What does your cleaning person do?

[bicker]

If you know the personal personally, or someone you know very well knows the cleaner personally, then you can safely avoid the premium that you pay for "licensed and bonded" cleaners, taking a lot of the associated risk onto yourself.

 

[lovesmurfs]

OP here.

Thanks for all the responses. It looks like most do include at least the basics of what I'd want and then varies greatly from there.

One last question... where did you find your cleaning person? Without a personal recommendation from a friend, is it better to go with one of the national services like Merry Maids or something similar? I'm assuming "licensed and bonded" would be a good place to start. We're in Los Angeles, so none of that home-town-known-her-for-years stuff here for me.

Thanks again!

I went with a service (www.supermaid.com - Illinois-based). I didn't want to deal with not getting the house cleaned because of illness, vacation, etc. and wanted a company that would back up any breakage, etc.

 

[eyor44]

Our cleaning lady comes once a week and we pay $40. She sweeps, swiffers and mops the wood floors: office, dining room, living room, family room, kitchen and halls. Cleans three bathrooms. Dusts all the fore mentioned rooms, plus the master bedroom. And vaccums the master bedroom and hallway. She is not allowed to dust my collectibles as I have had some broken in the past by someone else.

She is a friend who was out of work for over a year and has begun cleaning houses until she finds something full time. I won't be able to keep her for the summer as I will be paying child care for DD, but will pay the child care provider (can't call her a baby sitter or DD7 will be offended) extra. I know she will keep my kitchen spotless and everything swept, I'll just ask her to do the bathrooms also.

Yes, I pick up the night before she comes. My house hasn't been this completely picked up in years. I pick up all area rugs, dog pallet, clothes, toys, etc. and clean off bathroom counters.

 

[abmitch01]

when I was switching from someone who I wasn't happy with and was quite expensive, I printed out the list of services avail from Merry Maids or someone like that off their website. I crossed off things I didn't need done. When I interviewed a new person, I showed her the list. Look around, prices around here at least vary greatly. I feel comfortable with mine having a key.