Expecting too much of my cleaner

When DC was little, I cleaned once a week for a local family who had 2 dogs and 2 cats. The dogs were rarely taken outside and so left their poo behind sofas, curtains and in corners, where it slowly dried out until I arrived the following week to remove it. The cat litter tray was never emptied between my visits and simply had another layer of newspaper and cat litter put over the poo - a bit like a sandwich. The final straw was arriving to one day to find that one of the dogs had eaten a large bag of dried fruit that had been left on a table. The "fall out" in the kitchen from that was just too much and I left immediately.
The stench of that house remains with me to this day. (not envy)

Thar reminds me of the time very many years ago when a new girl came to our school and my friend and I were chatted with taking her under our wing.
We would have been 13/14 at the time.
It was stressed on us that a very good impression must be made as her father was very high up in the County’s Education dept.
When she took us home for the first time, shock just didn’t cut it.
There was a full litter tray and dried up cat food in bowls all by the fireplace, the place was quite frankly filthy and I can see it to this day.
She and her parents were absolutely charming, her father was great fun.
They just didn’t mind how they lived.

Charged not chatted.
B....y auto correct

They just didn’t mind how they lived
I didn't mind how they lived either; I just wouldn't clean it up!

Gosh Chewbacca and annsixty, those poor animals (and poor Chewbacca too). I’d have reported them to the RSPCA. Just amazing that people can live like that and expect someone else to clean it all up/blithely invite people in. Sounds like one of those filthy homes on TV programmes which I’d love to watch but husband refuses! I’d be like a domestic goddess in comparison I’m sure!?

I suppose because the OP’s original cleaner cleaned the shower tray, she just assumed the new cleaner would do also, but I take your point GSM.

Yes I think so Calendargirl. We all learn the hard way ?!

When we moved into this house all the showers were absolutely filthy. Above head height and behind doors was cobweb city. The cleaner gave us the keys. She had just finished top to bottom she said . What ever had the previous owners been paying her for?

Get a new one. If she worked in an office or factory and was fussy about what she did and didn’t do she wouldn’t last long.

I don't have a cleaner either. However, I can sympathise with any cleaners out there that cannot tackle the hair in a shower plug hole. I can clean my own but the though of cleaning anyone else's just makes me shudder! ??

Me too H1954

And me!?

With some scepticism, I bought "enzyme sticks" at Tesco to put in the shower drain hole and I'm a total convert. We are amazed at how clean the plugholes stay between weekly cleaning. It dissolves the hair (or something). You can also buy them online.

We also threw away (in both our showers) the unnecessary external plastic caps or covers that had no real purpose other than to act as an extra place to trap hair and stuff.

1st world problems.

I'm so envious. I would just love to have a cleaner.

I have plenty of cleaning work, ie military accommodation, officers houses, private cleaning,band sheltered housing cleaner
I would always do what I was paid to do and more
cleaning the hair from a plug hole or shower hole, is part of cleaning
and of course emptying bins is part of it too.
You are not being unreasonable to expect this to be done and if you have mobility issues, you would think your cleaner would help by doing these things without question

Sorry a few predictive texts and missed words out

I used to be a cleaner and was never expected to fish other peoples minging hair out of plugholes or shower traps. It’s disgusting enough doing my own, I am horrified that people expect this. I do my own every time I have a shower, if you can’t bend use an unfurled wire coat hanger.

I work as a home helper (cleaner) for a well known UK age related charity. I have always asked my clients what they would like me to include as part of my routine, and always ask them to make sure they tell me if they are unhappy about anything I may have missed. Fortunately my clients have all been lovely and I hope that the feeling is mutual, communication is the key.

No not too much important part of cleaning shower for me??

Probably best to say what cleaning jobs you expect to be done when you employ the cleaner.

Agree that you need to be clear what you want your cleaner to do. I've been doing my cleaning myself since 2nd lockdown. She was much better than I am at making a room look good, but I think I am better with the loos and shower. I am hoping to get another cleaner and will take this discussion as a prompt to make my requirements clear

I spent years cleaning other people`s houses. I just did what I would do in my own place and yes hair traps if I could see it needed doing. One of my ladies had someone that wouldn`t clean toilets. I did anything that was asked of me, cleaning ovens, ironing, anything at all. My ladies used to say that good cleaners are hard to find.

Well I’ve never had a cleaner but my mums had plenty and I had live in au pairs when children were little, whilst I was at work and the kids at school they were expected to attend English classes and between classes do “light” housework..I had one each year, it really varied, some volunteered to clean out the kids caged animals as they loved animals, others would leave spotless kitchens, one ran up huge phone bills and disappeared off into the night !!!!

MissAdventure

Some agencies don't allow their staff to bend or stretch up.
They are only allowed to clean the middle bit of everything.
I know that because my neighbour used to take on many a disgruntled customer and clean properly.

Nonsense. A reputable cleaning company will send someone round to establish what the client wants done and from that will work out how long it will take and cost. If only the middle of things is being cleaned, the cleaners aren't doing their job properly, end of, nothing to do with what is allowed and what isn't.