My cleaning lady is spoiled!

yosemite

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You sure have not had an easy time with cleaning ladies. I remember you had a lot of trouble with a former one before you went back to work.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

You sure have not had an easy time with cleaning ladies. I remember you had a lot of trouble with a former one before you went back to work.
I think the reason for that is mainly, as she stated, she used to be one. You can easily see what someone skips or does wrong if you know how to do it correctly yourself.


All I can suggest is see if you can find reviews for any cleaning services before you hire them. There's been ads for Angie's List - but I'm not sure if they expect you to pay a fee after you join with them for reviews. Surely there should be other ways to find highly recommended house keepers in your area.
If you try to straighten things out with this one and she gives you BS, kick her out! You hired her, not the other way around.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

I think the reason for that is mainly, as she stated, she used to be one. You can easily see what someone skips or does wrong if you know how to do it correctly yourself.


All I can suggest is see if you can find reviews for any cleaning services before you hire them. There's been ads for Angie's List - but I'm not sure if they expect you to pay a fee after you join with them for reviews. Surely there should be other ways to find highly recommended house keepers in your area.
If you try to straighten things out with this one and she gives you BS, kick her out! You hired her, not the other way around.
Nobody is going to clean like we would do it ourselves. I know for sure that I would not be happy with a cleaning service. I don't believe anyone can clean a floor with a mop for instance - I still believe you need to get down there on your hands and knees to clean properly, like doing the baseboards as well.

The other 2 ladies Linda had problems with were from an agency so if you can't get good help through an agency and you can't get someone privately, where do you go from there? I have a friend who is a cleaning lady and she says it is hard work and once she's there, the clients ask for all kinds of "extras". I don't envy her or anyone else that does this work.

Our cleaning service at the office will not do any dishes that are left dirty in the sink - that's not part of their job.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

You sure have not had an easy time with cleaning ladies. I remember you had a lot of trouble with a former one before you went back to work.
This is that same person!!!
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

The other 2 ladies Linda had problems with were from an agency so if you can't get good help through an agency and you can't get someone privately, where do you go from there? I have a friend who is a cleaning lady and she says it is hard work and once she's there, the clients ask for all kinds of "extras". I don't envy her or anyone else that does this work.
When I was off work I had homecare help come and do cleaning 2 times per month. It's a service for those who are ill and require help. It's a government funded service that we pay for with our taxes.

The first girl, well woman came for almost a year before I had to call and ask to have someone else come. I found her insulting, very negative, and a constant complainer.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=147339

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=148978

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=150557

Ironically, the girl that I did hire was a no show for months and out of the blue a couple months ago contacted me and told me that her hours at her job had been changed and that's why she didn't come. So I was in a pinch and needed someone, so I contacted that first girl from homecare, the one who drove me batty to see if she was interested.

I had hoped the difference between her being here back then vs now would be that when she was coming here as a homecare employee with the government, I had to be here with her and I felt completely and utterly trapped. As a private client where I'm paying her myself away from the agency, I don't have to be here when she is. However, the day she picked to come is a day that I'm mostly always home in the afternoon!


The girl that I had hired initially was the second girl that homecare sent me. She was a dream when it came to cleaning! She was fast, efficient and very thorough. Plus she was so nice. I actually looked forward to the days she came to clean because she was good company and fun to talk to. However, she was also not very reliable and would often miss 2 or 3 visits. Because it was through homecare, they did send someone in her place. But if she was employed by me and she missed the days, I would have to find someone else on my own or try and do the cleaning myself.

Technically because I still have physical health issues that affect my ability to do certain things around the house, I still qualify for homecare help. But I know the services are taxed and so many people have to wait for help, and since I'm in a financial position to pay for the help that I need, I have opted to hire someone and pay them privately.

So anyway, I only had problems with one homecare worker, and ironically she is the one who I hired....temporarily, which seems to have become permanent since Janet wasn't able to start.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

once she's there, the clients ask for all kinds of "extras". I don't envy her or anyone else that does this work.

Our cleaning service at the office will not do any dishes that are left dirty in the sink - that's not part of their job.
I've never asked for anything "extra" beyond what we discussed prior to her being hired.

When I contacted her I told her what I expected:

- vacuuming: area rug, floors and furniture
- mopping: all tile and wood floors
- dusting furniture (I specified that I wanted things moved off the tables and not just dusting around things)
- swiffering the glass and frames of 6 pictures on the wall
- windexing glass tables, bathroom mirror and TV screen (again, moving things off of the tables to clean the glass)
- cleaning the bathroom
- washing any dishes that are in the sink
- wiping out the microwave if it needs it
- wiping down the counters, stove top and fronts of the appliances
- cleaning/wiping out the fridge and oven once every couple of months as needed (she actually stated this one herself)
- spot wiping around light switches as needed.


She leaves the bathroom 1/2 uncleaned.

She doesn't dust the bedroom at all.

She won't stick the vacuum head 2 feet into the open closet to suck up cat tumbleweeds that you can readily see. She vacuums to the edge of the closet door and not beyond.

She dusts and windexes around stuff.

She doesn't dust the pictures.

She doesn't do dishes.

She hasn't in the 6 months cleaned out the fridge or oven.

She's never wiped out the microwave or wiped down the counters or fronts of appliances.

She sometimes forgets to vacuum things and instead of taking the vacuum out and doing it, she leaves saying she will do it the next time.

I would think that if I'm paying her for 3 hours minimum to get the above done, that if she is finished everything but the furniture or rug in an hour or hour and a half and puts the vacuum away, that she should be pulling out the vacuum and finishing up what she's missed because I'm paying her for 3 hours of time to get the job done right. And she doesn't seem to see it in that light.

When I asked her to do the dishes yesterday it was like I asked her to do something "extra" and she responded like she was doing me a huge favour and that it wasn't part of our agreement and part of what she should be doing anyway. When she started washing the dishes she said "Fine! But I'm not drying them and putting them away!"

She seems to have gotten it into her head that she comes here for an hour and gets paid $45.00! In other words I'm paying her $45/hr and not $15.00/hr (a minimum of 3 hours...or $45.00) that we had agreed upon. That's a big difference.
 

strange_wings

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^Sounds like a pretty basic list to me, honestly. And I'm going to guess that aside from things that you cannot do that you normally keep your home fairly tidy - she's not needing to scrub 10-20 years of grime off anything (my house was filthy when I moved in).

If vacuuming is difficult for you because most vacuums are heavily enough that even the "lightweight" ones will get to you after a few minutes you may want to look at a very simple stick broom type vac. They're not that great at getting a lot of fur up but they can tame the fur tumbleweeds a bit. Because honestly with your allergies and asthma even once a week vacuuming may not be enough.

I have back problems, too, and those are light enough that I can handle a room without any pain after.

I don't understand why anyone would dust or clean around an item?
It doesn't really save time to do so.

Good luck on getting someone to at least do satisfactory work!


And yes, I also agree - We live with it and of course will notice more... unless the person is messy or a guy.
Back aside, I couldn't do house cleaning. When I clean I must get something as clean as possible, even if that means taking a toothbrush to it. Time constraints make that a problem.
 

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Originally Posted by Going Nova

I hope I'm not one of those people you're referring to because that isn't what I said.
Yikes. Sorry, I didn't mean to come across so abrasive.
 

butzie

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I have a cleaning young lady who we love. Her mother worked for us before.

So, you need to find another cleaning person. The essentials that a cleaning person should do are:

Priority 1: the kitchen which includes cleaning all the counters and the appliances and mopping the floor, cleaning the inside of the microwave, but not the inside of the oven or the refrigerator. She also unloads and loads the dishwasher and she washes things that don't go in the dishwasher.

Priority 2: all the bathrooms and that means cleaning everything including the floors as well as changing the towels

Priority 3: for me this is cleaning all the bedrooms first before the living room and the dining room. We live in the bedrooms and they get dirtier than the living room and dining room which are not used very often. So, changing the sheets and dusting and vacuuming are key. I don't need to have her clean under everything because we have too much "stuff" on top of everything. I actually do that myself every now and then.


Priority 4: the formal common rooms

Priority 5: the downstairs family room, bedroom and that bath.

Before Laura leaves, she puts all the dirty linens in the laundry room but I wash them. You may want your person to do the laundry.

I know what I want and my husband and kids are slobs so I really appreciate how great my house looks after she leaves. I pay well and she stays pretty much the whole day My house is 2700 sq. feet. Let me all again that I love Laura.

Anyway, setting priorities is what works for me. Let the next person know exactly what you want done in what order. If you ask for something not one the list, like cleaning out the refrigerator, either pay extra for staying longer or give up some of the things that the cleaning person usually does.

I think that you pretty much will have to find another person because you have set a precedent as to how much time and work she does which sounds like not enough by a long shot. I would specify the minimum time the person works for you not the minimum amount of money you will pay with the next person. I always give the new person a few weeks to figure out just what I want done.

Lastly, I cleaned house for the Catholic Chaplains at Cornell when I was there so see both sides of the issue. They wanted me to do their personal laundry as well -
Maybe that is why I don't have any the cleaning ladies do the laundry.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

^Sounds like a pretty basic list to me, honestly. And I'm going to guess that aside from things that you cannot do that you normally keep your home fairly tidy - she's not needing to scrub 10-20 years of grime off anything (my house was filthy when I moved in).
Nope. No need to scrub years of grime off my stuff. She's here one week and the next week on my weekend off I do what I can to keep up. I spend most of my time at my computer so my tables rarely get used and the clutter is contained to my freezer top and my desk, neither of which she has any dealings with.

I do my own laundry and change my own bed. The other girl who used to come from homecare would help me put the sheets on the bed, so I washed them the morning she was coming. I'm finding it difficult to make up my water bed these days because of my back. I have regular sheets and it's back breaking having to tuck 4 sides around the bladder.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I do my own laundry and change my own bed. The other girl who used to come from homecare would help me put the sheets on the bed, so I washed them the morning she was coming. I'm finding it difficult to make up my water bed these days because of my back. I have regular sheets and it's back breaking having to tuck 4 sides around the bladder.
I've had to make a water bed years ago before I had problems with my back. It's not the easiest thing to do and I couldn't imagine fighting with one now. (In fact, I have DH help me put the sheets on our bed because I have problems with them)
Maybe include that in the list for your next cleaner?
 

dusty's mom

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I've been in the cleaning business, and here's what I would recommend. First decide on what you are willing to pay. Keep in mind that if you are looking for a "legal" worker, you are going to have to pay more.

That legal person should (1) have their own transportation, (2) have insurance, (3) have their own tools and supplies. If you go the legal route, you will need to have their SS number, and you should withhold their deductions. Talk to your accountant about this if you are unsure. Expect to pay a minimum of $15/hr. Remember they have insurance, taxes, gasoline, car expense, supplies, etc. Ask to see their SS# and have them complete an I-9. If they have employees, you may not need to withhold taxes, but you should get a signed W-4 form, as your accountant will need to file a 1099 at the end of the year, unless they are a corporation.

If you hire an undocumented worker, you are essentially breaking the law. You might be able to get by cheaper, but you are contributing to the illegal immigrant problem that costs us all more in higher taxes. You should be willing to pay a minimum of $8/hr. They will not report their earnings, nor will they pay taxes on it. If they hurt themself in your house, your homeowners insurance will be liable. If you have no insurance, be prepared to foot the bill yourself.

Next, once you decide on the hours and the price, you need to make sure that the person puts in all the hours that you expect for the amount being paid. That means that you need to be there during the first time or two, so you can be sure that the person is working and not watching soaps. This will help you get a feel for how long it takes to clean your place thoroughly.

Hope this helps.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

Next, once you decide on the hours and the price, you need to make sure that the person puts in all the hours that you expect for the amount being paid. That means that you need to be there during the first time or two, so you can be sure that the person is working and not watching soaps. This will help you get a feel for how long it takes to clean your place thoroughly.

Hope this helps.
I am paying her $15.00 per hour.

I also guaranty her a minimum of $45.00 for her time here.

So that means if she finishes the list in less than 3 hours, she still gets paid for 3 hours work. If she takes 4 hours to finish, then I pay her an additional $15.00 for a total of $60.00 for that day.

However, she's usually finished in about 60 to 90 minutes. But she's also not completing the tasks that we had discussed, and she is leaving some things 1/2 undone as shown in my earlier list of things she is to be doing and the things she hasn't been doing.

She seems to have come to expect that her time here will be 90 minutes or less and anything I ask her to do that she is supposed to be doing seems to encroach on her self imposed allotted 90 minutes of time here. Even if I'm paying her a minimum of 3 hours to complete the work properly.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

This is that same person!!!
That's why I said "former".


Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

When I was off work I had homecare help come and do cleaning 2 times per month. It's a service for those who are ill and require help. It's a government funded service that we pay for with our taxes.

The first girl, well woman came for almost a year before I had to call and ask to have someone else come. I found her insulting, very negative, and a constant complainer.
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=147339

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=148978

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=150557

Ironically, the girl that I did hire was a no show for months and out of the blue a couple months ago contacted me and told me that her hours at her job had been changed and that's why she didn't come. So I was in a pinch and needed someone, so I contacted that first girl from homecare, the one who drove me batty to see if she was interested.

I had hoped the difference between her being here back then vs now would be that when she was coming here as a homecare employee with the government, I had to be here with her and I felt completely and utterly trapped. As a private client where I'm paying her myself away from the agency, I don't have to be here when she is. However, the day she picked to come is a day that I'm mostly always home in the afternoon!


The girl that I had hired initially was the second girl that homecare sent me. She was a dream when it came to cleaning! She was fast, efficient and very thorough. Plus she was so nice. I actually looked forward to the days she came to clean because she was good company and fun to talk to. However, she was also not very reliable and would often miss 2 or 3 visits. Because it was through homecare, they did send someone in her place. But if she was employed by me and she missed the days, I would have to find someone else on my own or try and do the cleaning myself.

Technically because I still have physical health issues that affect my ability to do certain things around the house, I still qualify for homecare help. But I know the services are taxed and so many people have to wait for help, and since I'm in a financial position to pay for the help that I need, I have opted to hire someone and pay them privately.

So anyway, I only had problems with one homecare worker, and ironically she is the one who I hired....temporarily, which seems to have become permanent since Janet wasn't able to start.
So the individual(s) mentioned above are all the same person? My mistake in thinking they were 2 separate individuals thus why I thought you had had previous problems with several cleaning ladies. My apologies.

Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

If you hire an undocumented worker, you are essentially breaking the law. You might be able to get by cheaper, but you are contributing to the illegal immigrant problem that costs us all more in higher taxes. You should be willing to pay a minimum of $8/hr. They will not report their earnings, nor will they pay taxes on it. If they hurt themself in your house, your homeowners insurance will be liable. If you have no insurance, be prepared to foot the bill yourself.
Hope this helps.
We are in Canada so don't have quite the same issues with illegal immigrants being hired. Most folks who do cleaning work in private homes have to be bonded. My friend works for herself but still had to register her business and be bonded.
 

ms cat love

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Ive been in the cleaning biz for 23 years. I make 500.00 a week for 15 hours of that work. For those of you complaining just remember you get what you pay for
 

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Originally Posted by cheylink

The faster they finish cleaning your home, the less they are actually cleaning.
Originally Posted by Yosemite

Nobody is going to clean like we would do it ourselves.
No disrespect to any cleaners out there because i have a couple of friends who love their cleaners, but no one would clean my house the way i do it, plus i don't like the idea of anyone cleaning my house.

Linda, i know you were wanting to save some money, so could you not do your own housework by splitting it over a couple of days so it's not too much?. Say dusting one day, then vacuuming and washing the bathroom and floors the day after?.
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I'm finding it difficult to make up my water bed these days because of my back. I have regular sheets and it's back breaking having to tuck 4 sides around the bladder.
How do you manage with patients?
 
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natalie_ca

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Rosiemac;2664707 said:
Linda, i know you were wanting to save some money, so could you not do your own housework by splitting it over a couple of days so it's not too much?. Say dusting one day, then vacuuming and washing the bathroom and floors the day after?.
No, I wish I could. A day of work saps nearly every ounce of energy that I have. After work if I can put together my lunch or dinner for the next day, or make dinner or do a load of laundry I'm lucky. So far as doing it before work, not an option because then I wouldn't have the energy and stamina to make it through my work shift.

Unfortunately the bulk of house cleaning taxes me too much for me to do, and having your home in a perpetual state of being cleaned, is an awful thing. Dishes, dusting and laundry I can usually do, depending on the number of days off I have, but heavier cleaning is just to much for me.

I returned to work before I was physically ready, and the car accident didn't help matters. However I had no choice. Either return to work or lose my license due to lack of nursing hours. I worked too hard to get that license in order to lose it.

How do you manage with patients?
It's very difficult, but I'm too young to retire. I don't have the financial means to retire, and I don't have the option of having a second income so that I can reduce my hours, so I have had to learn what my limits are both at work and at home, in order to allow me to function. Plus I take pain medication, both over the counter (for when I work) and prescription (when at home).

I think I'm managing fairly well, especially when I have someone coming to clean twice a month for me.

Paying someone to come and clean for me is not a luxury: it's a need that I'll more than likely have for the rest of my life unless my physical health improves, which according to my doctors is not likely to get much better than what it is now.
 
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