King Friday - how much does a maid cost?March 30th, 2007 @ 5:01 am
Back when my husband, The King, started to write his weekly segment for this little website, I promised him he could write about whatever he wanted. I promised to not censur him.
And so with that little prologue, let me present you with this week’s installment of King Friday.
———
So last night we watched this “great new show” on tv called something like “One Week to Save Your Marriage” or “How I Cheated on this Bitch 5 Times and Now I Want Forgiveness”, I cant remember which. Either way, its “great new show”-ness wore off in about 5 minutes. I know this because that was how long it took before our own argument ensued.
The King: thanks for cleaning the bathroom. Did you clean the floor too?
Isabel: no (angry)
The King: I guess the floor of the bathroom is technically not part of the bathroom itself. (snide)
Isabel: (fill in some hormonal grumbling here)
The King: What?
Isabel: I didn’t think it was that dirty.
The King: Is that why you picked the baby up off the floor and washed his hands after he crawled in there?
Isabel: its covered in your urine.
The King: Right. And that’s dirty. And that is why we clean it. Weekly.
Isabel: Well if my standard of cleanliness is less than your standard, why should I have to rise to your level?
At this point, I am really wondering why Isabel isn’t a world class lawyer. Her argument is so strong and poignant, that I am without response.
Isabel: It pisses me off that when you clean the kitchen, you don’t put away the pot holders.
The King: Kinda like cleaning the bathroom without cleaning the floor? Or washing dishes and leaving them wet all over the counter? Or putting dishes in a sink that is literally 2″ from the dishwasher? Or folding laundry and not putting it in the closet? (I am getting so angry at this point that I can feel the hairs on my head popping out of their follicles.)
Isabel: whatever, turn the show back on.
So, what do you think? Should one person have to be the chore boss of the house? Is a job half-done, really done? Should we hire a maid to do something that we should really just do on our own without causing a fight or even being asked? Seems like relationship 101 here… Adding a kid to the equation makes it tougher, I know. But I know its possible to clean a 5′x5′ bathroom very well in under 10 minutes, floor included.
Am I crazy? (I promise to put away the pot holders.)
-kk
The King
Daren
said,
March 30, 2007 at 11:17 am
I would have to say that if it bothers you that Isabel didn’t clean the bathroom to suit you, then you go clean it. Particularly if it’s that hard to hit a tiolet bowl, I’d say the floor is your responsibility anyway.
You know the old saying, if you want it done ‘right’ (whatever that means) do it yourself.
Rachel
said,
March 30, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Ok, this is a tough question here, King! I would be happy as hell to have my bathroom cleaned by anyone but me so if the floor got skipped, so be it. My husband does NOT clean the bathroom! He does, however, help clean other areas and, while they are not done the way I want them done, I (mostly) don’t mention it to him. Kind of like, if I say something then he won’t even try to clean, ya know.
I think the cleaning should be 50/50, but if there is something in particular that you have to have cleaned a certain way, do it yourself!
Happy Friday! Great post King!
Stacey
said,
March 30, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I have to agree with Daren and Rachel. If you want the floor cleaned, why not just do it yourself — instead of making a big deal out of the fact that she didn’t? Wouldn’t that be easier and cause less tension? Besides, I know I wouldn’t want to clean up a floor with urine all over it. Ew!
Erika
said,
March 30, 2007 at 2:01 pm
ROFLMAO…I love it. I love it, I am cracking up. I think it is hilarious (-ly enfuriating) that he noticed you washed Babboo’s hands. and I love that he acknowledged your point left him speechless. (And why aren’t we addressing the fact that men can’t pee in the toilet? This is why you need to move into your house and have a “boy” bathroom and a “girl” bathroom.) I personally like the kitchen a certain way after dinner, so after Jonathan does all of his “cleaning up” I go in and finish up (INCLUDING PUTTING AWAY THE POT HOLDERS). But I feel so strongly about the way the bathroom should be cleaned that I do it myself. Yes, this issue is a breeding ground for marital arguments. Thanks for sharing yours!!!
alison
said,
March 30, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Oh boy my friend - this is a slippery slope you’re going down here. Things like house work are the first step to REAL fights. My hubby and I have a strict rule of dividing house work 50/50%. I suggest you swap tasks every week so you can have it performed to your standards at least every other week. Also, consider making a better effor to hit the bowl?????
Frema
said,
March 30, 2007 at 3:05 pm
If it’s your pee on the floor, you should clean it up!
OK, now for my real comment. Luke and I each have things that we do. He does laundry and cooking, I do apartment maintenance (dusting, vaccuuming, disinfecting, etc.) and finance management, and we never pester the other to get their jobs done. We both know what has to be done, and we get to it accordingly. Personally I hate washing the floors because I get on my hands and knees with a wash cloth to do it. (There is no good place to store a mop in our apartment.) I sweep it every other day, and I wipe up cooking spills, but I can count on one hand how many times a year I actually wash them. Plus, Luke is the one who washes out the shower and tub because I hate doing that with a passion, and I guarantee you he does NOT do that every time I wipe down the sink.
So, to answer your question, is a job half-done really half done? I say hell yes. Our bathroom may not be spotless, but it’s always livable. That’s definitely good for us.
Operation Pink Herring
said,
March 30, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Ok, I’m the odd wo(man) out here, but I say HELL NO. A job half done is NOT done.
I could write a whole blog post of my own about this issue (oh, wait, I already did, and my boyfriend got totally pissed off and we had a huge fight). You have a tricky situation going on with this floor-washing question: on the one hand, I feel strongly that if you’re going to clean the bathroom, you need to do it all, including at least a cursory wipe of the floors (Point: King). However, if it’s someone else’s mess primarily, then THEY should clean that up themselves (Point: Isabel). So… I think I have to agree with Isabel overall. Cleaning up someone else’s pee isn’t cool.
Joel and I have just institued a new policy on the hosuecleaning, because this has been an issue of mine for the past, oh, THREE YEARS OR SO, and I’m sick of being the maid. He’s in charge of all kitchen duties and taking out the garbage — without being reminded by me. I’m responsible for everything else, but I get to ask him to do whatever I need help with and he has to do it THAT DAY, not a month later or “when he has time”.
It’s a baby step, but so far so good. If this doesn’t work, I’m carrying out my threat to get a maid. All you people with 50-50 splits… I hate you (I’m just jealous. But ya’ll knew that).
Lisa B
said,
March 30, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Doing house stuff AND working full time is tough.
Maybe investing in a cleaning lady to come once a week would be a very beneficial thing for your sanity. Life is too short to spend it cleaning.
HollowSquirrel
said,
March 30, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I like Alison’s idea of sharing 50/50 the housework and swapping tasks every other week, personally. How is there urine all over the floor? That doesn’t happen with women, dearest King, so why don’t you practice with some floating targets or something?!
I friggin hate housework with a passion which may be why our house is dirty to me. I hate cleaning. My husband must think I don’t mind it, but I do. But I also realize that it needs to be cleaned; he doesn’t. I’m getting all worked up here without coming to a point. ARGH.
Christar
said,
March 30, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Sorry King, I’m going to have to agree with Isabel on this one. Not just because she’s my homie, but because I agree completely. If she cleaned everything BUT the floor, then instead of fighting over it, just do it yourself. And don’t clean it then complain later. That’s still no good. And I agree that if you make a mess, you should clean it up. Whether it be in the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom or living room. Everyone cleaning their own messes makes a happier living area.
Isabel probably got ‘angry’ because no one (especially women) like being thanked or praised for cleaning, then be repremanded for it. I know I hate it! But it could have just been the effect of the show you were watching. You know another really horrible show that I saw the other night? It’s some show on MTV that has these 2 exes and their new significant others, go to this hotel and have the exes TRY and get back together, while the new boyfriend and girlfriend watch it all in another room! It makes me sick what these reality shows will do just to get viewers.
dee
said,
March 30, 2007 at 6:01 pm
I vote for a cleaning lady! Seriously though, I’m kind of in the middle here. I can’t stand it when hubby does a job halfway and then claims he is finished. I also would refuse to clean up his pee (which is why he cleans his bathroom and I clean mine). We tend to split cleaning tasks up but it gets difficult sometimes because he seems to not see things that are dirty.
Bunny
said,
March 30, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Oh, King. I think the first rule of marraige household chores is: do not criticize the way the other performs a chore. Clean the floor yourself. Isabel’s probably had a hard week and a long day and she is doing the best she can. But maybe if you acknowledge that you, too, could put away the potholders and/or something else, you might be able to trade.
Jill
said,
March 30, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I say that you clean your own pee off the floor, we all know that Isabel cleaned up her pee and didn’t leave it for you. If you both work, than you should both clean. My husband finds cleaning lots of fun if we both do it naked. There is no touching each other until everything is finished!!!
In my house I do all of the cleaning because I am the one who is home while he is out making the money. I feel like it should be my job to do it. It sucks, but it has to be done.
king
said,
March 30, 2007 at 11:10 pm
You’re all crazy! Well, most of you.
Stray hair, hairspray, cat litter, toothpaste drips… they dont belong to me and they are all on that floor too, so its not just pee. And its not that I pee all over the floor. She is talking about splashing from the toilet, which is very minimal at best.
Seriously, I would do all the housework myself if it was FAIR! If you do someone else’s share of the work all the time, you aren’t doing them any favors. I’m all for acting like an adult and taking care of your share of the responsibilities. I take care of mine. I only ask for the same in return.
sheesh.
Carrisa
said,
March 31, 2007 at 12:26 am
Remember that time Isabel told us that she peed all over the floor? And then went on to tell us that she cleaned it up right then…. yeah. I do.
I get on to my husband all the time for pulling his laundry out of the dryer and just throwing it on top instead of folding it and putting it away. But then he gets on to me for leaving empty and half empty glasses all over the house.
So in the words of my father “Quitcher bitchin”
angela
said,
March 31, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I plead the Fifth. But hiring a maid does sound pretty fantastic!
Lindsey
said,
March 31, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I’ve decided that I agree with a lot of what has already been said, so instead of rehashing everything, I’d just like you to think of a little motto that I like to call “Isabel is always right.”
MK
said,
April 1, 2007 at 5:42 am
Get a maid! It does ownders for our marriage - she comes every 2 weeks to do the heavy cleaning. I pay her $60 each vist for a 1700sq foot house. Have kids and 2 fule time jobs is enough on the family - don;t waste time and energy on these arguments.
Happy Friday King - I always look foward to your posts.
MK
said,
April 1, 2007 at 5:42 am
PS… I am tired and what I just typed looks like a mess… sorry!..lol..