Cleaning Person - Are You There When They Clean?

My clients were never at home when I cleaned. I got the code for their garages and let myself in. One client had her dogs crated, one had them outside and one only had cats.

I'm usually there when my helpers come to clean. Happily, I don't have to be. They are so trustworthy that I can let them use an extra key. I used to have it in a "key rock" (a real-looking fake rock set among real rocks), but somebody found that and took the key; so, after changing the locks, I got a outside-wall-mounted key holder with a combination lock to it. They know the combination and can enter and leave when I'm not home.

They love dogs and dogs love them. They'll put the dog in her crate when they have to lock up.

(Jeanie - my helpers don't do *everything* when it comes to cleaning; however, they can do more in two hours than I can do in two days. About a dozen years ago I broke my ankle and was out of commission for a few months. Some dear friends banded together and hired these gals, who have their own business, to clean for me because I just wasn't able. I loved it so much I reorganized my budget so they could keep coming - and they have! I have plenty of other things I need to do, and I can do them better knowing that the basic cleaning is going to be taken care of. They're worth every penny.)

I couldn't help myself. When I looked at your post I thought, "yes dammit!" I don't have a cleaning lady so I figure that makes me the cleaning lady. LOL! My neighbor has one though. The cleaning lady lets herself in and lets the dog in and out while she's there. This is a smaller community and she has had the same cleaning lady for over ten years.

We give our cleaning lady the garage door code. Our dog stays in the bonus room (a room we don't have her clean). She loves dogs and always says he can stay out, but he's not allowed upstairs and it would be a hassle for her to keep the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs shut. While I was on bedrest towards the end of my pregnancy I would just hang out in whatever part of the house she wasn't working in so I wouldn't be in the way. She only comes once a month or so, so it's not normally a problem.

I know this doesn't answer your question, but please tell me what it is like to have someone clean your home. I have always fantasized about what it would be like. Tell me please... let me live vicariously through you. Thank You J.

Like LittleE's Mom, I gave our cleaners our garage code. And I am in and out when they clean as well. I can't help you with the issue with the dog though!

Dawn

My brother gave his cleaning lady and key and a few months later they were robbed. There was no sign of a forced entry. They don't have proof it was her or someone she knew but they let her go and changed the locks.

We have a lady, but we live in a condo. She does come while we are at work. However, she does several other places in our condo. She also comes every other week. She has a key to get in and out.

I don't like to be home while the cleaning lady is here - I don't want to feel like I'm in the way or hovering. I leave the door open for her to let herself in. She just leaves the door open when she leaves and I'm usually home a little while after that. She cleans houses for about 7 other people that I know, so I've just always bet on the idea that she's not going to want to lose all her clients over a petty theft. I like to believe people are good and trustworthy until proven otherwise.

I take the dog to doggie daycare on cleaning days.

The neighbor hides a key for her helpers and they can get in. We have a special code on one garage door that allows workers to get in if we program the code and tell them(we can switch it constantly if needed).
One stays there nearly every time because frankly they don't do everything. I would fire them and hire people who have a printed list to check off.

When we had a housekeeper, we had a key hidden for her to use.

We did not have a dog.

My friend has a house keeper and the dog is used to her so he just stays in the house, but if he wants to go out she lets him out into the backyard.

My husband insists that I'm home....which is OK most of the time, and then I accomplish a lot of house work, or paperwork as well.

However, if I really cannot be here, we have a lock box on our front door, (looks like the realtor kind) and I would give them the code and our small dog loves company and loves the cleaners, so that's not a concern.

If you have a large, unfriendly sort of dog, then you should probably crate the dog on cleaning days...but being in CA, I'd think you could put the dog in the backyard or garage for the day.

I was always "around". I hired the awesome lady that cleaned out home because I had blood clots in my leg and was supposed to keep my leg above my heart as much as possible. So, I was there but I'd stay in one room. It was so awkward to me, that I'd lay around all lazy while someone else cleaned my house (and me not help?) that I was pretty stressed out, lol. She helped put my mind at ease though and eventually, even though I got better, I still had her come to help especially before guests or whatever. I'd let her in (I suggested I'd leave a key but she didn't like that idea), but then I'd have the boys outside in the backyard or all in one room watching TV, or we may go for a walk to the spray park. I'd leave her pay on the kitchen bar and she'd often be gone when we got home. I did trust her implicitly though but I guess that came over time. The cat could come and go as she pleases through a doggy door, but the dog is too big for the doggy door and stayed in the backyard or the back porch until I got back to let her in. Now that we are out of state, she still goes in between tenants since we rent the house out, and I trust her to take clean it well and to be an extra set of eyes for us. Actually, I met her here on mamasource (now mamapedia)!

I had a gal clean for me who had been cleaning for my neighbors for a long time so I felt I could trust her. I left a key hidden for her and was gone when she came. Years later I have a new gal and I stay home and clean along with her. Its been several months now and for the first time last week I left her when I had to pick my grand daughter up from school. I dont think its that I dont trust her, its that I just dont have to be gone that day. I try to plan her day here when I know I can be home so I can help. It gives me insentive to work at my own cleaning and we accomplish twice as much! If it ever comes up that I cant be here when she arrives I will probably stick a key somewhere for her, or leave it with the neighbor for her to go get.
And to Jeanie W, Its llike HEAVEN to come home to a clean house and it smells good, and you can relax and enjoy it. But then when the kids make a mess you get really upset because it "COST ME A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE THAT CLEANED!!!" I used to clean 10 homes a week as a teenager and waited a long time before I had someone come clean mine. No one cleans as well as I used to, but I have really let things go the last 10 years and now it just feels great to have someone doing something!