As with life there are rules, hidden expectations that are required in life.

There are three major cleaning commandments that are never to be broken - that is if you want to be a professional, respected housecleaner.

- Thou shall never sleep with a client, for any reason, at any time, anywhere. No matter how, cute, rich, hung, or whatever. Just don't!! Trust me it's a never thing.

- Thou shall never steal from any client, for any reason, at any time, from anyone. Never! I SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO SAY THIS...

- Thou shall mind their own business, AT ALL TIMES. And NEVER tell a client anything too personal. Ever.

1.

- they have parabens, waxes, glycerine, etc. These adhere to surfaces, meaning it will be dirtier when you come back. Or, the floors will squeak under shoes or be tacky surfaces. These are things clients, hate. So avoid double working and just use the good stuff the first time around.

I also noticed I spent more money on cheap chemicals than I did when I spent it on name-brand or industrial chemicals annually.

2.

3. .. Again, I shouldn't have to say this. Would you like that? And it gives us all a hard time with new clients.

4. . If you'd talk about one client to another you'd do it to them. That's their mindset and it is true. Don't gossip. Bad for business.

5. . You are a business owner, NOT a slave Again, stay to set hours. Don't give in, once you relent you'll find yourself working on a Saturday night across the street from your friends having cocktails. No.

Then your clients tell their friends/family and everyone wants you to work weekends. Think that through. 🤔

6. - Do your thing, not my bank account. But, I've learned to charge flat rates for square footage amounts NOT hourly... Why? Because, when Sally goes to the grocery store and bumps into Sarah, they have the same housecleaner, oh how cool. I have a two bed, two bath, I pay $X. "Oh really, I pay X amount more". They get pisted-off, ask questions and it's not a good situation to negotiate nor explain. Doesn't look professional either.

Hourly is also a great way to find your housecleaner hiding in your closet milking the clock while they post a TikTok dance video from in your home. On your dime. Nope.

Sight Unseen Jobs - Well you are as brave as I am, I guess. Or as naive. DO NOT SAY A NUMBER, GIVE A ROUND ABOUT estimate til on-site.

An estimate. And quote a final when you get to the clean prior to cleaning agree with the client on the rate. Then clean. Or get screwed and get paid 250$ on an 800$ job. I've done it. We all do.

If untrustworthy or insecure about getting paid. Ask for half upfront upon arrival and the remainder when done.

Just be smart.

Quoting appropriate rates is the tricky part of this business and with time it comes second nature being described by phone while driving in traffic and the kids are talking. Just don't screw yourself. I quote more, then offer a lower when the time to pay if I bid too high. They feel like they got a deal. And call back for more services.

7.They're gross and time-consuming trust me on this one. Dishes piled high, gross toilets, piles of laundry, mice poop, nothing is organized or stands the hope for it without you.

8.Animals, humans - doesn't matter. If you have a poopy problem it's a general rule of thumb to tip for that as it is outside of regular domestic cleaning protocols.

9. A trauma tip is when you put your housecleaner through something that is not the normal duties of the job. Experienced something you'd rather them not repeat out loud. Or does something for you that you didn't want to do for yourself (i.e. telling your coyote ugly to leave), or something you don't want to engage in or handle for yourself.

That is when you offer a tip. Hush money in other words.

This is not professional, is a waste of time, and looks terrible for the client. How do they know that you are working and not just talking away and wasting time?