msjones Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I just read Dirty Ethel Rackham's housecleaning help thread, and I'm wondering just what I'm missing out on. What does your 'cleaning lady' do for you? How often? And, if you feel like sharing -- how much does it cost in your area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I just read Dirty Ethel Rackham's housecleaning help thread, and I'm wondering just what I'm missing out on. What does your 'cleaning lady' do for you? How often? And, if you feel like sharing -- how much does it cost in your area? It has been around 10 yrs since I had cleaning help. Top on the list was always the bathrooms. We went from there. I had them normally for 2 hrs a week, sometimes three. They could easily get the 3 bathrooms in the 2 hrs and sometimes the kitchen floor mopped. 3 hrs they could get the vacuuming for me. Now remember this was 10 yrs ago but I generally paid them around $8 hr. For here back then that was good pay. Now I would probably pay $12-15. It is amazing what that 2 hrs did for me in helping me physically in keeping things up and emotionally in feeling better about the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 When I lived in Florida (up to this December) I had two ladies come out and spend 1 1/2 hours on my house. They did two bathrooms, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room and the master bedroom. The children's rooms were their own duties but I had them clean the children's bathroom because it was also the guest bathroom. They charged $60 a visit. I am going to start looking for help here and know it will cost more since I have more bathrooms and more area to clean plus a much more expensive area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaNYC Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 When I went that route (several years ago), it was around $50 for 4 hours. I usually had her come once a month to do the stuff I just never would get to, such as: dusting (ceiling fans, inside china cabinet, bedroom furniture, window blinds, back of tvs), polishing and oiling the wood furniture, windexing (maybe washing the windows - they pull out, so it's quick), a good mopping (including under stove and fridge), replacing shower curtain liner, wiping down baseboards and doorway moldings, and cleaning the oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 When I lived in Florida (up to this December) I had two ladies come out and spend 1 1/2 hours on my house. They did two bathrooms, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room and the master bedroom. The children's rooms were their own duties but I had them clean the children's bathroom because it was also the guest bathroom. They charged $60 a visit. I am going to start looking for help here and know it will cost more since I have more bathrooms and more area to clean plus a much more expensive area. But what does it mean that they "did" the kitchen? Did they even do the big jobs -- clean the oven, the fridge, under your sink? Was it a top to bottom throrough cleaning, or just a spit and polish, or something in between? Do they move furniture? Vaccum under couch cushions? Scrub toilets? Clean out trash cans? Or is all that stuff still left for you? Vacuum baseboards? I'm just wondering how much people get for their money. If someone really did all those big jobs on a regular basis, I can see why it would be worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 We've used various people who just did spit and polish and we moved on since that's the level I'm good at. :001_smile: We've had someone now for years who is a dear friend at this point. I guess I'd say she sweeps, vacuums, clean surfaces -- but very thoroughly -- on 2 floors, 3 bathrooms and a kitchen. She also rotates doing deep cleaning projects (oven, windows etc.)-- they get done a few times over the course of the year. She'll also clean the basement periodically. She spends a full day here unlike other people who just flew through. She sometimes brings her daughter and I think she appreciates that. We pay her $80, which is probably high but worth it given both the job she does and the trust and closeness. She also does some things that drive us crazy but that's family for you. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I am seriously spoiling myself with my housekeeper. However, she really needs the money and I really need the help - so I rationalize it by believing that I am helping the economy in some small way. She gets here at 9:00am every Wednesday. She deep cleans every room in the house - dusting, baseboards, taking out the trash, spot cleaning anything on the carpet, cleaning the bathrooms from top to bottom - tubs, toilets, counters, floors, mirrors. We have shutters and they had never been dusted - she cleans them every week. She cleans the kitchen- the cabinet fronts, the oven, microwave, does whatever dishes are around, wipes all the tables and chairs, scrubs the floor. I pay her $70/day. Somedays she's here from 9-2, sometimes it's longer. If the house isn't really a disaster, she washes the windows or scrubs on the walls - things I would NEVER get to. Our landlord had the master bath redone a few weeks ago and it was super dirty when we got back. She was here til almost 4 that week getting all the construction dirt cleaned up. The feeling when she's done is wonderful. I could do any one of the things she does on any day, but I could never get it all done in one day. She also offers to watch the kids during that time so I can run errands. I try not to do that except to run to the bank or other short errands because I don't want to take advantage of the situation, but she is truly great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 I am seriously spoiling myself with my housekeeper. However, she really needs the money and I really need the help - so I rationalize it by believing that I am helping the economy in some small way. She gets here at 9:00am every Wednesday. She deep cleans every room in the house - dusting, baseboards, taking out the trash, spot cleaning anything on the carpet, cleaning the bathrooms from top to bottom - tubs, toilets, counters, floors, mirrors. We have shutters and they had never been dusted - she cleans them every week. She cleans the kitchen- the cabinet fronts, the oven, microwave, does whatever dishes are around, wipes all the tables and chairs, scrubs the floor. I pay her $70/day. Somedays she's here from 9-2, sometimes it's longer. If the house isn't really a disaster, she washes the windows or scrubs on the walls - things I would NEVER get to. Our landlord had the master bath redone a few weeks ago and it was super dirty when we got back. She was here til almost 4 that week getting all the construction dirt cleaned up. The feeling when she's done is wonderful. I could do any one of the things she does on any day, but I could never get it all done in one day. She also offers to watch the kids during that time so I can run errands. I try not to do that except to run to the bank or other short errands because I don't want to take advantage of the situation, but she is truly great. WOW. I just about started drooling on my keyboard. I have slowly realized that my life resembles that of someone with a full-time job. The homeschooling ramped up so gradually for us, that I'd still been thinking of myself as a SAHM -- with the time available to keep up with the housework, shopping, errands, bills, etc. In reality, all of that gets done in the evenings or on the weekends -- just like my friends who work full-time. Only they have cleaning help. I do not want to whine. I'm thankful to be homeschooling... ...just having trouble balancing it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I just read Dirty Ethel Rackham's housecleaning help thread, Link please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I look at my housekeeper as the answer to a prayer. On a monday night I was laying in bed literally sobbing because my house was so dirty I didn't think I would ever get it clean. Between dh being gone, hsing, 4 kids, etc., etc. I was completely overwhelmed. On Tuesday I had ladies bible class and in our small group, this woman was there and asked for prayers because she had lost so many clients because of the economy. She started coming to our church because we were closer on the bus route than the one she normally attends. I'm pretty sure God knew I needed help and she needed the work. I love little things like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I look at my housekeeper as the answer to a prayer. On a monday night I was laying in bed literally sobbing because my house was so dirty I didn't think I would ever get it clean. Between dh being gone, hsing, 4 kids, etc., etc. I was completely overwhelmed. On Tuesday I had ladies bible class and in our small group, this woman was there and asked for prayers because she had lost so many clients because of the economy. She started coming to our church because we were closer on the bus route than the one she normally attends. I'm pretty sure God knew I needed help and she needed the work. I love little things like that! neat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I have a cleaning lad. He's a friend of ours. He works like a 14 year old, but since I only have enough money to pay 14 year old wages, it works for both of us. :) He does whatever seems to need the most attention, usually the dishes, in the two hours a week he's here. The place still looks like a bomb site, but we have a resident toddler... Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 WOW. I just about started drooling on my keyboard. I have slowly realized that my life resembles that of someone with a full-time job. The homeschooling ramped up so gradually for us, that I'd still been thinking of myself as a SAHM -- with the time available to keep up with the housework, shopping, errands, bills, etc. In reality, all of that gets done in the evenings or on the weekends -- just like my friends who work full-time. Only they have cleaning help. I do not want to whine. I'm thankful to be homeschooling... ...just having trouble balancing it all. :iagree: The drooling part and the whining part and the balancing part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I pay my house cleaner $80. She comes every other week and brings a helper, they generally have my whole house clean in about 2 hours 15 minutes. What they do: Bathrooms: scrub out showers/bathtubs, clean and bleach toilets and sinks, clean floors in bathrooms. Kitchen: clean stovetop and front of stove and microwave, clean out my toaster oven, wash any dishes in the sink and bleach sink, clean all countertops, put away any dishes that are out. She also cleans the front of my refrigerator and wipes down a few of the shelves inside each time she is here. Rest of house: dust, clean blinds and insides of windows, clean all mirrors and mirrored closet doors, vacuum floors and baseboards, mop hardwood floors, wipe down all surfaces - dining table and chairs, wipe down leather furniture, vacuum other furniture, change sheets on the beds and make beds. They will also fold any clean laundry that I have lying around. It really does make a huge difference. And they do a much better job of cleaning than I would, so it seems like things stay clean so much longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebonLI Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 it's me..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 it's me..... :iagree::001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 She does whatever I tells me to. :lol: No house cleaning help here. My mother had help for years, though. The paid help did all the real cleaning work -- floors, kitchen, bathrooms, dusting (as mentioned in other threads) -- weekly or more likely, semi-monthly. Windows, baseboards, silver polishing, patio furniture cleaning and the like were added in as needed. Some have also done laundry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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