Does everyone have a cleaner except me?

janeainsworth, I suspect you're right, its easier to have a positive working relationship via an agency.
I plan to ask the firm I used last year to do four 'deep cleans' a year. the idea of every window, door, skirting boards etc being 'done' feels like a treat. that's tier 3 and lockdown for you!

We have had a cleaner for most of our married life! We have 5 children, a biggish house and I hate housework - seems to make sense.

We are fairly tidy but it makes sense to be tidy so she can clean.

They both started well but soon drifted off. I hear that's not uncommon
Iam
I had that experience when I employed cleaners directly, but for the last ?15 years my cleaner has come from an agency & I think that makes a difference.
There have never been any problems but if there were, somehow it’s much easier to email or phone the agency than have a difficult conversation with the cleaner yourself. The cleaners know that too.

I do not have a cleaner. I never have.

My daughter occasionally does the odd bit of cleaning for me -sometimes I pay her, sometimes I don't. She never asks for anything and usually I prefer to do it myself.

Perhaps you should start criticising your daughter's home and see how she likes it or tell her she can pay for a cleaner if she wants you to have one.

Your daughter loves you and wants to help. She doesn't realise she isn't helping!

I don't have a cleaner. Last year, spring and November, I had three women come in and do what they called "a Deep Clean". Every skirting board, light switch, cupboard door, window, floor, bathroom, utility room - you name it they cleaned it. It was a real joy. I confined myself to the kitchen until they started in there, when I took myself into the sitting room.
Do you think your daughter could be persuaded that this is a much better idea than a cleaner for a couple of hours a week. I had two cleaners at different times when I was working full time with children. They both started well but soon drifted off. I hear that's not uncommon.

No cleaner here and I will never have one . I can’t bear the thought of anyone nosing around my home .

I’ve never had a cleaner but I did work as one for a while out of necessity when my children were young. The lady who employed me was very unpleasant and treated me like a skivvy twice a week. Squeezing more jobs onto the list but still expecting me to fit it all into the same 2 hour slot. Oh how I hated those days!

No we don't have one, mind you did many years ago when my two children were living at home and never did a thing. So employed a clean and split the bill 4 ways and told both of them if they didn't keep it clean in-between visits then I would employ her for 3 days a week. That did the trick. When they left home, as it was cheaper to live away from they said I did with out the cleaner and managed. Anyway doing housework isn't top of my list of things to do. Mr Barmey and I have a go at it every now and and again.. In fact we are going to do some on Thursday. Just for record our house isn't dirty but is sometimes untidy and nobody has ever been ill from the state of my home.

No cleaner here.

A one-off clean after you’ve finished your decorating works is well worth it, if it’s affordable for you, Luckylegs. I had one-offs done when we lived abroad and the house was empty for longish spells. They descend in a group and zoom about the place so efficiently!

The company I used are the ones who clean Balmoral for the queen. My house is a tad smaller than that.

No, never had cleaner, there's no need, as sadly, I really like housework. I am very houseproud and get a lot of satisfaction from giving the house a good clean. I also clean my son's house (I'm retired so plenty of time on my hands - son is single, I wouldn't clean for him if he had a partner, as I'm sure no one would relish their MIL doing their cleaning?). Luckylegs I know others have said that your daughter is out of order for her comments, but personally, I would want my children to speak up if they thought something wasn't right; I know their comments would be coming from a good place and in my opinion they are only trying to help, but that's just me.

I visited a young (30s) friend one summer day.
We couldn't go outside until the gardener had finished.
Everything indoors was off the floor and on the table as the cleaner was coming.
Jokingly, I asked her what time the cook arrived to make dinner? ?
I think it's a generation thing.
I think about cleaning a lot, but with no visitors to see it there's very little incentive when there's more interesting stuff to do!
I am hot on kitchen and bathroom hygiene, but dust... ?‍♀️

We're in our late 70s-80s and managed up to recently. But now have a young Romanian woman who comes weekly to clean for us.
I didn't want to start this ( I'm a bit slutty ) but husband is more obsessional. So for peace, I gave in.
She does a good job and needs the money.
Another point - I don't like to use the word 'cleaner'. I think it's demeaning. Maybe domestic help, or something like that.

We have a lovely cleaner for 2 hours every fortnight to clean where l can’t - due to health / mobility problems. We do tend to go out when she’s here, as she can talk for England !

We've got a terrific cleaner. A lovely Polish lady. I furloughed her on full pay for a few months and when she came back she brought me a huge bunch of flowers, chocolates and insisted on staying longer than her 2 hours to do a deep clean. Obviously, she's furloughed again. It would be great to have her back as I'm rubbish at cleaning. It really makes me appreciate what a really good job she does.

I always had a cleaner when I was working, I don't know why people are sniffy about this. It meant someone else was earning money and I had more time to do the things I enjoyed. It's a win win situation as far as I can see.

I'm having one as my non-retirement present. I'm going to carry on working and claim my pension, so I'll have more spare cash. I can't wait! I don't like cleaning so this will free me up to do more of the things I do like. I intend to ask the cleaner to do the bathroom, mop all the floors and clean the kitchen cupboards on the outside. All jobs I hate! I intend to leave the house whilst she (or he!) is there and just let them get on with it. Roll on next July!

I always had a cleaner while I was working full time, but not while I’m retired. Though I could easily be persuaded to get another one - it was always lovely to get home to a cleaned house after a day at work .

No, I don't have a cleaner either! Considering all the work that's going on in your home just now there would be little point in my opinion. We have recently had some renovations done and had clutter in various rooms which had to be moved to make way for the work........and don't even get me started on the dust!
We simply made sure that food was prepared in a hygienic environment and the bathroom was kept clean.

Thanks for all your kind support. I think it’s a good idea that, once we’ve got straight in the New Year, we get a cleaner to do a full clean. My DD may offer to pay, it doesn’t matter. I am going to tell her to mind her own business but tonight I didn’t mention it, she knows I’m annoyed.

We’ve delayed the carpet fitting which should have been this week until January as we couldn’t possibly manage to move everything out of the hall! We’re getting new doors as well after Christmas so I’m looking forward to it. There has been some progress today, after what feels like weeks of preparation so I might be able to think about writing cards, buying presents soon. Thanks for your kind thoughts, aren’t kids, even grownup ones, so b....y annoying!

Cheek of her, she can see it is only while you are having the house decorated and we all know how messy that can get. However, if she is wanting to help you by paying for one accept with open arms. When the cleaner arrives, they will understand why there is a disorder, tell him/her what you would like done or not touched, even write a list. Then take yourself off in another room to either relax on gransnet or go out for a walk.

Our cleaner has been part of our lives for nearly 25 years and is a godsend now that DH is struggling and needs so much care and attention. She is intelligent and intuitive and has her own routines and systems which I never interfere with. I do the ironing, polishing brass and silver and the bits about eye level which tend to get missed. Hate housework and would give up almost anything before my cleaner.

This is about boundaries with your dd, Luckylegs, not the cleanliness or otherwise of your house. I’m afraid I’d be telling her that if she doesn’t like it, she can go elsewhere to eat and get someone else to do her laundry.

Btw, I do have a cleaner and have had for years. My Dh worked away a lot and with four dc, it was a bit of luxury for me.

Bluebell you make an important point about £12.50 could pay for a meal out. If I was on my own with only half our pension I too would find it hard to pay for a cleaner.