Would you/have you used cleaning service locally (i.e. Merry Maids)?

[Tammy]

I'm having trouble finding someone to clean my house based on a referral system (meaning someone I know or at least a friend uses). At this point, wondering if I should check with local service. I'm a little leary of that since I won't be home at the time of the cleaning. I know they screen employees and are insured, but still...

[BabyBearsMom]

We use a cleaning service and they come while no one is home. I actually feel more comfortable having the service than having just a recommended individual, because if something were to go missing (it never has) I can call the company vs. having to directly accuse the women cleaning the house.

[lizzywednesday]

We used Merry Maids before we moved in and I found it to be a bit nerve-wracking simply because I have a lot of chemical/fragrance sensitivities and don't use certain products anymore because they've caused asthma or allergy attacks.

It turned out well, though, because DH asked them all the crazy questions I had before he set up the appointment.

I'd do it again, but not before we did a big-clean of our house.

[mom2one]

No I would not. We have always gotten our cleaning people from recommendations. I usually end up asking for 10 plus people for one to find one. I would rather have a great one, than just some random person come clean.

[PunkyBoo]

We have used Molly Maids for "big" cleans (like before a party, or when I was too pregnant to clean - we don't have a regular housekeeper) and have always been impressed by their professionalism. I *think* if you contract a company for regular cleanings, they will have the same team come to your house every time. So maybe you can do a trial run with them once (maybe when you are home) and if you like them, call the company and request them for regular cleanings.

[BayGirl2]

I recently began using a local company called Natural Home Cleaning. They use all green cleaning products and also are employee owned, have good benefits, profit sharing, etc.

In the past I've tried going with referrals and I'm always only partially satisfied. A couple of reasons:
1. Its faster for me to have 2 people come in to clean at a time. We have a big house and it took 1 person all day to clean, 2 people can get it done in a couple hours.
2. Communication w/cleaning people is usually a challenge bc of language, and thats somewhat inevitable in my area. But w/ a company I can at least have a middle man to communicate through. I know if I have an issue or preference I can call the office and have them deal with it.
3. Treatment of workers - I kind of felt like the individual woman I had here was sort of working for herself in a desperate way and I really couldn't tell if I was paying her a fair wage, if she had benefits, etc. She works for my neighbors and I know she sometimes would bring her kids and baby along and used her older daughter as a translator. My DH is very into compliance and was always a bit uncomfortable with the under-the-table way of paying in cash. With an agency I at least know people have workers comp, get basic coverage under CA laws, etc.

I am paying a bit more for the agency, but I feel a little better about it. Its not so much that I can't afford it, so maybe in my mind I think of it as an ethical and quality choice. I've had them in twice so far and I'm hooked.

[JenChem]

We use Molly Maids, they come every other week. They are fine and I appreciate that they vacuum my floors and scrub my toilets. As time has passed I've been less impressed each cleaning. We'll see how it goes from here I may look for a new company. Our Molly Maids uses unscented products so the house doesn't really smell like anything after they clean.

[boolady]

We used The Maids for about a year, three years ago. Honestly, I think they did a better job than the word-of-mouth person we have now. There was a lot of accountability...it was a team of 4, one was "in charge" and had to check up on the work of the rest. You also had 24 hours after they left to report anything that wasn't done to your satisfaction and they would come back and redo it. I never had to do that, but liked that I could have.

They were also insured and bonded, something that I'm pretty sure my present person isn't (cringe), but we were desperate to get something quick when we listed our house for sale, so we use who my parents use.

Their cleaning products were unscented, and I know they used vinegar & water on my floors, because I asked one time why they were so shiny. You could never smell any cleaning agent smells whatsoever.

[mackmama]

I've used Molly Maids before although I prefer a personal rec.