Not very happy with cleaner.

I no longer have a cleaner, I managed without during Covid and have continued.

My old cleaner became far too relaxed!

I asked her not to do a couple of bedrooms as I had thoroughly cleaned them and “mothballed” them as we were not going to be using them, I found her with the vacuum in one of the rooms, she said SHE had decided it needed doing!

She also used to take my Miele hoover bags as she was always running out, she always said she would replace them but never did.

I think the only reason we kept her for so long was because she always referred to her daughter who lived above a delicatessen, she pronounced delicatessen dellincontestant.

My husband and children had a little game to see if they could get her to say it😬.

My cleaner (when I worked long hours) was a friend - so, no, I didn't give her a detailed list of jobs to do. She'd do all the floors, then look around to see what else needed doing.

I'm afraid the outsides of washbasins (and tops of doors) would only be done occasionally around here. The cat/dog flaps really do need a weekly washing - and I'm fussy about the front door being clean and shiny too. We're all different in our expectations and standards.

I banned her from cleaning windows, TVs and mirrors as she left them smeary (so I did them myself) yet she regularly deep cleaned the oven - when I really wouldn't have bothered.

Now that I'm retired, though, I can easily do it all myself - just not so often as I've lowered my standards to suit!

I do think cleaning for 3 hours without a break is a bit much.
We have someone for 2 hours and she does vacuuming and the bathroom and kitchen .
She's also great to talk to so I reckon she's worth it for the therapy .

LRavenscroft, you answered your own question, right at the end.
I never for one moment thought that I would have a cleaner. I used to be one, many years ago when money was tight and I was asked if I would consider cleaning for them.
Then, I became increasingly unwell and frankly didn't have the energy to clean as I liked it to be done.
Hence, I have my lovely cleaner, and I am happy.

I honestly can't believe how much some people will pay for a cleaner. My aunt used to pay £25 an hour and that was a few years ago and she didn't hoover under the table as she had a bad back.

Here in Devon, seems to be £10 or £12 per hour, but depends on the size of the job (house).

Oooh biglouis can I borrow your new cleaner - he sounds perfect.

geeljay

Here in Devon, seems to be £10 or £12 per hour, but depends on the size of the job (house).

My regular cleaner I had for 3 years or so charged £10 ph , but unfortunately she finished to take on a different job . Then the next cleaner I’d had charged £30 for two hours , but , she were hopeless , she were happy just mooching around with her feather duster , so , that were a no go . Then I’d queried about another cleaner and she wanted £17 ph at minimum of 2 hours ! I have , for the foreseeable future , given up on them , I now just take my time and do it myself , bit at a time . I don’t like being overcharged for little return .

I use an agency that charges £16 an hour. They have two levels of cleaning - regular and deep clean. Deep clean is more expensive and involves windows, moving furniture; a good "bottoming out" and only recommended periodically. The regular clean is surfaces, vacuuming; kitchen and bathroom and bedroooms. I find the regular clean just about adequate as I still do fair bit myself and see a cleaner as a back-up.
It pays to clear the decks before they start to allow them to work more efficiently, by the way. A two hour stint is enough for non-stop cleaning imo.

If you’re not happy, get a new cleaner.

There should be a rota written up that highlights all the basics that should be done as well as less frequent jobs that can be done on rotation to keep on top of them.

You would organise this rota with your cleaner and then they can express what is achievable in the time allocated and expectations are clear.

"When the cleaner started she did a good job for a couple of weeks."

Did the good job include the items you are now complaining about?

What was the response when you mentioned them to her? You HAVE mentioned them to her I hope?

Primrose53

Depends what your house is like. My friend is a cleaner but now goes and looks at them beforehand before deciding whether she wants the job.

Some houses are on different levels, steps everywhere, some are full of clutter and ornaments, some have cats and dogs that never get brushed and leave a mess. She has so much work that she only takes on places that are already neat and clean.

She has so much work that she only takes on places that are already neat and clean

We're hoping to have a cleaner - when she finds a slot.
However, I've found myself trying to go through a room at a time, sorting, moving furniture, cleaning in corners so that it's not too bad before she starts!
Daft? Probably.
But there are things I can't do and it's all getting too much to cope with.

Some cleaners need to put on their reading glasses to see the dust and so do not notice things including cobwebs

LRavenscroft

Why do people have cleaners? I have always done my own cleaning despite a busy life as I didn't like strangers coming into my home and touching my things. It has always been very therapeutic to dust/vacuum after a busy day and feel I had achieved something physical. Also, it has saved us a fortune financially. Why would I want to pay someone to free up my time so I can go bowling/meet with friends etc? Nothing like a good bit of elbow grease. I suppose when I am no longer able to do my own cleaning I will need to get someone in, but, till then, I'll do my own.

Why do people have cleaners?
For all kinds of reasons.

They may loathe cleaning.
They may be too busy to clean as thoroughly as they'd like.
They may be old, frailer than they were or less able in some ways.
They may have always done their own cleaning and find it upsetting if they cannot cope with it and keep everywhere as clean as it was.

EmilyHarburn

Some cleaners need to put on their reading glasses to see the dust and so do not notice things including cobwebs

My nephew used to joke that his Gran (my Mum) used to carry a magnifying glass to look for dust 😁

I wish I could afford a cleaner at all.

I was a cleaner housekeeper several years ago I was basically left to it, working for professional couple, I worked 3 hours in a massive home built century’s ago, I was expected to vacuum 9 rooms , clean two bathrooms make adults bed and both children’s, they did clear away breakfast things so it was wiping worktops sink etc, clearing cobwebs of which there were many, and iron few bits of childrens uniform. I left when they decided they wanted me to clean patio windows inside, all for ten pounds hour. 🤣🤣

Callistemon21

EmilyHarburn

Some cleaners need to put on their reading glasses to see the dust and so do not notice things including cobwebs

My nephew used to joke that his Gran (my Mum) used to carry a magnifying glass to look for dust 😁

That is a good point, it is only when wearing reading glasses that I notice dust, I don't know how you could politely ask a cleaner about glasses wearing though.

This thread has reminded me why I don’t have a cleaner! We had someone who worked for a friend, the kitchen was always shining when I came home, but as time went on, she literally cut corners - she would shove everything on the floor in the living room out to the sides of the living room, then hoover the bit of carpet in the middle - which was no good to me, really.

I had a wonder worker for about nine years but she gave up during Covid.
The next one who was recommended as she cleaned the offices of the person recommending was a lovely lady but did more or less what she wanted.
When she had left the house didn’t look much different to how it was before she came except we had beautifully clean window frames and certain areas of the bathrooms.
She didn’t last long.
We are managing at present but I would have the old one back in a heartbeat, she charged £12.50 an hour but that would be more now.

Just ask her nicely to do what you have mentioned here. If she wants to keep her job she will do it. Anyway,
plenty of cleaners out there.

Sometimes you go have to gently point people in the right direction. I recently asked my cleaner to ensure she dusts/ cleans the bottom edges of the floors. Joked that when I sat on the toilet it was the first thing I saw. She was very apologetic and she snow does that every time she’s here. Unless you tell her she may not realise she’s missed it or it needs doing. I always phrase things like that as “ do you mind giving ……a clean? I think you may have miss3 it last time you were here. Works a treat

I must say I'm quite shocked that Sarah1954 has cleaners for 12 whole hours a week! That's one hell of a lot of cleaning! What exactly do they all do? Is your house the size of a small stately home? I presume you never pick up a duster for a quick flick round or get the hoover out? I certainly wouldn't want to of I was paying for 12 hours cleaning! Fascinating...!
We had a cleaner when I was still working. DH thought she was rubbish so decided to do it himself. I'm retired now, I do a bit, he does a bit - it probably doesn't amount to 12 hours a week but we don't live in squalor.

Esmay.OMyGoodness Me. Poor you.

I am toying with the idea of a cleaner, just for the occasional 'good clean' as I would rather sit in the garden with a good book, find it difficult to bend down to do the kicker boards under the kitchen units/ clean skirting boards etc. I waft about with a duster, and clean the kitchen and bathroom, but I need a bit of a top up I think.