domestic worker

[mycrabface]

i have an indonesian domestic worker. her job is to clean the house and cook. no need to take care of children because there aren't any and im old enough. we recently came back from vacation, and discovered tt our frige broke down and everything except honey went bad! so she had to clean it out the next day. the next day, i woke up and realised the floor was super sticky, which means its dirty. i thought the maid had spent the whole morning cleaning out the frige so i told her to clean the whole house floor next.

get this:
she started crying

get this:
this lasted 10 seconds

get this:
she started throwing a tantrum

when she started crying, she ran away from me. when i called her back she didnt reply me, not a word. i had to shout her name (because i didnt know where she was in the house) so many times! then she came.. i asked her why shes crying but she just mumbled something in malay. i couldnt even hear what.. i asked her again. dyou know what she said?? You always complain. i already swept and mopped the floor and its not good enough for you. then she ran off again and started angrily mopping the furniture and floor and what nots.. oh my shes weird.. in the first place, i didnt even know she had mopped the floor yet..

[pianistimo]

my first response would be 'that's why u should always have a trial period' to see if someone does the kind of work that u like.  but, sometimes they do a good job at first and then get sloppy.

it might have been that the floor was still slightly wet.  oddly, our floor is sticky, too - but it's really humid here.  everyone's shoes are making that wierd sound - and it never happens when it's dry.  maybe it's humidity?

lastly - i was thinking - often times when people are tired - they just don't react well.  if she had cleaned the fridge (was unsure if it was true or not from ur message) she might have been tired out and need a break before doing the floor.

does she come for a couple of hours - or does she live with u?  if she is a domestic that comes and u are paying her hourly - it's probably a more pressing issue.  if she lives with u - i'd tell her that u'r not sure the reason for the stickiness = if it's humidity, the type of floor cleaner, or bug spray that someone sprayed - or what.  and, that u'd like her to experiment with sections of the floor and different types of cleaners. 

i helped a lady clean her linoleum that was really sticky with something? and used kosher salt and baking soda with a little mix of water with a sponge scrub (circular motion).  it took off ALL the wax.  then, she could use whatever she wanted on the floor - clean and start all over.

[mycrabface]

usually the floor is squeaky clean.. shes a maid.. whats a nicer word for that? i dunno so i used the term domestic worker.. she lives with me.. i went out just now and now im back.. i think she hates me.. she barely looked at me..

[sharon_f]

usually the floor is squeaky clean.. shes a maid.. whats a nicer word for that? i dunno so i used the term domestic worker..

Housekeeper is a very nice and respectful term.

[galonia]

Well, you have to remember that the housekeepers and maids are people too, and sometimes if they have a bad day, any little thing can make them cry.

My aunt had a maid who missed her son and it happened that my cousin at the time was about the same age as her son - so each time he came in the room, she'd burst into tears.  Obviously this was not going to work.

My grandmother's maid has a tanty every few years - so the family gives her a pay rise and suggests she take a break - this woman never takes holidays!  But she gets over it.

But the one that takes the cake - we used to have a cleaner who comes in each week, and she did a great job, until one day, I was at home sick, and she was vacuuming downstairs, then I went downstairs to get a drink, and walked into the kitchen to see her drinking orange juice straight from the carton!!!     

Don't mind that you need a drink, you can drink whatever you like in the house, but I would like to see some hygiene!  Even though it's my own house, and my own orange juice, I never drink it straight from the carton!