This is a question about cleaning ladies...I will try to make it as short as possible.
I have a cleaning team (mom and daugther) who come twice a month. They are not part of a business, they do this on their own.
They clean 1200 square feet in a little less than an hour. I know it takes me 3-4 hours to really clean our home (just the upstairs, which is what they clean).
I never feel that "ah, the house is clean" feeling when I walk in. It doesn't smell clean. I find myself going back over things that I feel should have been cleaned better. Examples, shower/bathtub, top of toilet, floor in front of the couch. One day the entire half of the rug in front of the couch wasn't vaccumed. They have never once cleaned underneath our sink (a shelf) - there is a table that sits there for storage/towels. I have had to leave notes asking them to do basic things, like wipe the inside of the microwave, or do a particular part of the floor in the living room. Why would you do just 3/4's of a hardwood floor and not the rest?
Sorry for the rant - my question is, how do I know if I am being too picky? My husband is the only other judge, and he could care less if the house is a disaster. I am just worried that I cannot tell the difference between my standards being too high and them doing a subpar job. If I hire someone else, they may be worse! It is like a bad boyfriend! lol
Thoughts? Suggestions? I am thinking of having another gal come in to innterview and telling her the things I am bothered by now and asking if she thinks she can address those for me.
Let me clarify - underneath the sink is a shelf (not where plumbing is). It is open and part of the wood of the sink. We use it to display fresh towels sometimes. Think of it just like a shelf, just not on the wall.
ETA: I have requested things be done that aren't, and they do them. But then it seems the next time something else will be left out. I guess part of me feels that after we went over this in the initial interview (what they will do, etc), I shouldn't have to tell a cleaning lady to make sure to get the corner, or to make sure to get in front of the couch, or clean out the microwave.
Not being picky at all. If you are going to hire someone to clean, then it damn well better be clean. You going over it a second time means it's not. Fire them and find new cleaners.
I grew up with a cleaning lady who came every Friday. This is what she did and what my parents paid.
- If we were home off school she kept us (didn't matter if we were sick or just had the day off),
-All the dirty laundry
-Changed all the bed sheets
-Did what dishes were in the sink
-cleaned all three bathrooms, potty, bathtub, sink, and floors
-cleaned kitchen, wiped the cabinets down, floor, counters and cleaned out the fridge wiping off every shelf.
-vaccumed all the bedrooms and living room
-cleaned the hardwood hallway floor
-dusted all the knick-nacks
-washed the windows inside and outside
-put away clean clothing, just the kids not my parents
Man she did/still does a lot for my parents. We always had a clean feeling house though when she was done. My mom always plans parties on Saturdays since the cleaning lady comes on Fridays or has friends over on Friday night so the house is still clean. She started at 8:00 a.m. after dropping her own kids off at school and stayed until about 5:30. Her kids rode the bus home with us on Fridays and played with us until she was finished. They pay her $150 every Friday for what she does and she gets an extra $100 to $150 on her birthday and for Christmas.
She has been with my parents for about 30 years now and they love her. They also trust her with everything at their house. During the summer she would bring her kids to work because that gave us someone to play with and she didn't have to find a babysitter for that day. We have been trying to get her to come to our house just once a month, but she is so booked up and it seems that people never leave her. Good for her and bad for us.
Finding the perfect cleaning person is a hard thing to do since you are trusting them with everything you own and have worked hard for. I would say that if you are not happy with who you have now keep looking. Maybe ask for a reference to call and if you don't like the next one keep moving on until you find one that you do like and that does do a good job. They are your employees and if they don't perform then fire them and stop wasting your money.
Do you have a written contract with them as to what you expect them to actually do? You need to have a written list of chores and expectations for what you're paying them for. That way they must abide by the contract, and when services are actually rendered you can pay them what they're owed. Start taking before and after pictures if you need to prove that they haven't done the work you're paying them for.
But you know what? Screw that noise. You're not satisfied with them so stop using them. I would test out an actual cleaning service with a good reputation and see how they do, what the differences are, and the lengths that they go to. See what the cost differences are, and if there's a large difference then maybe it's a matter of "you get what you pay for." If there's NOT a big cost difference then maybe you're better off paying professionals.
If your not happy, find a new maid.. I switch about every year or so because I find they start slacking.. Your paying for it, so you choose whether or not you like it..
What you are talking about should most definitely be included. Picky to me would be them not doing windows or inside the fridge. I think you should get a new person. It doesn't sound like they listen to you. Plus-if it doesn't smell clean they probably just use water and old towels they used on someone elses house.
And you should draw up a list for the new girl. Go to a national maid website and see if they have their checklist up for a reference. This way she will have it in writing.
By definition, if you are not getting what you want, you aren't being too picky.
Tell them once and for all what you expect. Write it down. Ask them to agree or not. Give them one chance to do it. Then fire them and hire someone else.
Definitely vacuuming and the toilet are basics. These people either don't understand what you want or what basic cleaning is, or they are taking advantage of you.
You are definitely not being picky. My hubby also could care less about the cleanliness of the house overall, and was never helpful to me. So, he suggested getting the cleaning team to help out back in 2003 or so. Since then, I am on my 4th team. I loved my first group, but she had back issues and had to stop. She did a wonderful job, right down to cleaning out my fridge and dusting the ceiling fans every other month or so without asking. She also asked periodically if I wanted special things done -- like windows -- for extra. When she left I had some problems finding somone in between, for many of the same reasons you did. The people recommended by my original person were not great. I finally asked my neighbor about her person, whom she had used for years and whom her mom had used for years prior. She is fantastic, and actually charges $10 less than my original group.
I think the biggest thing in hiring someone is communication. Talk to them right in the beginning as to what you expect them to do each week. If you bring some new in, don't tell them what the last person DIDN'T do. Focus on what she NEEDS to do. Write everything down and give them a copy, and then go over it with them. Keep a copy for yourself as well. If something is not done let them know that this is what you agreed upon for XX price. I just got a cleaning person for my mom (she is in her 70s) and my mom was amazed at how much I told the person who came in. I know my mom's standards are high --much like my own -- and the purpose of hiring someone is to lighten my mom's load. Paying someone to do a so-so job is definitely NOT helpful!
My new person is much more flexible with dates (if I have to switch), but at the same time I have to be more flexible for her because she has young children as well. She always calls or texts to let me know if she can't come and makes arrangements for another day. If I want something specific done (i.e. fridge, etc) I leave out a note on the counter and a few extra dollars that week and no problem, she lets me know that she took care of it. She will also do bigger things, like windows and stuff, if I make advance arrangements. Talk to your new person about these things as well.
Also, you can ask her for the names/numbers of 2-3 people whose homes she currently cleans so you can get references. If she is good at her job she will get back to you with those names. Or ask around your neighborhood. I was completely surprised at how many people were using individuals, NOT Merry Maids or some other "professional" service.
You're not being too picky. It's your house & your money.
You need a checklist for them to follow. Include all items to be done. If it's not done, let them know! If they can't "get it" then you need someone else that CAN!
I would say if you're not happy with the end result you need to make some changes. You pay good $ for their service and if their not providing quality service, find someone who will.
NO WAY -not picky!!! your paying them to do this ! it is their Job, IF I didn't do my job as stated in my interview - guess what? ? ~ I wouldn't have a job anymore.....
I would ask some friends who they use and are Happy with :-)
Why don't you type up a Master List to show them and talk about during the interviews and then give them a copy to keep and USE if and when they get the job.
I would interview some other people/companies and get some quotes. You need to tell them exactly what you want done every week. If I felt in a nice mood, I would arrange a sit down with the mother and daughter and tell them of all of the things that you want done that they are not addressing. I would give them one last chance to up their game, if not, find someone else. Or, if I was just done with it and really liked one of the other people that I interviewed, I would just call it quits right away and hire the other person to start. I would not continue to pay for a service that I was coming home and re-doing.
"Pickiness" is subjective. I like my baseboards and corners cleaned whereas others find it unnecessary.
So, whatever you have requested to be cleaned is what should be cleaned.
If they aren't willing to do so or want to increase the rate based on that and you can't come to an agreement then hire someone else. Tell the next person or people up front how you want things done and supply a laminated list. Best wishes. :)
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I think the underneath the sink is a little much but the rest of the stuff sounds pretty basic. The tubs, inside of the sink, toliets, dusting and vacuming. The inside of the microwave maybe not but the big stuff shouldn't be overlooked. My mom has hers done and it always smells freshly moped and all the dog hair is up, for the moment.
