Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin Farris
Being a cleaning lady myself this really is disappointing to hear. I have taken on customers that this has happened to before and it really makes me sad to hear. First of all yes call the police let them check the pawn shops hopefully they will find your things there. I have clients I have cleaned for over 7 years and I find things here and there..lost jewelry, medication etc. I return EVERYTHING I find to them no matter how small it may seem.
Listen people “test” your cleaners from the very first visit! Leave a couple $20 bills on the counter but make sure you write down the serial numbers & take pictures of the bills in case they go “missing” also empty out some med bottles & fill them with plain unmarked tylenol count how many you put in the bottle then recount when they leave. Most importantly take some costume jewelry fill a jewelry box with it & put it in a spare room. Then tear a TINY piece of the corner of a tissue and place it in the top corner frame of that door. Now make sure it is small enough they would never see it but YOU will know it’s there. Then gently close the door with it lodged in place before they arrive. After you have all that in place and your real meds & jewelry are locked up invite them in to clean. After they have been there for a little while casually mention that you have to run up and check your mail. Look them straight in the eye and say “ hey I prefer you to stay out of this room as it contains your valuables & medication so you would rather they don’t enter that room” then take a ride in the golf cart around a few streets and come back. When you return go to that door IF that little piece of tissue is still in place and you see it fall when you open the door then you know they stayed out and you probably have some trustworthy cleaners. BUT if the tiny piece of tissue is gone or on the floor then they entered that room while you were away looking for valuables even though you asked them not to! IF that’s the case go straight to them and insist they leave your house immediately!! There are many ways to “test” cleaners. My snowbirds that go back up north before summer I have taught them all how to test their cleaners up north. And always leave some tylenol and costume jewelry around just in case. And hey if they steal that then all the fools got is some tylenol and fake jewelry! My own opinion look for cleaners that work alone. Sure she/he will be there twice the time but this is why MANY of us clean alone because even we don’t trust other people. Or I don’t! No way will anyone clean with me. I have worked with a big cleaning company before and I saw what some of my partners tried! So when I started my own business I refuse to hire. I would rather do all the work myself because I know what I’m doing at all times but it’s hard to keep your eyes on someone else and get your own work done. And yes the BEST protection is always cameras. One last note.. a cleaner should NEVER put anything away for the client. You pick up dust/clean and put all items right back where you found them. I hope this helps at least a little for some. TEST, TEST & TEST before you trust. I am sorry to hear what happened to you and I do hope you find your belongings. All cleaners are not bad but you always have those certain ones that are just bad apples!
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Great advise thanks for sharing