My Homecare Cleaning Lady Drives me Crazy!

I've mentioned my homecare cleaning lady once or twice and how she comes here and rants and rants about her job etc.

Well, today she was here and again, no different! I've had a headache going on all day and my pain meds aren't helping. Despite my telling her that I have a headache and am not feeling very well (nausea, migraine aura etc), she just went on and on!

Her rants:

1. Having told her office prior to Canadian Thanksgiving a few weeks ago that one of her client's who was scheduled to have cleaning on Canadian Thanksgiving,requested cleaning service another day that week as Thanksgiving was a holiday. And how she showed up at the woman's house 2 weeks later for her next appointment time only to have the woman ream her out for showing up.

Apparently instead of the office sending someone the week of Thanksgiving, they sent someone 12 days later. Apparently the woman called the office and told them that she sent the girl away because someone was there just a few days before, and because she also found the girl "too negative".


2. About her alcoholic boyfriend who never takes her anywhere or buys her anything and all they do is spend the entire weekend at his house where she knits and he drinks and how she knows the relationship won't ever be any different because while he has acknowledged being an alcoholic he has no desire to stop drinking because he enjoys it.

Then she goes on and on about all of these dating sites that she's a member of and how she has been talking to about a half dozen men. She mentioned that one guy in Halifax has a webcam and that when she talks to him using MSN he turns it on so she can see him and how neat that is! She doesn't have a webcam though.

Then she tells me that some guy in Ontario that she talks to also has a webcam and has told her that he would buy her one and send it to her. Then she adds "You know why he wants to send me one don't you?!" I said "You do that?!" and she said "No. But if he wants to send me a free camera, why shouldn't I take it?" I told her outright that I think it's horrible to take advantage of someone for monetary gain and that if she isn't interested in the guy that she shouldn't be taking a camera from him. She said "Well, if he's stupid enough to send me a camera, why shouldn't I take it?"

She went on about other things and I just tuned her out because my head just couldn't take it anymore

OMG! I forgot a major part!

I happened to mention that I got a letter from homecare asking me about the holiday days and if I needed replacement services. I told her that my days aren't affected by the holidays unless she needed the 31st of December off, and if that was the case then I could miss a cleaning day.

She said "Did you happen to catch the part about us not being able to accept gifts?" I said I did. I didn't tell her but I still had plans on buying her and the lady who comes to help me with a shower something little as appreciation.

Well, she goes on to tell me that even though they aren't supposed to accept gifts that she has one client that buys her chocolates sometimes and then goes on to tell me that she doesn't eat chocolate so she ends up just giving them away to someone else. Then she goes on to say that she has gotten chocolates and cookies etc from other clients and that she's mentioned to them that she doesn't eat that stuff and if they feel a need to give her something then to put $5.00 or something in a card and give it to her. She kept going on and on and mentioned about not eating chocolates and goodies several more times.

Then she mentioned that last year she got about $100.00 from her clients and was able to go out and buy herself something nice.

I said "Ok. I got the hint. No chocolates."

I don't feel like getting her anything now since she said that!

Maybe it was because of my headache, but today she really rubbed me the wrong way more so than she normally does.

Buy her a $5 walmart gift card, but don't write the amount on it

I would suggest a rock, but she might throw it at you.

I would actually be calling up the office and complaining about her. All their cleaning ladies can't be like her.

I feel for ya. That can't be nice -- or considerate, seeing as you're not feeling well! -- but I also understand that so many people, myself often included, do not have family, or even understanding friends, around when they need to share life's problems. So hope you can do as you're doing, and put up with it, to get your house clean, and give the poor girl her paycheck. Maybe soon she'll get wise and ditch the boyfriend, and that will give her more self-confidence and a better outlook on life, so the next boyfriend may be a winner instead of a drinking loser. We can hope for the best, can't we?

Originally Posted by Tarasgirl06

I feel for ya. That can't be nice -- or considerate, seeing as you're not feeling well! -- but I also understand that so many people, myself often included, do not have family, or even understanding friends, around when they need to share life's problems. So hope you can do as you're doing, and put up with it, to get your house clean, and give the poor girl her paycheck. Maybe soon she'll get wise and ditch the boyfriend, and that will give her more self-confidence and a better outlook on life, so the next boyfriend may be a winner instead of a drinking loser. We can hope for the best, can't we?

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Adding to this very positive note and sending vibes that your cleaning lady stops being a pain in the neck and also that your headaches clear up soon - I can just imagine her complaining voice clanging away at your poor aching head susan

I'm sorry she gave you a headache! I would have had one too i think if i had to listen to all that drama. Maybe she is just a little lonely though and thinks of you as a friend she can talk to?

Ouch, i feel for you i really do. I had a killer headache sunday, one of those where i keep seeing flashs of neon light in my left eye, and even a pillow touching my head hurt. How my father kept coming over yelling and trying to start a fight. After three fights, i finally just refused to open the door anymore.

When i was living in indo, the wife had a maid that would talk 20,000 miles a hour and never shut up. I had no idea what she was saying. I understand some indoensian but not much ,and not enough to understand someone who is talking so fast that she was breaking the sound barrier with her voice.

i bet she thought i was such a nice a guy to hear all about her problems( or she could have been calling name)

can you ask for a different cleaning person?

Originally Posted by theimp98

can you ask for a different cleaning person?

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It might come to that

She's always been talkative, but as the months have worn on she's become even more so and she gives off such negative energy because all she does is complain, complain, complain about everything!
And she doesn't seem able to multi-task IE: work and talk at the same time. When she gets on a roll she either stands against a wall, sits on the couch or props herself up on a table. Today she spent so much time sitting or standing still ranting, that she didn't even clean my bathtub. I know because the daisy suction things were still on the bottom of the tub and not even moved.When she cleans the tub they are spread all around the tub and I have to restick them.

She is here about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. She arrives at about 10:45 and is gone by 12:15 or 12:30 pm. And in that time all she does is:

1) Clean the bathroom (tub, toilet, sink, windex the mirror). Because they don't move anything, if there is anything on the counter she washes around it and won't even push it aside to get under it.
2) Mop the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom floors). She doesn't mop my hardwood floors except the area outside the bathroom, by the front door and by the kitchen door.
3) Windex 1 bathroom miror, kitchen table, coffee table, end table, and tv screen)
4) Vacuum 1 - 5 x 8 foot area rug and also the living room, bathroom, kitchen and bedroom floors)

That's all she does here.

- She doesn't dust anything because I can do that
- She doesn't vacuum furniture (homecare rules)
- She doesn't move anything to vacuum under things (again, homecare rules). And she doesn't even push things like a stand up fan or kitchen chair out of the way. Instead she bangs around with the vacuum floor tool doing spot vacuuming where she can reach.
- She doesn't do dishes because I can do those myself. In fact the only thing she has to do in the kitchen is the floor.
- The only thing she does in the bedroom is the floor. She doesn't dust the tables or the wood on my bed, or even wipe the window sills.

She spends about 45 minutes cleaning and all the rest of the time just sitting or standing whining and complaining about stuff. And sometimes like today she doesn't even get all the cleaning done and leaves things like the tub. One other time she got so involved in complaining about her job that she didn't even vacuum the area rug until I reminded her as she was about to put the vacuum away.

Today I had a meatloaf in the oven when she arrived. She said that the oven smells like it needs cleaning and said that she could clean it one day when she's here, but then something else would have to be left undone because wiping out an oven takes time. I felt like telling her that if she didn't stand around and talk so much that wouldn't be an issue!

I think she sees me as a "colleague" of sorts because I'm a nurse and typically nurses don't rat each other out.

Today she was telling me about that client of hers who called the office and complained about her being "too negative" and not wanting her to go back there, and while she was telling me that she said "I really shouldn't be telling you this, but oh well..."

She's a nice woman (I call her a girl, but she's actually 55 years old) and I don't want to see her get into trouble and lose her job. But at the same time she drives me absolutely batty! At first I thought she was having a bad day or something so I let her go on and on complaining. But it seems everytime she is here it's a bad day and that she uses me as her outlet or something.

You'd hate me then because i can talk the hind legs of a donkey!

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

You'd hate me then because i can talk the hind legs of a donkey!

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But Susan, we all know that you would have everything so spotless.

Originally Posted by katachtig

But Susan, we all know that you would have everything so spotless.

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This is true, but i'd still manage to chatter

I WOULD NOT get her anything for the holidays she is a terrible cleaning lady and has a terrible charactor!!!! I NEVER take anything from people at my work, or any work that I've had unless it is something VERY small. For example I will take a piece of candy if they will not accept no as an answer, and sometimes a homemade cookie. I would NEVER tell them that I will appect any small gift, NEVER!!!! That's just plain rude!

I would report her too, the company is never going to know what a terrible worker she is and how unproffessional she is until people tell them. They might think that one call was just a fluke, but if they get more than one or two they will look into her work ethic.

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

You'd hate me then because i can talk the hind legs of a donkey!

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Me too I swear the phone is glued to my ear 24/7. I have a bluetooth so I can talk and clean at the same time.

Susan would die if she seen my house the lasy couple days though

Also, are you getting charged while she's standing around doing nothing!?! I would be !!!!!! Report her please, and whatever you do don't get her anything! She's a worthless worker and she's getting paid a lot of money to do it!

Originally Posted by Dixie_Darlin

Susan would die if she seen my house the lasy couple days though

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Just give me the duster, polish and a vacuum and you won't know the place!

If you aren't in the same room she's working in, will she not talk to you?
Will it help if you avoid the room she's in then?
Can you go out during her appointed time? (or would that make you uncomfortable - which is understandable)

Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

Also, are you getting charged while she's standing around doing nothing!?!

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No. This service is part of our government healthcare which is paid for by our tax dollars. So I don't pay anything for the twice monthly cleaning or twice weekly shower help.

I was given a referral for the service based on my health and medical needs. A case worker came out and assessed my needs and determined that I would benefit greatly from having some help because I was expending all of whatever energy I had in just trying to do basic things like cooking, cleaning, bathing and had nothing left for anything else

I'm very grateful for the help. I know that there is a waiting list for people needing homecare and a shortage of homecare workers, which is why I'm reluctant to rock the boat and complain.

Originally Posted by CDubbie

If you aren't in the same room she's working in, will she not talk to you?
Will it help if you avoid the room she's in then?
Can you go out during her appointed time? (or would that make you uncomfortable - which is understandable)

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I've tried the leaving the room technique and went to the kitchen which is just off my living room. But when she has something to rant about she follows me. Like I said she doesn't have the ability to work and talk at the same time. If she's talking she isn't working.

As for going out, no that is not an option. Homecare rules state that I have to be present while the cleaning girl is here. They are bonded but I guess it's to prevent any accusations of theft or something. Though one day a couple months ago I asked her if it would be ok if I took my garbage out while she was there. I just had to get a bit of peace and quiet from her.

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

You'd hate me then because i can talk the hind legs of a donkey!

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Aha! So Rosie comes by it honestly.

When this cleaning lady starts on her complaining spree, could you not just excuse yourself and tell her you have some work to do on the computer that you REALLY need to get done due to a time constraint? Then, come on here and chat with us.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Aha! So Rosie comes by it honestly.

When this cleaning lady starts on her complaining spree, could you not just excuse yourself and tell her you have some work to do on the computer that you REALLY need to get done due to a time constraint? Then, come on here and chat with us.

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Hmmm! Not a bad idea. I'll try that on the 19th which is the next time she is here. I could also work on my website.

Chatty I can usually manage. But she isn't "chatty" in the normal sense of the word. Listening to someone talk is totally different to listening to someone constantly rant and complain. If she had positive things to say or was just generally chatting, that wouldn't be so bad. But it's awful to sit and hear someone whine and complain and be so negative for almost 2 hours!