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AIBU?

To think that asking a Cleaner to do the dusting and hoovering would be pretty lazy on my part?

134 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 18/12/2014 12:20

I do not have a cleaner yet so I have no idea about Housework Ettiquette but when I return to work after maternity (in 6 weeks) the plan is for me to use one.

I'm putting together a list in my head of what jobs will need doing and I'm just wondering to what extent people go? Fair enough it makes sense to delegate cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms because they are time consuming jobs, but what about the little jobs? Surely doing the quick and easy things like polishing should still be something DH and I should be prepared to do?

So can I ask those with Cleaners how often you have them come round and what jobs they do for you?? And what general upkeep do you do yourselves inbetween their visits??

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PumpkinsMummy · 18/12/2014 12:22

I don't have a cleaner, but surely as long as you discuss your requirements beforehand and they are happy then you can ask them to do whatever cleaning you need? I would have thought hoovering and dusting was pretty normal.

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NameForReallyRandomStuff · 18/12/2014 12:24

We have four hours once a week. She dusts and hoovers everywhere, and cleans the kitchen and bathrooms. So we don't actually do any cleaning which is great, because it's so low down my mental to-do list that it probably just wouldn't happen.

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arethereanyleftatall · 18/12/2014 12:25

Hoovering and dusting is pretty much what my cleaner does. When I woh she came once a week for 2 hours - floors, bathrooms and dusting.

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HumphreyCobbler · 18/12/2014 12:25

My cleaners mops all hard floors, vacuums all other floors, dusts throughout, cleans kitchen and bathroom. Two hours once a week.

I am a SAHM! I don't feel lazy, I feel lucky I can afford a cleaner. I still clean stuff every day but it never gets on top of me.

Just ask the cleaner to do whatever you want them to do.

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Writerwannabe83 · 18/12/2014 12:27

I just had this vision of me asking a cleaner to come once a fortnight and include the hoovering and dusting to her job list and her sitting there thinking, "Bloody hell, Writer only dusts and hoovers once a fortnight, that's awful!" Grin

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HazleNutt · 18/12/2014 12:28

you can ask her to do whatever cleaning jobs you need - up to you if it's general hoovering, or polishing all the silver.

Ours comes once per week for 3 hours and does hoovering, dusting, washes floors, cleans kitchen and bathrooms and does additional stuff as requested - cleaning windows, blinds, some ironing etc.

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PicaK · 18/12/2014 12:29

My cleaner cleans. I make sure it's tidy and she Hoovers, dusts, mops and does the bathrooms.If I leave clean bedding out she makes the beds up. Suits me to the ground. I can whisk my gtech sweeper around to keep it presentable and she does the full on, lift the sofa up and all the edges deep clean. Love it when she's been.

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VitalStollenFix · 18/12/2014 12:31

No, I don't think it would be lazy. You are paying someone to clean, there's nothing wrong with getting them to do the dusting and hoovering.

Don't think about what you should be doing. What will be of most use to you? How many hours are you paying for and how much can be done in that time?

Do you really want to be doing the dusting and hoovering?

I don't have a cleaner any more but I did years ago and she came in three times a week I think it was for a couple of hours and yes, she vacuumed and polished. She did the bathrooms and kitchen and a general tidy round.

I don't really think there is an etiquette to it. You are paying someone to do a job for you. You decide what needs to be done. They decide whether they want the job or not.

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Redglitter · 18/12/2014 12:32

I have a cleaner once a week. She does any dishes that are lying. cleans the kitchen floor and units. cleans the bathroom. Dusts and vacuums the living room and dining room. Same for bedroom. changes the bed and empties the bin

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Writerwannabe83 · 18/12/2014 12:32

Wow picak - sound good. I bloody hate making beds up!!!

My DH is a bit 'off' with the idea about someone else being in the house whilst we're at work but I'm hoping I can talk him round. If not, I will hire one anyway and tell him that I did it Grin

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cestlavielife · 18/12/2014 12:33

of course its ok! you can always do a little dusting in between if you need/want to.

have her focus on the big stuff but any left over time do dusting etc.

for me its the ironing/folding; main hovering; cleaning kitchen and bathroom that's key. four hours per week.

why is it only you using a cleaner? "the plan is for me to use one" surely it is you and h and the whole family? or are you not going to use her to clean your dh's areas of the house? surely he also uses k and b? surely you all benefiting not just you... means you and h get more time to spend together/with baby...

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Writerwannabe83 · 18/12/2014 12:33

I'm genuinely surprised about what Cleaners will do!! Emptying the bin and washing up?! Shock Smile

Sounds like heaven!!!

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m0therofdragons · 18/12/2014 12:33

My cleaner used to do dusting and hoovering but her dusting meant getting everything off the shelves and doing it properly... I don't do that even now I don't have a cleaner! For me the point wasn't whether dh and I could clean, more that we didn't want to make it our priority. Dh worked long hours and I had a 3yo and newborn twins. I work pt but if I went ft we would have a cleaner - I'm not spending precious weekends cleaning even if i am capable.

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jelliebelly · 18/12/2014 12:34

4 hours once a week - cleans 4 bed 3 bath house too to bottom - she's fab. No need for us to do anything in between. Why pay a cleaner then do it yourself???

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jelliebelly · 18/12/2014 12:35

"Top" not "too"

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Summerisle1 · 18/12/2014 12:35

Just because you have a cleaner doesn't mean that you can't do stuff in between and certainly, I doubt your cleaner will be making judgements about how often bits of your house are cleaned

! When I had a cleaner I particularly liked the fact that everywhere had a jolly good fettling up at least once a week. That included dusting and polishing which are pretty much the essentials of cleaning as far as I'm concerned. In addition, she cleaned the bathrooms and loos, mopped floors and hoovered everywhere. That said, I'd still mop the kitchen floor in between or hoover any intermediate dirt up.

Basically, you need to draw up a list of the things you would like the cleaner to do and get them to estimate how long it will take.

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cestlavielife · 18/12/2014 12:36

if your dh is off about it then just leave him the option of either doing it all himself on weekends [thereby cutting time with you/baby] or getting a paid cleaner in....and really it makes more sense that cleaner comes when you not there. but if he wants to work from home to supervise her then do let him....

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Selks · 18/12/2014 12:36

Mine comes fortnightly. She hoovers up and down stairs, does bathroom and kitchen, dusts, and sometimes extras like skirting boards, pictures and mirrors, cooker hood etc as needed. I do bits in between as necessary.

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Writerwannabe83 · 18/12/2014 12:37

These responses are making me see that getting a Cleaner is definitely on the cards. It sounds do wonderful to have all the crappy housework jobs done for you to a really good standard. I think I will mention it again to DH tonight Grin

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ChristmasMarketCrazy · 18/12/2014 12:37

I make sure the house is tidy and she hoovers and dusts every room as well as deep cleans the bathroom and kitchen. Dp thinks leaving a sink full of dirty dishes is acceptable, I do not. I would rather she cleans my toilet than unload and load the dishwasher!
just make sure you havent made a list miles long that is unachievable in the time she will be there. Tell her what your priority is, eg for me its, , bathroom, kitchen, sitting room, bedroom in that order.

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HazleNutt · 18/12/2014 12:38

we have 2 big hairy dogs and a toddler, so there's still plenty of cleaning to do in between. But I don't spend my weekends scrubbing the bathrooms any more.

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Summerisle1 · 18/12/2014 12:44

PS. I wouldn't have an truck with husbands getting difficult about having a cleaner and I certainly wouldn't lie to them about it.

This isn't the Victorian era where a wife's worth was judged by her ability to be ground down by domesticity and neither are you intending to employ a retinue of servants. Instead, you are providing work for someone and also making your own life more pleasant. What's to be difficult about?

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TheListingAttic · 18/12/2014 12:45

A cleaner will do as much or little as you ask and pay them for!

Why isn't your DH keen on the idea? Mine wasn't (we've only had one for the past eight months or so). I said no problem, I'd pay for a cleaner to come do my half of the cleaning, and he could take care of the rest himself while I sat on the sofa enjoying the free time I'd bought myself. He soon came round! I used to feel a bit weird about the idea - think it was my working class roots - but after a month or so of having a clean house without actually having to find time and energy to do it, I love it!

In terms of what you ask them to do, you just need to think about what you can afford/are willing to pay for and talk to them about what they can get through in that time. There's no virtue in saving jobs for yourself if you don't feel like it! Grin

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Writerwannabe83 · 18/12/2014 12:48

He used to moan about the cost of it and saying he'd rather clean himself than pay for someone else to do it. This made me laugh because my DH's contribution to the housework is pretty dire. I've got a new job that I'm starting though after Maternity and it's better pay so I'm going to use the fact that we will now have more disposable income as another way of getting him to change his mind Smile

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ChristmasInsanity · 18/12/2014 12:53

I had a cleaner who would do washing up, make beds, tidy the kids room, she even took some laundry away once and washed, dried and ironed it all! Bloody marvellous woman! I did advertise specifically for this kind of help as opposed to someone to dust and polish!

I'd like to hire a cleaner but my house is far too messy for that :(

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