How to find an affordable good housecleaner? Never hired one

[youngspiritmom]

So. New baby around here, and preschooler to boot. I've always cleaned my house myself but I've got a little extra cash and would like to hire some housecleaners to come in and do the heavy stuff -- clean out fridge, tubs, mop floors, inside of microwave, stove/oven, etc.

What's the best way to find a housecleaner? I know that the company-name ones like Merry Maids etc. are a little more expensive and that the individuals who have their own business can do just as good of a job...but I don't want a random person. Should I look on CraigsList? Ask around? What's a good rate, and is it usually paid per hour? Do two cleaners come at once? How often - every two weeks?

Never done this...Thanks in advance for tips/advice

[Caneel]

I would start by asking around in your circle of friends/family/neighbors. 

Advice as given to me by my elderly neighbor who had cleaners her entire life - Decide what you want done and write it down in great detail.  For example - clean out fridge means very different things to people.  Are you expecting someone to empty out the entire fridge, clean the shelves and bins?  Who is going to decide what stays and what gets chucked?  Will you be upset if the cleaner throws out something you didnt' think should be tossed?  If you want all the floors mopped each visit, specify that.  If you want all the table top stuff moved and dusted, write that down.  It never occured to me that I had to tell someone the proper way to dust was to pick up that lap, dust the table and the lap, replace lap.  I had one that raced the rag around everything.

I live in the North East.  I have two women that work as a duo.  They charge $100 per visit, which works out to about $17 per hour, per person for a three hour visit.  Someone recently approached me asking about cleaning and she does it for $15 per hour.  A friend of mine pays his cleaner $7.50 per hour.  These are all cash prices.  A professional service I know of charges $15 per hour, per person.

I have had several cleaners over the years, some great, some not and all charged by the visit.