Does everyone have a cleaner except me?

I have one but I am unable to do it myself. Having someone in to do a once over blitz might be an idea Luckylegs I once treated my son to one when his flat had got messy. Cost a bit but a good idea.

I last had a regular cleaner when I worked long days, sometimes 12 hours for 3 consecutive days was normal. I paid a nice Lithuanian lady for 3 hours on a Friday, which meant it was bliss when I got home from work.

My children and other relatives all have cleaners. OH said we didn’t need one as he would take care of it, then announced he doesn’t do dusting!

Once life is back to normal I will be looking for someone to help out, probably on a monthly basis.

Why do we women have such a hang up about having a cleaner !! We think nothing of sending a car to be serviced so why not a house ?? We do enough without doing all that cleaning nonsense and if you truly have nothing better to occupy your hours then find a new pastime - or go and clean a friend's house as an extra gift !!

I have had a cleaner for the past 10years or so, as I'm physically unable to do it myself, and l live in a fairly large house. I started off employing a team of ladies who worked for the MerryMaids chain, they worked in pairs and often it would be a different pair that would turn up to do my fortnightly clean. This went on for a couple of years until the local franchise branch closed down. I then had a couple of local self employed cleaners, the first one stole an expensive designer cardigan from my Daughters bedroom, it was very distinctive, and l spotted her wearing it one day down at our local hospital. Needless to say she never worked for me again after that. Her replacement was a very nice girl but was more into tea and chatting than actually doing the task in hand. She ten started turning up with her toddler son in tow, needless to say he was making more mess than his mum was cleaning up! My daughter now cleans for me once a week, and does any other little chores that need doing too. Her family have grown up now, so shes got plenty of time to do it whilst her partner is out at work. I pay her a decent living rate, which helps buy her a few extras as a reward for helping me, she even cut my hair for me last week!

I had a cleaner when we lived abroad. I was pregnant and working full time. She was a godsend. She loved cleaning and did everything, even the oven. I would love a cleaner now as I have a big house but hubs thinks I should just do it myself.

Load of older people have cleaners and we'll deserved after years of working. However I would have to take my daughter to task about the way she speaks to people if it were me.. I would not put up with the disrespect.

No, I don't have a cleaner as in my small house we'd be in each other's way which would be awkward. I'm able to do the job myself though I do so unwillingly, keeping the house reasonably clean, especially the bits which matter such as the kitchen and bathroom.

The sitting room is presentable but where I'm sitting now in my sewing/computer room is a bit of a tip, I'm afraid.

Luckylegs.
What a BL===y cheek your daughter has. If she is so concerned about what she sees as a house needing a clean what is stopping her from being a good daughter and doing it for you ?Only get a cleaner because you feel the need not what DD dictates.

I had one when I lived overseas and we ended up cleaning the house together! I didn’t have her for long. Preferred to do the housework myself. It wouldn’t enter my head to have a cleaner now. I enjoy housework.

I love it! You do her washing and ironing, look after her children, etc and she is telling you off for not cleaning well enough. Although I prefer to ensure confrontation, I think even I would have bitten back on that one.
She should have stepped into our house last week. We have been sanding, sawing, routing, etc and the whole place was heaving with dust. We also had to move things about from pillar to post so rooms were stuffed to the gunnels but we will sort it in our own time. As long as it isn't a fire hazard, it is our problem, nobody else's.

I had a cleaner years ago when I had youngish kids, an “unhelpful” OH and worked full time. I had the same clean-up- first issues but the joy of opening the door at night to a freshly vacuumed carpet on her day ??. Although now retired I do still have a lady who collects my basket of ironing every Monday and brings it back beautifully ironed - on hangers- every Thursday. Bliss! In fact my house was flooded in 2007 and my ironing board ruined. Never bothered to replace it and have managed just fine ?

I can't see how your daughter can say your house isn't clean enough - anyone that has lived through the chaos that house renovations cause, however small knows that it is nye on impossible. As soon as you clean one bit, dust, fluff etc lands straight on it.
Do what you can until all the work on the house is finished and the boxes unpacked and then suggest your daughter puts her hand in her pocket to pay for a one off through clean!

I had a cleaner when 3 teenagers lived in the house.I worked full time plus a lot of work taken home so time was short. Had her for 4 years. Haven't had one since. I think of cleaning now as a way to keep moving just like resisting a move to a bungalow. As long as I can move, bend, I will do without a cleaner. Of course your house will seem like a tip with all the decorating,dust evetywhere. Has your DD never experienced the mess caused when work is going on inside a house!

I have a cleaner every other week for 2 hours. I got it through Age UK as I am now unable to do many things in the home, the one thing I am grateful for is that she changes the bedding for me among other things that I can't do myself. Up until I had these disabilities I never had a cleaner, but now it is a necessity

My DIL had one once, after her second baby. She has ME. After a while, maybe 4 to 5 weeks, she was taking the rubbish out, and at the top were a load of wipes! All they’d been doing was wiping round with them. No hot water, buckets, disinfectant ?. At thirty pounds a time, she decided to buy her own wipes, and needless to say, she sacked them straight away!?

You should make the decision yourself rather than your daughter telling you what to do.
I have just got a cleaner for my father who is 89 and whilst he didn't whoop with joy at the thought of it he is relieved not to be changing the sheets once a week, washing floors and cleaning loos. We were doing the chore between us every week when I visit but it seemed a shame to spend my visiting time to him cleaning rather than chatting with him over a cup of tea. I also cook for him and freeze down meals each week and take him shopping twice a week, so it was nice for me as well. He now enjoys the fact that someone is coming to do this for him, and its another person checking that this very independent man is OK.

Love the idea of a cleaner especially for those jobs like washing skirtings, inside windows, paintwork, bathroom grouting but in reality I would be concerned about having a stranger in my house with almost unlimited access. I would be wanting to hover all the time to see what the cleaner was doing which would not be a good thing.

Cheeky daughter, doesn’t she realise you’re busy doing things in the house. I used to have a cleaner but had to sack in the end and nothing was ever to my standards! Kitchens and bathrooms do need to be kept clean for obvious reasons. I always clean the bathroom after a shower or Bath and cleaning the kitchen is always done after cooking so the important areas always look ok and never a major chore. Doing cleaning in stages means it’s never a big deal.

No, I would probably benefit from one as I am not a domestic goddess but my finances wouldn't allow it and my house is so stuffed with muddles (aka all our hobbies) I would be mortified for someone to see the state of it.
I did do an annual clean this month and was somewhat surprised to find that our furniture isn't grey at all, but actually different wood colours! I should have remembered that from previous rare occasions - must make a note to myself....

Used to have one when we worked full time. Her name was Hazel and when the house was Hazelled it was wonderful!
I’d like your idea Nankate just to do the bits I really hate, -skirting boards and windows but it’s not going to happen.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Go for it! My only word of warning.... They can be a bit like gardeners. Great for a few weeks, then a gradual top show only 'dust around' .

If you want it done thoroughly, then don't expect miracles. They usually only do 2-3 hour sessions and no one can do an entire house in that time.

Good luck

I'm exactly the same as you Septimia. I don't particularly like cleaning but when the urge to do it,I do a really good job. I'm always tidy but a bit dusty. Once I start reading that's it everything goes out the window. I would like a cleaner but then I would have to clean before she came as I would be embarrassed if the house was dirty. So what would be the point.

I've had cleaners in the past. First one spent so much time chatting about her problems she did very little. Second was an agency who was great for first 3 weeks then I found stairs only hovered halfway down, worktops not wiped, etc and she left half an hour early. Also work colleague had a cleaner that slowly went the same way. Also a couple of months after she left she found her very expensive binoculars missing from her bedroom drawers and other items had vanished too. So no I don't want a cleaner and won't have another.

We have not had a cleaner since the first lock-down when we parted company reluctantly, but she had a large and blended family. She was excellent and came for four hours a week. Ours is not a large house but a converted and extended stable with a mezzanine floor. There are a couple of steps down to the kitchen, we are all open plan except for the utility room, downstairs loo/cloakroom and upstairs shower room. there is a step down to the TV area and vaulted ceilings to the dining , sitting and sleeping areas, wooden floors with rugs except for the kitchen, utility etc. with stone flags.
So not an easy house to clean by any standards. Our cleaner had a system and did certain tasks on a rota as well as the usual normal cleaning each week. We never interfered. We have bought one of those hang on the wall cordless Dyson vacuum cleaners to avoid tripping over cords and my husband is a really good cleaner, very quick, energetic and methodical. However we both work and the problem is finding enough hours in the day to do it all. Personally I hate cleaning so I do the cooking, laundry, shopping but I do miss my cleaner. She was with us for four years. We had others before that but she really was the best we've ever had.