House cleaner - do they do the kids rooms? etc.
We're getting ready to hire a housecleaner again after a 7 year break. I want to set it up right from the beginning and be very clear with the cleaners about what we want cleaned, how to do it, what products to use, etc. etc. We have two little kids with incredibly messy rooms, and my thought is to not have the cleaner do anything in those two bedrooms. Is that weird? Not only do I want the kids to not get used to "maid service", but I don't want to scramble around their rooms the night before the cleaners come, cleaning so that the cleaners can clean!
The second question is when we get cleaners to come over and give us an estimate, we'll have the list of what we want done weekly. Do we want to ask them to give us an hourly price to complete the list - the time of which may vary weekly depending on how messy the family was that week, or a task price to complete the list weekly? And how do those of you who use a cleaner accomplish things like blinds, baseboards, fridge cleanout - stuff that doesn't need doing as frequently? Do you do it yourself, or have the cleaners in on one-off occasions to tackle those items? I am estimating that for our smallish 2bd/2bath (not counting the kids rooms!) weekly will be around $60, or 2 hours at $30/hour. Now that I'm writing it out, that seems low...?
Appreciate any advice as apparently I've forgotten everything about having a cleaner. Thank you!
Parent Replies
This feels like way overthinking to me. Don't expect perfection from the get go - just ask for their references, check them, make sure you get along, and get the person started. Then figure out how to work with them over the next few weeks. 2 hours sounds too low to me. You can probably pay $25/hr but expect 3 hrs. Add in special tasks like windows or other things that don't always need to get done if you have extra time. Laundry. Etc. Have them do *something* in the kids rooms to at least improve them, and have the KIDS routinely pick up their rooms before the cleaner comes. It is NEVER too early to start that. Even a 3 year old can start! My cleaner does all the things you mention when she notices they're dirty or if I ask if she can stay 30 mins more and clean fridge or whatever. Use someone smart, pragmatic, hardworking, proactive (and funny and nice) like my cleaner - Grisel - and it'll all work out. Feel free to contact me for her number - sarahvwatson [at] yahoo.com
Most housekeepers who contract with you long-term will quote you a per-visit amount, the same amount every week, not an hourly amount. They will look at your house and talk to you about what you want done every week, and then they will estimate for themselves how much time it will take them, on average, to keep your house clean and maintained. Professional housekeepers will be fitting your house into their existing schedule. They aren't picking up an hour here and an hour there. My housekeeper does either 2 big houses or 3 small houses each day. Then she also has to factor in the every-week houses vs. the every-other-week houses. Her goal is to have a predictable, regular income and a stable work schedule as much as possible.
Regarding sporadic projects. Blinds, baseboards, ceilings, window sills -- those are things my housekeeper does every week, so the dust doesn't build up. I think all good housekeepers are doing that kind of maintenance every week, and it's included in the price. Once-in-a-while jobs like fridge and oven cleaning I don't ask my housekeeper to do, but you could discuss this with your housekeeper. My housekeeper might do it if I offered to pay an additional amount for that job, but I doubt she would be able to fit it into her schedule.
Kids' bedrooms. If my kid's room is a total wreck, I close the door and tell her to skip it this week. I don't want her to spend 15 minutes picking up toys and socks off the floor instead of spending more time on the kitchen or bathrooms. Same for washing dishes or unloading the dishwasher - I'd rather do that myself so she can focus on the stuff that I don't want to do! Over time it all works out. Some weeks my house takes longer than usual because we have teenage house guests, or a messy house sitter. Some weeks it's faster because my kid didn't pick up, or I'm busy in my office and don't want her to clean it, or the painters are here. The goal is to settle in to a regular, predictable maintenance routine.
The answer to your first question is no, it is not weird to tell them not to clean a particular room. I frequently tell my cleaner not to clean my teenage son's room. It looks (and smells) so awful I just find it totally embarrassing for her to deal with. And like you I don't want to clean it for the cleaner. But I don't think cleaners are nearly as judgmental as we think they are, so I wouldn't worry about it too much either way.
As to the second question, every cleaner I've dealt with has only been willing to quote a fixed (flat) fee for a cleaning job. Cleaners (like us) want to know how much they can expect to earn in a given week, and not be subject to too many ups and downs. Yes, sometimes it may take a little more time to get through your list, or sometimes it may take less, but I think you just have to decide what is a fair price *on average* for the work you are asking him or her to do. And if over time it seems like they are skipping tasks or rushing through, then you have that conversation.
As for stuff that doesn't need to be done that often, I'd just tell him or her what it is and ask what it would cost to add that on. Usually it is very reasonable. Another way to handle this is to save that stuff up for when you go on vacation. You can then tell the cleaner you'll be gone, so they don't need to do the regular tasks, but if they could wash the front steps, or empty and clean out drawers, or whatever (enough things to fill up their time), you'll pay their regular rate for that visit.