Things your housecleaner secretly wants you to know

From their favourite types of clients to your most annoying habits, house cleaners confess what they’re really thinking (but won’t say to your face!).

Don’t ask me to clean your five-bedroom house and then say you need it done in two hours. Make sure you give me enough time to clean everything properly.

Sometimes I show up and my clients have nothing for me to use. You know best what kind of cleaners you want used in your home; some people want only organic cleaners, some are picky about brands and others have allergies.

Find out the secret to surviving allergy season. 

One of my bosses kept forgetting to get me a mop so I had to wash her floors on my hands and knees with a cloth. For weeks she did this. It’s really inconsiderate.

Please do not ask me to sew on buttons, clean the wheels of your bike, scrub out your mailbox or pull out the refrigerator in order to clean behind it.

Keeping your house clean on an ongoing basis with minimum effort means adopting a clean mindset.

This way I can clean them more easily when I get there.

It’s also worth knowing these kitchen mistakes that are costing you money.

If your house is a disorganised mess, it makes it harder for me to clean. Please pick up toys, piles of paper and clutter from surfaces so that I can actually get to them. There’s a difference between organising and cleaning.

Don’t ignore these subtle ways your house might be making you sick. 

…I’ve just cleaned a floor and my employer walks all over it in dirty shoes.

I need reasonable notice if you are going to move or stop hiring me. Too many clients don’t think to tell me until the week they’re moving. A month’s notice would be nice. You give your landlord a month’s notice. Please do me the same courtesy.

I really love to look at the books people have and the food they keep in their refrigerators. Sometimes I can’t help reading something for 10 minutes. But I always make up the time by staying 10 minutes late or working faster.

One time a client left me a gift from a trip abroad, which delighted me. Those small appreciations keep me honest.

Sometimes I just can’t find a babysitter but I still need the money.

Please write a list of the things you would like me to do. Along with verbal instructions, this will ensure I don’t forget anything.

But don’t list these household chores – they are a waste of time.

I do a better job when I am happy and feel appreciated.

That’s why we make the little triangle at the end of the toilet paper roll. You guys love that.

Just because someone looks polished on the outside doesn’t mean their home is spotless. One lady I cleaned for, a divorce attorney, always looked great and she had a beautiful house in a gated community, but inside it was the filthiest, nastiest place in the world. It was like a hoarder hut, filled with junk.

Neither do we. Some of us actually hire someone else to clean our homes.

Make sure you never ignore these household smells.

You hire an AC guy and take his advice, you hire a plumber and do what he says, but I come in and you think you know more about how to clean than I do.

Or if you really like me, leave something small every once in a while, like a $5 gift card. If I feel like someone appreciates me, I really go the extra mile.

Reputable cleaners come to your home and give you a free estimate.

You should also be wary of investment scams.

Letting us work ‘by the job’ sometimes means you get less for your money. It can be more cost effective to pay me an hourly rate, especially once your home is in a maintenance mode.

Check out these other money mistakes that are costing you thousands.

What training? In this economy, a lot of people are turning to housecleaning to pay the bills.

Hmm, maybe not. Insurance companies expect us to be trained professionals, so if we use the wrong product on your expensive furnishings, the insurance company might deny the claim.

If you have a dog or a cat, make sure you know these cleaning hacks.

Come home unexpectedly every once in a while and see what we’re doing. Good housecleaners won’t watch your TV, talk on the phone or eat on your bed.

Make sure you know the signs that your house is vulnerable to being robbed. 

I see the piles of bills marked ‘overdue’ and know you’re having money problems. I find drugs and condom wrappers in kids’ bedrooms. And I can tell who’s unfaithful because the cheaters always start hiding laundry.

Check out these 16 things your neighbour secretly knows about you. 

I had one client who would clean his house before I would even show up! It just made my job harder, because I had to try to figure out what was clean and what was dirty.

My best clients are people who work for their money, like teachers, bartenders and cops. Rich people think they’re doing you a favour by allowing you to scrub their toilets. Working people understand you are doing them a service by making their lives easier.

For almost every situation, there’s an eco-friendly option that’s just as effective. Another green and clean idea is to clean with microfibre cloths.

These house plants will clean the air around you. 

If they’re clean, you know I’m thorough.

Many cleaning companies do not run any sort of background check or even check references. I answered an ad, I was on time and presentable and I was willing to take the job. That is all most companies care about.

Even though I smile and act interested, don’t use me as your therapist, gossip buddy or friend. Frankly, most of us have a lot less than you and we can’t fathom why you’re complaining. Plus, you slow me down.

Instead of booking a regular appointment, ask to be on our on-call list to fill last-minute slots at a discount. Or see if you can be a ‘training home’ for new cleaners.

Cleaning will be more consistent with fewer strangers in your home.

When using a new cleaning service, leave a few dollars hanging out of a pants pocket or lying on the counter. If we take a dollar or two, you’ll know we’re probably going to take other things.

Otherwise, you’re on the hook if we break something or get hurt on the job.

Pick your clothes up off the floor, get your dishes out of the sink and clean up your kids’ toys. Your house will end up a lot cleaner.

If you leave your personal life out for us to see, we most definitely will talk about you. We may even send pictures to our friends and relatives.

We may give you a discount for each referral – if you ask.

I can do just the bathrooms and the kitchen or only the areas guests will see – cleaning that can get done in very little time.

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Source: rd.com