38 Things Your Housecleaner Secretly Wants You to Know
Updated: May 02, 2023From their favorite 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 have unrealistic expectations
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. Remembering these 8 things professional house cleaners do in their homes every day could also help, too.
Make sure you have all the cleaning products I will need
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. Regardless, see what you should definitely clean in the next 30 days.
Don’t forget that I need equipment
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. Check out more stories about bosses you would never want to work for.
Be reasonable
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.
It’s helpful if you soak dirty pans
This way I can clean them more easily when I get there. Once the dishes are clean, scrubbing the skin is the next step. Rarely cleaning your kitchen sink is one of the 11 ways you’re cleaning your kitchen wrong.
Don’t make your house un-cleanable
If your house is a disorganized mess, it makes it harder for me to clean. Please pick up toys, piles of papers, and clutter from surfaces so that I can actually get to them. There’s a difference between organizing and cleaning. Tidy up before they come by organizing these 30 things in under 30 minutes.
Give me some warning
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. Learn what professional housecleaners aren’t allowed to clean.
I do poke around sometimes
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. There are plenty of secrets home inspectors won’t tell you, too.
Tiny kindnesses mean a lot
One time a client left me a gift from a trip abroad, which delighted me. Those small appreciations keep me honest.
It’s a huge relief when clients allow me to take my child with me to work
Sometimes I just can’t find a sitter but I still need the money. Don’t miss these bad cleaning habits you didn’t realize you had.
Give me some guidelines
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. For some inspiration, check out these secrets of people who always have a clean house.
It’s the little things that make people happy
That’s why we make the little triangle at the end of the toilet paper roll. You guys love that. By the way, there is a correct way to hang your toilet paper.
Appearances aren’t everything
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. See which products will clean your entire house is less than an hour.
Do you want to keep working after you get home
Neither do we. Some of us actually hire someone else to clean our homes.
Please, trust me
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. For proof, check out these house cleaning tips straight from professional cleaners.
Please say thank you, even if it’s just on a Post-it
Or if you really like me, leave something small every once in a while, like a $5 gift card to McDonald’s. If I feel like someone appreciates me, I really go the extra mile. Check out these meaningful ways people have said thank you to essential workers.
Training
What training? In this economy, a lot of people are turning to housecleaning to pay the bills.
Think our insurance will cover you
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. Learn which cleaning products you have been using all wrong.
I know more than you think
I see the piles of bills marked “past due” 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. These are some other secrets your house can reveal about you.
I wish you wouldn’t insist on bleach and other harsh cleaners
For almost every situation, there’s an eco-friendly option that’s just as effective.
I don’t need to hear your life story
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. See which cleaning products professional housekeepers love.
Want to save money on high-priced maid services
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.
If you use a service instead of an individual, ask for the same people every time
Your cleanings will be more consistent, with fewer strangers in your home. Don’t miss what your house may say about your personality.
If you’re worried we might take something from you, test it out
When using a new maid 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.
Don’t become a topic of conversation
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.
Recommend us to your friends
We may give you $25 to $50 off a cleaning for each referral—if you ask.
If you don’t have a lot of cash, ask me to come for just one hour
I can do just the bathrooms and the kitchen or only the areas guests will see. A lot of cleaning that can get done in very little time—like these
Sources:
- Torrey Shannon, former maid service owner
- Lynette Haugen, True Blue Maids
- Tangela Ekhoff, housecleaner
- Theresa Peterson, Quality Cleaning “Maid to Order”
- Dee Strickland, A Zing Zap Cleaning Service
