Cleaning Lady - Do You Have One?

[Deleted User]

Seems like the #1 think H and I get into fights over is cleaning. We both work long hours and really don't want to spend all weekend keeping up the house...but we also both want to live in a clean space.

I was talking with a girlfriend the other day about it and she mentioned they have someone that comes to clean their house every other week. I've always felt like cleaning ladies were for rich people...but now i'm seriously considering it. I've gotten some quotes and it would be about $50/time which would be reasonable in our budget. Only problem is, H doesn't like the idea of someone we don't know having full access to our house without us there. The place i'm considering is licensed and insured, plus we have homeowner's insurance to cover damage and theft. I guess i'm just not that worried about it.

Do you have a cleaning person? If so, how often do they come?

Would having a cleaning person come into your home bother you?

Would it be totally weird if H insisted that he be home while said cleaning person was there?

I'd love to hear some thoughts on this topic.

KeptInStitches

We don't have a cleaning lady. Honestly, I'd be bothered if I felt like I couldn't keep my home clean enough on my own, so I'd be unlikely to ever get one. Cleaning is one of those things that lowers my stress level - I'm not outsourcing that!

Dignity100

Do you have a cleaning person? If so, how often do they come?

I wish; but my animals would not allow it.  FI pays his mom to clean his house.  He gives her $50 every other week.  She cleans the floors, bathrooms and does dusting; not sure what else.  I know if she has nothing else planned that day she'll do laundry and some light yard work too (but she's family and not part of a cleaning company).

Would having a cleaning person come into your home bother you?If my animals were super friendly, I would LOVE to have a cleaning person.  FI doesn't trust having a stranger come.

Would it be totally weird if H insisted that he be home while said cleaning person was there?
If I hired a cleaning lady, the first few times, I would want to be there, so I don't find this weird at all.

Make sure your cleaning person knows your expectation and you know theirs.  A lady I knew worked for a company and they did not make beds/fold laundry and a few other tasks people expected.

buddysmom80

I've had cleaning people come to my house before. Once before I had my gallbladder surgery and my parents were coming out and I just wasn't feeling up to cleaning, another time was when I moved out of my apartment, I just didn't want to deal with an apartment cleanout. We're going to hire one the week of our wedding since my parents will be staying at our house and I know I don't want ot deal with that!

Nope, don't have a problem, if they're licensed and insured it's fine with me.

I can't be there when a cleaning person is there, I feel bad because I made the mess and they have to clean it up.

Seriously, if FI wasn't worried about people snooping, I'd hire a cleaning lady now. We have a system going now where I clean one small thing a day, but it's such a hassle and I don't want to clean on the weekend either.

BreMR

I WISH I had a cleaning person.  It's definitely not in the budget now.  However, BF's mom use to have one and she did a great job (although she did break a few things and sucked up my necklace in her vaccuum never to be seen again).  They were never home when she was there and never had any issues.  

I would talk to people you know locally and go by word of mouth to hire someone.  

Peaseblossom55

Do you have a cleaning person? If so, how often do they come?

Not anymore when we moved in the new house and started wedding planning we canceled it.  She would come ever other week.  I miss it soooooooooo much

Would having a cleaning person come into your home bother you? No most big companies do background checks and have their employees bonded

Would it be totally weird if H insisted that he be home while said cleaning person was there?

I always found it weird when I came home from the work & the cleaning people were still there, I didn't want to seem like I was checking up on their work and I didn't want to be in the way either.

I'm hoping after the wedding we can start having her come to the house again.

SmileDamnit

We've had people come to clean on occasion (before or after a move, before a big gather, etc.) but not on a regular basis. I'm pretty tidy so it's not really necessary, but I can see when I have kids maybe wanting someone to come in on a semi-regular basis. That said, I would always want someone to be home. My mom has had the same gal cleaning her house for almost 3 years now and she loves her. She comes by twice a month, and even though they are kind of "friends", someone is always home when she's there. My mom actually helps her clean sometimes, but she's a clean freak and weird like that.

blabla89

I used to clean houses. Sometimes the people were home. It didn't bother me as long as it didn't bother them. I think it's totally okay to for him to be there, at least the first few times. I like cleaning, it's therapeutic for me (unless it's a big, disgusting mess) so I'm usually content to clean my own place. I am thinking of hiring someone to clean before my grandma comes to visit in a few weeks and I've also been feeling a little weird about having a stranger come into my place when I'm not home.

Anyway, if you have a closet or something where you could lock your valuables that might ease your H's mind. Also, I would ask people you know and trust to recommend a cleaning lady, rather than choosing one based on the company's reputation. Just make sure that whoever you choose is ensured and whatnot.

cu97tiger

Do you have a cleaning person? If so, how often do they come?
Yes. Tyara comes every two weeks. She is actually at my house now. We pay $85/time, which to us seems astronomical, because in AZ, we only paid $75 and had a much bigger house.

Would having a cleaning person come into your home bother you?
Nope. But I've used either licensed professionals or someone who was recommended to me by a friend. I will say that after I left the house today, I realized that I left my diamond rings semi out on my dresser. But I wasn't worried enough to go back and put them away.

Would it be totally weird if H insisted that he be home while said cleaning person was there?
I don't really think that's weird for the first few times. It's awkward if they have a couple people cleaning as a team, because it's hard to get out of their way. But if it makes him feel more comfortable with it, I say why not!

@dignity100 - I think I would feel even more weird about the person cleaning my house being my relative. Something about them cleaning up after me makes me feel squirmy.

The funniest phenomena about having a cleaning person, is that you really do 'clean before they get there.' It sounded bizarre to me but there are always a few things that could be put away to make sure they dust everything, or don't have to move a bunch of stuff around to vacuum, etc.

Peaseblossom55

I know I loved the cleaning before the cleaning people come @Cutiger97 FI never understood that until we moved in together...

phira

My coworker and his wife have someone clean their house (I think every two weeks) and he said it saved their marriage.

dsp2013

Yes. Best investment ever.  Our cleaners come every two weeks. We pay $100, but that's actually a really good rate for the Chicago area.  It's worth it for us not to have to do the deep cleaning.

It doesn't feel odd to me, but I trust the crew.  H used them for years at his condo and trusted them.  They've always done a good job and are timely and professional.  We tried another company when we moved in and they were awful.  So we went back to his original company.

I understand the need to be there the first few times, but just know it can be hard for them to work around you.  I hate working from home on Thursdays when they come.  It breaks up their routine.   I usually try to be out of the house so they can get their work done.  We trust them and have left lots of stuff out they have never touched.  

We also clean before they clean.  We only need them for the deep cleaning, but if the dishes are out or piles of mail it just gets in their way.  So I always pick up before they come so they can clean what I intended them to do.  

Dignity100

@cu97tiger - I think it's odd that FI's mom cleans his house.  FI was really really good about having a clean house but that changed when his bro moved in with him... FI just couldn't keep up and his bro is a little lazy and doesn't clean at all.  Well, Fi's bro wanted to hire a cleaner and FI was not comfortable with having a stranger come into the house, so FI/FI's bro's mom said 'Hey, I'll clean, just give me the $$ you'd spend on a cleaner' and it seemed like a good compromise.

minskat30

Do you have a cleaning person? If so, how often do they come?
Yes. We pay $80 every two weeks and tip her $10 each time.

Would having a cleaning person come into your home bother you?
No but I got to know her over the years....I feel comfortable leaving my jewelry out, cash out, etc. around her but she has been cleaning our home for 3-4 years.

Would it be totally weird if H insisted that he be home while said cleaning person was there?
I don't think so.  I've had to be at home when she was cleaning before (she comes early and H and I are still getting ready to go to work).  I don't like being home, personally, when she cleans because I feel like I have to clean along side her (and often do when I'm home and she is there).

[Deleted User]

I agree with a lot of you ladies that I actually enjoy cleaning for the most part...it just seems to take up so much time now that two of us are living in one space. We want to spend out limited evening and weekend time doing activities we enjoy together. Also, I feel like there are a lot of other projects I never get to (organize the garage, post all my wedding items on Craigslist, clean out my wardrobe, etc.) because the general cleaning takes up enough precious time. I guess it makes sense to me to use a cleaning service for things like bathrooms, floors and dusting when we're both working FT. If one of us was a stay at home parent I think house duties would be included in that job...but I don't think either of us will ever be in that position.

@lalalauralita - I love hearing an opinion from someone who's actually been a cleaning person. Thanks for sharing! I guess I just feel like if you're home it's ackward for both of you, the cleaning person would feel that you don't trust them and you'd be in the way the whole time. It's nice to know that you didn't feel that way. I also love your idea of locking 1 room or closet with any items you wouldn't want someone to know you have. I wonder if H would go for that option...

@cu97tiger - One of the reasons I want a cleaning person is because "you actually clean before they come". We are pretty good about picking up after ourselves, but I feel like having a person come every other week would hold us both accountable and ensure that we aren't leaving things for long periods of time that drive the other one crazy.

lavenderfields13

I don't have one but I want one! It's something I am seriously considering now. It's just not really in the budget. I think it would definitely make FI and I much happier though! I just hate cleaning and I don't want to do it after I've been working all day. 

@cu97tiger @peaseblossom55 how much do you tip your cleaning person and how often? This is something I've always wondered.

cu97tiger

@leese19 - I never tip my cleaning person. I didn't realize until someone's earlier post that that was even a thing. I mean, she quoted me a price, and I pay it. It seems odd to me to add something on top of that. The only way I would think about adding a tip is if they worked for a cleaning company, because then part of the payment is going to the company, and part to the cleaner. If it's a sole proprietor, they are getting all of the payment. Does that make sense?

lavenderfields13

@cu97tiger I totally get not tipping if they own their own business. I just always picture them working for a larger business and in that case I don't know what the norm is when it comes to tipping.