On time. We've never had a problem, I imagine that the woman who comes here would call if she was delayed for some reason.

Within a 15 minute window. If it going to be different, I'm usually asked the night before.

Our service sends 2 cleaners (rarely, 3) and I do realize they clean other houses on their schedule, but I'm starting to pull my hair out.

I would speak to the manager of the service! They should at least call if they are going to be late (or early).

Donna

We've spoken with the manager/supervisor to clarify the window of time they arrive, because they were starting to arrive early/late. It's been a real crapshoot as to when they arrive lately.

I thought 30 minutes was an acceptable window, but today is very late. Last week was over an hour early, and it was a good thing I returned home so they didn't have to sit around doing nothing until I let them in.

Speaking of letting cleaners in, do you allow cleaners to come when you're not at home?

Hmm, my example may be unfair. It's not a service and she comes 3x a week (usually solo) and spends at least half a day. If this is a service where they send different people each time and are juggling many slots a day , it could be trickier.

Have you told the service that you would like them to commit to a window? they may be unaware of that.

You're correct, Mtn. This is a service where teams have multiple slots per day.

DH has discussed with them that we need a definitive time before. I just had to reach out to see if my situation is unusual.

For those of you who have an individual cleaner (vs. a service), how did you go about finding them?

Honesty, punctuality and thoroughness, in that order. They come in my absence but rarely. Maybe a comment is all that's needed. But, not, willy nilly appearances, not acceptable in my book. An occasional delay or schedule change, OK

Yes; she was recommended by a family we know, and she has been with us 5 years. I prefer to leave when she is cleaning. But if I were using a service, I'd probably be more concerned. They are only as good as their screening process.

That said, IMHO the risk of theft with housecleaners is overstated. There is little that they would steal that makes up for the loss of their livelihood. Not nonexistent, but overstated.

Didn't see your last posting. Pro of a crew:. In-out fast. Pro of individual, get to know your preferences . Con of crew:. More of a cookie cutter routine which may or may not suit you,. Con Indiv:. In my house too long. I prefer crew.

That said, IMHO the risk of theft with housecleaners is overstated. There is little that they would steal that makes up for the loss of their livelihood. Not nonexistent, but overstated.

*****

I get concerned that the method of getting into my house could be exposed, ie: someone getting hold of my key or entry code. Not so much of theft by the ladies who clean, as I trust them and don't worry about them.

When we had people we always had them come when we weren't home. We stopped using one person because she started coming later and leaving earlier from our house in our absence which my husband noticed a few times. We don't have a lot of great stuff that is easily saleable unless you count a five year old tv and some guitars. We found all our people by personal recommendation.

We clean our own home, but I do have help come in occasionally to help out with deeper cleaning, etc. and we never give out our alarm code/key to the lady, although it is one person and she has been here several times. We don't do that with any worker coming into our home. We live in a low crime area and maybe we are over-reacting, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. I don't want them here alone and I don't give out alarm code or keys. ETA, yes by personal recommendation. I was lucky with our rental house in finding workers from a FB Community site. I was able to get recommendations/thoughts from the group and people who had used them. I also asked the workers for references. I hired two groups (one group took out appliances and took them away) and the other (couple) cleaned the full inside of the house and inside/outside windows.

My last housekeeping service was a husband/wife team recommended by a family member. They started sending their kids, changing days/times and rushing the job. We let them go when we remodeled and didn't invite them to come back

Our current housekeeper is the next door neighbors live-in. He doesn't need her 24/7, so she takes on other households during the day. He approached us about cleaning. She comes every Friday between 9 and 9:10am and leaves between 2 and 2:30pm.

My dog starts waiting for her in the window around 8:45am. I'm either traveling for work or working at home. We have a fabulous routine.

I would not use a service. I don't have confidence in them really caring about the house. I read a book at one time, maybe Nickel and Dimed (?) where the lady worked for a cleaning service and they used the same one bucket of water to clean everything and they were really pressured to get the job done fast. I think a lot of the actual cleaners who work for the services are paid minimum wage w/ no or few benefits. I'm sure some are better than others.

I'v found our housekeepers on craigslist actually, for PA (in FL we just have weekly cleaning people and they were the people who cleaned for the previous owners). We are on our second housekeeper in PA. We LOVED our first and was very sad when she left for a different job after 3 years (she got a good government job which was nice for her b/c she was a single mom).

Our second is not quite as good but we still really like her. Check references and get a feel for how they seem. I never leave them alone in the house until I get to know them, but both were given keys after around 3-4 months and they come when we're not home, including on vacation. They basically make the house theirs, handle cleaning, laundry, house organization, etc. We provide the cleaning supplies b/c we are very strict w/ only organic stuff. They come three times a week for about 3-4 hours a time, more as needed.

I use a cleaning service - for several reasons. I do not want to be bothered with reporting earnings or social security - or whatever it was that our accountant told us we would have to do if we hired an independent cleaner on a regular basis. I don't want to worry about liability if the person were to get hurt while cleaning. The requirements are different if they were an independent contractor but you would still have to see if they were bonded and insured and that it was current.

The cleaning service I use is a local franchise and I've used them for 15 years. I usually have the same team or the same team leader and sometimes I just have the team leader alone - but she is excellent. Some of people have been so awful that the I've called the office to complain and they offer to send someone else back to correct things. I have never bothered to take them up on that but I will let them know that I don't want that individual back.

Fortunately the office manager is efficient and seems to care about her job. I also like the fact that they are in and out in a few hours. When I first hired them they would give me a 2 hour window - say 9 to 11 or 12 to 2. That only lasted a short time because I didn't like waiting. So I requested to be the first house of the day and they have accommodated me.

I do stay home while they are cleaning and usually I'll do laundry or work on some project or garden.

I read a book at one time, maybe Nickel and Dimed

I was thinking of that, too, Beagles.

https://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Dimed-Not-Getting-America/dp/0312626681

I'm never home when the housecleaner comes. I give her a key as I've had too many problems with malfunctioning garage door keypads. However I've always used an individual person upon referral from someone I know who has used them for some years. And the referral comes from someone else in same situation as I am - they have their housecleaner come during the day when they're at work. I moved last year and it took a while to find someone in my new neighborhood but I just waited until I could get a solid referral. My current housecleaner has an incorporated business so I pay the business. I don't pay her as if she were my employee.

I've never had any kind of damage or security related problem in over 30 years. I think I've probably had about 4-5 housecleaners over that time.

If I felt the need to be there when the cleaner was there I would expect them to be on-time. If they had a problem with that and I liked the work otherwise, I'd ask to be the first stop on the schedule so not subject to delays from prior jobs.

My cleaners are notorious for showing up 30 minutes to an hour after the time they are supposed to arrive and I am the first stop. It annoys me, but I plan for it. I probably will move in the next year, so I don't want to go through the hassle of finding a new service right now. I always stay home when they are here because I don't want to give them access without my presence. I don't worry about them stealing from me, but I like to check that the house is properly secured, that lights have been turned out, etc. after they leave.

I use an independent woman who was recommended by a friend. She comes with another woman or more depending on how quickly she needs to move along.

I have to admit that the times do vary. But because I am happy with her and her team, I work around it. My life is probably more flexible than some, an hour here or there is okay with me.

I am here to let her in, but I then leave the house. I used to stay but realized that if I didn't trust her, then she shouldn't work for me. And, I certainly am not following her around as she cleans.

I would not use a service. I wan to know personally who is coming to my house.

There are so many services out there. Why let this continue to bother you? Why not ask a few friends or neighbors for other recommendations?

I have always had an individual. Only once had a stealing problem, she had brought her young son with her and I found he had stolen several things and got into my purse and stole money. I had a talk with her and him. I told her that she could never have any one but her in my house. I trusted her.

I currently have a lady that has been cleaning for my next door neighbor for 20 years. That's how I got her. Usually I ask friends or neighbors if they know of anyone. If you have the Nextdoor app for your neighborhood thats a great way to get recommendations. We often have people asking for someone or referring someone. My llady is very punctual. If she will be late she calls. In general I am usually in the house while she is here. I try to stay out of the way. They always know I have cameras inside and outside so at any time I could be seeing them. The little boy didn't know about cameras!

I haven't read all the responses but I would not like having different people coming in. A cleaner gets to know your home and that makes for a more efficient cleaner.

I would not use a service. I like knowing who is in my house at any given time. Plus, I would rather the cleaner get to keep all the money rather than the service taking a big chunk. We have a separate code on our keypad lock for her, which I put on and take off per her schedule, so it doesn't matter to me what time she comes. But she is usually punctual, and if she will be radically off schedule, she texts me.

I also prefer not being home when she cleans. We have had the same person for many years. She was referred through a friend who vouched for her work ethic and honesty. We did have someone in the past who stole jewelry from me. I appreciate not having to worry with our present person. Our present cleaner used to come during the week, but got a full time job a few years ago and now comes on Saturday. We are the only clients she kept when she got her new job, and I am thrilled not to have had to find someone new. I preferred it when she came on weekdays while I was at work, rather than me having to clear out of the house on a Saturday. But I really don't want to be there while she's working and I'm sure she would rather that I am not underfoot.

I use an individual (actually a mother-adult daughter) and they are always on time unless they call and let me know otherwise for an unforeseen reason. As others point out, it's probably because you have a service and they rotate customers that you are having difficulty getting a set time of arrival. I would talk to the company and see if you can be 'first in line' for the day if that works for you so that you could better plan your schedule. Otherwise, try to find an individual based on friend's or neighbor's recommendations.

I recently had to find a new housekeeper as my old one of 5 years took another job and be closer to home and spend more time with her high-school age kids. It took me about 2 months to find someone, and the new ones aren't quite as good (yet) as my former housekeeper, but they do get it done faster as a team. And they are trust-worthy which means a lot.

I concur on Nextdoor if your neighborhood participates. We have a lot of threads on this.

I really should break down and do this given my busy job schedule.

@gscience. Yes! I believe you do need a housekeeper. I would consider leaving my DH for my housekeeper because I would never have to clean again! ;)

Yes gssciencechick - you should! Once I got a real job (and one that required travel) I got my first housecleaner. This was such a luxury and not the kind of thing I grew up with. I have never been without since except short periods of transition when I've moved. A housecleaner and professional haircut/color are some of the last things I would give up if money was tight.

Just for me since I work to promote physical activity, hiring out purposeful physical activity seems a bit inauthentic. Now, maybe a deep cleaning like baseboards and that I could maybe get on board with.

We clean the kitchen every day, I vacuum and dust and do the bed linens and DH mostly does the bathrooms.

I can't justify the expense when I have plenty of time right now, but I deeply envy my neighbor's cleaner. She was greatly alarmed one day when she came home and found the cleaner down on the kitchen floor. "Did you fall? Can I help you get up? Should I call a doctor?" Turned out Christine was scrubbing the grout with a toothbrush.

I do my own cleaning. I am very particular so I know I wouldnt be happy with someone else doing it, no matter how good of a job they did. When I was working, other than the kitchen and bathrooms which were cleaning daily, I cleaned house once a week, usually Saturday mornings. Now that I am retired, I do a little bit at a time so it doesnt seem like work really. I would rather have someone come in and cook instead of clean. I found and still do find cooking most times a chore.