How Not to Be an Asshole for a Housemaid
There is no doubt that sanitation is an important part of our lives, and if we are lucky we can afford the luxury of outsourcing the task of cleaning our home to someone else, all the better. Unfortunately, though, people who do the dirty work are often overlooked or underestimated. Housekeepers clean up your filthy toilets, dust off ceiling fans, and generally protect your home from allergens and germs until you live a busy life. I say they deserve some attention.
Here’s how to maintain a clean home and a good relationship with your housekeeper.
Know what the housekeeper is doing
Housekeeping and cleaning are two different professions, according to health and wellness website Care.com . Housekeepers are regular workers in your household who often do the cleaning on a regular weekly schedule. On the other hand, cleaners are hired to do deep cleaning of your home from time to time, for example if you are about to move or are leaving for an extended period of time.
Care.com explains that a housekeeper’s responsibilities typically include:
- Easy cleaning in living quarters. This includes dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping in all rooms.
- Cleaning of bathrooms, including mirrors, toilets, showers and baths.
- Kitchen cleaning, including wiping household appliances, counters, sinks and cabinet doors.
- Wash, dry and put away dishes.
- Change of bed linen and bed making.
- Washing, folding and ironing clothes.
- Washing of interior windows.
- Garbage collection and recycling.
- Replenishment of personal items such as toilet paper, napkins, etc.
- General cleaning of rooms. This includes putting away toys, cleaning up trash, and arranging lights.
The housekeeper can also run errands for you, such as buying groceries, with an appropriate wage supplement for extra time. If you want your housekeeper to prepare food , you should state this directly when you start looking for the right person.
Know What the Housekeeper Doesn’t
Although housekeepers “take care of the household,” some household chores do not fit their job descriptions — especially those who work hourly or part-time. For example, they are not designers or movers, so don’t ask them to rearrange furniture or lift heavy boxes in your garage. This also applies to risky work such as cleaning the gutters. Likewise, they should not climb stairs or engage in your home improvement projects (this is unsafe and therefore a burden).
Don’t expect a housekeeper to look after your children or pets. The housekeeper is not a nanny or nanny, so picking up kids from soccer practice or walking the dog shouldn’t be on their list. Remember that while housekeepers do the cleaning, they should not be responsible for flushing out bodily fluids or feces from people or pets in your home. Of course, they will clean your toilet, but that is where the task ends; asking them to cope with an accident when your toddler is potty-trained, or scooping up kitty litter is not the best option.
For specialized care, hire a specialist. Your housekeeper is not qualified to perform tasks of caring for elderly family members or anything that requires medical knowledge or experience.
Pay your housekeeper adequately
The average wage for a housekeeper is $ 13.47 an hour . With the country working hard to set the minimum wage of $ 15 an hour , maids deserve over $ 80 after six hours of cleaning. The most important thing is to pay accordingly for the level of work they do. Housekeeper and Tiktoker Vanessa Amaro explains that increasing the number of housekeepers, parties, or new pets means adding cleaning for the housekeeper, and they should be compensated for the extra work. You can change their hourly rate for these activities or tip them more generously this week.
If you’re not sure how much a housekeeper in your area needs to pay, Care.com has a rate calculator : enter your zip code, select the number of hours the housekeeper will work and the type of cleaning. does and he will provide a recommended rate.
Leave the house when the housekeeper comes
Give them room. Amaro assures them that they don’t want to rummage through your things, throw a crazy party, or do anything weird. They just want the room to be cleaned without you having to vacuum under your feet or work with you.
Communicate clearly with the housekeeper
Make sure you speak clearly with your housekeeper about their responsibilities and what, in particular, they are hired for. Again, if you need add-ons, please let them know before hiring them. Before you even start looking for the right person, write down all the tasks you need to complete weekly or monthly. Then go through the list of Do’s and Don’ts in the work of a housekeeper . You may find that you need a nanny, not a part-time housekeeper.
Finally, don’t cancel work on short notice, unless it’s urgent. Housekeepers are likely to rely on this salary, and abandoning it at the last minute could jeopardize their ability to buy groceries, gas, or pay rent. Take care of your housekeepers and they will take care of you.