If you have a cleaning women

a couple of questions:
1) Did you ask for references if you found them without a recommendation?
2) Were you able to negotiate the price? We were quoted pretty high for our condo and I am wondering if I can negotiate/talk them down
3) Is it better to supply my own stuff or use someone that uses their own cleaning supplies?
4) If they use your stuff, did you ask for any recommendations on what to buy for them to use?
TIA!

Re: If you have a cleaning women

Hi B!

1.... we hired our cleaning lady through references. The majority of DH's co-workers who we always hang out with use her

2. I didn't negotiate with her, mostly because we have a pretty big house and I felt the price she gave me was fair.

3. I supply the cleaning products.

4. She uses whatever I buy. I prefer to use as green as possible... less chemicals now that we have DD and I'm expecting another. She does however, bring her own vaccum as that's what she prefers to use.

Re: If you have a cleaning women

I've had two cleaning women but now that I'm going to be a SAHM, it's only me. Here are my answers:

1) Did you ask for references if you found them without a recommendation?
I found the first woman on Craig's List and I definitely asked for and called her references. I wanted to know if their other customers had keys to their homes (I didn't want to do this but felt if other people trusted her then she would be oK in my house).
The 2nd woman came highly recommended from a close friend. No need for references for me then.

2) Were you able to negotiate the price? We were quoted pretty high for our condo and I am wondering if I can negotiate/talk them down
I thought both prices were fair -- they were within $5 of each other so I didn't negotiate with either of them.

3) Is it better to supply my own stuff or use someone that uses their own cleaning supplies?
We supplied our own stuff. The 1st woman liked to use a lot of paper towels (which I HATED), and the 2nd one liked to use plain cotton rags.

4) If they use your stuff, did you ask for any recommendations on what to buy for them to use?
Yes, they both left lists of things/items they needed/wanted when they left after cleaning. For ex., one liked a specific type of mop and the 2nd cleaning woman liked to use vinegar on my floors.

I'd recommend they use YOUR vacuum because you don't know the types of other homes they might be cleaning theirs with. I would be specifically concerned about them using the same vacuum to clean carpets in a not-so-tidy home with pets/smokers because I'd worry about dog hair/fleas/smoke smell....JMO, though.

Re: If you have a cleaning women