Hiring a cleaning service can be a great way to free up your time and take the stress out of cleaning your home. If you have wondered what the experience is like, I have hired quite a few cleaners in my time. This is my personal experience with hiring residential house cleaners.
As you may have been able to tell from my 10 Tips For Hiring a House Cleaning Service post, Hubby and I have employed a house cleaning service or two over the years. These are our house cleaning service experiences!
Our House Cleaning Service Experiences
When Hubby and I bought our house, we were not yet married. I was living in Buffalo close to Sonny-boy’s high school. He was in his senior year, and while we could have moved out here it would have meant a 30-35 minute commute for him in the morning, versus a five minute walk. It really didn’t make much sense for Sonny-boy and I to move out to the sticks. However, Hubby made the move from his NYC digs, and set up housekeeping here a good seven months before Sonny-boy and I joined him.
During that time, I can safely say that Hubby never: dusted, mopped, cleaned a bathroom, washed a floor and if memory serves, did a dish. This is the same guy who used to tell me stories about how clean he and his college roommate were. After seeing Hubby’s lack of cleaning skills, I think they were just that: stories.
Our only arguments came from Hubby not cleaning up after himself. Eight years later, I can tell you those are the only arguments that really continue. I always say Hubby is like a cat, he doesn’t mind his own dirt but hates anyone else’s! Well, I am not too thrilled with his dirt either.
Hubby suggested I hire a cleaning service. Now while I wasn’t too keen on being the one to hire a service to clean up after messes from Hubby, I also recognized that a cleaning service is cheaper than marriage counseling, Hubby was not going to change, and I wasn’t too opposed to never cleaning the toilet again myself. So, after a few weeks delay while I reconciled myself to hiring someone, I hired a team.
Our first team of cleaners lasted a few years. They were very nice ladies, and one always did an excellent job. When the second lady couldn’t clean for a few weeks, and a substitute stepped in for her, I realized just how poor a job the second lady was doing (the substitute did a fabulous job), we had to part ways. It was very amicable.
I spent a month or two cleaning myself before I got around to hiring someone else. Since it was one person, she came twice a week. Our house is far too large to have one person clean all day. This worked great for a long time. The lady was very young, not much older than Sonny-boy and is probably the second best cleaner I have ever known (the first was my grandmother). Unfortunately she kept getting more and more expensive, and when Sonny-boy left for college and she went down to one day a week (she had been warned it was coming for months), she raised her price to the ridiculous range, and I had to let her go.
Hubby still laments from time to time that he wants to call her and see if she is still in business and pay her that ridiculous rate. She really was that good. I stop him because the rate truly was going to be crazy, and I just can’t see it. I’d rather hire someone else to come two days a week for the same money.
So, after that experience we went a year before I hired an agency. There are many pros and cons to an agency, especially for us! If I have to cancel a week, it isn’t an issue. I never feel like someone will have to juggle their family budget because they missed a week cleaning our house. And yeah, I did feel like that with independents. I recognize that even though I would hire guaranteeing only 40 work weeks, it was still a financial blow to them when we went away and their services were unnecessary that week (they only get paid when they work).
Hubby has decided he doesn’t like the agency we had been using for the last two years, so I am now on the hunt for a new service. Because we bought a condo, I expect that we will need a service even less than before. I’m not worried about a service for the condo – I will just call the service that cleaned the beach house where we vacationed. Not only were they good, they were cheap! I swear if they lived up here, Hubby would hire them to come in daily – and I might not object!
Many people are ashamed to admit they have a cleaning service because they are afraid people will judge them to be lazy or snooty. Nonsense! There are many reasons to hire a service: as we age, it is more difficult to do hands and knees cleaning! Some people work 60 hours a week, and the last thing they want to do with a Sunday off is clean. Much easier to just hire someone to do it during the week. The benefit of having the entire house clean at the same time cannot be understated! I may do the downstairs during a clean, or two rooms, or just the upstairs, but seldom do I clean the entire house in one day. It is really nice to have the entire house clean and not worry about it for days on end.
I even know people that live frugally so they can have the money to do things they want more – like hire someone to clean their house! I can’t tell you how many “frugal bloggers” hire services. Let me put it to you this way – if they have been blogging for more than three years and have a decent readership and blog income, chances are better than good they have a cleaning service in weekly.
There are many people from all age and socioeconomic groups that hire a cleaning service. If you have never done so, you may want to give it a go on a one-off before a big party at your house. You never know, you just may find that it is something you really enjoy. I know I do, and I can’t tell you how shocking it is for me to say that!
Do you employee a cleaning service? Have you ever? Will you ever? What pros and cons have you found to hiring someone to clean your home?
● For more Household Tips on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.
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Stephanie K. says
My sister-in-law cleans for our father-in-law and his wife, she also does their ironing. It works for her, so she has spending money and she can still get the kids on and off the bus. I honestly would hire her if I lived closer. Yes, it would be a little weird, but I HATE cleaning. I’m not lazy or a real slob, but by the time I pick up all the clutter from my husband, my daughter, my son, and my own stuff, I have no motivation to do actual “cleaning”. I would hire someone in a heartbeat if it were easier AND if my husband wouldn’t judge me. I’m a total tightwad, but as you mentioned, we should then have permission to spend some of the money we’ve saved in other areas on things that make our lives better. You will always be my favorite blogger for this and many other reasons!
admin says
Thanks Stephanie!
It did take me a while to come to terms with a cleaning service in my head too. The judging, the cost, etc all made me hesitate. Now, the only reason I am without a service is because we are moving on to a new service for one reason or another. The interviewing is the hardest part.
Ann
TB says
Ann, I am curious how much was the ridiculous rate of the best cleaner (second to your grandmother) at which point you had to let her go?
admin says
She was looking at close to $50 an hour, Tatiana, up from the $30/hr she was making working two days a week. She was an independent that needed to pay her taxes and both ends of social security out of that hourly rate.
Ann
TB says
I guess NY is expensive!
amanda says
If I could afford it you bet i’d hire a cleaning service! I am SUPER picky though when it comes to cleaning so it would probably take a few tries before I stuck with anyone and I would likely just have them do certain rooms since I can be a little OCD about certain things.
admin says
No one gets everything though, Amanda, so just certain rooms sounds like it would work well for you.
Ann
Amanda says
Thanks, Ann! I will seriously consider it. I get stressed easily (as if you couldn’t tell 😉 ) so this might bervery worth it for me!
Vanessa says
With three sons ages 5, 9 & 10, my home is too messy for a cleaning service. Dirty? NO! Messy? Absolutely! My Mom has someone come once a week and just RAVES about it. She said just having someone do the floors, baseboards, window tracks, oven, shower, toilet, etc. is worth it. I would agree, but it would take me two days to put everything away! Ugh!
admin says
Vanessa, sometimes I HATE the cleaning service for that very reason…putting away the clutter. On the other hand, since we are paying someone, it forces Hubby to put away his clutter (for the most part) if he wants his office and our bedroom cleaned, and since he hates to waste money, he does it with only a little prodding from me. The Hubby-picks-up-his-clutter gambit is worth more than you can possibly imagine to me!
Ann
Tamona Valentine says
I WISH I could afford a person to come in from time to time and clean. I use to be a neat freak but I noticed that after the hubby, I don’t care as much. I like things ever so neat and he likes to screw it up. (*Warning possible post idea*) When I decorate the house, he will come in and say oooo this will look great. Mind you, THIS is probably a Transformer or some other action figure that he always wanted when he was a kid. Now imagine what he thinks clean looks like. It truly drives me nuts. This is why I love coming on your blog, you have the life I deserve lol!
admin says
LMAO Tamona. I will tell Hubby you are interested if I die first.
Ann
Candie says
About 10 years ago I went on the hunt for a cleaning person. A friend highly recommended her but she had no openings. She actually told me someone she cleans for would have to die for her to have an opening. 3 weeks later she had an opening and I hired her, and yrs one of her clients passed away.She charged $50 and it took about 3 hours. She was amazing, baseboards, blinds, floors and the house always smelled wonderful. I didn’t have her clean son’s room because he was a pig and I figured if she went into his room she wouldn’t come out alive. She fell and broke her hip and couldn’t work anymore. I have never found anyone as good as her. The next person I hired my mother found her asleep in my bed. I have one of those beds that massages, raises your head and feet. Suffice it to say she was fired. I just hired a new one, I will see how this goes. I don’t care what anybody thinks I am too old to clean my house.
admin says
OMG! That Goldilocks story is amazing, Candie. Good luck with your new hire. It isn’t easy breaking in someone new.
Ann
KimH says
I had live in maids growing up and so did just about everyone I knew so I dont think anything of it.. Im not snooty at all.. It was just what our parents did..
About 2 or 3 years ago I had a friends daughter come in to sweep, vacuum, dust, mop, & clean the bathroom and she did it for about a year.. Her now hubby started coming to clean with her and he was in a hurry to leave so they started doing a crappier & crappier job over time.. I finally told her that I couldnt afford to have anyone in anymore, which was true for a few weeks.. Then I got a gal who lived catty corner from me to come clean doing the same things for about 8 months or so.. She did a fairly good job but she got pregnant and I didnt want to contribute (bathroom) chemical exposure to the baby so I had her stop coming. I’ve been doing it ever since.
admin says
I’m not sure if I’d like a maid – a house cleaner once a week sometimes feels intrusive, I can’t imagine a 40 hour per week maid. I’m quite sure Hubby wouldn’t mind though!
Ann
KimH says
I know.. I feel the same way to an extent.. but having a live in maid is like having another family member there 24/7. Our maids were also our baby sitters and were expected to take care of us when our parents werent around, which was quite often when we were young. They took off for a weekend every month or so to go see family.. It was pretty laid back, the house stayed clean, (mostly, except for my bedroom 😉 ) and they also cooked family meals if Mom wasnt around to do it.. She was going to school getting her Masters so it worked for everyone.
I’ve thought about it myself, having a live in or a daily maid.. I dont think I’d like it so much but I’d have to have someone who is quite mature.. Im pretty quirky on my own and dont like my privacy invaded.
Skirnir Hamilton says
I have half tried to talk my hubby into letting me hire a cleaner say once or twice a month, but so far he hasn’t let me do so. I think he would if I pushed, but his mom had a cleaner and she wound up breaking some knick-knack or something and he feels like you have to clean before the cleaner comes. For me, I just want someone to do the toilets, bathtub, floors, windows and such about twice a month. I do a lot of the rest, just never seem to make it to the occasional stuff. May still decide to do that if I do get a paying job in this state.
Ann says
Kitchen, bathrooms and whatever other room you want is entirely doable to cherry-pick when you hire. In all the years we have had a cleaning service, only one thing was ever broken – a glass. I wish I could say that was all Hubby and I have ever accidently broken over the years. That darned dishwasher loading and unloading…
Ann
Felicia says
I clean my own house from head to toe, I am a little bit of a clean freak. I don’t think my house is big enough to warrant someone else coming in and cleaning. Plus no one can do it as well as me… hehe!
And actually I have done house cleaning for other people. Summer camps and stuff especially (they get so dirty on the lake). I can clean a house really well tip to top, in a day;) That includes inside only – windows, bathrooms, floors, laundry, everything.
admin says
If you like cleaning, and are good at it, making a paycheck from it is wonderful. Cleaning is SUCH hard work though!
Ann
Felicia says
I don’t know, it’s always been my thing. I don’t like to cook though 😉
I kind of enjoy it, is that weird? LOL
Debb F says
Well as usual I am different. I AM the cleaning service. I actually put my son through Catholic grade school cleaning private homes and cleaning the rectory at my home parish. This was not my career but when I had to stop working to care for a very sick little infant son, I got a hold of his health issues, had him prepared to begin kindergarten and reading by age 4, and when he was to go to school, we did not like the public school system in our area bussing children out to another area. 9/11 had just happened and I wanted to have my son close in case we had a true emergency so I opted for private school. It was a challenge with one income and so I became a teachers assistant there when a spot opened up. It fit my schedule, except my son was catching everyone else’s germs and I had to stop working to care for him, again. So then I started cleaning houses for a couple older men who had lost their wives. And I could do it when my son was at school and be flexible if he was sick and then after doing that for a few years, my friend was having health issues and asked me to clean the rectory. Well let me tell you, no one knows clean like the Polish priests so I learned a lot and I still prefer to get down on my hands and knees and scrub a floor. I stopped cleaning in 2007, when I was supposed to take care of my father in law post quad by pass and he died the next day. A friend just asked me to help her when she has to under go some medical treatment and I will be glad to. I just love making everything clean and shiny and smelling good. I get such a sense of accomplishment if I can bring something back to life and help someone all at the same time. It is very humble work but honest work 🙂
admin says
Well let me tell you, no one knows clean like the Polish priests
I think it is the Polish, period. I wasn’t kidding when I said my grandmother knew how to clean. My grandfather now has a “little old Polish lady” that cleans for him, and he is pretty dirty and his house is always spotless when she leaves!
Man I wish you lived close, Debb! I am not sure about humble, I still stand by hard work.
Ann