# Do you use a cleaning service in your home? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 31, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213 "2018-05-31T19:02:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/1 "2018-05-31T19:02:36Z")
Just wondering how common this is. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/2 "2018-05-31T19:07:32Z")
No, but I would and if our situation were currently a little different we would be. We’re in the midst of a longterm fixer-upper house and it logistically wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/3 "2018-05-31T19:09:15Z")
When I have disposable income I do. But even then I only do it once every few months. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/4 "2018-05-31T19:11:27Z")
Never have done so. If I became disabled I would, otherwise nope. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/5 "2018-05-31T19:15:21Z")
Yes. Every other week. Takes the stress off. (Although my wife pre-cleans each time) ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/6 "2018-05-31T19:28:58Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Never have done so. If I became disabled I would, otherwise nope. Interesting you say this, because the reason my husband and I initially sprang for a cleaning service was because cleaning was exacerbating some back problems. But now, I would keep paying for the service even if my back problems magically disappeared. Having that extra time back in my life is precious enough that I can think of a lot of other worldly comforts I’d be willing to forego in order to keep paying for the cleaning service. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/7 "2018-05-31T19:37:06Z")
Every two weeks. Neither my wife or I are motivated housekeepers or naturally tidy. Every two weeks is enough to keep the chaos at bay. We do a little bit of straightening before they come because I don’t consider it their job to pick up huge quantities of Lego, etc., before they can vacuum. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/8 "2018-05-31T19:43:30Z")
I hit yes, but that’s on behalf of my parents. My mom has used the same cleaning lady for the better part of 20 some-odd years. It started as an every other week kind of thing, but she’s since bumped it to every week. It really took a load off her mind and was one less thing to do during the weekends while she was essentially a single mom. ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/9 "2018-05-31T19:48:48Z")
I have nothing against people who use cleaning services. But I tried it for a couple of years and decided it was not for me. I did like coming home to a spotless home every two weeks, and there are certain things in the house that are never quite clean now. But I found that I couldn’t bring myself to do any maintenance cleaning between visits, so my house was a pigsty right before they came. Also, it was hard to get my kids to clean up after themselves: “Why should I clean up? Let the cleaners do it.” And I felt my kids did not have a sense of the work it takes to keep a house clean. It just magically happened while they were at school. Our house is not large (1500 sq ft) so cleaning it myself is manageable. So yeah, I miss the time saved by not having to clean, but I think my house is cleaner overall and hopefully my kids are more aware of the work it takes. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/10 "2018-05-31T19:51:53Z")
I don’t use one but I don’t think it’s that uncommon. Especially for working parents. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/11 "2018-05-31T19:52:24Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Yes. Every other week. Takes the stress off. (Although my wife pre-cleans each time) Exactly the same for us, word for word. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/12 "2018-05-31T20:35:34Z")
Never. I’ve thought about it but haven’t tried setting it up because effort. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/13 "2018-05-31T20:46:25Z")
We have a couple of housecleaners come once a month. They tidy up, scrub down the bathroom and kitchen, and sweep and mop all the floors. Takes two of them about 3 hours. They are _very_ thorough. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/14 "2018-05-31T21:18:46Z")
I am not sure what you mean by a professional cleaning service. We have a husband and wife team who come every other Saturday to clean and also do home handyman sorts of things. They both have weekday jobs. The woman heads the housekeeping department of a hotel and the man has a design business and, as you may imagine, are superb. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/15 "2018-05-31T21:35:01Z")
Yes. We have the same person come weekly and spends about 4 hours when she’s there. She brings her own supplies and tools. And yes, we always pick up and straighten the night before she comes, so she can focus on **cleaning**. She has a schedule that alternates over the month, so that everything results in a monthly deep cleaning. We are very pleased. She has her own code to get into the house if we’re not at home, so we know when she comes and when she leaves. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/16 "2018-05-31T21:47:23Z")
Never. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/17 "2018-05-31T21:48:32Z")
My wife and I both work and we have a housekeeper who we pay to clean our vacation rentals. We now pay her to clean our home once every other week. It takes her 3 hours and she charges us $60. Best $60 I ever spent. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/18 "2018-05-31T22:29:55Z")
I checked ‘Nope’ because I do not use a cleaning service. The woman who cleans our house every other week is not a ‘cleaning service.’ I don’t know if this was a distinction the OP intended to make, but we have lots of cleaning services that operate in our area - Merry Maids and so forth - and we didn’t really consider using them; their reputations aren’t that great. So it’s an important distinction to my wife and me. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/19 "2018-05-31T23:57:12Z")
WADR I don’t think you’ll find out how common it is by a volunteer poll on this message board. There are a bunch of variables. Do you want to know how common it is for people where you live in your income range? Or in general everywhere in the country? ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213/20 "2018-06-01T00:08:44Z")
I did it for a while when I was on crutches for the better part of a year after leg surgery and unable to do much of anything for myself. It was a lifesaver then, even though I really couldn’t afford it. The housecleaner was my neighbor, a recently arrived Bosnian refugee who needed the cash. She eventually opened up her own company. We tried it once a year ago right before we put our condo on the market to do a deep clean. That was somewhat worthwhile in that it was several hours of cleaning that we didn’t have time to do oourselves, but I was kind of annoyed to discover that not only would she not do windows, she wouldn’t do some of the main things we’d purposely hired her for, like the kitchen cabinets. For that kind of money, I found it pretty annoying. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-cleaning-service-in-your-home/815213.md?page=2)