If you have a cleaner .

Our cleaner is terrifying in a whirling dervish kind of way, and we try to be where she isn’t, whilst keeping our cats out of her way, too.

I'd feel that I had to look incredibly busy while the cleaner was here, that's why I haven't looked for one yet, although it's going to be a necessity soon.

I have a ‘cleaner’ once a fortnight. When she’s here, I take myself off shopping and lunch. Nowhere special - just Asda or Tesco. … read the news on my phone and generally relax. There’s a lovely pub, not far from my house. I could go there I suppose, but I prefer the anonymity of a grocery store 😂

We have a cleaner once a fortnight as well. It’s a small house but she says it’s not worth her while financially to come for less time so I try to save the ironing for her too.. We go out some of the time she’s here and get her to do the living room while we’re out so that at least we’ve got somewhere to sit because it is difficult to just relax as someone works round you. I’m finding it less guilt inducing as I get older though.

I have a cleaner every other week - a gay man whom Ive known for many years. I just continue with business in the office ot stockroom while he's here and let him get on with it.

We have a cleaner for 2 hours a week. She does upstairs one week and downstairs the other. I go where she isn't. DH goes to the gym.

We are quite tidy but make sure everything is put away before she comes.

I am happy to leave her to get on whether I am in or out.

Ours is here this morning, just keep out of the way, or go out.

I am a cleaner and I prefer it if customers pop out while I'm working. I get so much more done.

Mine comes for 2 hours a week. She's very thorough and a chatty wee thing. I usually do any jobs that I can get on with or just read the papers or make phone calls. I'm quite comfortable with her working away.

Mine comes for 3 hours a week. Sometimes, if I ask, she will put clean bedding on. I prefer to strip the bed myself.

I try not to be in the same room where she is working. It works well with this lady who seems to think I am useless at my advanced age. Not quite yet!

I got a cleaner a while ago and explained that I was having trouble in cleaning the shower. She spent a long time in the bathroom and it was spotless. As time went on, she spent more and more time on her phone and just cleaned the middle of the carpets so she had to go.

I got a cleaner earlier this year after a fractured shoulder stopped me doing even basic stuff like hover sweep or mop. She comes with a colleague for one hour a fortnight. I’ve decided to treat myself by keeping this on. Now I take the dogs out during their visit. I return to clean floors and surfaces. 🌞. I leave the house tidy so they can clean

No, I don't have a cleaner but a strict routine each day and I listen to lectures on You Tube or Radio 4 while I am cleaning.

I'd love to have a cleaner but where would they start! I have a very cluttered, enormous house. Some rooms are not in use.
I host volunteers from around the world to whom I assign tasks but only sometimes actual cleaning.
I pay a gardener, who brings her own tools, so that the shrubs and lawns look tidy and since DH died I've given away the big petrol mower which was impossible for me to handle.
As for cleaning: I whizz round with the hoover when it's required and keep kitchen and bathrooms hygienic.
There will come a time when help will be needed.
DMiL was scared of her cleaner who insisted on certain brands of products from particular shops. A separate cupboard was set aside. Cleaner's cupboard which noone else could touch!

I used to have one when I worked, there were two of them, they used to take the ironing away too and return it a couple of days later, it was great.
A friend of my daughters cleans and we’ve had her in a couple of times to blitz upstairs twice and downstairs once, after work has been done, I’ve stayed in for the upstairs, went out for downstairs. I trust her, so am not bothered if I’m in or not.

I'd rather have someone to come in and do a deep clean every so often than a regular weekly cleaner.

I have a very nice chap who does it all while I go out to play golf or shopping/lunch. Doesn't charge- does it for the pleasure of my company.

BigBertha1 - don't go out if he comes for your company!!
🤣

Yes, we have a weekly cleaning team. I hoover dog hair daily.

We leave or stay in, depending on the day. They're lovely young women, don't appear upset by us, like the dog(s) put up.

My house is like yours Grammaretto - full of clutter and projects...

But I'd still like a cleaner to do stairs/kitchen/bathroom and windows.

My mother-in-law's cleaner has a straightforward job in many ways as my mother-in-law lives very lightly there - but her cleaner works really hard, dusting, polishing, hoovering, changing beds, doing ironing, cleaning the dishwasher - whatever is needed.

I'm so grateful that this amazing woman helps my mother-in-law because she is also kind and compassionate and does things that most cleaners wouldn't do (changing light bulbs or curtains for example).

She genuinely cares for my mother-in-law and knowing this gives us a day a week to relax, know someone will be there with her and to know she will get things done when a "job" comes up suddenly.

Are you married to him by any chance BigBertha? 😂🤣

Isn't that great NotSpaghetti the best sort of cleaner/carer for your DMiL.

My DM had a male couple of cleaners who blitzed her tiny flat every fortnight until her circumstances changed and she needed carers. It was good while it lasted.

Grammaretto yes, she really is terrific. And it's so nice that one day a week we don't feel potentially "on call".

Even though she's 100 we really aren't needed as much as we think we are and though we don't visit every day it's still nice to have a day off.

our once a week cleaner has been with us for over 25yrs. We could not live without her. She is also an expert gardener so her advice on that is invaluable. She does encourage me to shift the clutter which is a good thing. I am terrified she will retire at some point.

We have a cleaner every week for two hours, who also takes our ironing away and does it and brings it back. She has been with us for two years and is from Ukraine. I teach her husband English once a week. They are lovely. We are usually in the house but it's of a size where we can work round her.