Is it possible?

I recently found myself a replacement maid. She worked in Singapore before and finished a 2 years contract in Hong Kong. The problem is: she is very untidy and her hygiene level is extremely low. She is been with us for just a week and guess what I saw last Saturday? A c*ckraoch coming out from her suitcase!!!!!



This creature made me jumped and screamed. She came out and SMILED at me and I demanded her to kill the c*ckroach - which she did, but she felt indifferent when I told her there was a c*ckraoch that crawled out frlom her suitcase. We lived at high floor with no restaurants in the vicinity, and I NEVER saw a single c*ckraoch in my apartment (for about 6 years). She also has a habit of NOT washing her hands before / after she handled food, whcih made the kitchen extremely greasy. I cannot cope with such a person but my husbadn said we should give her another chance to imporve her hygiene. Is it possible to change a habitaully "messy" person into a reasonably neat, tidy and clean person?

The quick answer is NO. Fire her and get a clean one. I so know what you are talking about. I am very lucky in that our DH is very very clean. She would spend 1 hr cleaning the kitchen every night!!! Personally I think it is so important to have good hygiene.

MC thanks for your prompt reply. I hold the same view with you, and I am worried about the safety of our food given her hygiene standard.


We are a bit stuck with her at the moment because both of us need to work, and although our 6 years old son is quite capable to look after himself (e.g. shower, brush teeth, do his homework etc) it is illegal to leave the child alone at home, and we have no relatives to turn to.


FYI my son refused to let her touch him since day 1 - now I know why!!


God bless,


Gimme5

Gimme5. I sent you an e-mail to your mailbox on this site

Habits are hard to kick, if your helper has no concept of hygiene after her past work experiences, there's no chance she's going to learn now.

I've one of those unfortunate one who's never had a good DH, like you, both my husband & I work, but we've decided to rely on a part timer till we can find a good one, my 7 y.o. goes to school, so P/T is only needed to be with her until I get home so she's not alone .