Does everyone have a cleaner except me?

I don't have a cleaner but the housework has gotten much easier as my eyesight has deteriorated.

Nope I don’t, and wouldn’t want one, I prefer to do my own cleaning

I have one for 2 hours twice a week. She is really flexible and will clean windows, oven and even see on name tags on school uniform. I had one when I worked full time and just kept her on as she is thorough and flexible.

I hate housework and have had cleaners in the past. I always found it very uncomfortable if I was around when they came but I was working at the time so was not often in the house. However, a few times I had the day off and I must admit I did sometimes leave her a message to say I was off work sick and not to bother with my bedroom then I would hide away until she had left! Now I am retired I would love a cleaner but I can't really justify it.

I’m sometimes tempted to have the occasional ‘deep clean’ aka spring clean but reckon as long as I’m still able to do it myself (68) I treat all housework as a work-out - plenty of stretching, reaching, lifting, bending etc - then I don’t resent the time spent doing it. For same reason I won’t move to a bungalow as long as I can still nip up and down stairs without any pain.

I like that idea cossybabe. Better than a weekly invasion.

obviously, I clean during those periods

No! I had one when I was working full time with 2 teenage boys & a messy husband.
She was a lovely lady- much older than I was which made me a bit ashamed TBH. However she only cleaned what she fancied doing rather than what I wanted done.
My husband used to laugh as I would rush round the house the night before doing things when I should have been leaving it for her to do. I never asked her to do boy's bedrooms- I hate to think what she might have found!
I started working part time & unfortunately the day I had off was her day so I had to make myself scarce or feel very guilty. We parted on good terms when I started 3 days a week & could not justify having her anymore.
We stayed in touch until she died a few years ago.

I have a cleaning company come about every 6 months and thoroughly blitz the place - works out less expensive that having a regular weekly person

I don’t have a cleaner, but I do, do the ironing for a wealthy male friend of friend, although he is in tier 3 and I am tier 2 so that will stop for the time being. I would go for it, if the house is in a state from moving, having a cleaner to keep on top of things will relieve some of the stress. I’m only in my late 50’s now but when I’m retired I fully intend to have a cleaner as I hate cleaning bathrooms and hoovering always seems to make my back problems flare up.

We have a cleaner and have done so for years. She comes once a week and when she leaves the whole house is clean and fresh. I never have to worry about cleaning before visitors arrive (those were the days). When she couldn’t come in lockdown my DH and DD said they would take responsibility for cleaning various areas but their resolve gradually slipped. I don’t feel guilty about having someone clean my house while I paint or visit my mum. I worked hard all my life and now I’m giving someone a job.
PS Yes we did pay her in lockdown too.

I don’t have one now, she gave me up for COVID. She has been coming for years but I don’t work as much now and don’t really need her. However I would rather work at a job I enjoy than do housework.
We had, and still do, a great relationship and I was hoping to keep her for my old age! However she was offered an opportunity that she wanted to take.
In these very difficult times a lot of my clients ( I do have quite a few elderly ladies in their late 80’s and beyond) have found their cleaners have made lock down so much easier.

I've never had a cleaner, never wanted one. But I sure could do with one now. Can I afford one though....?

Do not have a cleaner or know anyone who has, capable of cleaning myself even working full time. Hate the though of someone else nosing through my home

Never have....and would never want a cleaner, unless I or hubby were completely incapacitated. Then it would have to be someone we knew. I don’t want people going through my private bits!

If anyone came into my house and criticised the cleanliness they would be handed the polish, duster and a carrier of cleaning products and I would sit and watch them clean.
Might stop them mentioning it again.

My daughter can be critical too. Last time she came she threw all the bath and toilet mats in the wash. They were already clean. She also criticised the cleanliness of the outside toilet which is rarely used and the basin was grubby because of some houseplants .

I never have, but by all means get one if you don't like cleaning or have better ways to spend your time.

I suggested it for my son when he worked long hours and had his own house, but he joked that I was insulting him. He actually kept quite a clean house, but who has time for baseboards and windows when you work 50 hours a week? Outsourcing is the new catchphrase.

Luckylegs, perhaps she didn't mean to insult, but instead knows how much you do and where your priorities lay. I would either spend the ironing time doing cleaning, or charge her for the ironing and use the money for a cleaner to do the bigger jobs every couple of months.

Image person

I do everything myself with a little help from my husband. If I didn’t my joints would cease up what else is there to do? Your daughter might mean well but she also maybe an imagine person. It’s your home do things at your pace.

I have never had a cleaner but having one is quite high on my wish list

I had a cleaner last year, provided by AgeUK, it cost me £14 per hour, which I thought was a lot, plus she didn`t do that good a job. Just before the March lockdown, AgeUK put their price up to £18 an hour, so I cancelled her. My daughter cleans for me occasionally, as I`m still recovering from a broken back.
Incidentally, AgeUK only paid the cleaner just under £9 an hour!

Never had a cleaner, luxury holidays, posh car, big house, second home etc. Just a working class girl who just about manages to pay her bills!!

Notagran55 my sentiments exactly.....

I have had a variety of cleaners ever since my second daughter was born. They came, they stayed a while, they went, however one or two were lovely especially a wonderful Vietnamese woman called Goy whom the children really loved for her sweet nature and endless patience with typical girls’ bedrooms.
Now I have a man who is fantastic. He also does the odd “heavy” job for me- taking bags etc up to and from the loft and moving my heavy teak garden furniture to the garage in the autumn and bringing it out in the Spring (with me) , changing fluorescent tubes high up light bulbs etc.
He comes every two weeks which is quite often enough and it’s an incentive to put things away the night before.
It is essential to have someone you are happy to have in the house and whom you trust, but I would say - go for it!