Wow, those are pushy cleaners! We have cleaners who comes once a fortnight and just do bathroom, kitchen, floors and general dusting. They've been great. If I leave a note saying to leave a room or area that is a disaster zone, they just do a bit extra somewhere else or leave me change if it really cuts their time down. I'm usually not home when they come though, so that probably alters the relationship.
There is no way I'd have cleaners who tried to tell me how to run my household. That's just insulting and a bit unprofessional.
Augusten Burroughs writes a pants wettingly funny essay about a tiny latino cleaner who took over his life. It's a hoot; read it if you get a chance (it appears in Magical Thinking), you'll feel so much better about your pushy cleaners -especially the bit where he weeks his werenge.
Nup. That's not ok - frankly, if you needed someone to make you feel crap about your house or life, your mother would probably do it for free, and if not, my mother certainly would and I'm willing to lend her out for the purpose.
I'm sure there are other cleaners available - frankly anyone who's unemployed and non-judgmental and capable of following your instructions is going to be better than that. You're paying to get your house cleaned not to be told how to live your life, or to be made to feel like crap. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet on this one. Or, since it seems to be the kind of language they understand, get your husband to do it.
Oh gods. Make them go away. These are not the cleaners you are looking for. I've had a variety of cleaning folk per Rob's home help eligibility, and I've encountered Dolores Umbridge types before. Rules, rules, rules and even perfection is to be tisked and tutted about disapprovingly.
They are bringing a stressful vibe into your home. And even if you comply to perfection, their judgment and your resentment of that judgment is not something you need to associate with *home*. They deprive you of your sanctuary.
And there are better cleaners out there. There are some genuinely lovely ones who are also efficient. As long as you have these two, you will not get one of those. And you deserve one of those.
Comments 17
There is no way I'd have cleaners who tried to tell me how to run my household. That's just insulting and a bit unprofessional.
Reply
Mine go *around* all my piles of shit. If a door is closed (the disaster rooms) they leave them.
We pick stuff up the night before, off the floors, do the dishes (if I remember), etc.
Reply
If you felt violated by the experience, you really, really need to fire them.
Reply
Reply
I'm sure there are other cleaners available - frankly anyone who's unemployed and non-judgmental and capable of following your instructions is going to be better than that. You're paying to get your house cleaned not to be told how to live your life, or to be made to feel like crap. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet on this one. Or, since it seems to be the kind of language they understand, get your husband to do it.
Reply
They are bringing a stressful vibe into your home. And even if you comply to perfection, their judgment and your resentment of that judgment is not something you need to associate with *home*. They deprive you of your sanctuary.
And there are better cleaners out there. There are some genuinely lovely ones who are also efficient. As long as you have these two, you will not get one of those. And you deserve one of those.
Reply
Leave a comment