So, what do YOU think re: cleaning lady

Tamiri

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 2:34 pm

Stop the palpitations, this isn't about me. No, I haven't hired a cleaner.

There was a discussion on my local FB group. A woman who employs a cleaner is miffed because said cleaner is turning the a/cs on while she cleans. And while windows and doors are open during the cleaning process. Said employer thinks this is insane, said cleaner says it's the norm

We live in Israel. It's in the 80s on a cool day.

What is YOUR opinion: does the cleaner "deserve" to have the a/cs on while cleaning? In Israel, it's common to have units either in each room, or split between a few rooms rather than central a/c. We actively turn them on as needed and turn them off when we're not home. Unlike central a/c.

m in Israel

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 2:39 pm

I don't know what is accepted or not. I know that my cleaning lady always asks me before turning on the a/c, but I would never dream of telling her not to! Goodness, cleaning is a sweaty enough job with the a/c on! If I remember I try to say on my own "feel free to to turn on the a/c", but if I forget I am fine with her turning it on.

That being said, we are pretty generous about using the a/c ourselves. Both my husband and I hate the heat, so we run our a/c in whatever rooms we are in all summer long, and a good part of the spring and fall, too. I can maybe understand that someone who is very careful about limiting their own a/c use may view this differently.

Tamiri

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 2:44 pm

m in Israel wrote:

This. I have a big problem with waste. Maybe I should have added that people around here live in homes that can be 200 meters and larger on several levels. That's a LOT of a/c to worry about. We clean the house ourselves, shvitz and shower afterwards and THEN turn on the a/c when the house is clean. It is a terrible waste to do a proper cleaning job: water on the floor, windows open etc. and have the a/c blasting.

m in Israel

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 2:53 pm

Tamiri wrote:

m in Israel wrote:

Well, if it was central a/c and you needed to cool all 200 meters on several levels while she is working, maybe it is different. But it seemed from you OP that the a/c is divided into separate units or zones -- so she can turn on the area she is working in and turn it off when she moves to a different area. I don't like waste either -- but "waste" in this scenario is a relative term. Obviously the cleaner doesn't feel it is a "waste" for her not to need to shvitz away. Also, she can't just jump into the shower afterwards. At the very minimum she is traveling home, and it may very well be she is going to another job in between. If she is working all day, at a few locations, it can be very uncomfortable for her to have to be in the heat all day.

Look, as the one paying for the electricity, your friend certainly has the right to keep the a/c off. The employee then will have to decide if she wants to work under these conditions or give up the job. However, it may be worth it for your friend to extend herself a bit and try to understand the other side of this request.

freidasima

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 2:54 pm

Tamiri I have NEVER heard of a cleaning person (here a lot have men) putting on the a/c to clean. The whole idea is to open up everything when you are tossing all that water about so that it dries much much faster. The a/c is a total waste. I don't have a cleaning person but I clean myself and when I do of course I - who love the a/c when it is hot - stops it and opens all the windows wide. The warmer the better unless there is some kind of sandstorm outside or whatever. And then everything dries and when it is dry I shut the windows and turn on the a/c in the room I am in. And yes, even here in Yerushalayim it gets hot in the summer and many have put in a/c already!

m in Israel

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 2:57 pm

freidasima wrote:

Is the cleaning lady only doing sponja? What about the time spent scrubbing the bathroom (toilet, sink, bathtub), or kitchen appliances? Does she dust or polish furniture? Do laundry? Even prepping before the sponja -- lifting everything up/ moving furniture, sweeping? Most of these things do not require a lot of water being tossed about or drying, but can be very sweat inducing.

JAWSCIENCE

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 3:22 pm

I think it is unfair to ask someone to sweat while cleaning and refuse them something you would give yourself. HOWEVER I would understand asking the leaner to group the activities that involve open doors and windows (cleaning windows, mopping) and not having the AC during that time as it really is useless and super expensive as you are basically trying to a/c the outdoors. I never have the AC on when I have to keep the window or door open. BUt why shouldn't the cleaner have AC when dusting, washing dishes, polishing silver, making beds scrubbing your bath?

Tamiri

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 3:37 pm

FTR, it's not my friend who posted. I don't know her or where she lives, besides that it's somewhere in my village. I don't know if her cleaner is male or female, Jewish or otherwise.
I just thought it was an interesting post and I am fascinated that the responses here match the responses on my Israeli forum.
No one answer.
FS, I am with you: we clean and shvitz and do the whole house, using fans sometimes to speed up the drying process but NEVER an a/c.... it's pointless. And with windows open, the a/c is NEVER on.
But there are plenty of ladies here agreeing that the cleaner deserves to work in an a/c environment.
My take is that good cleaning help is SO hard to come by, you do whatever you have to do to keep her happy and working for you.

Miri1

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 9:56 pm

A number of years ago I read an eye-opening book "Nickled and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich. It will change your perspective forever.

I've been trying to get used to a slightly warmer setting, but I always make it a little cooler when my cleaning help is there. She works hard, and I know that she must get quite hot.
I am her employer, and it's my job to provide her with a comfortable working environment.

I think it's basic derech eretz to allow the cleaning help a little extra a.c. while she's cleaning your house. As far as I'm concerned, it's part of the cost of having her.

And if she actually asks for it, it's really not right to withhold it.

amother

Wed, Jun 05 2013, 11:25 pm

My cleaning lady dries the floors and dishes with towels. The windows are cleaned with paper towels. I never heard of opening the windows to dry the house.

My house is always comfortable whether it is hot or cold. It is a strange concept to consider the costs of cooling a house when considering someone's comfort. The house needs to be comfortable.

What bothers me is my cleaning lady leaves lights on when she leaves the room.

Tamiri

Thu, Jun 06 2013, 1:52 am

amother wrote:

Cultural diff. In Israel, you NEVER clean with the windows closed, even in the winter. And comfortable houses? That's the stuff dreams are made of for most of us! Lights being left on is NOTHING compared to the exhorbitant cost of running the a/c in Israel.

etky

Thu, Jun 06 2013, 2:35 am

Tamiri wrote:

amother wrote:

Actually, I do, when it's really cold our during the winter. Or conversely, when it's very hot out and I have the ac running, cooling the entire house. In that case I open the window of the specific room I have just cleaned for a few minutes until the floor dries and then shut it asap. Then again I don't spill a ton of water and I go over the floor w/ a rag to dry it so it really just takes a couple of minutes until it dries. In the periods when I had cleaning help I always asked the cleaner if he/she wanted the ac on or not. I know I always sweat when I clean. It can be quite a workout.