KUALA LUMPUR – As Hari Raya Aidilfitri arrives, many families are welcoming the festive season in homes that have been freshly cleaned and prepared for visiting relatives and friends.
In the days leading up to the celebration, demand for professional home cleaning services surged as families rushed to ensure their houses were spotless and ready to receive guests.
For some households, hiring professional cleaners has become a practical solution, particularly when work commitments and preparations for balik kampung leave little time for thorough cleaning.
A home cleaning service operator based in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Tengku Aidi Shah Tengku Amran Shah said demand for cleaning services nearly doubled during Ramadan compared with normal days.
“Normally, we clean just one or two homes a day, but during Ramadan we often had to handle three or four homes daily to keep up with the rush before Aidilfitri.
“Most customers use the service to clean their parents’ homes, which usually become the main gathering place on Aidilfitri morning when children return home and relatives come to visit,” he told Bernama recently.
Tengku Aidi Shah said he currently has four full-time and four part-time workers to meet the festive demand, serving areas including Kota Bharu, Tumpat, Pasir Mas and Bachok.
He added that bookings were fully taken up well ahead of the celebration, with many customers reserving slots as early as February before Ramadan.
“So far we have cleaned more than 30 homes, with around 20 more scheduled before the final round of services just days before Aidilfitri,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shuzilah Saad, owner of Al Wafi Laundry and Cleaning, said demand for home cleaning services in the Klang Valley typically rises by 20 to 30 per cent ahead of Aidilfitri compared with a normal month.
Her company, which employs about 15 staff, handled bookings for between 200 and 300 homes from both new and returning customers during the festive preparation period.
“The most requested service is the deep-cleaning package, which includes mopping floors, cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, as well as wiping fans, windows and furniture throughout the house,” she said.
Shuzilah added that the surge in demand sometimes leads to staff shortages, forcing the company to turn down some bookings during the busy festive season. - BERNAMA