Cleaning people rock!

[SueC]

I totally see why those of you that can afford it hire cleaning people! My mom and sister got me 5 hours of deep cleaning for Christmas, which was the best gift ever. Today a team of 3 people came and scrubbed my house for 2 hours while the baby and I went out for coffee and a bagel and then went to a bookstore. I honestly think this is a way better treat than even getting a massage.

[SueC]

It was a local cleaning service--after reading "nickel and dimed" I'm not sure I could hire one of the big chains.

It was a local cleaning service--after reading "nickel and dimed" I'm not sure I could hire one of the big chains.

I agree, Sue. Not only are they treated poorly but it sounded like they didn't clean so much as make it look clean. Yuck.

I agree too that cleaning people rock! The times when we have been able to afford it (usually when I was working), I found it so helpful and worth the money. I think the best part is having the whole house clean all at once. I could spot clean and keep up with having someone come on a monthly basis. But twice a month would be even better -- which is what we used to do. *dream* When we were selling our house, we had them come every week and it was amazing.

[DCJenn]

Amen to the Cleaning People!!!

As I am sitting in an airport and my husband is at work, I can tell you that they have quite literally saved if not the marriage, at least a huge amount of frustration. It used to be that I'd come home from a trip, have to write the report (at home) and just seethe at the piles of junk, the dirty floor, the carpeting of pet fur. Now, every other week we have a team of three come and in about an hour they have my hosue cleaner than I could get it if I spent the entire weekend doing it.

Yesterday we locked ourselves in the basement and emptied boxes, some that we hadn't opened since we moved back from Texas! The "special trash" pickup was today and all of it was ours!!!

Jenn

DITTO!!! I was just thinking before I read this post that I really need to just break down and budget for someone to come every other week to do the hardcore stuff. I think it's totally worth it and since I work, I don't want to spend my precious free time cleaning! Boy, oh boy the fights that have occured with me and DH about his inability to keep up with his "house responsibilities". Hiring someone would alleviate some of my frustration with his messy ways!
I don't like the cleaning companies either, they charge way too much and I have not been impressed with the services (what limited experience I have to draw from!) I called one locally and they wanted $25/hr! Gasp!

[PrincessFiona]

I'm prepared to jump on this bandwagon. What all do cleaning people do when they come? Do you have things cleaned up and then they just do the finer details or will they...*gulp* also help pick things up?

kris

[KCwife]

Hello all, new here. I just have to post on this one. About 3 months ago I convinced my husband that I needed a cleaning lady. I put an ad in the paper, and finally found someone. I pay her $8.00 per hour and she cleans whatever is on my list for that day. She comes once a week for about 2 1/2 hours. IT ROCKS! I feel that I get so much accomplished in those few hours!

[BonBon]

I pay her $8.00 per hour and she cleans whatever is on my list for that day.

$8/hour? Wow, that's awesome! Don't let her go!!!

I have to agree about the cleaning ladies. I barely lift a finger cleaning and I like it that way. I detest cleaning showers! Our ladies come every other week and do a top to bottom scrubdown. I'll vacuum in the interim and keep the place relatively picked up, but that's it.

Kris, how it's worked for me currently and with past cleaners is that you keep the house picked up and they clean it. Vacuum, dust, toilets, showers, etc. I don't know if any would be willing to put stuff away as they might be afraid you wouldn't find it again. It is definitely incentive to get the house picked up! Fortunately, I only have one child and his messes are contained to two rooms.

I'm thinking of hiring some cleaning help, too, when I start getting further along in the pregnancy. We have dark cherry hardwood floors and they're gorgeous, but they are a #*&@! to keep clean. The only thing I'm worried about is that I'll want to tidy up before the cleaning people come...and I'll end up doing half their job for them. I'm sure once my belly starts to grow, I won't have any problem kicking up my feet and letting them do all the work!

I usually try to pick up the surfaces to be cleaned -- stuff on the floor, dishes out the sink, etc. If I've left dishes in the sink, they usually wash them or put them in the dishwasher. If I want something extra done, I'll ask when they arrive -- things like making/changing a bed, cleaning the walls, windows, cleaning out the fridge or other stuff they don't usually do. I expect surfaces to be dusted, floors cleaned and mopped, baseboards cleaned, cobwebs attacked, sinks counters and stove surface cleaned (as well as other appliance surfaces), bathroom floor sink tub and toilet cleaned. I think that's about it. Even better if they clean the dog snot and fingerprints off the storm door and sliding glass door without being asked! I think just about anything is fair game as long as you go over expecations first and pay extra for any extras. A friend of mine paid her housecleaners extra to clean out her car and they did a great job!

:clean:

[PrincessFiona]

I'm calling about someone tomorrow...I'm dead serious on this.

[Rapunzel]

I just jumped on the cleaning service boat a couple of weeks ago and I'm hooked!

Jennifer

One other thing, they should clean under the furniture and clean the microwave (and if it's on a counter, move it to clean under it). If you have non-carpet floors, the cleaning under the furniture is key (and the lack of that activity in my house is why I have overgrown dustbunnies roaming around ).

[DCJenn]

My ladies speak not a word of English so if I need something doen out of the norm, I call the boss. I found them through an add they had placed in one of the local DC newspapers. (The Capitol Hill Rag, if anyone is in DC) They do the entire bathroom, sweep and then mop the floors (we have no carpet), vacuum the inch of fur off every surface they find, plus dust and scrub the kitchen from top to bottom. Mine to the microwave and will wash the dishes if there are any. (which is usually dependent on whether I'm on the road. If I'm gone, somehow my husband forgets how to put his coffee mugs in to the DW!) When we moved, they came and did a pre-move scrub- the fridge and freezer, deep cleaned the oven, etc. and then did the same thing in the new house (we had the floors done and the dust was everywhere.)

I'm trying to figure out how to keep them coming after I'm home with Nikolai.

Jenn

[Phoebe]

We hired someone once a month for the past 15 months. DH bit the bullet when I about had a nervous breakdown trying to keep the house clean with a 2 yr old and 35 weeks pregnant. We got hooked up with this little man through our neighbor. He gets on his hands and knees to scrub the floors and takes about 3.5 hours in our house. Boy does he work up a sweat! We have passed him on to 4 different people since hiring him.

It is well worth my sanity.

Jennifer