Can anyone recommend a cleaning person?

Maid Service Door Hanger by ATIS547.

Anyone who has ever been to my place can attest to the fact that cleaning is not my forte.  Nor are tidying, straightening up, housework or chores.

So, my question is: does anyone know of a good cleaning service (or independent cleaner) who will clean my place for a reasonable price?

I really want someone who will give my kitchen and bathroom a good scrub.  I’m not so bad with vacuuming, but scrubbing the shower, sinks and floors are anathema to me.  I need someone who will work in the Dunbar area and who has a reasonably flexible schedule to come to my place when it works for me (as I need to be there while they are there). Someone who uses enviro-friendly cleaning supplies would be a plus!  Any recommendations?

Also, what’s the going rate for that kind of thing?

Image Credit: Image posted on Flickr by ATIS547 under a Creative Commons license.

Adding bonus: While I was checking the thesaurus at dictionary.com for synonyms for “tidying,” I got this response:

tidying equals dying by you.

Well, when I say “tidying” I do mean a fate worse than death… You know me too well, dictionary.com!

Comments |5|

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  • Hey Beth,

    I used these people to clean my apartment before I moved in last year: http://www.thenaturalcleaners.com/

    They charged $143.10 but that was for an empty apartment cleaned top to bottom. I suspect it would be less for your place. They did it while I was out (because the apartment was empty). Anyway, I remember being happy with them and they got all these nasty stains out of the walls which I thought would require repainting.

    Reply

  • We have a woman come by for several hours every two weeks and she charges $72. We used to have another cleaner who cost a bit less, but she was also more efficient and so got about the same amount done — but she moved to Poland to be with her sick mom. We miss her.

    Anyway, some tips:

    1. AVOID CRAIGSLIST. We hired one person who cleaned our place (tolerably) and stole stuff from us WHILE WE WERE HERE — and when she knew full well that I was ill from chemotherapy side effects at the time. Scummy. I’ve heard numerous bad tales about Craigslist hires. Our first cleaner posted an ad in the Burnaby Now newspaper years ago, which is how we found her, but I don’t know if that’s still a viable option.

    2. If you can get a personal referral (as you’re asking for here), that’s the best. I don’t know if our cleaner is available or travels to Dunbar, but I can check next time she’s here. She will be away for a month after that, so if you need someone soon, maybe that’s not the best option. Contact me via penmachine.com if you’re still looking in January. We found our current cleaner through friends.

    3. Once you get to know and trust your cleaner, you can give them a key and let them do their stuff while you’re out. That increases scheduling flexibility for both of you, which is a good thing. Also, sometimes things work more smoothly when you’re not in the way.

    Reply

  • Reply

  • @Kalev and @Derek – Thanks for the tips!

    @Dave – If Kalev or Derek’s suggestions don’t work out AND my dad wins the lottery like he keeps telling me he’s going to, I may take you up on that.

    Reply

  • I know Marjorie, Craig’s friend, has a housecleaner who she and Lorena think is great, so she might be able to offer a referral if you can’t find anything else.

    Reply

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