How many hours do I need a cleaner for each week?

[suzanneme]

Can any MNers give me an estimate of how many hours/week I might need a cleaner for? I work full-time, and am tired of the filth and depravity I live in and exhausted with it all (the two small people who make all the mess are too young to be put to work yet!!). I have a three-bed, one bathroom house (modern, not that huge) and think twice a week would probably work. How many hours each time, do you think?

[exbury]

Twice a week implies that you have higher standards than me - but our modern 4 bed used to take our cleaner 3 hours including a bit of ironing.

[StrangeTown]

Bathrooms and kitchen take longest so with three bed, one bathroom two hours twice a week would be heaven.

[fedda]

I think it depends on the cleaners' abilities. Some people take longer time, some are fast, the same cleaning job could be done between 3 and 5 hours depending on the cleaner's skills. I used to have a very good cleaner but she had stopped cleaning because she has a baby. It really makes a big difference if you have a good cleaner and she actually could recommend you how long your house should be clearned for.

[dmo]

i have a two bed 1 bath house and have just employed a cleaner for 4 hrs each monday
not sure if this is enough but i will let you know

[brimfull]

I had a cleaner for 2 hrs a week.She did either upstairs or down each week.
We have a 4 bed house.
I think she was a bit crap and I would have had her for 4 hrs a week if I could afford it.
I think twice a week will be sufficient.

[twelveyeargap]

I would say three hours for a good job, four if you want him/ her to do a little "extra" job each week so you never need a huge spring clean.

I needed a cleaner for at least 5 hours a week in a fairly large three bed/ two reception/ two bathroom type house. Only uppped to seven when I decided I wanted the ironing done as well.

[twelveyeargap]

Sorry, just re-read your post. Twice a week is much better as things can be kept "under control". I would choose two two-hour visits.

[paulaplumpbottom]

10 hours and you should hardly have to do any at all.

[MadamePlatypus]

We have a 2 up 2 down and employed a cleaner for 3 hours a week when DD was a newborn. This was enough time for her to 'do' the kitchen, the bathroom, hoover and mop all floors and dust, but not enough time to do any in depth cleaning.

A big factor is how much stuff you have around. Obviously it is easy to dust a shelf with just a couple of things on it, but takes much longer if you have to clear it of loads of junk/nick-nacks.

[chocolatekimmy]

How long do you take to 'blitz' the whole house? Get someone in once a week for that amount of time then keep on top of tiding each day and run the hoover round/clean the loo

[fedda]

I feel the same way. I think even if the cleaner came 3 days a week and we don't keep the house tidy it can still look messy. My little one has a natural tendency to transform a nice and tidy room when we are stying in a hotel into something totally messy. it only takes him 5 minutes!

[exbury]

Hmmm - having a cleaner certainly doesn't deal with the constant "putting things back where they belong" - unless you have an exceptional cleaner and a house where it is really obvious where everything goes. However, I spend a few hours the night before the cleaner comes putting things back where they belong without having to worry about cleaning, and take comfort in knowing that even when the house looks a tip (when doesn't it?!) it is fairly clean underneath, which matters more to me.

[ScottishThistle]

Basic cleaning, 2hrs twice a week.

In depth cleaning, 3hrs twice a week.

If you also require washing/ironing, 4hrs twice a week.

[lackofgravitas]

Blimey, we are about (if I ever remember to call them) to change from one company doing about two hours every four weeks to another doing the same, in three bed/one bath. The first company were crap and I'm thinking from reading this the new ones may not be any better. They have to clean around our complete shambles as well, which doesn't really help.

[suzanneme]

Thanks for all your answers. I may start with 2 hours twice a week and see how that goes.

[suzanneme]

Thanks for all your answers. I may start with 2 hours twice a week and see how that goes.

[Amiebristol]

Can anyone recommend a local cleaner kingswood area? Thanks

[overthemill]

I used to have 3 hours on a Monday to blitz after weekend and an hour on a Friday to quickly tidy/ Hoover before the weekend. Found it easier to keep on top of that way

[florentina1]

3 hours a week if you want a good job. 2 hours if it is just dusting vacuuming and surface wiping. My cleaner does all the ledges and skirtings, tiles, vacuuming, polishing, wipes around the windows frames as well as kitchen and bathroom to a high standard.

You can always reduce the hours but if you find a good cleaner and then decide you want 3 hours instead of 2' she might not be able to fit you in.

[DanglyEarrings]

Hi there, we are a cleaning company (I've had to change my name and email due to hackergate thingy, I was 'BallsforEarrings!)

How long a clean takes depends upon variable factors such as:

How large is the home
How many bathrooms, size of kitchen (kitchens and bathrooms require the most detailed work)
Hard floors need mopping as well as vacuuming so how much expanse of hard floor as opposed to carpeted
How many live in the home and are their pets and children (heavy or light traffic areas)
How messy are the individuals, ie is the house picked up and prepared for cleaners on cleaning day or is it all left in a mess and how much clutter to work around.
Mould in bathrooms?
Will clients be home and in the way of service during clean or out all day and nobody using rooms to be cleaned.
Service level on offer, ie how detailed is their service, just the basics can be done in a couple of hours in a house that is prepared for cleaning, a more detailed service including windows and paintwork etc will take at least an hour longer. Some cleaning services have branched out into ironing but I can't advise about that as we don't include this.

Things like the above determine length of a clean and price, if your cleaning service is experienced they should be able to give a price around what they see when they come to meet you and view the house. Let them know if you want more details included at this point and then they can price the job correctly.

Service level MUST be determined at the quote otherwise, if the scope of the work alters over time but not the price the cleaning service will cancel and replace for clients where the price works for them. Cleaners are in such demand they usually run a full schedule no matter what their price needs to be to be viable and they often don't want a confrontation so will just excuse themselves and move on rather than increase the price (I know this because of my involvement with the industry!) Sad but true, communication is key for lasting relationship but many avoid these conversations.

[bulgaria33]

Hello all I can happily recommended my very working hard top trusted private domestic cleaner .She is amazing and for all this years she never let us down.My house is always perfect and everything is organizing .She is very good ironing.Totally trusted and great attention to all detail.

[gamerchick]

Zombie thread

[bulgaria33]

I am so happily recommending my private domestic cleaner for more hours. Excellent work and attitude organizing clean tidy and iron.She keep my house in good order every week.I am so proud of having her all this years.Charge is 10 per hour .Thank you all