Housekeeping Co is tailor-made for the UAE

From sand and construction dust to mildew and air conditioning maintanance, this Dubai-based company takes on the demands of the local climate and lifestyle.

Mans Formal Gloved Hand and Arm With Duster isolated over white (iStockphoto.com)

"People think they can bring the same furniture and bring the same clothes and treat these things the same way as they do in other climates, but actually, they can't," she says.

McGinty launched Housekeeping Co to provide a "five-star" service for clients looking for a more personal, tailor-made approach. A long-time Dubai resident and hotel management graduate, McGinty was previously involved in property management and used to outsource building cleaning services to external companies. "It was always a bit of a sloppy job," she says. "That's really how we got started - on the back of not being very happy with the services available on the market."

There are a number of UAE-specific issues that residents need to take into account when it comes to the care of their homes. For example, a reliance on air conditioning means that air conditioning units require special attention, particularly since they are prone to the proliferation of spore forming bacteria. This problem is compounded by high levels of humidity and the fact that properties are often poorly ventilated, especially during the summer months when windows and doors remain closed for extended periods of time.

"It's actually a very dangerous thing to have that black mildew either growing in your bathroom or in your AC, and sometimes people can't even see it. That's something that's very relevant to this part of the world," says McGinty, who recommends dipping cotton pads into tea tree oil and water and wiping them along the slats of your AC unit to ensure they remain clean. Housekeeping Co also offers Move-in Move-out and Spring Cleaning services that ensure that air conditioning units are properly maintained, both at the beginning and during your tenancy period.

It almost goes without saying, but in this part of the world sand is the major obstacle to maintaining a spotless home. The sheer volume of it - and its ability to sneak into every nook and cranny - can sometimes be overwhelming. "It scratches everything," says McGinty. "It might sound obvious, but you need an outside mop and you need an inside mop. Sand is glass, after all, so if you bring the outdoor mop inside, all you are doing is scratching your ceramic, marble or granite flooring with glass."

Building methods in this part of the world often mean that houses are overrun with construction sediment from the get-go, McGinty adds. "After an apartment or villa has been finalised and handed over, there can be kilos of dust in there, either inside the AC or under the suspended ceiling, so it takes a while for it to be circulated out. That fine dust seems to get everywhere and people often complain that they can't get rid of it."

Marble or ceramic floors are another standard feature of UAE homes that newcomers to the country may not have experience dealing with. And because there are different densities and types of marble and ceramics, each floor needs to be treated accordingly.

High levels of chlorine in the water present another set of challenges. "The water is very hard here and ladies are always complaining that their hair is falling out so we have an awful lot of blocked drains and scum building up in the bathrooms and showers."

Dishwashers are another problem area. Because of the heat, dishwashers often emit unpleasant odours, so McGinty recommends cutting up a few lemons and placing them in the dishwasher before switching it on. These will act as a natural steriliser.

Clothes also need to be treated differently in the UAE, McGinty points out. "People would wear suits a lot longer in the UK because they are not sweating as much. We come out of the shower, we luxuriate our bodies with perfumes, creams and deodorants but when you sweat you're bringing all those chemicals back out. So our silk blouses or our suits or our white shirt collars need special care and attention.

"Saying that, people will often use a pre-soap and then a main soap and a conditioner when they are washing their clothes. You don't need all of that for every wash and it can be very damaging to our clothes. All our girls are trained in international labelling, special washing instruction and ironing instructions.

"The daily management and maintenance of a home or office requires the attention of an educated and trained housekeeper," she adds. "I personally meet with each new client and establish their particular needs; some want a simple, discreet house cleaning service, others need their homes run and managed by one of our more experienced housekeepers."

www.silsal.comPrices start at Dh35 per hour. The company also offers special packages, including the recently launched Bachelor Service, which was designed for busy company executives who don't want to spend their free time washing up cups or picking up laundry.

"There are an awful lot of people who might rush out to the gym at six in the morning, come back with all their sweaty gear but don't have time to put on a wash. And they don't have time to make their beds because they're rushing out, dripping wet from the shower, and then they have to come back from working in DIFC or Abu Dhabi or wherever, and worry about all that.

"We can come in and alleviate all of that for them. Rather than having a four-hour clean-up job once a week, we go in three times a week for two hours and make the bed, tidy up the towels, wash the shower out, rinse the cups, puff up the cushions and change the bedding."

The service also offers optional extras such as shoe polishing, rearranging wardrobes, bookshelves, kitchen cabinets and refrigerators, setting tables for dinner parties, and a whole "life laundry" service.

The package is perfectly matched to the company's client base, over 50 per cent of whom are single occupant executives, both male and female. Meanwhile, 20 per cent of clientele are multiple homeowners who travel in and out of Dubai and need someone to look after their homes. "So we'll go in and flush the drains, make sure the AC is working, that their laundry is ready for them when they are coming back and things like that."

The company's success hinges on its willingness to go the extra mile, McGinty says. "I've had calls where people have asked me whether our girls can decorate a Christmas tree, and I've said, 'No, but I'll come and do it for you.'"