Does anyone here use Merry Maids to help with housecleaning?

[csziggy]

5. I used them for a couple of years

Stopped a few months ago when my husband retired - he thinks he can do the cleaning, though it's not happening.

Merry Maids insist on a "deep cleaning" the first time around, which is very expensive. After that they will do routine cleanings, but do not move furniture or make an effort to get under furniture. The areas under my dresser and couch were not vacuumed, swept or mopped, for instance.

The women that came were nice and always seemed pretty happy about their work. I never asked what they were paid versus how much I paid the company. It would have been better if my schedule allowed for the same team to come every time - I kept having to change the day and that meant they had to shuffle me among the available teams.

There are several locally owned maid services - I think I will try one of them when I can talk my husband into it. One left a flyer for their services that had a price half of what I was paying Merry Maids. For what I need - floors and bathrooms - that sounds about right.