After more than two decades in the cleaning business, I have found out that the trickiest skill to master is human relations. Dust, spills, and stains have always been easy for me to overcome, unlike the attitude of some customers. Arguably the toughest challenge of them all is adjusting to the caprices of teenagers.
When I get a home cleaning booking, I always keep my fingers crossed that there is no teenager in the household. Toddlers and little kids are okay – they actually make my visits funny and cheerful, and if you are up to it, you can turn the cleaning into a game.
Teenagers are a whole different issue altogether. They are moody, passive-aggressive, and often make your job difficult just because they had a bad day at school. Here are my three simple rules to follow if you are expected to clean a teenager’s room:
- Have a frank conversation with the parents, and then with the child. Do not get me wrong – not all teenagers are monsters. Some of them simply want you to treat them as mature people, which is reasonable enough. Set up some basic rules and stick to them – they will appreciate it.
- Do not move ANYTHING. Unless it is obviously a piece of trash, leave everything where you find it. Stick only to the basic cleaning tasks and do not go overboard.
- Do not side with the parents. Even if you agree with them, do not show it – it will turn a prickly situation into a professional nightmare.