Anybody clean houses?

[debranator]

at the risk of sounding like an idiot, may I ask a couple of questions?
How do you determine what you want cleaned and how often?

How do you find someone trustworthy?

What is a fair price?

I am so exhausted each day after work I do catch up cleaning on weekends.

It depends on where you live...
but..if you do not use a service..I will not anymore...
you should pay about 10-12 per hour.
More if your house is small as you will want her guarantee her at least 50 bucks.
I use mine for the stuff that i hate to do on a weekly basis..which is pain in the butt dusting..like the tops of ceiling fans...and..changing bed linens..as i have giant mattresses..that are very annoying..and..vacuuming..
Once a month...I will pay for the whole house cleaning...
also..mostly anything that I hate to do.
I would say that the best way to find someone is by word of mouth..unfortunately,
anyone that is highly recommended.. is usually booked solid...
so...I always start from scratch....
and...train whoever I hire.
I also take their ID and do net searches....for anything criminal that i should be aware of.

 

[alwaysmom]

In our area there are plenty of cleaners (no companies). They charge anywhere from $20 to $30 per hour depending on what they do. I know of one person who has 5 customers and does a total clean per say, (cleaning, bedding, laundry, etc.) she does one a day @ $75, takes her about 4 hours. She has a waiting list.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

In our area there are plenty of cleaners (no companies). They charge anywhere from $20 to $30 per hour depending on what they do. I know of one person who has 5 customers and does a total clean per say, (cleaning, bedding, laundry, etc.) she does one a day @ $75, takes her about 4 hours. She has a waiting list.

This sounds about right.

 

[LovableGluttons]

Thanks so much! I will start asking around!

 

[Octoberbride03]

what if u try at a less demanding store............. I worked for years at Macys and LOrd & Taylors..... back in the 80's I was making 6 and hour plus commision.... it wasn't at all back breaking..... just alot of folding and straightening.......

That's how I started at Target. Trained as cashier then moved to the floor. LOTS of folding and straightening. LOTS of BOREDOM. If i hadn't been promoted to the job i do now I would never have lasted 6 years. But with the changes that are coming to the store and other things that have annoyed me for years, I think its just time to go. I thought about applying for a team leader spot. But that would wreck my schedule and I wouldn't be any happier even with the pay increase. Most of my run was a really nice time, lots of great people. But it seems we're all either leaving or looking for something new.

 

[Polyluvr]

at the risk of sounding like an idiot, may I ask a couple of questions?
How do you determine what you want cleaned and how often?

How do you find someone trustworthy?

What is a fair price?

I am so exhausted each day after work I do catch up cleaning on weekends.

JUst the regular household cleaning-anything major costs extra,
I found my lady thru church-but I'm home during the day-it's what I consider my day "off", and I have it done on Fri so the house is clean for the weekend; I do all the keep up every day of the week-wiping down, picking up etc-

 

[beansmom]

my housekeeper is my grown son (I fired his wife because as DH said 'if she cleaned the house half-a**ed it would be an improvement') and I pay him $100 every week to dust, clean the glass tables, tidy up my piles of papers on the coffee table and sweep/mop the floors and clean the bathrooms. I provide the supplies and we have about 3000 sq ft...he does only the main areas weekly...all 3 bathrooms, the family/living/kitchen floors and the top floor which is the master suite. He says he has asked the cleaning ladies at other homes in the neighborhood and they say they get $150-200 for what he does for me. It takes him about 3 hours.

If I have to find another housekeeper someday, I will ask around for references.

I think $25-30 is average per hour but you would need your own vehicle.

 

[arminnie]

at the risk of sounding like an idiot, may I ask a couple of questions?
How do you determine what you want cleaned and how often?

How do you find someone trustworthy?

What is a fair price?

I am so exhausted each day after work I do catch up cleaning on weekends.

I don't remember how I found "John" the guy who had the small cleaning service in California - it's been so long ago. I never met him, but we talked on the phone a few times. I gave him a key - he only gave it to the cleaners for the time they were there. He was very picky about his employees. I never had a problem.

Sandy - the lady I had here was recommended by a friend. Unfortunately her daughter was terminally ill so she started cleaning house to make extra money to help out with expenses. She is a lovely person - I'd guess she had a nicer house that I did! Again for $25 an hour she would do anything I wanted. I could call her today, and she would make some time for me. But I moved into a small condo that I should be able to keep clean - I am retired! And when I first moved I was paying for my dad's retirement home (he died in December) so I really couldn't afford her any more.

Some of the best service I ever had was from two women in my neighborhood who got tired of commuting to downtown Houston so they started their own cleaning service. I never had to tell them anything. I just came home and my house was perfect. Again a recommendation from someone else.

Seriously a nice person who will do a good job cleaning (and a plus for English) should have no trouble finding clients.

As for what you want cleaned - dusting, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning countertops and fixtures in kitchen and bathroom plus changing sheets is basic cleaning. Some will do all laundry. Some will change wash sheets and towels, but no clothes.

If you are really lucky as an employer you will find someone like Sandy (and I forgot about Maureen in CA) who will work on an hourly basis and do whatever else you want done. Sometimes I had Maureen go the grocery store. She would not only buy fresh product but also wash it, cut it up and have it ready for me. She worked for another friend who had her do all sorts of errands - dry cleaning runs, etc. At that time I was traveling extensively (mostly international) so it was great to have a helper.