Cleaning Help | Imamother

BrachaVHatzlocha

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 12:24 am

So I have a baby.
I work just about full time.

Do you think I feel like cleaning when I come home?
I wanna play with the baby and make supper!
Okay, I admit it - I never was much of a cleaner.

I think it's kdai to get cleaning help, even once a week for a couple of hours - even once every few weeks - just to help with basic maintenence, like cleaning the refrigerator, bathroom, etc.

But my husband says he'd be embarrased. He said if I need things done, ask him. And he does do the stuff...eventually!
I can't blame him. He's busy. I know he gets tired bein s'darim (he learns) and so that leaves the evenings....and if he promises to do the dishes, I can't blame him - but it can take days for him to finish.
I would really like to clean the house more....

Any suggestions?

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 12:49 am

I'm confused - why is your husband embarrassed? Maybe you could discuss it with him and find out what is stopping him from getting some help in the house. There is NOTHING to be ashamed of because you want some help - it will make you a happier mommy and wife = happier you.

zuncompany

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 12:57 am

I am a stay at home mom and I still have a cleaning lady every other week. My husband and I agreed from the begining that my job was not to be scrubbing the house during the day but to be on the floor enjoying my kids and them enjoying me. We would rather have a messy house and happy kids than a clean house and miserable kids. My husband and I were thinking of getting rid of the cleaning lady cause its expensive. His mashpia told him not to! That the L. Rebbe said that a Jewish woman should have cleaning help. In fact he encouraged my husband to increase it to every week. I wouldn't let him do that. To be honest- I am horrible at cleaning. I didn't grow up doing it and a lot of things I just am not good at (like toilets!). I find that having the cleaning lady even twice a month it makes it doable for me to upkeep it and I am getting better and more efficient over time. I try when the kids are napping to get some stuff done.

Sara

Tefila

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 1:16 am

And I'm hopeless! The times we do get a cleaning lady I clean up b/4 her and clean up after her.My husband doesn't understand me, truthfully I'm not sure who does.
And it's not the cleaning lady coz it has always been that way.

But once in awhile I will get her to do things I don't do anymore. Like dust, polish silverware, furniture clean floors by hand incl kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Toilets I always do after her my mishegas. But as I tell my husband it should be my worst mishegas!
The prob is it's not my only one! LOL

BrachaVHatzlocha

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 2:38 pm

Well, I do only have 1 baby and it's a small apartment....
I guess he's embarrassed b/c he feels HE can do it. He grew up in a different culture, so that could be it. Here, in NY, it's very acceptable to have cleaning help...I guess where he's from they were very self-sufficient....
But I feel bad asking him to do as much as I want done! YOU understand, but he doesn't....
I, too, feel I'm not great at cleaning cuz I didn't grow up having to do too much...

Sunshine

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 2:46 pm

Hey Freilich my mother and mil are the same way! They clean up before the cleaning lady comes! I just don't get it! What then is the point of them comming? I will get the toys and papers out of the way but to clean?! Confused

ForeverYoung
Guest

Sun, Jan 23 2005, 9:57 pm

Bracha, is he embarrased b/c he feels he can do it or is he embarassed b/c the apartment is small?

I know exactly how that feels.

if that's the case, tell him the cleaning ladies don't care as long as yo upay them in the end!!!!

BrachaVHatzlocha

Mon, Jan 24 2005, 5:24 pm

he's embarrassed b/c he feels he can do it.
after I had the baby, an organization sent a lady to help out for a few hours and I felt like I had so many neglected things I wanted her to do! (scrub the tub, etc.)

gryp

Mon, Jan 24 2005, 5:27 pm

re scrubbing a bathtub- what do people do it with?

I use a sponge and lots of comet/ajax- it takes 2 minutes, everything comes right off!

for in between the tiles I use a piece of steel wool, and they turn white again... any other good things to use?

Tefila

Mon, Jan 24 2005, 5:32 pm

Quote:

for in between the tiles I use a piece of steel wool, and they turn white again... any other good things to use?

Thanks will add to handy tip section Very Happy