How to get the best from a cleaner?

[christmastreewithhairyfairy]

First world problem, I know I know, but I've had many cleaners over the years and honestly I've never been happy. I don't know if I have been unlucky, or whether these problems are normal and I shouldjust put up and shut up.

Some whizz round super quick but don't clean nearly as deeply as I want, even when I continually point out undusted surfaces, cobwebs etc. So it feels like nowhereever gets fully clean. Some are the opposite, taking an hour or more to clean a single room - I actually mind this less but then need to work out a complicated rota for what room gets cleaned when, and sometimes it means they won't for exampleget to the bathrooms or kitchens.

Some will literally only clean what's on a list; if they finish the list (by doing a slapdash job) they'll leave early rather than use their eyes and find extra to do. If they don't finish it they complain I'm asking too much. Some complain about having a list and say they are best at estimating what can be done in the time, but then don't do things in the priorityI would have chosen.

Our current cleaner leaves 15-20 mins early every week, without doing a good enough clean imo. So I've raised it with the agency and now worried she'll hate me, but fed up of being walked over.

I've triedindependents and agency, tried givingdetailed instructions or not. I don't have mega high cleanliness standards so I don't think I'm being unrealistic!

Any advice?

[buckeejit]

How many hours a week do you have?

I'd suggest weekly basics & then a rota of things to tackle after . How do you know yours leaves early? Unless it was someone I reAlly trusted I'd also get a ring doorbell so you know coming & going times.

I e never had a cleaner. Even though I'm quite slovenly, when things get cleaned, like you I want them done right, (apart from when dh spends 2 hours cleaning the en suite!). For this reason I don't think a cleaner would work for me. Have you timed yourself doing jobs? Might be a good starting point for realistic expectations

[Goldwispa]

Be realistic about how long the job will take. For a first clean which would include windows and a whole house clean it would take double the amount of time a weekly clean would take.
I would ask the cleaner how long they think it would take them to clean everywhere and if you're not able to pay for that amount of time then you need to tell her how many hours you are willing to pay for and ask her what she thinks she can do realistically in that time
I would always employ a cleaner that has been recommended by a friend or colleague

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

I'd suggest weekly basics & then a rota of things to tackle after

I’m a cleaner- I agree with this^

What do you want done every time? Most of my clients want the kitchen surfaces + hob cleaned, bathrooms/ensuites, dusting, hoovering & mopping all floors done every week. Then things like cleaning kitchen tiles, cupboard fronts, inside windows, glass/ornament cabinets, pull out sofas/beds and do underneath etc done on a rota basis.

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

Btw what I would do is have a company come in and do an entire house deep clean and have it sitting immaculate when you show a new cleaner around. This sets the expectation of what you want it to look like when they have finished every week. And also means they aren’t spending every week tackling a build up of general dirt and grime.

[user1471453601]

My lovely cleaner (2 hours a week) does my hall, landing, bathroom, bedroom, living room, kitchen and dining room floors.

Sometimes I ask her not to do my bedroom, and she always tells ME what other rooms need more work. I absolutely trust her. She keeps my home pristine. And my dog l loves her. And she loves my dog.

I've got a keeper here, I'm not letting her go

[Smartanimal]

Do you pay these people properly? Be brutally honest.