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Stay at Home Moms
On our way to 3 under 4!
DD1 1/22/09
DD2 7/16/10
Baby Boy Due This Summer!
If you have a cleaning person--question about time...
Our cleaning lady has been coming since last year, and like I've posted before, she is not as great as she used to be. One major issue I'm having with her is punctuality. She comes at a different time every visit. I have specifically told her that she can no longer come from 1-3, because that is naptime, so she can come at 9:00am or 3:30. After going back and forth, she finally agreed to come at 9:00.
Last week she showed up on time, brought a friend to help her (which was fine, they actually did a great job which is better than she usually does), but it only took them 90 minutes. She showed up 45 min late this morning, and told me she was going to start in the bedrooms. I asked her to start downstairs in the playroom/kitchen area because the baby just went down for her (short) morning nap. She said "I will come in the afternoons then." I said "No, that is naptime, and sometimes both girls nap for two hours. The baby only takes a short morning nap, and went down a little late this morning. She will be up soon, and you can clean every other part of the house first." She gave me a major attitude and acted like she didn't understand what I was talking about.
So, if you've gotten this far in my rant, if you have a cleaning person, do they come at a specific time? Do you ask them to? Are they ok with working around your schedule? I realize that if we were away at work/daycare all day, I wouldn't care when she came, but I feel like I'm paying her a lot (especially when you factor in that she only stays for 2.5-3 hours tops) to clean our house. She should be able to come on time. She has shown up two hours early, as in, we were all just getting out of bed, and she has shown up hours late. I am fed up, especially because she hasn't been doing a great job, and am ready to just find someone else, although maybe I have unrealistic expectations. WDYT?
Also, I don't want to make this post too crazy long, but last month my mom was here because I was sick and didn't want to infect the girls, and the cleaning lady arrived very early with her two year old daughter. My kids were napping, so my mom was relaxing, and she stuck her two year old in the family room with my mom and closed the door. Basically implying that my mom was going to watch her. Needless to say, my mom was not thrilled about it.
Ok, I'm done. :-)
On our way to 3 under 4!
DD1 1/22/09
DD2 7/16/10
Baby Boy Due This Summer!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: If you have a cleaning person--question about time...
I wouldn't be able to handle that. Our lady comes at 7am. She has been 15 minutes late before and she always apologizes for being late. She's the one that set the 7am time and we just went with it. We like it because she's done before lunch time.
I would tell yours that you need her to be here at a specific time. If she blows it again I would let her go and find someone new. I wouldn't give her anymore chances. Bringing her 2 year old and leaving her in your living room is ridiculous.
My cleaning lady does vary her time a bit, but in general tries to stick to roughly the same time. And if I told her she could not be here between 1-3 (which is also my policy) she definitely wouldn't come then. Your cleaning lady doesn't sound that great. She does an ok job, she has an attitude, and she shows up whenever she wants. And she makes your mom watch her kids.
It is not unreasonable to ask your cleaning person to arrive at a certain time and expect them to be done by a certain time. I also tell mine to start upstairs and finish downstairs so I can put the kids down for naps while they are finishing up. She is happy to oblige me.
I'd find a new one. Yours isn't following your simple requests. And to be fair, I realize it is difficult for them to schedule their days. Each house/business takes different amount of time, etc. But that is the business they are in. They need to figure out how to work around your schedule and requirements.
She doesn't sound very professional. If I were you, I'd probably look for a new cleaning person.
Ours comes at 8am every other Thursday. They might be 10 mins late, but it's always at that time. I can't imagine not having a set time! Some days we're out of the house. Other days, like today, I felt like we were in their way most of the time (had a window estimate going on that took forever!). They never complain about it, though I did feel bad about today. They just work around us and are always very friendly. And they would never bring their kids w/ them!
BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08. BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
BFP 11/14
My Pregnancy(ies) Blog
I've had the same cleaning lady for almost 3 years. 1st she was with an agency then went out on her own & we tracked her down. She doesn't always come at the exact same time each week because we are not her only house that day. I understand that she may run into more or less of a mess at the previous house or houses so her arrival time may vary a bit. The only way to guarantee an arrival time would to ask her to be her first client of the day & I also don't want her here when we are getting up for the day. If I think she is going to arrive when DD is down for a nap I usually text her & let her know not to ring the bell & also put a sign on the door letting everyone know that may arrive not to ring the bell. If she arrives when DD is napping she has the common sense to start upstairs (DD's bedroom is downstairs).
I can completely understand your frustration & maybe you need to have sit down talk with her & ask her about her schedule on the day she cleans your house. Maybe another day would be easier for her to accommodate your time requests. Now arriving with a friend would not be cool with me because you hired & trust your housekeeper not her friends no matter how quickly or well they cleaned your house! Also the 2 year old is a NO GO! If I wanted to have to worry about 2 year old when I was cleaning I'd clean myself! Good luck!
Just can this chick.
It clearly isn't working for you- and that is the whole point in having a cleaning person- to make life easier.
My lady always came on time (I don't use her anymore- just during busy season)- always worked around where we were (if we were in the house)- did a great job and was always really pleasent with me and the kids.
I would be finding someone else ASAP!
I would find someone else if she isn't doing a great job and gives you attitude about simple requests.
Our cleaning lady has been with my husband's family since he was in high school. She still does his parent's and his brother's house weekly as well. I have never set a time with her, but she generally comes around 9 and leaves at 3. We are out of the house until 11:30 or so, then come home just to eat and nap. She does the upstairs first, so the kids can nap. Oh, and in the summer she often brings one or more of her kids. It is annoying, but the older ones help and I don't have to watch them.
Exactly. Life isn't easier with her, so she needs to go. I'm calling her tomorrow to tell her it isn't working out. I'm pretty sure she won't be shocked since she did a horrible job today, and it almost seems like she did it on purpose. It looked like she didn't even touch our bedroom, she stayed for less than three hours, and she even left a filthy cleaning rag on the edge of my daughter's crib.
I already have an appointment for an estimate with someone else tomorrow.
Our cleaning lady comes every other week on Thursday. She always emails me on Wednesday with an approx. time, but sometimes she's on time, sometimes she's late. It really doesn't matter to me, but she's awesome
My DH works nights - so sometimes I'll have her start on the main floor, then she'll do the upstairs, saving our room for last. If its not time for him to wake up yet, I'll "wake" him up and he goes to another bedroom - but it's not often that this happens. She's also totally willing to start wherever we aren't (lately I'm still picking up somewhere when she gets here!). She reminds me of my mom, and she has kids that are older - so sometimes she'll come earlier to work around their after school schedules and things, but we've always accomodated her, and she us - and we are also happy with her cleaning, which helps (oh, and no one else can touch her rate!).
I have done side cleaning jobs, ran a vacation rental company for 6 years (including a full housekeeping staff) and currently clean for a lady once a week. Let me tell you, this is totally unacceptable that you allow this. You set the rules as the employer.
If I were you I would sit her down and tell her you are not happy with [this], [this], and [this]. You want her to come at [this time]. This is her last chance or you will find someone else. Seriously in this day and age I sure there are 100 other people willing to do the same thing, but show up on time and do a good job.
We don't give our cleaning lady a specific time. Sometimes she comes alone and sometimes she works with her mom, so the amount of time she is here varies. I'm sure if we gave her a general time (say either the morning or the afternoon) she would be fine with it, but we don't have a reason to. She does multiple houses in a day so I wouldn't expect her to adhere to a specific time, maybe a range if it was needed. She would never come before 9am or after 4pm.
That being said our cleaning lady is very reasonable and does a great job so I'd like to accomodate her as much as possible. You sound like you're unhappy with her, so why not try someone else?