How much do you pay?

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Smart

Bronze
Jun 16, 2012
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I am considering asking a lady who takes care of cleaning the shared communal area where I live to come in and give the place a good going over once a week, wash and iron my work shirts etc. For the life of me I can not stop my black shirts from coming out of the wash with all that awful scruffy looking white fluff all over, you know the stuff the direct sunlight and UV night club light picks up and embarrasses people. I have no clue why or what is causing this but anyway, that's what I am thinking. But I spoke with her and I think she may be trying to outprice herself.
How much do you pay, for how many hours etc?
 
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AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
16,050
418
83
Smart said:
I am considering asking a lady who takes care of cleaning the shared communal area where I live to come in and give the place a good going over once a week, wash and iron my work shirts etc. For the life of me I can not stop my black shirts from coming out of the wash with all that awful scruffy looking white fluff all over, you know the stuff the direct sunlight and UV night club light picks up and embarrasses people. I have no clue why or what is causing this but anyway, that's what I am thinking. But I spoke with her and I think she may be trying to outprice herself.
How much do you pay, for how many hours etc?
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wear a white shirt. there's no cure for black shirts not showing stuff as far as I know
 
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sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
1,621
36
48
Smart said:
I am considering asking a lady who takes care of cleaning the shared communal area where I live to come in and give the place a good going over once a week, wash and iron my work shirts etc. For the life of me I can not stop my black shirts from coming out of the wash with all that awful scruffy looking white fluff all over, you know the stuff the direct sunlight and UV night club light picks up and embarrasses people. I have no clue why or what is causing this but anyway, that's what I am thinking. But I spoke with her and I think she may be trying to outprice herself.
How much do you pay, for how many hours etc?
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600 pesos for 4-6 hour day once a week.. We do realize 100 of that is going towards the girl's transporation also. I think 100 pesos an hour is a fair rate for unskilled manual labor. Nothing has ever gone missing and she does everything we ask so we are very happy.
 
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Smart

Bronze
Jun 16, 2012
709
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AnnaC said:
wear a white shirt. there's no cure for black shirts not showing stuff as far as I know
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It must come from somewhere, but you are right, I have even tried washing the barrel before I do blacks and it still produces this fluffy stuff.
 
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AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
16,050
418
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Smart said:
It must come from somewhere, but you are right, I have even tried washing the barrel before I do blacks and it still produces this fluffy stuff.
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I remember the horror the first time I looked down on my black top in a club with UV lights. I thought something had fallen on me and I desperately tried to wipe it all off ;)
 
hammerdown

hammerdown

Bronze
Apr 29, 2005
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If you are using a powder detergent, then that might be the filler they use to make it look like you are getting more for your money.....try a liquid detergent, that might eliminate the stuff.....
 
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Eugeniefs

New member
Jan 24, 2008
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Yep around $500 for half a day is about right and if there is a lot of ironing add another RD$100, it is up to you whether or not you give something towards the transport.. if she cooks that can be an added bonus, having a ready made meal when you come home is also something to look forward to. You can always give her money to buy the food or you buy it and she cooks it, then of course she has some of it so that can go towards her payment as well.

Just one thing, if you have anything in the fridge that you are looking forward to when you get back home, let her know as it has been known to happen that other things get eaten. If you are asking her not to cook then make it obvious that the fridge is out of bounds, lol! She can only have the water.
 
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Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Eugeniefs said:
Yep around $500 for half a day is about right and if there is a lot of ironing add another RD$100, it is up to you whether or not you give something towards the transport.. if she cooks that can be an added bonus, having a ready made meal when you come home is also something to look forward to. You can always give her money to buy the food or you buy it and she cooks it, then of course she has some of it so that can go towards her payment as well.

Just one thing, if you have anything in the fridge that you are looking forward to when you get back home, let her know as it has been known to happen that other things get eaten. If you are asking her not to cook then make it obvious that the fridge is out of bounds, lol! She can only have the water.
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500 per half day is way too much. It's more like 500 per day.
 
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charlise

Bronze
Nov 1, 2012
751
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0
I pay 4000 pesos per month for 3 half-days/week so, 12 half-days per months. She cleans, cooks, grocery shop if necessary and do the laundry. No ironing. So about 333 pesos per half day and that includes her transportation that she pays on her own.

2 bedrooms, 2 bath. appartment. Windows washed every week.
 
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KateP

Silver
May 28, 2004
2,845
6
38
Mine's been with me for 6 years, cleaning once a week (3-4 hours). I pay her 700 per visit (she takes 150 out of that for transportation) and she cleans my 2 bedroom apartment, all the dishes, bathes the dogs when necessary (they love her) and just basically makes my life so much better. I've never had anything missing and I can count on one hand the number of things that have been broken over the 6 years. Did I mention my dogs love her? Just that is worth A LOT.
 
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dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
first and foremost forget about once a week stuff. dominican maids do not want to clean and iron on the same day. it's life threatening (espasmo), no joke. a full day when they iron in the morning and clean hours later (or the other way round) is possible. but just a few hours to do both? nope. so i suggest once a week to clean and once a week to iron only. pay her 300-400 per each half day and be done with. i will add that we pay 450 per half day but that includes transport as well. and breakfast is included.
 
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AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
16,050
418
83
Question, these cleaning ladies are independent so there's no benefits or holiday pay right?
 
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dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
in our case no benefits or holidays. maid never took any holidays, really, but occasionally she needs to go to the doctor or something and she is paid anyways. she just has more ironing next time. we also observe dominican holidays, she does not have to come over and is paid for those. and at xmas she gets double salary.
 
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sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
1,621
36
48
charlise said:
I pay 4000 pesos per month for 3 half-days/week so, 12 half-days per months. She cleans, cooks, grocery shop if necessary and do the laundry. No ironing. So about 333 pesos per half day and that includes her transportation that she pays on her own.

2 bedrooms, 2 bath. appartment. Windows washed every week.
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You can pay less because the amount of work you give her totals 4000 per month. In my case it's only 2000 per month so she's going to be less willing to take less pay.

a constant problem i see people have, gringos/dominicans, is trying to underpay hard working people, i try to pay people what I think their work is worth, and honesty/punctuality is worth more to me than the actual labor.
 
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sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
1,621
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48
Smart said:
You are suited to perfection here, the workforce quite openly and honestly goes to work every day, on time and does sweet FA.
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HA HA HA.. that is why the few that do are worth so much more than the drivel that doesn't :)
 
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PeterInBrat

Gold
May 29, 2006
10,265
200
0
My step mom pays $75 twice a month for a house cleaner for about three hours work, and it's nothing close to what a Dominican does. Dusting, mopping and vacuuming. No dishes, laundry, making beds, windows.. etc etc...

Two houses a day-- all cash and a four day work, 24 hour work week. $600 tax free. She doesn't even pay for supplies.
 
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