Do cleaners not do dishes?

Personally I’d expect anyone willing to pay for a cleaner, to have a dishwasher.

I think dishes are a grey area overall. Personally when I had a cleaner I would always have done the washing up so that the sink was clear for her to clean. Having to wash up means less time cleaning. Same with a general tidy so that they can reach surfaces. My cleaner used to say she's happy to do whatever...but she can only do what will fit into two hours so in my interests to be a bit tidier.

In your situation though I would absolutely have expected them to do it rather than leave early. The main reason cleaners potentially wouldn't be expected to do dishes is mostly a time thing IMO. This clearly didn't apply!

I think the cleaning before is a bit of a red herring because even if you had hoovered they'd still need to do it again as that's literally what they're there for. Off topic but its the same as how I feel about a holiday home...I strip the beds because it only needs to be done once so it saves them time. I wouldn't hoover as regardless they'd still re-do it.

Edited...actually seeing someone else's comment I agree...I think leaving dirty dishes as a one off is OK as it would be obvious it had been a rushed morning, but I wouldn't leave them out regularly without having checked that's expected. I've no idea if that's the right view...it's just a feeling.

Once in a shared house, the landlord insisted we had a cleaner weekly but made it very clear the cleaner was not to wash up, she was there to clean the house.

Have you actually had a conversation with the cleaner about what you expect during your 2 hours?

I expect my cleaner to be here for the amount of time I pay her for. She has specific tasks to do within that time, (kitchen, bathrooms, floors) but occasionally she gets through those more quickly and then she will do something useful that isn't on the list (microwave, skirting boards). I ensure that surfaces are clear before she starts, and that includes the dishes - I definitely wouldn't expect her to do those.

I ensure that toilets are not disgusting but I don't clean the things I am paying her to clean... Why on earth would I do that?
Leave your cleaners to do what you pay them for rather than doing it yourself, and clear up first so that they can do it.

I used to for a very busy lady i worked for

Mine doesn't as she doesn't have time, but if she had 30 minutes to spare then I'm sure she would!

Our cleaner is the same

She does bins, recycling, laundry, ironing, changes bedding and cleans. We do v little between her visits

I'm sure it helps that our house is quite clean and tidy already, and minimal furniture/ clutter, but I'm often impressed how much she does

@Porcuporpoise

That's fine, life would be boring if we were all the same

But I'd judge anyone who left their dirty dishes for someone else to wash. A message beforehand to say 'we were running late this morning and didn't do the breakfast dishes - sorry!' is different to the assumption that it's ok.

As someone who has been a cleaner and now has a cleaner I think your opinion is bizarre.

Mine do, I don’t actually intentionally leave them dishes to do, but if I leave a breakfast bowl or cup on the side by mistake, I find it cleaned. Then I feel guilty as I don’t feel like they should do it. As I say to the kids, they are here to clean, not clear up your mess!

Anyone who leaves dirty dishes for their cleaner is lazy and disrespectful. I would never do this to mine.

.I'm there to clean...not tidy up! How am I supposed to clean your sides when they're covered in all sorts and hoover your floors when there's washing chucked all over it.

Why is it acceptable to pay someone to clean but not to tidy?

My cleaners sort and fold laundry. They will tidy surfaces etc too. I pay them for the time they work, whether that's less, or more, why is it somehow acceptable to wipe surfaces but not to fold laundry?

Ps i have a dishwasher, so its only ever an odd mug or something left in the sink. They'll also load things in the dishwasher and run it.

My cleaners always do everything, they clean, tidy, do the loos etc. Ive never had to ask re this, they've never grumbled. Washing up is part of cleaning.

They've been with me for 8 years.

They do the things you agreed would be in their remit? If you didn't agree explicitly what would / wouldn't be done in the time then you haven't really got a leg to stand on. And if they didn't have work to do because you'd done all the things that were on the list, you need to find them other work? Make a list with them of 'things to do every week' and 'things to do if time'. Then everyone knows where they stand.

Says who? My cleaner does dishes.

I'm a cleaner..I don't mind doing the odd bit of washing up ..but in my experience they tend to start taking the mick and I end up with more washing up the more I go.. it is not nice having to scrape their left over/burnt on food off their pots and pans from the night before...then have to fish that out of the plug hole after. It also takes up my time when I should be cleaning elsewhere..I also tend to do more than I should for example..I'll wipe over kitchen cupboards and skirtings.. clean windows..clean out fridges and microwaves.. things that are more for deep cleaning than general cleaning...and I'll still charge the same. You are completely spot on..I'm there to clean...not tidy up! How am I supposed to clean your sides when they're covered in all sorts and hoover your floors when there's washing chucked all over it.

They shouldn’t have left early. Whether dishes or a deeper clean they should have done more work.

I’d look for a new cleaner, yours is lazy.

A cleaner who doesn’t think is no use to me. If a cleaner was to leave dishes - well they wouldn’t last. Bye bye. I need a cleaner who thinks and doesn’t work around ornaments or dishes. She’s there to clean!!

My mum used to have a few cleaning jobs. She got so fed up with all the dishes from the night before always being left on the side she started to just wipe the worktops around them. As well as hoover around toys left out. They soon got the message and left it clear.

Mine have always done dishes - by request, but they've always done them.

Mine does if I leave them in the sink. She will basically wash anything that's been left in the sink. If I leave it on the side or the kitchen table, she won't wash it.

Genuine question.

I’ve just started a cleaning job for a colleague. It wouldn’t have occurred to me not to do dishes or toilets. Why are those jobs not acceptable? For clarity, there are rarely dishes there, but if there were, it’s part of cleaning the kitchen, isn’t it?

I’m reading through some of these messages. I’m perplexed. If we were all tidy, had the time and wanted to clean then cleaners would have no work.
My cleaner is a hit or a miss type of cleaner. I had to ask her to empty the Hoover after use. She sighs and makes a noise as she cleans. She’s often ill and can’t come.
I pay her £3 more than she asked for just to ensure she comes and even then she often can’t come. That’s how difficult it is to get a cleaner in my area.
I can get teams of cleaners easily but I want a cleaner and not a team in my home.
Ive had supposed cleaners who can’t cope with the amount of ornaments. Some who only do deep clean charging £20 per hour.

The world of cleaning is a mystery to me. I’m prepared to pay for a decent clean but can I get a decent cleaner? No
I have a friend who lives five miles from a main town - she can’t get a cleaner even although she’ll pay OTT. and travel time and petrol. She can’t get a window cleaner either.
Id think in this economic climate we’d be overrun with people wanting to clean.