How to keep a Cleaning Lady happy so they stay?

studying_torah

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:10 am

I live in a town where cleaning help is pretty hard to find, and keep.
The girl I had was very sweet but always cancels on me. I know she has three daughters, and something comes up all the time. However, she never cancels on the neighbor that I share her with.
I'm trying to figure out why that is.
I pay her on Friday, like she asked me to (same pay as my neighbor), give her lunch, coffee, extra clothes that I don't need etc.
Last night, after another cancellation, I finally called another girl to clean for tomorrow (she was busy for today). She said no problem. This morning she calls me, shes' sorry she has an appointment and can't come.
Help!
What am I missing? What is the key to getting the girls to show up and keeping them?

Scrabble123

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:22 am

Hm.. Paying on time and the occasional bonus is important. Give her clothing and items that you do not need if she expresses an interested. Buy her sweet treats like ice cream every once in a while and presents for her kids around new years and during the summer.

What is she doing in your home? Is it a huge mess? Do your kids disrespect her? Just trying to find out why your house is having a problem that your neighbor's is not.

studying_torah

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:31 am

No my neighbor isn't lying bec we alternate days, so it's not like she wants my hours.
There is often a mess, we have a big family.
She is only with me few months, so no holiday bonuses or gifts yet, though as mentioned I did give her some items I didn't need that she wanted.
I once asked her what's going on, she says one child isn't well, but I just find it odd that the kid is only sick on my days never on the neighbor's day.

Ruchel

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:32 am

Maybe neighbour lies. Maybe not, but other customers have similar problems. Many she is all around flaky. Maybe you are just unlucky that she does that to you but there's no reason. I PAY and RESPECT my CL. I do NOT gift her, treat her, give gifts to her kids, or see it as a favour she does for me. I keep it no nonsense, no drama, business. I never had a problem keeping a CL (actually several wanted and I told them to solve it between them!) and my house IS a huge mess.

Scrabble123

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:33 am

studying_torah wrote:

Is your day Monday? I find that kids are sick more often on Monday than other days. Also, cleaning help does not like coming to homes that are topsy turvey and may push that off if they feel too much is being required of them. Do you put any effort into keep your home organized before she comes or do you have the attitude of, "My cleaning lady will be here tomorrow so who cares about the stain on the floor, the toys all over, and the messy rooms..." You are paying her so she has to clean what you want her to, but I know that cleaning help does not like to forced to clean messes that easily could have been more contained. I was always taught as a child to not leave things over for the cleaning help, and we had full time, daily help.

studying_torah

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:44 am

I'm always respectful Ruchel! Frankly, I think I'm too nice about her taking off....
Yes there is a big mess, and although we try to clean up , the reality is that it's not possible to do much. ( since I'm posting under my sn, I don't want to out myself w details.)
I can't afford $20 a hour, nor would I do that bec it affects the prices for all the other ladies here, who can't afford it either.
She always cancels Monday, but often other days as well.

luppamom

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:54 am

Scrabble123 wrote:

Total side point. Obviously not relevant for you OP in your situation. My father used to say that we need to clean up for the cleaning lady. That drove me nuts as a kid, but now I kinda understand. I want her to get the real grime and do the most unpleasant things that I really don't want to do. I don't want to waste her precious time that I am paying dearly for to pick up toys (unless for some physical or emotional reason, I am not able to)!

Scrabble123

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 10:56 am

luppamom wrote:

It's not so much about wanting her to do dirty things, it's because why would you show someone an attitude that "I'm not even going to bother picking up toys because I'm paying you to..." unless you have a physical/emotional/other valid reason why you are unable to do it. Believe me, it's terrible for kids to grow up feeling that is acceptable and it also teaches them a lack of responsibility. It's not ideal, but there are many reasons why some people have no choice but to do that: at which case you cannot pass judgment or blame them.

luppamom

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 11:01 am

Scrabble123 wrote:

Right. Also, I think that a nice number of cleaning ladies like to do what they're good at which is usually sweeping/mopping/bathrooms. Picking up toys is annoying b/c they have no idea how you like them, where to put them etc. Even if you show them, it's menial and it requires a lot of concentration (as opposed to just being menial).

Fox

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 12:20 pm

If everything else is truly equal, this may be an example of "last in, first out." In other words, if your CL has worked for your neighbor longer and feels a great deal of loyalty to her, she may be attempting to keep her quasi-emergencies limited to your days so as not to inconvenience your neighbor.

IMHO, household staff always involves a level of compromise, and that includes everything from a once-a-month cleaning lady to a full staff, including butler, chauffeur, and a hierarchy of maids.

If your CL is fast, efficient, and honest -- she may cancel more often than you would like. If she's completely reliable, you may find she works a bit slower or spends more time organizing than cleaning. If surgery could be performed safely in your bathrooms, you may find a protective coat of dust on the seforim. It's hard to find your household soulmate!

So I'd approach this situation based on pluses and minuses. If this CL is otherwise efficient and honest, I'd probably put up with the occasional flakiness. If she's only adequate to begin with, you might start looking around.

A lot, too, depends on your community. If you live in an urban area with large immigrant populations, you may find it easy to locate someone who is both good and reliable. If you live in a more suburban area, you may have fewer choices.

In short, check the fire out very carefully before jumping out of the frying pan!

amother

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 12:20 pm

I recently got a weekly cleaning lady that comes to me in the evening (I work all day) and I do have her pick up toys. My kids play in the morning and when im ready to leave we leave. clean up happens at night, if at all (does happen a couple times a week). although she doesnt know exactly where everything goes (we do have some labelled boxes) and I dont want her to waste time figuring it out... so I give her an empty laundry basket and she dumps all the toys there and gets on with the sweeping and mopping.

I only just started with her in October. she charges a bit more, but is able to come when im home which im more comfortable with. I every so often give her an extra $5 ($50 instead of $45) esp when the cleaning is harder that week for whatever reason. I just gave her a $25 holiday bonus. A couple times that she had to miss (she hurt her back, etc) but she always rescheduled for another night. Fine its not Thurs night, but still a help.

I havent given her clothes or food, tho I did tell her to help herself to drinks. and so far she seems reliable. but shes also in need of the money and there is not another 20 people who would grab her, so that def helps!

amother

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 1:19 pm

Do you expect her to clean the floor on her hands and knees or is moping ok?

If you want to keep a cleaning lady - pay her more and make her job easier - I.e have the kids pick up the toys before she comes.

If that's not possible - you won't be able to keep a cleaning lady.

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 2:15 pm

studying_torah wrote:

There is often a mess, we have a big family.
She is only with me few months, so no holiday bonuses or gifts yet, though as mentioned I did give her some items I didn't need that she wanted.
I once asked her what's going on, she says one child isn't well, but I just find it odd that the kid is only sick on my days never on the neighbor's day.

Some people tend to shove the cleaning lady around having her do this that and the other thing, without any specific schedule or order. Nobody likes it, and when it comes to cleaning ladies, they feel belittled, as if she is a slave. Try having a specific amount of work, with exact instructions, so she doesn't feel like a slave.
Also, she might want some of the cleaner types of cleaning along with the dirty ones; like washing windows and ironing. This does not mean to give her only these types; it means she needs a ratio that includes both types.
Not always is $$$ and gifts the underlying cause of a cleaning lady's happiness with a job.

Raisin

Tue, Dec 23 2014, 2:24 pm

its obviously not money, if she is being paid the same by her neighbor.

It could be she finds mess overwhelming.

Perhaps you need to be firm with her. Maybe tell her that as much as you like her, you are thinking of looking for another cleaner since this job seems to be too much for her. Maybe she will suddenly stop cancelling if she realizes her income will take a big dip.

luppamom

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 1:28 am

I was still thinking about this.

To warn her or not will probably depend on how competitive the cleaning lady market is in OPs area. To find someone who cleans well, does not charge a lot and has learns the ins and outs of a religious house, is not always so easy.

If she's not easy to replace, I have a suggestion. OP, I don't know your situation, but let me throw this out anyway. I would recommend taking a broom and sweeping all of the toys or whatever stuff is on the floor into one big pile. Yes, it's gross b/c it's mixed w/ all kinds of dust and dirty, but it works! It gets all the stuff in one place. Buy a dustpan that has a broom handle so you don't have to bend. Then pick out the toys and throw away the rest. If you're able to, sort them or get DC to help!! Sorting toys is a lot more fun than picking them up!