We don't use paper towels in our house and don't have them, so our housekeeper asked us for them. We gave her rags instead, which is what I use when I clean. She was okay with this. However, we also asked her to use only our cleaning products, which were non-toxic. I have asthma and bleach really irritates my lungs and we've noticed some issues with our son, too. She used our cleaning products but would supplement them with her own bleach. I noticed immediately, really had trouble breathing. We asked her again not to use it and she said "well, I did use your products." It was really uncomfortable because I knew i'd smelled bleach, but we figured we'd let it go. DH saw her use the bleach and was like "no bleach please, my wife and kid get irritated by it" and she said, "but I cannot kill germs without it." I'd chalk it up to a language barrier but I speak her language well enough that I'm pretty sure we were in agreement, and I also printed out a green cleaning guide in her language. I can still tell that sometimes she is using bleach. She has lots of kids, no health insurance, and regularly shares some of her life with us, and things sound really stressful. I don't feel there's any way we can stop using her without my conscience going nuts. Sometimes I wish she'd quit in frustration over our requirements instead of just say she'd do them and then sneak bleach. And I KNOW she is using the bleach because, without it, she's convinced my son is going to get sick from our bathtub or something. But it drives me nuts.

I'm on your side OP, our housekeeper uses rags as I do when she's not here. Neither of us has had a problem getting glass streak free. We also provide all the cleaning products and I can't stand it when the house smells like pine sol, oxy fabulouso, etc. I do expect her to use the products we provide so I dont end up with a garbage bag full of paper towels or a headache. If you think she's too hard to replace then accommodate her but if you look for someone else make she they know your preference from the beginning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the reaction of your cleaner a bit over the top. Does she not need this job. She would quit for the sole reason of not being able to use paper towels? I don't get it.

It's your house and you made one special request. Don't think it's such a big deal, either. I would find someone else.

I kind of agree with this. It's really not a big deal to quit over.

Her attitude and reaction to your request would be a deal-killer for me. Now you're not going to feel like you can ask her for anything without her threatening to quit. She obviously doesn't care too much about the job. I'd find someone else who does-- I'll bet this won't the the last issue you have with this lady.

OP here. Thank you!

As I've sat on it all afternoon, this is what it comes down to. I would prefer she uses the rags (less wasteful, less costly) but it's not a dealbreaker. That's not the issue. The issue is whether she's BSC and whether it's worth it to walk on eggshells so she doesn't threaten to quit again... or if I should just find someone where there would be a little less drama who is willing to accommodate my requests in my house - which is pretty reasonable for me to expect - especially when they are not major things.

So thank you to those of you who got that!! At this point, I'm willing to give her another chance. After I told her I didn't realize it was such a big deal and if it was the difference in her cleaning my house or quitting, paper towels were fine, she was very apologetic and thankful and talked about how she needs the job, is a single mother, etc. She is reliable and does a good job so I'm not going to look for reasons to fire her but if another issue like this comes up, you can bet I will be finding someone else.

If you are unwilling to clean your own house, why are you micromanaging a woman who does?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the reaction of your cleaner a bit over the top. Does she not need this job. She would quit for the sole reason of not being able to use paper towels? I don't get it.

It's your house and you made one special request. Don't think it's such a big deal, either. I would find someone else.

I kind of agree with this. It's really not a big deal to quit over.

Her attitude and reaction to your request would be a deal-killer for me. Now you're not going to feel like you can ask her for anything without her threatening to quit. She obviously doesn't care too much about the job. I'd find someone else who does-- I'll bet this won't the the last issue you have with this lady.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the reaction of your cleaner a bit over the top. Does she not need this job. She would quit for the sole reason of not being able to use paper towels? I don't get it.

It's your house and you made one special request. Don't think it's such a big deal, either. I would find someone else.

I kind of agree with this. It's really not a big deal to quit over.

Her attitude and reaction to your request would be a deal-killer for me. Now you're not going to feel like you can ask her for anything without her threatening to quit. She obviously doesn't care too much about the job. I'd find someone else who does-- I'll bet this won't the the last issue you have with this lady.

Anonymous wrote:I'm on the side of the housekeeper - Did you use the rags after you asked her to? I'm thinking she tried it, hated it (made her job that much harder), so she made the decision to quit. Would you rather her quit silently? She was giving you the ultimatum - let her use paper towels or she feels its not worth the money. I tried switching to rags - I think it's harder too. I can't see the dirt on a rag as clear as I can on a paper towel. With a paper towel, I clean until the paper towel stays white, and that's how I know it's clean.

I use both when I clean my OWN house and there is not some huge difference. It doesn't take twice as long, it doesn't require some extra effort. Come on people, get real.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So can you not ask your cleaners to accommodate a simple request?

Last time I checked OP is the customer. All of you in favor of the cleaner sticking to her way or the highway, I have a question. Would you expect a service provider, any provider, to accommodate one simple request and/or try to work with you? Of course you would. At minimum you would ask. Then you could find a compromise at least. Why are the cleaners different? I was a service provider and within reason I would work to accommodate as many customers as possible. It's good for business.

So not only are there a ton of complaints about how hard it is to find a good cleaners but then you can't even ask them to do or not do one simple thing.

The problem wasn't asking. The problem was not respecting her answer. OP asked. The cleaning woman said, no, I do a better job with paper towels and OP had to force the issue by making her use rags. The cleaning woman did not want to argue, but didn't want to work for a control freak, so she cleaned the house as requested and then said that she would not do so again. If the OP would have just respected the cleaning woman when the cleaner said that she could get things shinier with paper towels, everything would have been fine. But, as far as the cleaning woman was concerned, she wouldn't do as good a job and she wouldn't do a job she was proud of with the conditions imposed by OP. So, she resigned. OP needs to learn not to be so pushy.

OP wrote:We had a service (Ash Maids) coming every two weeks up until a couple months ago. We'd never been thrilled with them but too lazy to find anyone else. Finally in March I decided to find a new cleaner so we contacted someone that had received rave reviews. Turns out she sent her sister to clean our house. She's done a great job but last time she was here I noticed that she went through half a roll of paper towels. So, I thought I'd ask her to use our rags instead of paper towels. I was here when she arrived as I am working from home so I brought up using rags. She said that she could get things shinier with paper towels and I said I'd prefer not to go through so many paper towels and would rather she use rags. That was the end of the conversation and she cleaned the house.

The cleaning lady is the service provider and she could have said that she will accommodate the request to use rags, BUT fair warning, that things will not be as shiny as she could get them with a paper towel. I don't think OP was being a control freak, or pushy just by asking her to use rags. Why would the cleaning lady make such a big stink about the usage of paper towels as to say she is quitting because of being asked not to use them? If OP is okay not having everything sparkle because she still would rather have the cleaning lady use rags than what is the big deal? Why make such a stink about it and potentially lose a customer, who if happy, could bring in more customers and more money for the cleaning service?

Anonymous wrote:So can you not ask your cleaners to accommodate a simple request?

Last time I checked OP is the customer. All of you in favor of the cleaner sticking to her way or the highway, I have a question. Would you expect a service provider, any provider, to accommodate one simple request and/or try to work with you? Of course you would. At minimum you would ask. Then you could find a compromise at least. Why are the cleaners different? I was a service provider and within reason I would work to accommodate as many customers as possible. It's good for business.

So not only are there a ton of complaints about how hard it is to find a good cleaners but then you can't even ask them to do or not do one simple thing.

The problem wasn't asking. The problem was not respecting her answer. OP asked. The cleaning woman said, no, I do a better job with paper towels and OP had to force the issue by making her use rags. The cleaning woman did not want to argue, but didn't want to work for a control freak, so she cleaned the house as requested and then said that she would not do so again. If the OP would have just respected the cleaning woman when the cleaner said that she could get things shinier with paper towels, everything would have been fine. But, as far as the cleaning woman was concerned, she wouldn't do as good a job and she wouldn't do a job she was proud of with the conditions imposed by OP. So, she resigned. OP needs to learn not to be so pushy.

OP wrote:We had a service (Ash Maids) coming every two weeks up until a couple months ago. We'd never been thrilled with them but too lazy to find anyone else. Finally in March I decided to find a new cleaner so we contacted someone that had received rave reviews. Turns out she sent her sister to clean our house. She's done a great job but last time she was here I noticed that she went through half a roll of paper towels. So, I thought I'd ask her to use our rags instead of paper towels. I was here when she arrived as I am working from home so I brought up using rags. She said that she could get things shinier with paper towels and I said I'd prefer not to go through so many paper towels and would rather she use rags. That was the end of the conversation and she cleaned the house.

I'm on the side of the housekeeper - Did you use the rags after you asked her to? I'm thinking she tried it, hated it (made her job that much harder), so she made the decision to quit. Would you rather her quit silently? She was giving you the ultimatum - let her use paper towels or she feels its not worth the money. I tried switching to rags - I think it's harder too. I can't see the dirt on a rag as clear as I can on a paper towel. With a paper towel, I clean until the paper towel stays white, and that's how I know it's clean.

So can you not ask your cleaners to accommodate a simple request?

Last time I checked OP is the customer. All of you in favor of the cleaner sticking to her way or the highway, I have a question. Would you expect a service provider, any provider, to accommodate one simple request and/or try to work with you? Of course you would. At minimum you would ask. Then you could find a compromise at least. Why are the cleaners different? I was a service provider and within reason I would work to accommodate as many customers as possible. It's good for business.

So not only are there a ton of complaints about how hard it is to find a good cleaners but then you can't even ask them to do or not do one simple thing.

Anonymous wrote:I'd keep her too, and I prefer paper towels to rags as rags imo spread germs.

Agree. Rags are something to be used washing cars. not my house and I only isr Bounty

I think I know the woman cleaning your house.

Dude. For a good, affordable cleaner? If she wanted my kidney she could have it. I wouldn't have made a peep.

Anonymous wrote:I find the reaction of your cleaner a bit over the top. Does she not need this job. She would quit for the sole reason of not being able to use paper towels? I don't get it.

It's your house and you made one special request. Don't think it's such a big deal, either. I would find someone else.

I kind of agree with this. It's really not a big deal to quit over.