January 25, 2007
cleanliness is next to . . .
My housekeeper didn’t show up today, which wouldn’t be worth mentioning except that I spent most of the morning straightening the house so that she could clean. Also, she’s not been doing a particularly stellar job of late, so I spent a lot of time getting myself psyched up to talk to her about, say, CLEANING THE SHOWER or MOPPING THE KITCHEN FLOOR, neither of which have been done in, well, A WHILE.
Eeeew.
When the boys came home from school, they wanted to know why the kitchen chairs were on the table (answer: so J. could mop UNDER the table without gluing the chairs to the wet hardwood) and where the rugs from the bathrooms were (answer: in the laundry, so that J. could actually SCRUB THE FLOOR).
I should probably write about class issues here, shouldn’t I? About why it is so hard for me to ask the woman I pay to clean my house to actually CLEAN MY HOUSE. But frankly, I’m still unnerved by the idea of having to point out in great detail what I want cleaned (the floor behind the toilet! eeeewww) when it is clear that I’m not going to do it myself.
Instead, I’ll tell you this:
Charlie: One day, after I went potty, I washed my hands and you had left the sponge on the counter.
Me: Uh huh.
Charlie: So I wiped out the sink! And finished wiping off the counter!
Me: That was nice.
Charlie. YES. And there was something icky on the floor, so I wiped up THAT, too.
Me: Wow! That really WAS nice.
Charlie: Yes. I think God would like that.
Me: Well, I like it.
Charlie: Yes, but GOD likes it, too. When I wipe up the bathroom.
I wonder if I could convince him that God wants him to mop the kitchen floor, too . . .
Posted by Susan @ 4:04 pm • Uncategorized
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January 25th, 2007 at 5:01 pm, Anonymous Says:
After my four year old watched Cinderella a gazillion times, she thought it was great fun to be Cinderella scrubbing floors. She would spend hours pretending to scrub the floor. After a while, a gave her some water and the mop and voila! clean floors. Probably wouldn’t work for boys, but you never now. By the way - I love the blog.
January 25th, 2007 at 5:14 pm, An Iowa Mom Says:
Ya know … you’re gonna think this is a lie, BUT … my 3 year old is scrubbing the sink this very moment. Maybe it’s the glasses? She can see it’s not “SPOTLESS” like Mommy likes it. It is now … she’s been scrubbing for almost 20 minutes. Hand her a sponge … she gets right to work.
I have two boys … both have been taught that when they miss the toilet, and they do (why do they do that? … even my 41 year old does it from time to time … talk about eeewwww) they need to clean it up. If they don’t??? MaMa’s not happy … and if MaMa’s not happy … NO ONE IS HAPPY!
Ta Ta …
January 25th, 2007 at 5:44 pm, adria Says:
Sounds like you might have a built in housekeeper. Don’t discourage him - just give him some soap, sponges, and towels.
Then you can send him to my home
January 25th, 2007 at 6:41 pm, dani Says:
I buy new cleaning supplies to try and subtley remind my cleaning lady to clean things. “Hey! see this new wood cleaner squirt and mop? Yeah! I bet it will work great when you actually MOP my floor instead of just swiffering it. Won’t that be fun?”
wow - i just read that - i hate me now. but i give her a good tip every time.
January 25th, 2007 at 6:55 pm, Susan Says:
Dani, I think you have hit on my dilemma: I want to be NICE, but I also want my HOUSE CLEAN. And I don’t know that there is any way to really do both. I know that I can be nice about asking her to clean (and it really does sound like your approach is terrific and I’m going to try it, just as soon as my housekeeper shows up) but I can’t be her friend AND her employer.
Thank god I don’t have a nanny. I would totally suck at that. Not that I don’t often wish for a nanny, you understand . . .
January 25th, 2007 at 7:10 pm, Wendy Says:
I am right there with ya. I have had trouble with my housekeeper. I thought it was because I was too picky, but was it too much to ask not to streak up my wood floors. Finally, I just told her that she didnt have to do them anymore and I do them. Now, I have the problem of my tub is not as clean as I would like it. *sigh*
I have looked into getting another housekeeper, but let’s face it I couldnt fire her, anyway. A national disaster couldnt even help me. After Katrina, I thought I would just clean my house myself, then reality of a newborn set in and I broke. Now, there are just not that many housekeepers in the area and quite frankly I think all them slack after awhile.
Good Luck.
January 25th, 2007 at 7:17 pm, Susan too Says:
I change cleaners every couple years for this reason. They get complacent like we do, so its worth it to get a new one who WANTS your business.,remember it is a business.
January 25th, 2007 at 7:29 pm, mamatulip Says:
Two things.
One, I always find it funny that we straighten up for the person who is coming to clean it. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d do it too, totally. But it always makes me chuckle.
And two, my mother, when she was alive, had a cleaning lady who didn’t clean the way she wanted and expected her to. It drove my mom crazy but she never said anything and I ended up having to do what the cleaning lady, who was getting paid, wasn’t doing. Ugh! I just thought of that and felt compelled to tell you…
January 25th, 2007 at 8:26 pm, Karyn Says:
See, if that was either of MY children? W. would have used the sponge to swish around the inside of the toilet to make waves. Then he would have chewed on the sponge because he likes the way the water is “Squeezy in my mouf”. J. would also have immediately dunked the sponge in the toilet and then proceeded to squeeze it all over my toothbrush and then do sponge painting on the mirror. Then he would have wrung it out over every dry thing including the toilet tissue, and when I came in to see WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THERE, he would tell me that W. did it.
I love your kids.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:31 pm, Mocha Says:
Stick with your strengths, honey. You are so totally kicking ass on this parenting thing. Combining your powers to help get the house cleaned when I could have been doing it all this time… what a waste.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:46 pm, gorillabuns Says:
if you want me to get the point across to your cleaning lady, i’m the chick to do it! i simply don’t mince words when it comes to money being shelled out for crappy results.
i’d totally have your back like that.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:52 pm, mausfrau Says:
The prospect of having to confront an employee in my home about the quality of their work versus my expectations of such is what keeps me from hiring a housekeeper. Well, that, and Barbara Ehrenreich’s account in Nickel and Dimed of how the big cleaning companies train their crews to use the same sponge in the kitchen and the bathroom because it saves the company money. Talk about ewwww…
January 25th, 2007 at 10:47 pm, Cathy Says:
I make my 8 yr old and my 4 year old boys clean the bathrooms. i buy “method” spray and let them go to town. Behind the toilet where all their pee is! I am the meanest mom on the blog. (I meant block but kept it, ha ha blog..) they are my built-in low-wage and child-labour crew.
January 26th, 2007 at 7:37 am, WriterGrrl Says:
I totally get you. My housekeeper was originally hired to work from 8 to 5. 8 somehow turned into 9, which has now become 9:30, AND she ignores things like the inside of the microwave. And I simply cannot bring myself to say anything. CRAZY.
January 26th, 2007 at 9:43 am, Jenny Says:
My mom always said about the time we were able to be of any real healp with housecleaning we lost interest.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:15 pm, dani Says:
Susan - Hope if worked better with the cleaning lady. By the way, my lady really liked the squirty wood stuff and my floors seemed fairly cleaner this week. Next week: Bathroom. I found this lemon-ey bathroom scrub, so… I bought that and maybe next week she’ll focus there. Did I mention I just leave the products out with a note to her saying “hey - i bought this new stuff let me know if you don’t like it for the floors/bathroom etc.” - very very chicken of me. but it gets her to focus on whatever area i’ve bought the new product for.
January 26th, 2007 at 3:03 pm, Lisa Says:
I made my way through three different house cleaners and the results were always the same.
It was never done to my satisfaction. My Mom and Grandma were super picky about “house work” so for awhile I blamed the standards my upbringing gave me.
Now I just wonder if it was the guilt that I wasn’t doing it myself.
January 26th, 2007 at 3:12 pm, rachel Says:
I guess this is a better answer than telling my husband how hot he looks when he washes dishes…
My girls will now do any chore (even the cat litter box!) for money. If I have a roll of quarters, I’m golden.
Good luck with inspiration for Charlie from the almighty!
January 26th, 2007 at 4:04 pm, Rocks In My Dryer Says:
My kids still think vacuuming is fun. Suckas.
January 26th, 2007 at 4:20 pm, Suburban Turmoil Says:
I need to send my mama over there. Girl, you have never seen ANYONE boss around the hired help like she does! It is un-freakin-believable.
January 26th, 2007 at 4:50 pm, Jonathon Says:
Little-E is so scared of gross stuff that she get near enough to clean anything.
Then again, she’s only 2.
January 26th, 2007 at 9:57 pm, Anonymous Says:
I think women across America have the same dilemma with cleaning ladies. I once had a totally KICK ASS cleaning GUY, but him and his girlfriend ended up going on a crack binge and moved out of state. But that’s another story! Anyway, what I have done with my current cleaning lady is to simply leave a note saying “Hi Lori…will you please pay particular attention to the wood floors in the kitchen, they are REALLY bad.” The next cleaning, I would tackle another issue. She seemed to get the hint fairly quickly, and I didn’t feel like I was having a parent/teacher conference with her. Also, I keep seeing people writing comments about squirt and mop and I think you mentioned that you have hardwood floors. (I just spent a FORTUNE refinishing our hardwood because I too, used the squirt and mop.) Professionals will tell you…water…water…water…a little windex, if you have a “greasy” spot and Polycare is GREAT. I used to use Orange Glo and I can’t tell you how GORGEOUS my floors were…so gorgeous that I had to have them refinished for a couple grand, instead of buffed for $250.00. Have a GREAT weekend.
January 26th, 2007 at 10:06 pm, Susan Says:
Anonymous, you rock. Polycare, you say? Hmmm.
Housekeeper didn’t show up today. Coming next week. I think I am ready to talk to her now, with all your good suggestions.
January 27th, 2007 at 12:43 am, dani Says:
thank you anonymous! no more squirt and mop! i used to have a great woman who swore by vinegar and water for our floors… but who wants to come home to that smell at the end of the day?
January 27th, 2007 at 7:25 am, Anonymous Says:
If you add baking soda to the vinegar and water the floors look great without the odor.
January 27th, 2007 at 7:41 am, Mamacita Tina Says:
You could so run with that…
January 27th, 2007 at 11:46 pm, Anonymous Says:
How many pairs of shoes = You with your own mop, broom, rag?
Something to ponder…
January 28th, 2007 at 10:47 am, Gidge Says:
Once when we had relocated we had maid service for our temporary appt and my husband spent every night BEFORE she came cleaning…..it made me nuts.
I know why though, I understand it - you don’t want your maid to think you’re a slob even though her job is to clean.
I guess we’re not upper class enough not to care about what the plebs think eh?
I think in our case we were just plebs who had a maid for a few months.