Ramiza called asking for a price for ongoing biweekly maintenance for her home. She claimed that her home has been maintained biweekly by another cleaning company.She complained that they lack attention to detail. She also claimed that even though she has two boys age 3 and 5, she can’t see any finger prints on the walls, windows or furniture.
I quoted her $75 flat fee for ongoing maintenance, assuming that she gave me the truthful informations. I also informed her, that the first time may take longer since that would be our first time there.
Upon our arrival, we found her house unprepared for cleaning. Children toys big and small, balloons, paper clippings,all kind of children art work, gift bags, newspaper and food on the floor and furniture.
Fingerprints on walls, door frames and furniture. In the kitchen and family room the food was stuck to the furniture, kitchen cabinets and carpet. Pieces of french fries, candies, lollipops, chewing gum and cookies. The glass patio door was covered with finger prints and crayon drawings. Both boys were skate boarding on the main floor.
The food was dried into the carpet so it wasn’t possible to vacuum it or pull it off. In order to remove it it needs to be cut out.
The only bathtub/shower needed a major scrub since it wasn’t clean for 3 month (as Ramiza later admitted).
While we were cleaning the boys kept skate boarding and running around, spreading dirt on the freshly vacuumed floor.
I vacuumed dirt from children’s shoes and pollen from the flowers from the kitchen countertop since it was heavy soiled. The countertops were scrubbed then and polished with granite cleaner for extra shine. While I was cleaning her cooktop she offered me her cleaner and showed me where she kept her cleaning supplies. I used her granite cleaner as I do not provide any speciality products and my understanding was that she invited me to do so.
I do not provide paper towels and always ask home owners to leave us some.
I have a vacuum cleaner but will not use it when I feel it is not safe to use it.
Ramiza questioned the bill, and when I explained to her that her house wasn’t at all what she described to me on the phone, she said “I guess you don’t have children and you are not used to having children around”.
We spend a total of 6.5 hrs of cleaning the house. During our phone conversation I explained to Ramiza that only the patio door and kitchen window are included in cleaning. All other windows are done on request only.
