Keeping It Clean...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
May 15, 2008 7:02am CST
With more couples working and raising their kids there seems to be less time for women to take care of their homes. Housekeeping has become a booming business and one that some women do on the side for cash to supplement their incomes. You simply work for someone doing basic household chores such as vacuuming, dusting, laundry, dishes, ect. Sometimes there is cooking but not always. A lot of elderly ppl also have housekeepers come in simply b/c they aren’t able to do the jobs themselves anymore. A word to the wise though…be careful who you hire b/c some will steal you blind.
I have a cousin in Maine that does housekeeping and in six months she’s managed to buy a new Expedition, put in an above ground pool and hire another girl to work with her. Of course, she turns all her’s in for taxes b/c she has over 75 homes she does each month and it’s turned into a full fledged business…it also doesn’t hurt that she’s only 20 minutes from the expensive part of town. I’ve also known women that only do one or two homes a week and make $20-40 a week and it’s just extra bill money. I took care of an elderly man’s home for several months after his wife died and it was all right. I wouldn’t want to do 75 homes a month but it wasn’t terrible. A lot of his was he just wanted to follow me around and talk while I did the work. He was really lonely and needed company more than cleaning. I also go over off and on and help my Mom b/c she hates house cleaning and loves it when I’m in a cleaning mood.
Have you ever cleaned other ppl’s homes? Was it on the side or a business? What was your best/worst experience?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
5 people like this
26 responses
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 May 08
I used to work with a girl who had a cleaning woman, if I had to work for her I would scream. The day the cleaning woman came, she would rush home to check the quality of work.
She complained about everything - from the way they cleaned under the rim of the toilet, to the type of polish they used on the piano, where the runners were left in the hall and the placement of the canisters on the kitchen counter. That was one phone call that I happened to hear.
Out of curiosity - how much do these cleaning people make per hour? Do you know?
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
15 May 08
Housecleaning and maid services are big business in Houston. The really good ones take great care with their employees and clients. I even did some work cleaning up motel rooms as they were being constructed for a while. It turned out to be a lot of work and with very little help it was not worth it for me. But I have thought of doing something like that cause they have some good jobs with home cleaners here. I don't think it would be a problem cause it is not that hard. Once you get into a routine it is easy, but tiring work.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Jul 08
hi twoey Nope never cleaned anyone elses house, I am lucky
to just get my own cleaned ocassionally. I have worked as a nurses aid to an elderly person whose relatives both worked and were hesitant to leave him home alone at night. they both left for work at four thirty in the morning to driveall the way to La for their jobs.I had really nothing to do but sit and watch that he did not fall on the way to the bathroom, he did not need help in going to the restromm and seemed embarrassed that they had hired me. I only had that job about a week. lol but they kept me busy going to various old peoples homes to do the same thing at night.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
15 May 08
When I was a teenager, instead of babysitting, I cleaned homes. It started with my older brother's, then a friend of the family. After my son was born when I was 17, I cleaned his godparent's home every week for $40 and dinner. Eventually that $40 turned into a case of diapers and a case of wipes from a wholesale club :D
I don't do it anymore because cleaning my own house is bad enough :D
@MGjhaud (23228)
• Philippines
16 May 08
No, I never cleaned someone's place. I've tried cleaning my mother's house once when I took a vacation and it's really big and I got pimples after because of the dust everywhere.
Anyway, my brothers and their housewives has been working ever since so they got no time to clean their houses on their own that's why they hired someone to do it for them.
My mother was very busy before she retired and our house sometimes lack of cleaning but now that she's free of paperworks, she stays most of the time at home and clean the entire house.
Anyway, my brothers and their housewives has been working ever since so they got no time to clean their houses on their own that's why they hired someone to do it for them.
My mother was very busy before she retired and our house sometimes lack of cleaning but now that she's free of paperworks, she stays most of the time at home and clean the entire house.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
17 May 08
I have cleaned house for others before for pay and also not for pay. I help my mom out occasionally to since she hates housecleaning as well. I have a sister in law that cleans a few houses a week for money to live on otherwise she wouldn't have enough for her bills. That is great that yor cousin in Maine can start a business like that if she can get a few girls she can really trust then she won't have to be cleaning anymore she can just have them do it and get some of the profits. Sounds as though she has a good business head on her shoulders. Some people though are so picky and finicky in their housecleaning that no matter how clean it is they never think it is clean enough unless they redo it even if they really aren't anything to redo. My brother in law is that way he will redo the housecleaning of my sister in law alot because he never thinks it is good enough even though it is spotless. He is one man I would never work for..
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
23 May 08
I'm seriously thinking of doing some of this on the side when childcare becomes a little less demanding.. When we get together for family functions, I love to do the dishes. Yes, I do (what a nerd, right!) I'm not so fond of doing them at my house (no, no dishwasher) but I like to be helpful and do the clean up and what dishes need washing before I go home..
@lovespecialangel (3632)
• United States
28 May 08
When I was a teenager I would clean my cousin's home for a little bit of fun money. I enjoyed it as it was easy work because her home stayed clean. I didn't have much to do. In my home, everyone pitches in to keep it clean.
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
3 Jul 08
I've never cleaned for a living or a side job. I hate cleaning my own house, but I still do it. With 7 dog, it can be a lot to keep up with!
I've also only ever hired cleaning services when I am moving out of a place. When we sold our home, we had a cleaner come in to make sure it was in tip top shape for showing. And when we moved out of a rental, I hired someone to help me clean so I could get my security deposit back.
I don't think I'd be very good at cleaning other homes, I lose my patience with it.
@slickcut (8140)
• United States
17 May 08
Yes as a matter of fact i did..I use to work for a lady that cleaned houses,sometimes 2 of us would go together,its not really bad,most houses aren;t to bad and it was just basic cleaning....I worked for one man,just me alone and Omg those people were so messy,i think because him being a man and alone ,he just did not care.he would have his children most every week end and they were so messy..He was a nice man but i did not get paid near enough for all the mess i had to clean.I had to do some deep cleaning everyweek...he liked my cleaning and the fact that he left money all over the house and i always picked it all up and put his money on the dresser, he said he appreciated the fact that i did not steal...That was a long time ago but i do know you can make good money,if you are honest and hard working....
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
16 May 08
Your cousin must really love her job to be cleaning that many homes in a month. I hate house-keeping with a passion. Reason why I don't do spring cleaning. Bad enough I have to clean thruout the week. Since you like cleaning so much, how bout you come here and clean my whole house from top to bottom? :-D Only thing that can't be cleaned is the ceiling.
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
16 May 08
Twoey, I have a girlfriend that does about 3 homes a week, on top of her regular full time job, she is a single mom and it really helps out for her. She can not do more than 4 a week and do a good job, so she keeps it simple. But hey if it works it works. She still has her girls that needs her time, but I think it is a great idea, for those that need the extra income.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
16 May 08
yea,i do as a side job for extra money occasionally.
it's $20 an hour here.i've found you get the lonely homeowner quite a bit,some people you're all they have to talk to,it's sad.
my worst experience?one elderly woman's daughter who called me to clean.hallway full of bags of adult diapers.the ammonia smell was choking.
i didn't blame the old lady,she couldn't haul them out,but the daughter had no excuse.i guess too self-important to handle trash.
couldn't believe she let her mom sit near that funk.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
16 May 08
I never cleaned other people's homes, but I did do apartments through a temp agency for a short while. This was where people moved out without cleaning and didn't get their deposit back so part of that money went to me to go in and make it right for the next tenant. Same concept, but without anyone following me around to chat while I was doing the work.
@olivemai (4738)
• United States
15 May 08
I did clean houses for a living, but it was very tiring and caused me a lot of pain! In those days, it was only a twenty to thirty dollar job! But it took at last three to four hours to finish. You know I was poor and raised with a big family, as after the first day on the job, the boss asked me why I had not eaten my lunch! I asked her what she meant, and she told me she had left tuna salad for me to eat! I told her I did eat it and put the rest back in the fridge! She said she had meant for the whole can to be for me! I had never eaten a whole can of tuna by myself! lol.
@littleowl (7157)
•
16 May 08
Hi Twoey-yes I was a supervisor cleaner for 5yrs-people say its not hard work but my it is I lost over a stone in weight and because of my health I had to give it up in the end-it was cleaning an office of three floors and i supervised 6 people cleaning-also have worked in a pub in the kitchen doing washing up etc thats hard work too-for the money you get nowadays though it an be worth it though sometimes people expect too much-our friend littleowl
