Hiring a maid

[MeatBall]

It's finally happened.
My wife said we need a maid last nite, after a couple of years of my saying so. We both work extensive hours, but she tends to work more, most often getting home after 9pm. I love to cook (its my kitchen pretty much) and keep it fairly clean and we both clean as we go. We have three cats who shed on everything. The place is 2300 square feet, 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 baths. We moved from 800 square feet about a year ago.
The maid would be for a thorough bi-weekly cleaning, probably 4-8 hours worth. It's not a money issue, more of just freeing up some quality time on the weekends.......
Any thoughts?

[Csara]

I think it's great! Good for you and LUCKY you and your wife! :D

[Kale]

You are talking alot of work there ! Id like to do that job!
If I were you Id hire a "private person" that relies on the work ,otherwise you will not get the personal touch and care from a group of people that sprits and run! I know cleaners that just make sure the fixtures are clean and give a quick run with the vac and mop and call it a day. They have to do only what they are told and use the cleaning stuff that they are told.
Not may honest cleaning companies out there. Im guessing you are going to pay anywhere from 100 -125 per visit and the first come in will be a bit more.If you hire a hard honest working lady then you will have struck it rich!
Good Hunting .
Make certain you interview and give a 1x no committiment (at first but let her know you are strongly "Thinkng" of bi-weeklyand you should get a personal contract that she writes up after going thru your home that states what you want done and that she is to do it as stated.She should come in and you give
her complete instructions on what you want clean and if you use a special product that she doesnt carry you should supply it and if she doesnt use that product cause it is a chemical and she doesnt use them well, you will have to find something that will do the job as well as your first choice.. If she doesnt do something yu want done or stinks at cleaning ..let her go ,there is nothing much worse then paying for a good cleaning and getting a spritser.
Im sure there is someone out there. Oh the contract is so she doesnt forget to do something and you dont think she forgot something and hold a grudge thus causing tention. She should always be fairly ontime and fully prepared to work not go food shoppin in the fridge or go thru any draws or closets,Id keep them all off limits unless you are really ok with that.Dont forget detailed info you must give .General cleaning..what the heck is that? detail.... wipe, wash, scrub, dust all mean something different so watch your terms! Also everytime dust this or every other time you know scrub the bathroom down every time but clean the light fixtures every other time,stuff like that.
Hope I helped ya some.
Oh dont give the key or garage passwords ,if you want to let her in while you are not home leave a door open and have her lock it and leave the money for her with a thank you note or just an evelope with her name on it :-)!
Oh tips are very greatly appriciated dont forget she is "caring" for all your personal values and is trustworth of access of your Castle while you are not home.
And also just because you pay her cash doesnt mean she is not paying taxes! she just may be which is the killer in the Cleaning business.

Hope it works out for wifie and you!

(Oh Im editing this, 4-8 hours figure about 17-24 dollars per hour based on the first time doing it so if it takes about 5 hours it should be over 110.00 to be fair.)

Kale:D

[MeatBall]

Kale - thanks for your detailed response! I've never had a maid and you really opened up my mind to what it takes...yikes! Sounds like buyer beware ~ be careful what you ask for (or don't ask!) So much for me thinking that a cleaning service had a standard package for home cleaning....
The security issues alone are really making me rethink the cleaning service. On another thread someone told a story about a maid "throwing out" valuables, even nightmares of background checks and potential backlash from hiring/terminating.

[Kale]

Originally posted by MeatBall
Kale - thanks for your detailed response! I've never had a maid and you really opened up my mind to what it takes...yikes! Sounds like buyer beware ~ be careful what you ask for (or don't ask!) So much for me thinking that a cleaning service had a standard package for home cleaning....
The security issues alone are really making me rethink the cleaning service. On another thread someone told a story about a maid "throwing out" valuables, even nightmares of background checks and potential backlash from hiring/terminating. I wouldnt get in so concerned about security.Yuo just have to know who you are speaking /hiring. You know maybe someone from a church or a person from work's cleaning lady, Oh, A cleaning lady is NOT A MAID!
A cleaning person CLEANS not pick up toys or do dishes or straighten out your mess,that you can get with a "Cleaning person(lady) but DOUBT you will with a company.
They are set in what they do more or less and dont bend anywhere to do anything extra and if you give a detailed "want done list" they may want to charge you more! :(
A Cleaning Lady Should Not ever go where she does not belong ever....
Dont drinking the juice or making a sandwich or eating a tv dinner.hehehe I do know this is a big step but if you take the time to search and interview self employed person(s) You should be ok. Oh quite frankly, you can watch her(them ) a few times while cleaning I can tell you if they had ill thoughts like to steal to throw away or any unacceptable act ,well she/ they sure arent going to do it while you are looking.
So you need to trust your worker.
Referrals are the best way to go speak with anyone you know about a cleaning person ,if they have or had one they Will tell you ,either brag or warn but keep in mind, that is just thier person (you may want to call or run) not all cleaning persons are a threat. Do you watch the Plumber or electrician with a thought they may walk away with something? Just becasue you pay them wayyyy more doesnt mean they can't be a thief or have wrong thoughts like taking your food or going through something in your bedroom or scoping whatch have .They are all just people and You need to interview and be really at ease with who you have inside your home touching your valuables (pics.,computer ( which should be password protected), your dresser stuff etc.. .Just have any valuables away before you even let someone come for thier free estimates and everytime they come to clean .
Ask around and see if you have a young relative that you trust to come and clean for ya.

I tell you I would not be worried about hiring /firing problems ,just interview and listen to everything they say.Dont forget a cleaning person can have a fear that when she is there to clean the person that hired her can be a house sitter or a renter about to move or a crimminal that kidnapped the owners ..she doesnt know you really own the house she is trusting you will never do her any harm ,she is trusting you will not have a group of people come there and harm her ,all she knows is you hired (not possitive of your name either (caller ID doesnt prove you are the person on it) and she came to clean. Sorry if I jumped around Im between lots of work and thought Id answer ya.

So you see both parties have to trust have something(info) to link you to her and her to you. If you are nervous ,you can misplace something and blame her unjustly , she will/can be so broken heart falsly accused ,and later in the year you will find it and found out the cat hid it or something. You need to be able to trust and you get that by speaking..
contract also dont forget a contract in case you forgot what was on the list or she did .She wont bite your head off (shouldnt anyway, hehehe) if you remind her of something in a nice way .

Id say give some interviews and see what you come up with ,you dont have to give facts like days you are not home or days you want a cleaning take it slow tell her you work different hours each week then if you hire her and you are not there ,well then tell you were called in and may be switched to working the hours she is there cleaning nothing exact. Unless you trust her . And if you dont trust her she should not be in your house.Again all valuables away .
Im sure there is a good girl out there that you can trust to not do ill and just clean really well and get out of there!

Good luck and I hope you check out all angles and end up with such a
Blessing ,nothing like a goood trustworthy cleaning person. Well it is easier to find that(her) then a honest dog trainer or beautician :D computer repair service etc...

Have fun and dont suspect everyone with ill thoughts:)
Oh if you find some one that LOVESS to clean you probably will have no worries...humm one question you may want to ask is
"why do you clean homes" ?

Kale

[Turtleheadfred]

Hey there Meatball! Ya know, I forgot, but several good friends of mine do have cleaning people come in and none of them have had any problems. (Don't ask me why I forgot:crazy: ) Some of them hired an individual from referrals, others have a service.

One guy, after his divorce, hired Merry Maids. Now his wife was very meticulous - there were no complaints about how she kept the house at all. But even he was impressed with how the service came in and cleaned things that had NEVER been cleaned before - and then KEPT them that way. He traveled a lot so it was just really nice for him to have someone keep things clean for him so that all he had to do was keep it that way. I think they came the initial time and then his deal was once every two weeks.

Another single girl that also worked with me and traveled a lot hired a man that one of our lawyers has working for her and he basically did the same type thing for her - but he would actually change her bedsheets for her and launder them. That's just the deal they had.

Again, that was a referral from people at work and actually he went to church with another lady from work. Generally word of mouth is the BEST way to find people. I just found out that a good friend of mine's mom has her own cleaning service and believe me I've told several people about her. Now she will do pretty much whatever people what. She charges by the square foot and number of bathrooms. Everyone is different but like others have said, as long as you do your homework ahead of time and if you can, drop in occasionally, you should be fine. Also, just communicate anything that you think is a problem right up front before it becomes one! Like any relationship, anyone coming into your home is going to have to get to know you and your wife a little bit before they're going to be able to do things the way you want them done.;)

Keep us informed:D Oh... and I'm TOTALLY jealous!

[Kale]

About Merry Maids...
Glad they got good work out of them :) they sure arent like the ones here in Wayne /Oakland County Mi. . I have a few words for thier work here...
Disgrace to all Cleaners and thier prices are Outrageous!
They must be independently owned and run in your area.




Kale

[Turtleheadfred]

Ya know Kale - I'm not sure. He was happy with their work, but I also doubt that money was an issue for him either.:rolleyes: I wouldn't know because I clean my OWN house (and YES I'm JEALOUS!!!):D Hopefully Meatball will find someone that a friend can recommend... ALWAYS the best option.

Hey - and Kale... welcome to the group!

[Kale]

Originally posted by Turtleheadfred
Ya know Kale - I'm not sure. He was happy with their work, but I also doubt that money was an issue for him either.:rolleyes: I wouldn't know because I clean my OWN house (and YES I'm JEALOUS!!!):D Hopefully Meatball will find someone that a friend can recommend... ALWAYS the best option.

Hey - and Kale... welcome to the group!
Yes I agree word of mouth is the best way to go ,cause even if you use the same company no telling who is going to get assigned to do the cleaning for that day. And Turtle head FRED , Thanks for the welcome.Im guessing you like turtles.I own one 10 1/2 yr old Eastern Box She is a beaut. Her eyes can melt anyones heart:D


Kale:D

[Jo Beth]

I've have had the same cleaning lady for 10 years, she does many of my friends homes as well. We pay her between $70-100 and are happy to trade days with each other if one of us has an event/company that having a clean house would be necessary.
My one suggestion is to pick up important papers, homework, library books and other things that may get put in a place you would not have put it. We have had to call for help locating "lost" items.

[Kale]

Meatball!
Its been quite a while ... have you decided to hire or clean yourselves?
A maid/or cleaning lady can be a wonderful thing!! As long as you are educated and Im thinking you are(hehehe) .Hope I didnt scare you into cleaning yourselves.Just need to gewt references takes but an hour or so on the phone calling a 2-4 people. Yu can even ask for charactor reference.

Hope to get an update!:D :D

Kale