Thursday, March 30, 2006

Things you don't tell the wife #657 and the minimum wage

That I can vacuum the house, mop the kitchen and bathroom floor, clean the bath, handbasin, toilet and shower, plus do a bit of wiping in the kitchen in about 35-40 minutes!

I always do the cleaning when she was out, least she find out how quick I can actually get it done- it takes her three hours, but I learned in a far harder school!

She has the wage worker mentality- she does a fair job, but at a relaxed pace. I prefer to work to a deadline- and beat it.



In the army, cleaning, like everything, had to be done fast and faultlessly. Later, I worked as a cleaning contractor- time is money, but you need to be good enough to keep contracts. I got into this work after a sucession of shiftless, useless cleaners, employed by various cleaning companies. I decided to do the work myself- office cleaning is easy money and good money as my charge out rate was $25/hour. I would cost a job working like a wage-slave, knowing I could do it in under 1/2 the time.

When I had to stop, due to moving, the outfit I cleaned for couldn't believe how cheap I was- the new quotes were more than twice what I were charging and I was charging like a wounded bull!

I could run way leaner, as I had no staff overheads or staff problems. These useless immigrant fucks The cleaning companies sent me should have been working for two loaves of bread and a tin of sardines per week, for all they were worth!

If the minimum wage keeps going up, I can see more of the smaller companies cutting back to owner/operator.

Be careful what you wish for.

2 comments:

Oswald Bastable said...

Yep, that laundry one is a classic!

Into the automatic washer, then into the dryer- we are talking about seconds, not minutes.

Dishwashers, self-defrosting refrigerators, vacuum cleaners that are way more powerful than those from the sixties, microwaves, lawnmowers with elecric starters...

Anonymous said...

Gentlemen, Gentlemen.....
Women follow the advice of Joey Adams.
'When you meet someone who can cook and do housework - don't hesitate a minute - marry him'