I want to eat off my floors AND my ceiling fan, please.

June 15, 2009 4:36 PM

When cleaning, what nooks & crannies might the maid accidentally miss?

I'm hiring a maid service for a deep cleaning tomorrow morning and really don't want to be disappointed again afterwards due to my lack of due diligence in checking everything before they leave.

I recognize that we're all human, but the last couple of times I've gotten cleaning services that were highly recommended, I always have found so many spots that were missed!

Can the hive mind remind me of oft-forgotten places like ceiling fans, behind the shelves, underneath knicknacks, etc. that I should check before the service leaves? It's a small one bedroom, one bath apartment. Thanks!

posted by curiositykilledthelemur to home & garden (15 comments total)

Only you know your own living space as well as you do. Could you perhaps spend half an hour wandering about your own space with notebook and pen in hand? Start with the spots the last service missed.
posted by flabdablet at 4:41 PM on June 15

Stand or sit in a spot you usually don't frequent. That may give you some insight.
posted by jgirl at 5:00 PM on June 15

The window slides/channels and window sills are often overlooked.
posted by madajb at 5:00 PM on June 15

The peephole in the door. The space between the fridge and the wall/other appliance/whatever. Other small spaces between furniture or between the furniture and the wall. Underneath the furniture.
posted by Lobster Garden at 5:13 PM on June 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

Under the microwave.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:28 PM on June 15

Top of the fridge. The top of anything high, actually. Top edge of a TV or a picture frame, if they are wall-mounted.
posted by Zambrano at 5:32 PM on June 15

Between the bolt cover & the porcelain at the base of the toilet.
posted by torquemaniac at 5:50 PM on June 15

My friend, who cleans for a living, offers this service: All the drawers and bins come out of the refrigerator. The stove gets disassembled (stovetop up, burners removed, storage drawer out, etc). The stove gets tipped forward if possible for cleaning behind and underneath. He brings floor pads so he can "walk" heavy items out far enough to clean beneath and behind. He has a waiting list.



If you remove the undersink contents, it's a good time to get that space really clean.
posted by reflecked at 6:04 PM on June 15 [2 favorites has favorites]

Why not give them the list beforehand so they know your expectations? That seems more reasonable than going around checking after they're done and being disappointed. I'm the deep cleaner in my house and places I always get are the above plus between the jambs and the doors, the cracks between the floor and the floor trim, the hollows underneath dressers and entertainment centers, and the drains (which should be opened up and cleared of hair and other debris.
posted by mrmojoflying at 6:10 PM on June 15 [4 favorites has favorites]

spills down the sides of the stove if there's a gap between the stove any any countertops. all the cumbs, etc. that might be inside the broiler.

vacuum the coils of the refrigerator. vacuum under the refrigerator. remove the air vent cover (if there is one) and wash it.

under the sink in the kitchen and bathroom.

the top of door sills.
posted by elle.jeezy at 6:11 PM on June 15

Promise a tip if they do a great job? If Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed is anything to go by, they're all ragingly underpaid.
posted by yoHighness at 6:12 PM on June 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

I recognize that we're all human,

Please keep that statement in mind.

Agreeing with mrmojoflying....

No one will ever clean everything perfectly. You should think about specific criteria that is important to you, and communicate that to the maid service before the work begins. Doing so will at least have you on the same level of expectation and minimize the chance of disapointment. Enjoy the result!!!
posted by walleeguy at 7:03 PM on June 15

Tops of door and window frames, tops of doors themselves (they collect a hell of a lot of dust depending on where you live).

Inside light fixtures--remove the globes of ceiling and wall fixtures, wash and dry and replace.

When vacuuming cobwebs, the top corners of closets get overlooked.

A cleaning service I once used for a while included re-caulking around bathtubs as part of their deep clean package, and even went so far as to take a toothbrush to the weather-strip at the bottom of my front and back doors.
posted by padraigin at 11:22 PM on June 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

Dusting basebaords and the top of doors. Removing light fixtures and dusting, removing dead bugs, etc.
posted by Penelope at 8:25 AM on June 16

Instead of testing them, explain that you are very fussy, that you want a very thorough deep clean, and tip accordingly.
posted by theora55 at 9:49 AM on June 16