Maria Cleans 4 U

Maria is fantastic. Very reliable and did the best job I have ever seen of cleaning one of our apartments in Berkeley. We were able to rent it the next day which is not always the case. I will use her service whenever I need a cleaner and recommend her highly. Price very reasonable and she gives estimates.

She quoted a moderate price ($ 180), gave my one bedroom place a final cleaning, including the stove, fridge, and bathroom — and I got my deposit back. Couldn’t have asked for more.

Absolutely amazing! I am very picky when it comes to cleaning, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that cleaning is a talent I don’t have myself. Lest a Unilocaler inadvertently imagine me as a filthy slob (because let’s be honest, I care how you feel) — I do clean, like everyday. Especially since I cook every day, I’m always battling the stains on the gas stove, the little crumbs on the floor, the schmutz sticking to pots and pans, the crud in the sink drain. (Why do I bother? I blame Berkeley for the amazing produce that just begs me to craft organic slow food delicacies… to heft out the tools and steam and grate and chop away…)
Anyway, I digress. The point is, I am happy when things are clean, and my idea of clean is very precise. I’ve had cleaning services before where I try to appreciate the great work they’ve done, but there’s always a little something missing which I just try to swallow away as me being «too picky». (NB: I sometimes wish I could be one of those people who goes back to the Starbucks counter and demand they remake my drink because it «tastes weak», but I just feel too guilty for being able to buy overpriced coffee in the first place. Or being at Starbucks when I should be supporting some independent mom-​and-​pop establishment. With housecleaning, same principle: I already feel guilty and overprivileged for being able to pay someone to clean my stuff, but I’ve already accepted that I can’t do nearly as good of a job even if I did have time… besides, this way I can dedicate all my time to saving the world through Berkeley-​style activism.)
But when my former housecleaner, sweet as she had been initially, started demanding inordinate sums of money for cleaning just 400 sq feet of space ($ 180? Really?.) AND I kept finding little things missing with her service, I bit the bullet and decided to change.
After rigorous Unilocal research, I found Maria and emailed her (I hate phones). She emailed me back and we picked a time for her to come over. She was very prompt (unlike my former housecleaner), despite yucky rainy weather, and arrived with her husband. She looked over the areas to be cleaned and gave me a very fair estimate.
She and her husband spent about 3 hours cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, and when they were done, I was amazed. She did an absolutely fantastic job with the oven and gas range, which had crud of eons sticking to it (I swear I attacked that thing for an hour during a stress-​induced cleaning attack and didn’t even touch it). It literally looks like brand-​spanking-​new. She cleaned the floors, thoroughly scrubbed the fridge and her attention to detail was impeccable. Her husband cleaned my bathroom, and he did a pretty good job as well. (I think her standard is perhaps a touch better, but they’re essentially the same caliber.)
I’m so happy with her service and am definitely getting her back on a regular schedule. In fact, I was so happy I’m literally motivated to write this review just a few hours after she cleaned today.
Another big plus — she and her husband also seem like very honest, hardworking people. Definitely recommend quite highly.

Maria is a great, reliable house cleaner. She works to get our house into excellent shape, and never needs to be asked to do anything. We’re often surprised to come home and find she has done more than we expected.
Very friendly, reliable and not unreasonable prices.

Maria is the smartest, most competent, thorough and professional house cleaner I’ve ever had. She cleans so thoroughly that it’s like coming home to a new house. She gets things cleaned that I thought could never be clean again. And magically things seem to stay clean for a long time too. She’s absolutely amazing. I’ve referred several friends to her and they all love her work too.

Maria has cleaned for me at my apartment and at my business. I manage a 100-​unit building and have her clean units after the tenant’s move-​out. She does such a thorough job and is worth every penny.
In addition, she cleans my apartment. She always goes the extra mile and turns my apartment into a sacred haven again.
Not to mention what a wonderfully sweet person she is…
Highly recommended.

Maria is an excellent house cleaner. She not only does a terrific job, but she is also very professional. Maria was recommended to me by a friend and I highly recommend her to anyone that needs a great house cleaner.

I am continually amazed by Maria. The level of cleaning she does is beyond professional. Cleaning a house like Maria does is a real talent, and few know how to do it the way she does. And I should know. I was a house cleaner for 14 years! I have finally found someone better than me!