A cleaning lady just left my flat. It was another (second) person this month and she was also highly recommended by a friend of mine. Again, the cleaning was a disaster.

We had a great cleaner fro Ukraine when I was still living with my mom back in Warsaw but that woman was precious and yes, she was cleaning like crazy. She is always fully booked and very well paid now. Now I know why: someone like her is almost impossible to find.
She would clean the house whole day and it was ALWAYS a deep cleaning and the house was immaculate. You could look with magnifying glass and you wouldn't find even one spot....in 3 floor house. Now I am thinking if she was a human There was no job too hard for her and not even once she would leave the house unfinished. She would even wash the printer I mean everything in the house was spotless...

My experience is very different and I wonder what makes it so hard to clean the house well? I know this is lots of physical effort (if you plan to do it well) but if one doesn't have the physical strength and endurance to clean people's houses then one should not be offering these services.

Today the lady was really lovely but the cleaning looked a bit like when you leave your hotel room and when you come back it is sort of "refreshed".

I do lots of physical work myself. Some days are exhausting to the point where I feel like I work harder than a horse, so I really would like to have some support at home but today I feel disappointed and cheated.

I don't have to wear white gloves to see there are parts that were not even touched and there is dust everywhere. I also don't feel it is fair to pay someone and walk with a cloth to improve their work after they left.

The floor under little Ikea table, shelf with shoes and chairs is full of dirt and these are all small and easy to move pieces of furniture.
I think it's a disgrace to offer the service, come for many hours and leave the house dirty.

First cleaner I wanted to check was from Poland. I thought that's great but I was wrong. When I told her the flat was dirty in places where she was cleaning (she said she didn't finish cleaning because she had to do the bathroom), she got mad and told me it is my own fault as I do not take care of my flat and I should look for someone else (?).

I told her that I was disappointed as it was many hours (flat is small) and I would like her to improve a little as if she needs additional hours of work this is not a problem for me and I believe it can be easily improved and as longs as she is willing to put more effort this is no problem for me.
I also said I am not happy to pay for the house that is half dirty/ half clean. Perhaps I should have said "Thank you and Goodbye" without even thinking if she needs this job or not but because she is Polish...you know.
Well, she did not appreciate it at all and could not take any criticism... how annoying.

The situation is almost the same this time. I was surprised when she said it will only take 2 hours but and 2 hours means less money so I was tempted to see it... so the flat is refreshed now, how lovely!
I still think this can be easily improved but I don't feel comfortable to show her what she has to do and how or watch her working.

How do you deal with cleaners that are not doing their job well?
Can this improve or will she always work on "energy saving mode"?

I read your entire topic, what their nationality has to do with anything????

If you are not happy with someone's work then do it yourself!

You are not capable of understanding that people have different standard of cleanliness?

You are hiring someone, and yet you feel concerned about telling them your expectations. But you have no concerns to complain in their back...

That topic reminded me about those rich posting in Singapore newspaper, who were complaining and surprised that their maid has left them and stole a few dollars even though they were nearly enslaving her... (long story made short).

Anyway, how much you were paying them? I guess that's also relevant, no?
Edit: Ie: maybe that person felt exploited.
Cost of cleaning lady
Did you pay "accident insurance, holiday pay, and decent salary?

Sorry I can't be much help. I AM the cleaning lady in my house. The great thing is, the work is always done to my exacting standards!

Highlight your concerns in a diplomatic way, they are human after all and being negative doesn't help. Ask if they require more hours, agree some sort of system with them where they can concentrate on a different part of the house each time they clean.
You can also reward with a small tip 10% or so of their wages when you feel they have done well.
Maybe if you lower your expectations a little bit

I tried that but I'm not doing very good. That's why I need help once in a while.

Hi,

Nationality has nothing to do with this but if I meet a person form my country it is always something special.
I am not complaining in their back, just asking what is the best way to deal with it as I don't have much experience.

Sorry but what am I not capable to understand in your opinion?
I said the house was not cleaned because it wasn't. It has nothing to do with me or her nationality.

Why do you expect she was exploited or under-payed? Nothing like this took place.

You are being very judgmental with no reason. Sorry but nothing of this is true.

She did not clean the flat well, Hello?!

Well you are being very subjective in your first topic.

You even wonder why the cleaning lady could not be "super active".

You had a question/clue to consider: how much are you paying her? Do you pay accident insurance? Do you add holiday pay? (don't reply to me, reply to yourself!!)


Maybe that person is not willing to be a modern slave?

Or maybe your expectation are too high? Ie Unrealistic.

why she did not??

hello?

Sorry but I don't know what you are trying to achieve here.
If she feels like a slave she does not have to do this work for others.
She was nice and happy and I was nice too. She got payed well and she got a tip. I was very relaxed and she did not feel anything negative from my side for sure. Perhaps I was too relaxed about it... but I believed she will do it well if she was recommended by someone. I did not expect any super activity, just a good job for decent money and I really don't think that giving more money in this case would help.

It's not hard to write an itemised list of what you expect. People's expectations and priorities vary. I use a cleaning company (putzfrauenvermittlung). It may be expensive, but it's far easier for me to deal with the manager rather than my cleaner (especially as my cleaner speaks basic German and no English, and my German is minimal)...

So, question is, for your money/time, what do you actually want her to do ?

The agency recommended doing more hours of cleaning every second week, rather than less hours every week - then there's enough time to 'deep clean' rather than only just enough time to surface clean and do the basics. They also operate on a 'basic list plus one extra' system - that means the basics on my list - floors, kitchen benches and cupboards, bins emptied, ironing if there is any, vacuuming, dusting - gets done every time, plus one 'extra' thing - like doing a really good clean of the sofa, or window washing, or wiping out the fridge...

Ok let me ask again:
how much are you paying her? Do you pay accident insurance? Do you add holiday pay? (don't reply to me, reply to yourself!!)

you are saying "decent money".... is that the same than the cleaning standard? Ie what is decent for you is bad for her, and what is good cleaning for her is bad for you?

Hi Swisspea

My friend is using a cleaning company in Zug and she is very happy with their work but I think they charge quite a lot as there is always 2 people coming to your house.

That's what I am thinking of doing. Cleaning once a week but having more hours every second week to do the real deep cleaning and another time it can be just surface clean which is also OK.
I don't think there will be any problem if I tell her what should to be improved but I don't feel comfortable doing so.

Are you PMSing or what is your problem?
This is not your business how much I pay her and I say it not because it is too low but because you are rude, aggressive and not helpful but obviously some people have nothing better to do.
I also didn't know that different people have different standards of cleanliness.
If someone calls themselves "professional cleaner" then I assume "clean" should mean "clean and not "half clean" or "almost clean" or "clean but not under the table" etc.

I have a pretty young Swiss woman who's a lousy cleaner. She "refreshes" instead of cleans just like the OP described. The cleaner was hired through a farmer's wives' agency and gets paid well with all the benefits.

I feel your pain.

Are you slow or blind also?

"This is not your business how much I pay her", that's why I told you to answer to yourself....
You are wondering why she did not do a good cleaning, that might be the answer!!!

Anyway, if you don't pay the above, it's probably illegal, therefore that might be another reason why she don't want to do much efforts.

See for yourself.
How much does a cleaning lady cost?

Don't ask questions if you don't like the answers, or if you don't want to receive questions to clarify.

Well, congratulation, you now can possibly understand why she does not "clean" properly (ie as per your standards).

So you can now identify your needs and diplomatically tell them to her, so you both "synchronise".

Topic close?

I already told you: paying too little is not an issue so no need to "answer it myself". There is nothing to answer really but it looks like you already have your opinion. I still don't know what you are trying to achieve here, no reason to offend me but fine. I did not ask her to scrub the floor with a toothbrush.

How do you know it's not an issue for her if you haven't addressed with her your expectations? Example: what if she thinks it's below average, or illegal, and she does not clean well in return?

Maybe she is the same, she is scared to ask you for holiday pay and accident insurance, and she acts accordingly.

I have no opinion on that "money matters", as I also mentioned "cleaning standards".


Achieve? I was trying to clarify why you mentioned nationalities (Ukrainian cleaning lady / Polish cleaning lady).
Then I was trying to understand the issue you raised, and reply in my own "diplomatic" way.

Well at least you've been told a few times by others to simply clarify your expectations with that person, in a humane and respectful way.