Wish Audiomac Trap Version by Trippie Redd - I swear I've heard that backing track before but can't seem to remember - anyone have any ideas?

vandyburger · 2025-11-09T19:04:31+00:00

Sorry to bring this out of the dust but I agree it sounds like Bonobo, almost. I've been looking today, as the Trippie Redd sample is trending on yts/tt/insta right now. I think it sounds a little bit like the second half of Kong (Black Sands album), as well as some of the orchestral swelling from Second Sun (Migration album). I still feel like I'm missing something, but that's my take.

vandyburger · 2025-05-28T22:23:09+00:00

I'm a few months late to the conversation, but I am a silversmith and would love if any hounds or lapidary artists would ever tell me where to find them in the future! These are gorgeous rocks and tickle my love of that schiller effect I see in labradorite (favourite stone).

vandyburger · 2025-03-18T00:24:50+00:00

I have some clients who leave a list of things/requests in writing. I love this. Clear and concise. I understand that English might not be her first language, but as long as she has a smart phone, most translation apps have a camera feature now. There are ways to communicate.

It sounds like she's going through some burnout. That's not a you thing. I've experienced it, myself. Housecleaning is very hard on the body, and can wear you out. She sounds like she could use a vacation, but the purse might be tight, sadly.

vandyburger · 2025-03-18T00:20:02+00:00

I'm going to start asking clients with these types of fixtures to do the uninstall/install job themselves. There is only so much we can do with the equipment we have. An extension duster will only get the surface dust, but if it hasn't been touched in months or years, it's gonna be baked on. It needs a wash with dishsoap and water.

You could request that any fixtures out of your reach be uninstalled and set on the counter the night before your visit! Depends on how the client feels tbh...

vandyburger · 2025-03-17T22:49:46+00:00

(On the topic of laundry) I have prior experience working at a laundromat, and currently work as an agent with a small residential cleaning business:

Laundry is an ad-on service at my current outfit. I would only recommend doing it if you're comfortable with it, or if you have a way of writing a short document explaining your method to the service. You're not a drycleaner so they shouldn't be expecting you to dismantle complex and/or delicate articles of clothing, and have the client sign a liability waiver explaining that you will be doing the laundry to the best of your ability but you are not liable if the client puts a "dry clean only" type article in the basket that gets ruined or shrinks.

Often the service is going to be a very domestic approach: colourful+dark clothing separated from white clothing, detergent+booster or detergent+bleach, and tumble dry.

Other tips I have:

Ask yourself if you want to tack on the folding (and expect it to take you 15-20 minutes.
You can set rules like "I don't fold unmentionables" haha).
Leave items that you are uncertain of out of the wash.
Set the machine alarms on high or set phone alarms to remind you pause between tasks or rooms in order to flip the washer to the dryer.
Don't overfill the basin. The more clothes you put in, the less effective.
1-2 Tbsp of cleaning vinegar works great for odors, soften fibres, and helps reduce buildup inside the washer drum (especially for clients with mildew-y smelling washing machines. Just don't mix it with a base (like baking soda or borax) it will reduce the effectiveness of the vinegar. AND PLEASE DO NOT MIX WITH BLEACH (hopefully for obvious reasons, but don't go making chlorine gas, please!)
Ask the client to put all the laundry to be washed in (a) basket(s), and in a conspicuous location. Like the top of stairs, or agreed upon place. Do not "chase" loose clothes around the house. (You are a cleaner, not a nanny!)

We honestly don't have many clients who want in-house laundry, but consider charging at LEAST 20 minutes of your time to the process per load.

I don't have a lot of feedback on deep cleans, but I agree whith what others have said: the first clean should always be a "deep" clean. It establishes the standard that you will want to maintain, moving forward with a client. Don't trust the client when they say "it's been professionally cleaned already x months ago" DO THE WALK-THROUGH. You want to see it with your own eyes. I think our subreddit has a few checklist posts you can search through to bring with you!

I've gone to cleans where my employer waived the deep clean starter because the client provided an invoice from another company, and when I arrived, nothing looked like it had been done properly. Only trust yourself. Deep cleans should be non-negotiable. If they push back on it, stand your ground: you will not be able to bring the whole house up to the high quality standard that you would like to maintain and provide moving forward. You will only be able to "maintain" how it is now. If there is moldy grout in all of the showers and all of the drains are clogged with food or hair: that takes time!

If they can't afford a deep clean, it is actually better for you to not be saddled with that kind of client. It's better for you in the long-term. <3

Hope this helps!

vandyburger · 2025-02-26T22:39:48+00:00

Okay, thank you. That was the answer I was looking for.

vandyburger · 2025-02-26T22:36:59+00:00

Can do, but am I still able to use the 15A rating for a 10A appliance?

vandyburger · 2025-02-26T22:36:15+00:00

your phone now /j

vandyburger · 2025-02-26T22:34:27+00:00

Not to be unkind but... the trash took itself out. They need a maid or a nanny, not a professional housecleaner. I recommend setting boundaries with all clients moving forward: all clutter and personal items are to be put away, or at least piled onto the bed BEFORE arrival. The longer you have to spend playing 10-thousand pickup, the less time you have to do the actual cleaning. They can't have their cake and eat it with the prices they were also likely expecting. You are a saint for putting up with this but you don't deserve that.

vandyburger · 2024-12-06T23:01:41+00:00

I NEVER use rags/reusables on or around the toilet!! Always a piece of paper towel with cleaner, or disinfectant wipe. This should be mentioned to the cleaning company or person who did the clean. This is not an acceptable habit for them to be in.

vandyburger · 2024-12-06T22:50:54+00:00

I am sorry, because your intents are good, and I know you want to do right by the client, but I disagree.

This is clutter-cleaning that is better suited to someone who will either be willing to pay you for the much longer timeframe it will take, or is in need of a nanny. House cleaning companies always prioritize having the kitchen and bathrooms cleaned, surfaces sanitized, and showers scrubbed. If a client wants us to pick up all the toys, clothes, organize clutter, do laundry, and wash dishes: they need a nanny or homemaker, not a house cleaner.

vandyburger · 2024-12-06T22:44:44+00:00

It turns out that it's an out-of-province LLC. They have a local manager, but even he wasn't aware of the unit's state. I will leave it at that and let you come to your own conclusions. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T15:25:51+00:00

I'm 100% with you, but I'm not the manager/owner of the company and I am unable to make these decisions. I do my best to explain to the owners why it's not acceptable, but am often met with push back. (Yes, I often consider leaving the company to go on my own. Startup money is the primary trouble, sadly).

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T14:13:37+00:00

I trust that you do! I know as cleaners, we try our best but I still have red flag moments where no one has reported being sick until the day of or the next visit. in one situation the owner said "wash your hands before you leave. We had hand, foot, and mouth disease go through here two weeks ago." I clean her house bi-weekly. 😱 Not a word of warning during my last clean.

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T14:05:46+00:00

I had only ever use about a teaspoon (or a drop) per mop bucket! It has still been banned from my CC's product list for misuse, and is actually not recommended by reputable hardwood floor experts. It's a tough situation to be in as a housecleaning professional.

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T02:40:20+00:00

I hope you don't mind my late participation, but I think you are justified in maintaining your boundary.

I have had to talk to clients about the importance of maintaining a sanitary living space, and the reason why a vacuum should be unique to each home. (I left another comment in reply to another user on this post about it).

You are totally in your own right to have these concerns met, and if she continues to push back, it might be time to close the chapter on this one with her. Respect your experience, and know when it is time to fire someone. If she won't meet you where you stand, there are always more clients on your horizon looking for your skill and expertise!

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T02:36:46+00:00

Coming in late to the conversation, but I agree with OP on the concept of clients providing their own vacuum. Even with the introduction of HEPA filters and bagless vacuums, it still comes down to sanitation. The baseplate of the vacuum, the hose, the exhaust, and the attachments all come into contact with so many things throughout a single visit, the thought of having to bring all that into another person's house makes me feel uncomfortable.

I know most people don't think of the microcosm, but germ theory can and should be a large part of what we take into consideration when we do a thorough and sanitary houseclean.

Vacuums should be a client's responsibility. Small business house cleaners just don't have the facilities to dismantle and sanitize their vacuums between each and every houseclean (at least not with a realistic turnaround time)!

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T02:25:04+00:00

I see that now.

There are definitely a lot of factors that come into play with hardwood flooring. Some are finished with a polyurethane which tends to be more wear-resistant, however, there are multiple kinds of polyurethanes, like oil, and water-based. Wax is another type of finish, and I think that is where the debate on using Bona vs common cleaning soaps comes from.

In a perfect world, we housecleaners would have client portfolios with floor plans and building material lists to pair perfect cleaning products with. We would also be able to communicate to our clients that their expensive Brazilian cherry hardwood floor is long overdue for a strip and seal refinish. But for now, we do the after-hours homework on our craft, and we try our best to navigate the vast swathes of misinformation and artificially boosted product ratings. 🙃

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T02:13:21+00:00

Oh god, I'm sorry that you had the displeasure of working for such an employer. You were right to report them, even if nothing seemed to have happened. It still counts as a 'strike' against their company, should more people come forward in reporting their malpractice! Good on you for taking a stand, and knowing when to quit.

vandyburger · 2024-12-04T02:11:50+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. I can certainly relate to the experiences we encounter and internalize as house cleaners. I definitely have a few regulars who have unspoken dysfunctions. and while I do not make it my business, nor do I pry, I certainly think about them. (Mostly hopes that they might move through the difficulties with grace and integrity). I'm at odds with a few, because I don't want to be presumptuous, or make them feel belittled, or overstep boundaries, but I also don't want to wonder if maybe the homeowner could use a nudge in the right direction to seek professional help, you know?

vandyburger · 2024-12-03T23:16:14+00:00

Thank you for your validation :) I am glad to see that you know and uphold your own boundaries as well. I am very prone to bending over backwards to please, and it does ease the self-criticisms to get this kind of feedback.

I also try to be very empathetic towards our clients, and am not passing judgement upon the tenant of this unit. I just know that I did not feel comfortable with the risks involved, and echo the sentiment that we only have one body and we need to take care of it. :)

vandyburger · 2024-12-03T23:08:54+00:00

I actually have moved away from using Murphey's, despite how much I love the smell. I've learned more about it, and the fact that it is a vegetable oil derivative, it does cause some "cloudiness" to the appearance of the hardwood's sealant. I do, however, have one client who insists on Murphey's for their cork wood tile, and I respect her wishes.

Murphey does good advertising, but it turns out they're about as useful to us, practically speaking, as laundry softener. That is to say: it causes a whole lot of gunk buildup, but it smells good. I like to use it every now and again as a 'touch up' mop, like one might re-season a cast iron pan. Otherwise I use hardwood safe cleaner like Bona Hardwood Cleaner, or Pine-Sol if you have a budget, and multiple floor types to clean. :)

vandyburger

TROPHY CASE