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

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

curiositykilledthelemur — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:36:40 -0800

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!

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:41:06 -0800

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.

By: jgirl

jgirl — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:15 -0800

Stand or sit in a spot you usually don't frequent. That may give you some insight.

By: madajb

madajb — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:49 -0800

The window slides/channels and window sills are often overlooked.

By: Lobster Garden

Lobster Garden — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:13:33 -0800

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.

By: The corpse in the library

The corpse in the library — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:28:55 -0800

Under the microwave.

By: Zambrano

Zambrano — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:32:39 -0800

Top of the fridge. The top of anything high, actually. Top edge of a TV or a picture frame, if they are wall-mounted.

By: torquemaniac

torquemaniac — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:50:42 -0800

Between the bolt cover & the porcelain at the base of the toilet.

By: reflecked

reflecked — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:04:13 -0800

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.

By: mrmojoflying

mrmojoflying — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:10:11 -0800

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.

By: elle.jeezy

elle.jeezy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:11:20 -0800

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.

By: yoHighness

yoHighness — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:12:36 -0800

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.

By: walleeguy

walleeguy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:03:15 -0800

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!!!

By: padraigin

padraigin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:22:23 -0800

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.

By: Penelope

Penelope — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:25:39 -0800

Dusting basebaords and the top of doors. Removing light fixtures and dusting, removing dead bugs, etc.

By: theora55

theora55 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:49:18 -0800

Instead of testing them, explain that you are very fussy, that you want a very thorough deep clean, and tip accordingly.