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.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.
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.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.
This is that same person!!!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.
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.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.
I've never asked for anything "extra" beyond what we discussed prior to her being hired.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.
Yikes. Sorry, I didn't mean to come across so abrasive.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.
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.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).
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)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 am paying her $15.00 per hour.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.
That's why I said "former".Originally Posted by Natalie_ca
This is that same person!!!
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 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.
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.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.
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.
How do you manage with patients?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.
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.
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).How do you manage with patients?
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.