When my family moved into a rental house a few months ago, we did all the cleaning ourselves. The agent represented it as clean and showed it to us in dim light after dark, so there we were. Then it came time to put away the dishes, and I realized I was in for it. I spent about a week cleaning cabinets from the time I got up until supper time, except for the time I was taking care of our toddler. And don't get me started on the carpet. We thought that our allergies were due to the smoke smell on the dingy walls, but after the neighbor clued us in to what the previous residents were like, and we found our socks turning black after a few minutes of walking around, we ended up renting a carpet cleaner. Of course, my husband got called away for the rest of the day, so I ended up juggling the toddler and carpet cleaner for the rest of the day trying to get the house finished before we had to return the machine.

I survived, of course, and we got the house in decent shape except for the walls, but how I would have appreciated some help! Imagine being in this situation. Do you have a support system that is there burning elbow grease with you, or are you left alone like I was, trying to keep the baby happy while we clean ahead of him and keep him from getting that giant mess in his mouth?

The easier solution is a professional cleaning service. A good cleaning service can send in reinforcements who will deal with your dirty problems without losing their cool.

Cleaning services shouldn't break the bank. If you are looking at taking time off work to deal with your cleaning problems, you can see how they might pay for themselves. They specialize in this, and they will invest far fewer hours in your cleaning problems than you would.

Professional cleaners know what products to use. I was stuck cleaning for days with a bottle of bleach-based bathroom cleaner because everything else was packed away. If I had called a cleaning service, they would have been able to clean the bathroom walls without damaging the paint. They wouldn't have been using disinfectant in the carpet machine because they went through the correct cleaner so fast. If there is something that can take care of the goop on your cabinets or the stain on the carpet, they should know which product to use.

Finally, don't overlook the non-monetary benefits of having a consistently clean house. Chronic clutter puts a strain on your marriage. It makes the home you invested in seem less home-like. No one likes to get home from work and have to clear the cabinets, wash the dishes and throw away the leftover food before fixing supper. If you can have a clear space and free up some time to spend relaxing with your family, it may be well worth it to invest in a cleaning service to deal with these things behind the scenes.