If you have a cleaner .

I cleaned for one lady who need a good listening to (wonderful tales of her lovely sons) - she would chat and do something small like china ornaments while I did windows or behind furniture. We did a couple of rooms a week 'deep clean'. Another young lady - big house - asthsma - dog, new baby. She bathed the baby and did a bit of office work (antiques dealer) while I did anything and everything. College friend of mine worked with her cleaner - wet rooms every week and one other 'deep clean' per week. Working with keeps you in contact with what is done and what needs doing - but reduces the load. Also you are there to prevent prying. (May or may not be a concern - my aunt 'lost' a lot of collectibles).

I absolutely hate housework, it bores me into a coma so I've always had a cleaner!

He's brilliant and does and excellent job, I've had him over 3 years, so each week on my bedside table I leave him a free treat. He loves Coke,, Maryland Cookies, collects key rings so I always leave him something of that sort!

We’ve had the same cleaner for 40 years …..with a break of a few years when we lived abroad…..but when we returned we picked up where we left off! She celebrates her 70th birthday in January and I am 82! She is part of the fabric of our lives and we think of her as family. She’s the sweetest most hard working person and cleans our house far better than I ever could…..she’s just a little slower than she used to be - but then so are we!

My cleaner is in her seventies and is so full of energy she amazes me. She comes twice a week 2 hours each time does shopping as well as cleaning. The bathroom gleams I hardly dare use it after, the kitchen is scrubbed to an inch of its life including the cooker and microwave and after asking me to buy a flash mop the floors are spotless if that’s the word. Shopping I give her cash for the local Co op but my card for Tesco and the market and I have a monthly Morrisons shop and she takes great pleasure putting all the goods away in the freshly cleaned cupboards and fridge. She waters the house plants all year round and waters the garden in summer and best of all she makes me tea and toast. I just keep out of her way when she’s here but she knows where to find me and always checks with me before she throws anything away. She has a thing about sell by dates, one day over and it’s out also she gets the washing machine and dryer mixed up so quite often my daughter has to come and make sure the washing goes in the right place but apart from that I’ve no complaints. She’s retiring next year as she’s off to New Zealand to visit her son and I don’t know what I’ll do without her. I pay her £30 an hour,which seems a lot but she’s worth every penny.

How do you go about finding a cleaner, the question of references, how many hours etc.. And the pay please? Thank you.

I've had various cleaners, and found the men do it better- i used to always get two with this newest company at first, and it took them half the time but i still paid the full 2hours as there were 2 and they got double done, but since july only 1 of them has come, for 2 hours (each fortnight) and as theyre a married couple(its their own company) they took turns to be with their kids, but i noticed last time the wife hadnt done all behind my table & dining area in the kitchen so ill mention it when whomever comes next week. I dont mind just relaxing on sofa with my feet out of the way when theyre here, but i put away anything in the way of them cleaning before they arrive, any deliveries/boxes etc.Sometimes they chat a bit as they work if i ask anything, but not a great deal.My old cleaner was a friend of a friend, but used to spend a lot of time chatting or popping out to answer her phone than i would have liked.😆

If you look up cleaners near me on your search box they will all pop up, should be quite local, and shows you what they charge, either per visit or per cleaning session etc- most wont do less than 2 hours but the prices will be on there, or you can fill in a form for what you need, and either book online or phone up etc. I think word of mouth is sometimes best, if anyone can recommend one, but if not look them up.

I have a cleaner for three hours every week. We have a big house and this way the skirting boards, windows etc get done instead of being ignored! I usually do three hours housework or ironing at the same time and that is that for the week!! She has been with me a long time and I feel happy about leaving her with a key if necessary. The bonus for me is that I never do housework the rest of the week apart from hoovering the kitchen or wiping dirty sinks and loos!!

I have a lovely cleaner once a fortnight for a couple of hours. She's deaf so I just leave her to do it whilst I just do whatever it is I was doing before she arrived, could be watching tv, gardening, reading anything really. I feel no need to either go out or watch her like a hawk, she's a treasure.

I must be a very untrusting person. There is no way I would go out and leave a cleaner with the run of my house. I don't have. a cleaner yet although I know I might have to have one to as the years go by and things get more difficult. I would absolutely hate it and dread that time coming and see it as a self inflicted invasion of my privacy. I'll be struggling on as long as I can.

We have succumbed to a cleaner once a fortnight to do the floors, stairs ( we are on three floors) plus anything else within the two hours. I go out as it is 12-2 slot or for a swim. OH goes to his allotment shed!!
She is injured at the moment so we are having to do it ☹️

We have a wonderful cleaner. Totally trustworthy and much better at cleaning than we are. We leave things tidy and go out for lunch and to the garden centre when she comes here. She has worked out her own system and knows which areas to prioritize so that everything is kept in good order. We feel truly blessed that she comes to us. She comes for six hours at a time. I think often people expect someone to come for a couple of hours and to perform miracles. Think about it, could you create a sparkling clean home in two hours? You get what you pay for.

Flower21

How do you go about finding a cleaner, the question of references, how many hours etc.. And the pay please? Thank you.

I just put out the word following my accident I was desperate to find someone but not through social services and I was willing to pay to have the right person.
My daughter is a funeral director (Undertaker) and meets many people in all walks of life.
She met up with an old friend when she was conducting a funeral who asked how I was and on being told my circumstance said she knew someone who had been finished by social services as she was over 70 and who might be interested as she was still fit and able.
The rest is history, this fit and able lady she came, she saw, and glory be she conquered.
My daughter also has her a couple of hours a week and she has now gone to help my pregnant grandaughter as well.
Recommendation is the way to go if possible. I was advised not to put anything on Facebook but I had a friend who asked at the local school and found a good cleaner that way, I hope this helps.

Recommendation is the way to go

Sorry I missed off I did mention. I pay £30 an hour but I know some charge as little as £15 just for basic cleaning, £20 - £25 seems to be the norm and I do know someone who pays £50 an hour for two cleaners just 4 times a year for a thorough clean although how they do that in four hours is beyond my thinking 😳

My gran didn’t have a cleaner, but due to limited motility and also needed help looking after my aunt, who was disabled,she had a home help arranged via social services. The trouble was gran was up and had the dusting and hoovering done, before the home help arrived. Gran made sure the breakfast was on the table in time for her arrival. The home help did some shopping and light house work, the hardest thing was telling her Gran had died.

I'm put off having a cleaner as 2 friends had bad experiences.
The first had a leaflet through the door and took her on once a week. For the first month she was brilliant so my friend had her do the ironing too for extra money. After a month the cleaning went downhill, things half done, lots being missed etc so she let her go. Six months later friend went abroad for her annual bird watching holiday. Her binoculars were missing from her bedroom drawers. On checking so were other items missing from drawers. Things you wouldn't wear or use very often.
Second friend went to an agency which had just started up. First week was great. Second week not too good. Third week half the stairs not vacuumed, kitchen not touched etc. Friend told her not wanted anymore.
Also working as a carer to disabled people most had experienced theft of various items, eg lamb from freezer, new duvet covers, jewellery, wine, jars of coffee etc. So I'm very cautious about who comes into my home.

I had a cleaner for many years in our old house while I was working very long hours. Shc came every Wednesday for four hours and was a lifesaver. We moved last year and DH is retired and I am semi-retired, so I feel l can't justify having another cleaner, even though the house is a good size and I don't like housework much. I have mostly developed a routine now.

I got my cleaner when the next door neighbour moves. She came highly recommended and is really good. I would only employ on recommendation.

We pay £18 ph.

Out of curiosity, and I know houses vary hugely in size - how long would it take to hoover, dust and mop the average house?

A couple of hours, I'd say?

I would say if a 2/3 bedroom house around 2 hours. Probably could do kitchen and bathroom in that time too. If it was tidy it's definitely possible but if very cluttered then much longer. Kitchen and bathroom would be a quick clean or you would need more time

Desdemona

Out of curiosity, and I know houses vary hugely in size - how long would it take to hoover, dust and mop the average house?

Our home is cleaned by a 2 women team - 2 hrs a week. I hoover dog hair daily. We pick up all clutter daily and do worktop after cooking. They dust, mop, clean bathrooms, and one bigger item a week.

We use 2500 ft on one level. Not used or cleaned often - upstairs are 2 bedroom plus bathroom and a large storage craft room.

If only.... trouble is, I'm not very good at cleaning so I would be rather embarrassed to let a professional see all my shortcomings!

My cleaner is worse at cleaning than I am.
She is a friend, though, so it makes it difficult.

My friend has a cleaner. She reminded her to clean the cutlery drawer every week!!! Friend wasn't amused that it wasn't part of her two-hour sessions. I ask you ?????