This is the issue — she works for a service that mandates she does about six houses a day. So I only get an hour and a half. Whereas it would really take half a day for a thorough cleaning. When I’ve had renovations and asked her to do more — she said she didn’t have time.

I have her cell phone — I may call her and ask her if she’d be willing to do the job my way — longer and better — and get to keep all the money, instead of having most of it go to her boss — as I’m sure is the case now. I’d rather give her that option, rather than go to another self-employed cleaner.

Now, I utilize a monthly cleaning service to do the heavy lifting around my home. My cleaning lady, who doesn’t get benefits or paid time off from her employer, is suffering from Bell’s Palsey, and has been doing a substandard job for the last several months. What do I do? I felt so bad for her I didn’t comment — but then things got really filthy, and I found myself doing her job and asking myself what I was paying her for. When I gave her very polite and more pointed instruction on how and what to clean — she seemed offended and crestfallen. This is a woman on the brink. I spoke to her directly, not to her employer — because I don’t want her to take flack from him, it’s more fair to deal directly. Rosalind — any advice?