc on possessions, furniture items, and floors.

However, if you prefer bleach use, Tidy housecleaners will bring bleach to clean the surfaces you point out.

What Should You Do While Your Maid Is Cleaning?

If you’re home at the time, you may want to stay in another room. That’s because you want to make it as easy as possible for your home keeper to navigate and manage your living space.

I tend to run errands while I get Tidy services. It’s rather simple to give Tidy home keepers details to getting inside of your home when you’re not there. You can put all of these details on your residential profile, or send them specifically to your housekeeper.

Additionally, you can specify preferred parking locations for all Tidy staff members. You can indicate exactly how you want your home keeper to approach getting inside your space. You may have information that relates to lockbox keys and garage codes.

We found the Tidy service was extremely customizable for our needs. If you schedule Tidy for 1/2 hour cleanings, you can stick around. If you call Tidy for a cleaning service that lasts for 2.5 hours, you can handle work, errands around the community, and other similar chores.

How Many Hours A Week Should You Clean?

No one can determine precisely how many hours of cleaning work your home needs, because it always depends. No two residential properties are identical. If you live in a spacious home with a total of five bedrooms, it may require more frequent professional cleaning sessions. If you live all by yourself in a more compact home, then you may not need to get a cleaning service quite as often.

Think about the number of individuals in your household as well. Bigger houses naturally require more regular cleaning work. This is especially true for big families that have young and energetic children.

If you’re a parent who has little kids who do a lot of running around and playing, you shouldn’t be too shocked if your need for maid service increases. My wife and I prefer monthly cleaning to help deep clean some of the more difficult areas while we keep up on the day-to-day cleaning.

For others, weekly cleaning sessions are common. Some people opt to clean their houses twice monthly. Others, like us, choose monthly cleaning sessions. The decision ultimately is yours and yours alone.

Take a look around your home to assess its status. Do the hardwood floors in your living room look grimy and dull? Do the countertops in your bathroom and kitchen look like they’ve seen much better days? If your house continually looks lackluster, you should consider upping the frequency of your Tidy service.

What Exactly Should a Tidy Cleaner Do in Two Hours?

Many people hire Tidy for maid service that spans two hours. I was surprised how many tasks Tidy cleaners were able to tackle in a two-hour time frame. They can clean living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, offices, and finished basements.

They can zero in on more nuanced house cleaning specialties as well.

What I particularly like about the Tidy app is the ability to customize your cleaning. You can specify which rooms or which tasks you would like completed. You are paying for the housekeeper’s time, not the tasks.

Tidy home keepers devote a lot of time to cleaning bathroom sinks. They set aside a lot of time for cleaning household appliances. They mop and vacuum the family room and den floors. They empty garbage cans. They, in many cases, even take on the dishes in the kitchen.

I’m guilty of letting dirty dishes pile up inside of my kitchen sink any time I’m particularly busy. Fortunately, Tidy home keepers are a bunch of professional dishwashing powerhouses.

Do You Tip Tidy Cleaners?

Tipping is something that often makes people feel uncertain and confused. The Tidy team states explicitly that tips aren’t essential. That’s the reason that the bulk of Tidy customers refrain from tipping. Despite that, tipping home keepers isn’t prohibited in any sense. Customers can opt to tip their home keepers for excellent work as they desire.

Why isn’t tipping vital at Tidy? That’s partially because the company’s home keepers earn much more than standard housekeepers do.

Attitudes regarding tipping practices are changing in society these days as well. Some people want to keep things as straightforward as possible. These people often believe that doing away with tipping may keep things a lot more streamlined. It’s always a personal decision.

No one can tell you whether you should tip. If you return to a tidy home that looks like a vision of cleaning glory, you may be compelled to tip. Just remember that Tidy doesn’t require it.

The Pros Of Using The Tidy App

There are so many advantages that are associated with getting Tidy services. The app, when it’s working, is the definition of user-friendly. People who use this app to book maid service do not have to learn in advance. You can rely on the “concierge,” too.

Concierge representatives can answer all sorts of questions that involve bookings and services in general. They can even help customers who have cleaning wishes that are customized. People can reach out to the concierge team via email: concierge@tidy.com,  or text message. The concierge feature is one of many examples of Tidy’s unique customer service style.

Tidy also has a customer service line that is provided when you send an email to concierge@tidy.com.

Cleaning a home well isn’t an easy job for anyone. If you’re interested in attaining unrivaled home cleaning results, using the Tidy app may push you in the right direction. From my experience, Tidy’s home keepers do a pretty good job.

I haven’t seen them take shortcuts during cleaning sessions. I have found single-hour cleaning sessions can spruce up the nooks and crannies of your home. Same-day cleaning sessions can rapidly get your home looking flawless before “last minute” guests show up at your doorstep for dinner.

Customers who work with Tidy are in charge of what gets cleaned and what doesn’t. You can opt for specialties that are big among Tidy customers in general. You can even specify the exact tasks you need to get done.

Tidy To-Dos

Tidy “to-dos” cover a lot of territories. This feature enables customers to demonstrate their preferred bed-making approaches. It can come in handy for customers who want to clear up any bewilderment that involves washer and dryer functioning.

If you’re going to simplify things for your home keeper, then using “to-dos” is precisely what you need. I’m a massive fan of it due to the ability to customize my cleaning preferences.

Tidy Guarantee

Tidy services come with a reassuring satisfaction guarantee, too. Customers who are not satisfied with initial cleaning results can secure credits that they can put toward future sessions.

The app makes reserving appointments for professional housekeeping services a piece of cake. It makes it fast as well. It doesn’t matter if you simply want to book an appointment or if you want to make any adjustments to your “to-dos.” This technology enables customers to save a lot of time and energy.

Update Notifications

I was also impressed because the app continually updates me with email notifications and alerts related to my scheduled cleaning. If you want a reminder about an upcoming cleaning appointment, you can get it from the app. The app’s approach to Internet scheduling is pleasant and logical, as well.

Tidy can be a game-changer for people who want to minimize stress. To keep my wife happy, they utilize cleaning solutions that do not negatively impact the environment. They use products that are suitable for pets, cats, and dogs as well.

Tidy Cleaning As A Gift

Handling detailed cleaning work can be a hassle for people who have busy and demanding schedules. Luckily, people can surprise their friends and family members with gift cleaning sessions from Tidy. Tidy services can be especially helpful to people who aren’t able to move around their homes easily or swiftly.

If you have family members who have severe arthritis, then pleasantly surprising him with a Tidy present may be the perfect gift. People often give Tidy gifts to adult children who are strapped for time. They just as frequently provide these gifts to elderly relatives who suffer from persistent body aches and pains.

The official Tidy site has a simple form accessible to people who are interested in giving Tidy gifts. All you have to do is provide details, including your name, email address, recipient name, recipient email address, and gift monetary value.

You can also opt to include a message with your Tidy gift. I always say something basic. A classic birthday greeting tends to do the trick. Once you provide all of the details, you move forward with payment via a secured online portal.

Tidy Gift Refunds

People who are fortunate enough to get Tidy cleaning session presents have a lot of freedom. They can apply the gift credit to any service or package that’s accessible through Tidy. You don’t have to concern yourself with thoughts that involve the Tidy team not being able to accommodate your recipient’s wishes in full, either.

If the Tidy team, for whatever reason, is unable to cater to your recipient’s cleaning requests, he or she will receive a full refund. The Tidy crew will notify you of the refund as well.

Using Tidy For Business

House cleaning is only where things start for the Tidy crew. That’s because the Tidy menu is a vast one that doesn’t charge outrageous prices. It features cleaning services that go beyond residential properties. You can request cleaning work for an Airbnb or a standard rental. You can request it for a commercial space as well.

If you own and operate a bakery or a dining establishment of any kind, you can request cleaning assistance from the Tidy team. If you’re in charge of a clothing boutique or any office, you can request it. Tidy home keepers regularly take on cleaning projects that are suitable for offices that are mid-sized or even small.

Easy To Cancel

This app can be helpful to people who like taking “no strings attached” approaches to housekeeping services. If you test out Tidy, you don’t have to feel obligated to continue with it. The app enables people to quit using it as they wish.

The Cons Of Using The Tidy App

Although there’s no denying that Tidy is an app that has taken the housekeeping world by storm, that doesn’t mean that it’s 100 percent devoid of flaws. I’ve noticed a couple of things about Tidy that could most likely use a bit of improvement.

Tidy is accessible in many metropolises all around the United States. It’s not yet accessible everywhere, however. If you reside in a smaller town or city, then you may not be able to access Tidy cleaning assistance. Hopefully, they will continue expansion into other areas of the country.

Cancellations

What else about the Tidy app could use a degree of improvement? Tidy gives people the option to cancel cleaning appointments if necessary. Occasional cancellations are inevitable. Life happens, people get sick, they injure themselves, they have cars that fail to start, and the list goes on.

If you have no choice but to cancel a Tidy appointment, the charge can be pretty high. This is a significant concern for some people. Tidy app users receive only three cancellation waivers every 90 days.

Some Tidy users have concerns that involve cleaning session timing. They sometimes complain that Tidy schedules sessions too rapidly. It can be hard to prepare for one cleaning job. Preparing for another that follows immediately can be an exercise in anxiety and frustration.

House Cleaner Cancellations

The top concern and complaints about Tidy are house cleaners that never showed or canceled at the last minute. I have not had this happen to me but I can certainly understand the frustration.

In addition to the untimely cancellations, users have reported significant struggles in getting their money back or appointments rescheduled. Their issues revolved around poor communication with customer service.

Poor Cleaning Services

Other people have complained about the poor cleaning or lack of cleaning they received. Several online critiques say the home keeper was extremely slow and/or didn’t clean everything they said they did. Fortunately, I have not had a similar experience with the cleaners who I hired.

App Issues

The Tidy app isn’t at all flawless in setup, either. I’ve come across a few issues with it in recent times. I recently noticed that my home keeper was unable to view anything I included in the “to-dos” feature. This brought on a great deal of confusion. It wasted my home keeper’s time and consumed a significant amount of my time as well.

This app can also be pretty sluggish at times. There are many apps these slow days, and that can squander a lot of your energy. I sometimes have to deal with the hassles of the Tidy app freezing. My app often freezes and logs me out. If you were in any reservation or transaction, you should make sure that you didn’t rack up any charges unknowingly.

Reports Of Theft

Some Tidy users have frustrations that involve allegations of theft or missing items. If you have any concerns involving the possibility of theft, you should take action to safeguard yourself and the rest of your household.

What I do to avoid any potential issues is to store all my valuables in my safe before the cleaners arrive. The last thing you want is to leave anything irreplaceable out in the open. Although Tidy goes above and beyond to assess its cleaners’ backgrounds meticulously, there is always a chance of a few bad apples.

Damaged Property

It isn’t unheard of for Tidy team members to accidentally damage an item in your home. People who experience any issues have the option to go forward with damage claim form filings. If they fill these forms out, they can get compensated with credit for Tidy cleaning services.

People can set aside credits for any cleaning sessions that are coming up for them. Some people prefer to receive money refunds. This isn’t a major complaint among the Tidy customer base. Most cleaners take great pains to steer clear of doing anything destructive.

The Tidy app is known for being pretty user-friendly. It’s not ideal, though. If you want to steer clear of any mishaps or headaches, you should take the time to review it before you make any action. Don’t set up any cleaning sessions until you have confidence in your knowledge of the app.

Wrapping It Up – My Thoughts Of Tidy

When my wife and I first started using the Tidy app, I was reluctant. I don’t like spending money if I don’t have to, but we were in a position that we didn’t have enough free time to do all the cleaning on our own. By giving the Tidy app a try, I found it was extremely easy to connect to a maid service without having to vet them out on my own.

By trusting the company to do the background checks for me, I found the people who came into my home didn’t look like ex-convicts.

Before I wrote this post, I looked online through other Tidy reviews and saw there were plenty of horror stories about the Tidy app. Even though most of the commentary online is negative, I found that my experience with Tidy homekeepers over the past six months has been pleasant.

I will admit that the cleaners did not do as good of a job as I would have done but I’m also a bit of a perfectionist. Understanding this is my nature I was able to accept the job Tidy employees do and I’m pleased with the overall quality.

All in all, I would recommend Tidy to people looking for a little extra help keeping up with the cleaning around their home.