Does anyone else run around like a scalded cat before the cleaner comes?

Sara1954

Marmight
Your dad sounds wonderful, especially in an era when it was considered the wife’s job to keep a lovely home.
Good for him.

Yep. He was one in a trillion my Dad. Devoted to the end. He was a toy boy - 7 years younger

I used to have a cleaner when I worked full time. Wonderful house when I got home every Friday evening, ready for the weekend when I’d buy fresh flowers too. Since retiring we have two small apartments so we do the necessary (wipe down with a damp cloth for 5 minutes every day, whether it needs it or not!) and to be honest Himself is happy to do the lion’s share.

Yes, good for him. Not the norm for his time!!

wish I could have a cleaner !

grannyactivist I think it’s normal to do a bit of tidying up before the cleaner comes.

I have had a cleaner for around 19 years - when I was working 12 hour days, it was a profound relaxing feeling to come home from work on a Friday and all was fresh and clean.

Now I have one due to back problems. Mine is good for a chat too.

Worth every penny she is, I say, for the 2 hours a week I pay her for. I still do a tiny tidy up though lol.

Yes.well, we make sure things are put away as much as possible, especially if there's been any parcels delivered & left in hallway- or recycling done so its not in the way etc.so that there's room for her to actually clean, or there's no point.?

Don’t have a cleaner, can’t afford a cleaner, no cleaning before he/she comes - simple.

I have never had a cleaner, wish I had, but I would also tidy around before she came I am sure.I think its what we women do.

I always tidy everything away before the cleaner comes. I pay her to clean not tidy and if she did I probably wouldn't find anything I want to make it as easy as possible for her

Have had 2 cleaners in my lifetime.
First was a leaflet through the door from a local woman starting up. She spent most of the 2 hours chatting to me about her marriage problems, while I was trying to WFH. After 3 weeks she went.
Second was an agency boss who was working as not enough staff.
Did very little in 2 hours. Turned up 15min late, left 20 mins early, half stairs hoovered, kitchen not touched, worktops not even wiped etc.
Perhaps I was just unlucky idk.
My friend at work had a few things stolen from her drawers, a camera and binoculars disappeared. Things she saw only now and again when she went birdwatching abroad.
Would like a cleaner and can afford it once a week but I'm wary now.

Like others I tidy surfaces so time is not wasted. It means I can wipe or wash items when returning to the nice clean rooms. 2 cleaners get £36 for one hour and they will do kitchen bathroom one other room hall and landing & downstairs toilet. They are very efficient and cheerful worth every penny

Exactly the same here, broke things which I found in the bin ( she didn' t even tell me) ,more trouble than help.

Yes!!

Same here - no cleaner. Prefer to do it myself.

Until I read your responses, I was feeling pleased to have found my cleaner! But I pay £16 for one hour’s work per week and live in a small one-bedroomed flat. I stupidly offered to also pay £1 parking because I was so pleased to find someone at last. My arthritis meant that I could no longer do things like putting fresh sheets on the bed, hoovering, etc. I don’t tidy up before she comes because living in a small space makes me keep it tidy anyway.

What cleaner …….?

Joannepiano ; You daft thing!!! ??

Fennel

No I don't clean before she comes but do tidy so she can get on with the main part.
Hardly dare mention the pay rate here - £8-10 an hour. And if you pay more the word gets round and you're not popular!

£8 for an hours physical work is unjust and hardly looking after other women in life. It is taking advantage of her.

Sounds like less the minimum wage, let alone living wage. Then there’s the unpaid time travelling between clients. I would be ashamed to pay so little - indeed I wouldn’t do it.

Don't have a cleaner - but do run round like a scalded cat if I think anyone is coming!!

No, that's what I pay the cleaners to do! £60 for two for 2 hrs every other week. Worth every penny.

I don't have a cleaner, which is fortunate as we could not afford one.

If we had one, I would not clean before she came, but I would ensure that she did not have to waste her time and my money on picking things up from the floors or the like.

If I ever am able to afford a gardener, I will make sure he or she can reach the gardening tools without trouble, but I certainly not mow lawns or weed before the gardener came.

Why have a dog and bark yourself?

I have a cleaner every 2 weeks who does things like inside of windows. Cupboards bathrooms etc; Best of all I have a man to do the laundry. mr Eggs he is efficient, likes doing it and even does the ironing. Meanwhile, I am the cook and gardener.

I tidy up, put things in their correct place but that’s it.

When the children were at home we had a rule that if they wanted their rooms cleaned they had to be tidy and doors open. If not then they had to clean their rooms first thing Saturday morning, before any activities, it worked 95% of the time.

I honestly cannot imagine not having a cleaner after 35 years we f being fortunate enough to afford one.

After my mother retired (at 60) she decided to set herself up as a cleaner. Her house was immaculate and she actually liked cleaning. She had two houses that she cleaned - one posh one more ordinary. She only stuck it for a couple of months. She said the houses were tidy but they had so many knick-knacks that it was a nightmare trying to dust and took half of her allotted time.

We briefly had a cleaner. I had never actually met her as I was away quite a bit. I came home one day to find her sitting in the kitchen watching the telly and drinking tea. I would understand if it was after she had finished but it wasn't.

I agree, good cleaners are hard to find. They are like gold dust around here where there are a lot of elderly people.