topic Re: Cleaning service anyone? in Community Chat

Cleaning service anyone?

sophiamarie — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 18:14:50 GMT

My cleaning lady, after 20 years, is finally retiring. I am lost. Ironically, today we received a flyer advertising a cleaning service - bonded and insured and located all over the country.

Does anyone here use one of these services and if so, are you satisfied? TIA

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

Moonchilde — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 18:57:17 GMT

So many variables. Do you live in a small town or larger urban area. Do you have lots of choices of these services? I would read Yelp reviews for the services in your area to help you decide on a service. Do you have friends who might recommend someone?

I had one bad experience and one totally great experience. One whiny chick who was lazy and didn't want to do what had been agreed to in advance by her employer. And who followed me (literally) to an ATM to get her tip and was pithed off because she didn't think it was enough (for doing a poor job & complaining the whole time). And I had a 1BR apt.

I had a recent experience where they did exactly what I asked for and more, with a smile and a lot of hard work, and they were tipped quite generously, which I was happy to do.

It's a bit of a carp shoot and might take 1-2 tries befote you get a good match. Good luck!

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

ValuSkr — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:01:17 GMT

Several neighbors use Merry Maids. I think that's a franchise operation, so quality could vary from one franchise to another.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

songbird — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:13:08 GMT

When I was a child (1 of 4 kids close in age) my mother fell and broke both legs. She couldn't clean so we hired a maid. She was pretty good. She kept the house pretty straight and bathrooms & kitchen were always clean. One day my father came across the maid with our strong box in her hands. She was trying to pry it open. My mother complained to the company. The maid maintained she did nothing wrong. Turns out a few gold coins, cash & some jewelry was missing. We got rid of her. House resorted to being a mess till my mom's legs were healed. Same thing happened to me after my car accident. We got a cleaning service. Like it so much after I healed, we kept them. Never took anything nor any valuables were missed. They come every two weeks now. Don't have to clean anymore. Hard to do when you work full time.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

bonnielu — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:22:33 GMT

Good question. Love to know the answer. My gal moved. I am now the CLEANING LADY again. I did find someone else who has not come yet but I think her price tag might deter me from having her as a regular.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

bonnielu — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:23:55 GMT

Question: What does it cost to have a cleaning service? A cleaning lady in your experience. I don't want to be overcharged. Last time around it was $75 a clean of 3 hours. She was fast and furious and did a good routine job.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

millieshops — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:33:57 GMT

@bonnieluI think you have to ask people in your own area. I'm paying $20/hour right now, but I was paying more than that 20 years ago in a different place. In both cases, I was using a private person, not a service.

I had such a bad experience the one time I used a service that I never tried again. The second time, the service sent a man to do the cleaning and I watched him walk from a bathroom into the kitchen and start to clean there with the same dirty water! He was upset when I asked him to leave immediately - saw nothing wrong. I did.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

Lipstickdiva — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:36:03 GMT

I live in a small town and it's economically depressed. Some cleaning ladies charge $15.00/hr, some $20.00/hr and I'm sure there are some that charge a lot more.

I know a few people who have cleaning ladies and they pay $60.00 for 3 hours of cleaning, every week.

We had a cleaning lady years ago. The problem was, none of them cleaned as good as I was taught to clean by my mother and a couple of them smoked.....inside our house! We went through 3 of them and when the third one was fired, we gave up.

Cleaning services like Molly Maid or Merry Maids are more expensive. We had Molly Maid come once and were very unimpressed.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

BabyYoda — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:45:18 GMT

When I used to work long hours we used a local maid service and paid $70 for 3 hours with tip included. Seemed fair as she did a good job. When I retired I started cleaning the house myself. I figured out I spend at least 8-10 hours cleaning the house every week. My husband tells me the house has never looked so clean and tidy...lol I break up my cleaning routine so it isn't back breaking. I have become a clean freak now.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

151949 — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:13:11 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
Question: What does it cost to have a cleaning service? A cleaning lady in your experience. I don't want to be overcharged. Last time around it was $75 a clean of 3 hours. She was fast and furious and did a good routine job.

My cleaning lady charges me $85 for 3bedroom, 2 bath 1500 sq ft house if she cleans every 2 weeks, but if she only cleans once a month she charges me $160 because it can't be cleaned as quickly when it has been a month. So I have her every 2 weeks.I can't imagine why I did not have someone when I was working.

When i had back surgery I had a service - merry maids - they did OK but they sent different girls each time and some did better than others.Plus I felt I needed to tip them and there were 3 so that was added expense. The lady I have now is self employed and does not accept tips. She says she charges what she feels she earns. I trust her 100% and usually we leave her here and go out while she cleans.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

AnikaBrodie — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:21:02 GMT

I would love to have a cleaning lady but can't find anyone that comes close to our former cleaner. We had an Amish lady (husband picked her up and took her home) for a few years, and then she got a retail job with her aunt. She cleaned twice a month and was great, everything was spotless when she left. So, for now DH and I do the cleaning.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

toria — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:55:23 GMT

I don't have a big service but a small local one where I can get one person, the same one coming every two weeks. I've never had anything stolen. They do a pretty good job but are not perfect. I do plenty of cleaning up myself too mostly in the kitchen. They are a big help and do a lot I could not do. They charge ninety dollars to clean a three bedroom home. ITs not by the hour its whenever the cleaning is finished. The service pays the taxes and takes the withholdings. If you don't do that you are breaking the law.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

Peridot — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 21:12:02 GMT

We had a cleaning lady for a few yeears that we loved and she did a fabulous job and then she had to quit because of a family situation. I have serious back issues and can't tolerate the bending over and the headaches and dizziness so the search was on trying to find a replacement. Was not able to find a private person again that was recommended so we ended up with a service. Merry Maids to be exact.

It costs us $180 for two people for two hours. Am I happy with them - no I am not!!! It is a hit and miss situation and the obvious things that should be cleaned or wiped are not. If you ask them to do something it has to be on the sheet that was filled out when the manager of the company came through the house on the initital visit. I know darn well that there were several things that I said that I wanted done that are supposedly not on the sheet.

They don't move items on tables or shelves, don't move end tables that are on legs and not tight on the carpeting (where dust does accumulate), they won't dust the blinds unless I pull them down everytime they come, they don't dust the woodwork between the fridge and the wall and I could go on and on. I have asked them three times to WIPE with a DAMP RAG the patio track but that is never done either.

They have what they call a deep clean every six months - that's when they dust the top of the wall units and items on it and move furniture that it moveable and vac my drapes and valances and vac furniture. So for six months dust can pile up on top of my wall units and drapes and valances and if I want it cleaned I need to to it myself.

The first initital cleaning cost us $400 dollars! Yep, the big initial clean - didn't see much difference from what they do every two weeks when they come. If I cancel and then it is a month to the next time they come to clean I have to pay almost $400 for that next time. Now I am a very clean, neat and orderly person. We do not smoke, non-shedding pet (a little Poodle), no kids, nothing is on counters or tables or any other place, it looks like no one lives here because everything is put away, dishes are never in the sink, stove it clean and on and on.

Why do I keep them - because I can't find anyone else that I can trust. Trust is a big thing with cleaning people. About 5 years ago we had two people come in to clean for us for many years when I worked full time and they abused my wood work, cabinets and broke things. They cost me a lot of money in repairs to wall paper, lamp shades, woodwork and cabinet repairs. Why don't I call and compain you ask......I did in the begining and then the next time they showed up you could feel the cold and hate radiate off of them when they came in the door.

I wish I were young again and healthy so that I could clean my own house. Merry Maids are franchises I think so maybe they are better in your area or city. Good luck finding someone.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

chrystaltree — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 21:15:39 GMT

We considered the big national companies when we were looking for cleaning lady but they were just too darn expensive. I like having someone in weekly, it's just the two of us and we live in a condo so 4hrs does it. We chose a local woman from Angie's list. She actually works for an agency but also has her own clients. She charges $15 an our and she's fast and thourough. She does the whole thing in 3 hours, I give her $50. I don't tip weekly because we give our cleaning ladies generous Christmas bonuses.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

Gooday — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 21:19:06 GMT

We use a Hispanic woman while we are in Az. for 6-7 months. My brother and SIL have used Sylvia for the past 10-12 years. She charges us $60.00 and we have a 2,000sq foot house. She comes every other Tuesday and does a fabulous job. However, there are just the two of us and we have no pets. We sometimes go out before she gets to the house so, we leave the key under the mat and when she's done, the key goes back if we're not home. We supply the cleaning materials. I give her extra money at Christmas and before we go back to Illinois for the summer.

Also: she strips our bed and washes the sheets and makes the bed! She is a gem and I hope she never leaves! When we came back in October, I asked if she raised her rates and she did not. I would gladly pay her more if she asked.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

spix — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 21:26:15 GMT

I had a girl who did a good job, but got married so she stopped her cleaning. Tried Merry Maids once, pretty much the same as what I've read here, first time they tell you all they're going to do NOT!

Stopped for a long time, then tried a woman that a friend uses, first time she was a really good, 2nd time a little less, kept going this way, so I was not happy, let her go, now looking for a replacement, want only once a month (to cut costs) & I also clear everything away, so she can just come in and clean, here, in Chicago they charge $20 hour, cash, most are immigrants so I'm sure no tax is paid, so I believe that's a very generous payment, I know for sure they could not get a job paying that amount much less tax free, so now I'm not sure what I'll do, did get a flyer & might try that to see how it works out. btw I do't have any bedrooms done so no valuables are accessible.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

ShowMe — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 21:32:11 GMT

I don't know if you have Scrubby Dutch in your area or not, but I have them clean my apartment (2 bedrooms, 1 bath) every 2 weeks. Have been very satisfied with the team that cleans for me.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

Lucky Charm — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 23:22:55 GMT

@millieshops wrote:

I had such a bad experience the one time I used a service that I never tried again. The second time, the service sent a man to do the cleaning and I watched him walk from a bathroom into the kitchen and start to clean there with the same dirty water! He was upset when I asked him to leave immediately - saw nothing wrong. I did.

Bingo!

I've witnessed cleaners cleaning toilets with their bare hands. I don't do that in my own home.

The *rags* they bring could've cleaned someones toilet before and now their polishing your kitchen cabinets with them. No thank you.

I think you need to hire someone who works for themselves.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

maestra — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 23:12:54 GMT

My 2nd job after teaching FT is being the maid. DH tries to help but he's not as fastidious as I am, esp. in bathrooms and kitchen.

Re: Cleaning service anyone?

hovis — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 23:56:17 GMT

I have a cleaning lady that comes once a month. She is great. She is hispanic and does everything. And she only charges $50.00 and she is here 3 hours. We live in a small ranch and it takes her that long to clean. She is very thrustworthy. My two sister in laws use her and they love her. I asked her why she only charge fifty dollars and she said I love to clean. How about that? Thanks.