If you have kids, you already know the feeling: you clean the kitchen and twenty minutes later there are crumbs on the counter again. Before we get into it, if you want to know how to prepare for each visit, read How to Prepare for Each Maid Service Visit (Without Pre-Cleaning). This guide is for parents who are tired of spending every weekend cleaning.
A recurring maid service will not stop the mess from happening. It will stop the mess from taking over your life.
The weekend problem
For most parents, cleaning happens on weekends because that is the only time there is. That means Saturday mornings spent scrubbing the tub instead of at the soccer game, at the park or just sleeping in. By Sunday night, everyone is worn out and the house is a mess again.
The weeknights are not much better. Between school pickup, practice, homework, dinner and bath time, there is no real window for cleaning. Whatever does get done happens in rushed bursts after the kids are asleep, when you would much rather be on the couch.
A regular cleaner changes that. When the bathrooms, kitchen and floors get done on a weekday, your weekend is free for the stuff you actually want to do.
Which schedule fits families?
Families with kids usually do best with more frequent service:
- Weekly is ideal for families with little kids, three or more children, or kids plus pets. Toddlers can undo a clean house in minutes, and weekly visits keep up with it.
- Every two weeks works for families with older kids who help with chores and pick up after themselves.
- Every three weeks or monthly is usually too long for a busy family. Bathrooms and floors get rough before the next visit.
If you are unsure, start with every two weeks and see how it feels. You can move to weekly anytime.
What a cleaner handles in a family home
On a regular visit, your cleaner takes care of the jobs that grind parents down:
- Bathrooms scrubbed, including the kids' bathroom with its toothpaste-covered sink.
- Kitchen counters, stovetop and sink cleaned.
- Floors vacuumed and mopped, including under the kitchen table where the crumbs collect.
- Fingerprints wiped off glass doors, light switches and appliances.
- Beds made, and linens changed if you add it.
- Surfaces dusted throughout.
Extras like laundry, changing linens and dishes can help even more. Many busy parents add laundry or dishes to every visit.
Kids and cleaning day
Kids do not need to be out of the house for the cleaner to come. Plenty of our family clients are home with little ones during visits. If you have a baby napping, let us know and we will clean that room last or skip it. If older kids are home, they can go about their day. If your kids are at school, a daytime slot means they come home to a clean house.
It is also worth teaching kids that cleaning day is real. A ten-minute pick-up the night before — toys in bins, clothes in the hamper — gives them a simple job and helps your cleaner do a better job.
Keeping it livable between visits
You will not be able to keep a family home spotless between visits, and that is fine. The goal is to keep it livable:
- Wipe the kitchen counters and table after dinner each night.
- Do a quick toy pick-up before bed.
- Keep wipes in each bathroom for fast touch-ups.
- Run the vacuum through the kitchen and entry when the crumbs get bad.
Your cleaner handles the deep stuff. You just keep the daily mess from piling up.
One thing that helps a lot in family homes: a good doormat at every entrance and a no-shoes rule inside. After a rainy week in North Texas, kids and dogs drag red-clay mud across everything. Stopping it at the door keeps your floors looking cleaner for days longer between visits.
Summer, holidays and school breaks
When kids are home all summer, the house gets used harder. Lots of families move to weekly service for June through August, then go back to every two weeks when school starts. The same goes for winter break and spring break. Just let us know when you want to change and when to switch back.
Is it worth it for parents?
Think about how many hours you spend cleaning each week. Now think about what else you could do with them: a family bike ride, a nap, a date night, a quiet cup of coffee before the kids wake up. For many parents, that time is the whole reason to hire a cleaner. Parents across Midlothian, Red Oak and the new neighborhoods around Waxahachie tell us the same thing: they wish they had done it sooner.
Want your weekends back?
Tell us about your home and your family and we will send a price, usually the same day.
Get a free quoteMore time for the good stuff
A recurring maid service does not make you a better parent, but it does give you more time and energy for the part of parenting you actually enjoy. Read more about how recurring cleaning works on our weekly and bi-weekly maid service page.