What has stopped you from hiring a cleaning lady to come into your home before now? Was it the fact that she is a stranger? Perhaps you have heard nasty stories that turned you off of the whole idea. Most cleaners are probably good people just trying to earn a living. Then again, it is tough to know if this is the lady who is entering your home or not.
How secure do you feel with this person in your home, gaining access to everything from your medicine cabinet full of valuable pharmaceuticals to the sock drawer where you keep spare cash? She should not open either of these, but there is no saying what she will do without you over her shoulder checking. These are real concerns, unless you have some way of virtually guaranteeing the quality of your cleaning lady.
Like it or not, we all know people who would happily clean our homes because we have money and they do not. These might be friends or acquaintances. They could be high school students or the children of people we know; teens who come with glowing references and photos of them saving kittens from drowning. Paying a stranger (and accepting money from one) is much harder than paying someone you see socially. On the other hand, you know the character of this person or her family. A colleague or fellow church member's daughter needs cash for university: can you help? Well, the family has always had high standards of morality. There is no hint of crime or a bad boyfriend. This could be a good way to get what you want, help out, and enjoy ease of mind.
What about agencies? Do they hire out good people? That depends on the agency. As with any kind of professional business, there are some which only assign their own employees to handle jobs. Others hire temps and contract workers, people they do not know and they can hardly vouch for strangers. Which one is more concerned about the reputation of the company they are representing? You can be sure it is the employee, not the temp. The temporary hire might be the sweetest girl you ever met, but the permanent employee was trained by her boss not to wash the sink with a rag dipped in toilet water. Her work might be insured. Reports of poor performance or stealing would lose her permanent job. She should have been subjected to a criminal record check by her employer, but ask the question. Take nothing for granted.