For those of you who have a cleaner.

[CrazyBabies]

Hi there. I have recently employed a cleaner. Well it's actually my neighbour. She cleans for 2 hours. I tidy before she arrives so she spend the time cleaning rather than tidying. Am I being too fussy - this is the second time I have had a cleaner and both times I feel just a little bit disappointed as I feel it is not up to my standard.
For example, When I clean my bathroom, I like the taps to be smear free, and surfaces too. I leave litlle rugs tidy. I use the hoover nozel to get in all the nooks and crannies. This sounds so trivial when I say it .....
I always feel its not done as I would do it. I go around doing bits(yes - tiny bits), when she has gone.
Also she doesn't use a duster and pledge when she dusts, just a micro fibre cloth.
Please tell me its me!
When one cleans their own house you do it differently because you know how you like it and want it.
She is friendly, lovely, but I have to admit I am a little disappointed.
Shall I just ask her to leave bathroom smear free, and to use pledge. I don't think a damp cloth is enough.
It just sounds so anal !!!!!
My little theory is that she must be doing a fair bit of cleaning in the 2 hours and accept it will be done differently.
I know that she does things I would never consider doing, like rolling big rugs up to do underneath and cleaning all the tv equip plus sky boxes, dvd player, behind tv.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Two hours isn't very long to clean an entire house - our cleaner comes for six hours and gets it about 90% of the way there. And I do the rest. Of course we all do things differently. Best bet is to state your priorities ie if you do nothing else do these five things and see how you get on.

[colditz]

leave it.

[Pinner35]

I would mention the specific things you like done and how you want them done and see how she gets on. We have ours for three hours and its not always perfect. It always pays to remember no-one will ever clean your house the way you like it.

[wednesday13]

It sounds like your cleaner is doing an OK but rapid clean (2 hrs only really allows for that). If there are things you want to prioritise or particular products you have to let her know, she won't read your mind. It probably won't be exactly as you'd do it but could you do the whole house to your standard in 2 hours?

[CrazyBabies]

Hi again, thanks for your replies.
She doesn't clean the whole house.
As I work from home childminding, I need to use the kitchen/family room and the playroom.
So she cleans the 4 bedrooms, bathroom and small en-suite, and my living room. Sometimes I ask her not to bother with the 4th bedroom.
I did run through what I wanted her to clean.

[Amaretti]

ASk her to use Pledge (it's a matter of preference, not a competence thing). But ecloth your taps yourself, it'll take you 5 mins.

[deliasmith]

This is why I no longer have a cleaner! I cannot bear to pay someone when they do not clean as well me!! My first cleaner was the best and I miss her!
You should tell her how you like your house to be cleaned, everyone is different and has different expectations. I was always too chicken so I got rid of them and told them I couldn't afford a cleaner anymore!!

[shodatin]

I think it's a difficult situation to be paying a neighbour to clean. No-one has ever missed polishing taps in bathroom for me, but as a greenie I'd be amazed if my help wanted to use Pledge more than once a year- we're all different and I wouldn't risk falling out with my neighbour.

[ipredicttrouble]

Tricky one. I've just recently got myself a cleaner for 2hrs a week. I'm really pleased with her & her standards but there are a couple of things that bug me a little bit, mainly her dusting.

However, I've decided to let it go and go with the flow for the time being. As you said crazybabies, there are some things that she does that I never get round to so that's an added bonus .

[Wolfgirl]

2 hrs is really not a lot of time for them to clean whole house. I would suggest one week, they clean thoroughly upstairs, pulling beds out, getting the hoover nozzle into nooks etc, skirting, polishing, bathroom, then do the downstairs the following week.

[rollerbaby]

If it wasn't your neighbour you could walk her around the house explaining what you want in each room each week and what can be done monthly. She might take it badly, but if she wants the work she probably won't. I think 4 hours is about right for what you want - otherwise you won't get the kind of standards you're after. I've had good cleaners and bad cleaners and the one thing I've learnt is that you've got to say what you want. They don't live in your house and they aren't mind readers! Everyone does stuff differently. I'd say something soon, or else she will take it personally.

[thisisyesterday]

agree with others, i don't think that 2 hours is long enough to do all the tiny little jobs like hoovering out tiny nooks and crannies.
it's enough to give a good enough clean to the whole house though.

so i would say either up her hours and ask her to be more thorough, or accept that the majority is clean and do the little bits and pieces yourself

[create]

I have a cleaner 2hrs pw and I'm generally pleased with what she does.

However, I do the bathrooms (don't mind doing them myself and can't afford/don't want to pay her for more) and I'm pleased in an it's better than doing it myself way. I'd say she does a quick everyday clean, not a deep clean. Don't know how she could do more in the time TBH.

How long would it take you to clean top to bottom to your standards?