Community Chat

[PamelaSue72]

I'm only 61 years old and would rather do my own house-cleaning. Since I work fulltime, I do my cleaning on weekends with general straightening-up for about an hour or so every night during the week (a quick vacuum, a bit of a Swiffer, scooping the litterboxes, etc.). With six cats and a dog in the house, I'd worry too much that the cleaning woman would accidentally let one of the pets out....it would be my worst fear. 

Maybe when I'm old, I'll have a cleaning person. But for now, I'm good.

[Snoopp]

I want a cleaning lady for the times where I get behind but don't need one weekly.  I would not use a service like Merry Maids (who get bad reviews in my area). 

I also found the cleaners just couldn't do as good a job as I did and my big complaint was sometimes they were careless and damaged furniture (hitting the legs with a vacuum).  One neighbor found her cleaning lady stealing from her...

[MaggieMack]

I'm sure I wouldn't complain that a cleaning service wouldn't do as good a job as I! I just like to clean myself, when the spirit strikes me, which is usually when I know I will have guests, not very often. When my late DH and I owned a business, he would comment now and then that we should get a cleaning lady. I said, "I will quit my job before that happens, I would rather be home cleaning than working 80 hours a week." Since he really understood that, hmmm, no cleaning lady.

[Pearlee]

Please just keep in mind that, although people may be bonded and insured, to me that's practically meaningless.  Go try to prove that it's the person who stole the item...your word against theirs.  I can't see you ever recouping anything for stolen items.  If you hire them, stay home to supervise.

[Sawn]

I have a cleaning service. They come once a month. It costs $144.00. They clean everything, including the venetian blinds. I'm very happy with them. Everything is absolutely spotless when they leave - worth every penny! There are two rooms I don't have them clean: our grandchildrens' playroom and my husband's dump...er, I mean den. I clean up in between and keep up the bathrooms, but there is nothing like walking into a sparkling clean house that you just don't have the time to do yourself! Hth

[Maudelynn]

With due respect @Alice, not sure why you removed my comment about my white cleaning lady, but kept the comments about others' Hispanic and immigrant help. Seems like a bit of a double standard and I can't, for the life of me, figure the reasoning. No response necessary. Thanks for the opportunity to voice my confusion.

[Kalli]

I have been very lucky.  Had a mother and daughter team years ago and when they stopped, I hired a woman and her sil.  They are very trustworthy and that was at the top of my list.  I never have to worry about them stealing.  They do a very nice job.  

I have a cat and 2 medium small dogs.  They never complain about dog or cat hair, they just clean it up and move on.  They're always willing to do extra stuff if I ask.  And in the spring, I pay more for several weeks so they can do the spring cleaning.  

[SydneyH]

I use a two woman team that was recommended from someone at my church.  They come every 3 weeks and charge $100 for approximately 6 hours.  I've been very pleased with their efforts.

[nun ya]

I would go with someone you pay directly or is recommended by friends or family. Not to say some cleaing services aren't doing a good job, but those workers only get paid 10-20 % of the bill.