How to Tell If Your Cleaner Does a Good Job

So you’ve hired a cleaner, you finally decided that a) you hate housework and b) you don’t have time to do all those jobs.

But how do you now if you’ve hired a good one? Cleaning is fairly standard, right? You mop, dust, vacuum scrub and tidy.

Wrong!

Not every cleaner does things the same. And not everyone’s expectations are the same. Paying for a service is different than doing it yourself. Like most things, nobody does it as well as you do it yourself. But with a bit of patience and guidance you can get your cleaner to do pretty much everything you want to your standard.

And sometimes they even do things that you would never expect!

Like theses things….If yours does this, you have a winner. If not… keep looking my friend because this is totally worth paying for.

1. Cleaning inside/on top of the fridge. Ok who does this? Um not me! Ok fine, I clean the fridge, not every time I shop but I’ll give it a wipe if something spills.

2. Dusts the venetian blinds. Whoever invented venetian blinds, and I doubt it was the Venetians, they’ve got bigger worries, like Venice sinking, was an asshole! Seriously, these things collect dust like its gold! I hate that about them. I love the look, especially the timber ones but seriously, the blinds are awful to clean.

3. Fold the toilet paper like a hotel. This is spectacular, it feels like you live in a hotel! I never get tired of this. I could do it myself I know but that would just be weird.

4. Wipe the faucet spouts and shower heads. This is how you find out if you have dirty water. I have never thought to wipe the spout of the water tap (faucet thingy) What is that anyway… faucet is a dumb word. But when you have black algae type stuff growing out you know that you should probably wipe that shit.

5. Dust the legs on the table and chairs. Now I’m all for dusting, well someone else dusting actually because dust is bad and sneezy shit… but I’ve never dusted table legs and chair legs. But it makes sense and I’m glad it’s done.

6. Mop and vacuum under the furniture. Do you know what you can find under couches? It’s like a gold mine! Especially if you don’t really clean under them. But now they get moved and mopped and vacuumed under every single week. How will any self respecting dust bunny gain size and stature…. Seriously!

7. Vacuum the couch. This one I get, and have done because skin…. gross, and crumbs and dog hair and why oh why did we buy a dark fabric couch? STUPID. But making sure the nap is going the same way on all surfaces? Who has time for that? You guessed it. My cleaner… and it’s not cos I pay her by the hour either. 😉

8. Wipe the walls. This is one of those jobs that you do with a bucket and bleach every six months right? Unless you have my cleaner, every week she wipes the walls, and it’s amazing how clean a place can look when you just wipe the grubby marks off the walls.

9. Dust the light fittings and lamps. All the shiny things need cleaning.. duh!

10. Unpack your dishwasher. And figure out where everything goes! That is a super talent right there! My family are still mastering this.

11. Change bedding. While I enjoy the workout that bunk beds gives you… I’m so glad that the beds are now separated. It really is tons easier. When I change their sheets, in a 14′ sq room I actually walk 2500 steps just changing bedding! Did you know what a great work out that is? I still change the beds most weeks but some weeks I just don’t feel up to it and my lovely cleaner just does it. Without prompting.

12 Do laundry. If I asked her to, she would totally do my laundry. I would have to translate the washing machine for her but that’s a small price to pay right? But  I can’t bring myself to do that, I actually don’t hate laundry and I’d rather her spend the time on the rest of the things that I really don’t love.

13. Teach me Spanish. This is the entire reason I hired her… truly! Well that’s how I got it past the King … I’m a great justifier.

She’s here today and I know by this evening the entire place will sparkle. The kids LOVE coming home to a clean and tidy room. They love her and tell her so in broken Spanish. See even they are learning the language. Last week Miss Gremlin asked me how do I ask her where she put my computer? Without hesitation,  ‘Donde esta mi computadora por favor’ just rolled of my tongue like a native, look at me knowing that without google translate! …

Totally worth every cent, right?. Just agree, it’s easier that way.