'Clean your own house'

I need a cleaner just for my shower room and kitchen floor. Two cleaning jobs I detest and let slide. I will also have a deep clean cleaner when I have rennovations/decoration in the future.

Downsizing soon. Will be looking for a cleaner. Can’t wait, we can spend some time doing nice things that we want to do.

You could also argue that if they were out all day they might be knackered after work and not fancy cleaning in their downtime. And even if there isn’t much ‘mess’, kitchens and bathrooms still need a good clean and everything needs a hoover/dust, windows need done etc.

If I had the cash I’d employ a housekeeper, never mind a cleaner. I struggle with house chores, and to be able to outsource that part of my life would be bliss.

I suppose, in SOME circumstances, I do see it as lazy. For example, a young couple I knew, worked regular hours but both out at work all day, lived in a flat, I mean how messy can it get? And I don't see how it would take hours to clean. I just didn't see why they needed a cleaner. Logically, I know it was completely their choice and none of my business. But opinions aren't always logical!

But then I am someone who is reluctant to pay anyone to do something I can do myself. I do my own decorating, most of the DIY, basic electrics etc. I could afford to pay, but I also like the satisfaction of doing things myself. The only thing I've paid for in recent years is to have a gas cooker uninstalled, and that's only due to safety and legal requirements. But I did find it galling paying £100 for a job that took 10minutes!

I've had more male cleaners than female, actually -- when we lived in London, we had two consecutive teams of husband and wife cleaners (I think the first two, who were Brazilians, in London for the wife to study, sold the business/passed on their contacts to the second couple), both of whom were lovely people, and efficient and reliable, and ambitious, and while it was sometimes one and sometimes the other who cleaned, we seemed to usually have the husbands, though I saw them only intermittently. .

When I worked very full time, with 3 boys and a large garden, I had a cleaner and it was such a blessing. Although it caused arguments the day before with the boys as I insisted they tidied their room so the cleaner could actually clean. For me, it is a sign of respect to not expect a cleaner to pick up their dirty underwear and chocolate wrappers, etc.

No cleaner now on regular basis- but several times a year to do windows and full clean before visitors, etc.

I envy people with cleaners, but I only earn minimum wage and do have time to do my own
If I was out the house all the hours and earning the mumsnet six figures I'd definitely look into it then ! I guess that many career people hive off all the jobs like gardening / cleaning etc etc
Must make life easier

I have a cleaner. For a couple of years, I even had a male cleaner.

When I first started using a cleaning service, I did feel like I was outsourcing my drudgery. Now I see it as just being part of the economy. I can afford it, and by paying someone else to do it, I am providing a work opportunity as well as making my life a bit easier. I am not forcing anyone into slavery.

I’d love a cleaner but my house is a tidier version of an episode of ‘Sort your life out’ so a cleaner wouldn’t be able to do their job properly. We’re slowly making our way through it and have got it down to just two areas that need the most help now.

The kid’s rooms are always tidy and the bathroom and the main kitchen area are too but there’s piles of crap dotted around that need sorting and there’s lots of unfinished DIY jobs that need finishing.

Sometimes my mum does a clean up for me if she’s watching the kids while I take one of them to a hospital appointment (frequent appts). It is so wonderful to walk into a freshly cleaned space, I could cry with relief when she does that for us. So I totally understand why people get a cleaner, like I say, I’d love one. It would be a huge weight lifted from a stressful life.

I know of one person with a cleaner BUT I don’t know anyone that goes around shouting ‘hey I have a cleaner!’ And it’s not something I ask people, for all I know, many of my friends could have cleaners.

If it helps someone out in life to have a cleaner, why not? It would be a blessing for me but I’d be far too embarrassed to have someone in my house as it currently stands.
Like a pp said, as long as they are treated respectfully and paid well for what is a tough job I don’t see an issue.

Well, individuals will discuss with their cleaner what is achievable in the time, and what to prioritise. I have a big, ramshackle, half-renovated house and a cleaner for three hours a week, but I just ask her to concentrate on the kitchen and bathrooms, and mop and dust downstairs, where all the floors are wood or tiles. Less often I will ask her to concentrate on the bedrooms. She never goes into either study.

First comment nailed it!

I love my cleaner. She's been with me 15 years and she comes 4 days a week so she feels like part of the family.

I particularly love her for telling my teens they need to tidy their rooms before she will clean them. Having a cleaner is a lifestyle choice for me - I work long hours and have little downtime - and it is not an excuse for my DC to be lazy slobs who don't know how to use a hoover.

Because cleaning is easy and doesn't take long if your standards are... flexible... like mine! It's nothing akin to plumbing 🙄

I don't tell people not to have a cleaner, but I'd be loath to spend money on something I can easily do myself, and which gives me exercise and a sense of taking care of my home. I don't like the idea of someone else coming in and doing it, and all the fuss about "tidying up for the cleaner", "leave the alarm off for the cleaner", "have you paid the cleaner", "where has the cleaner put my magazine"... I'd rather live with more dust!

Or worse is the people who pretend the cleaner is a close personal friend just doing a friendly favour as God intended 😂

I don't know many people who have a cleaner. Surely most people don't.

I do more cleaning but I get home first so I do a bit each day. Dh does do some cleaning too but not as much as me.

Did I say they couldn't? I was just replying to the OP saying everyone she knows has a cleaner. I made no judgement. But go ahead and read into my comment what you will.

I don't think that's true. Anyone who 1) can afford a cleaner and 2) doesn't have time/doesn't want to spend their free time cleaning can have a cleaner and shouldn't face criticism for it. Its just a choice on how some people choose to spend their money over others.

My own home is quite easy to keep clean and my OH is very tidy, so we don't necessarily need one but I wouldn't be opposed to his idea of having someone in once a week to do the boring chores: window cleaning, mopping, ironing, and I hate hoovering with a passion!

So?
If people want to employ one that's up to them.
Surely providing employment is a positive thing?
Lots of families have cleaners.

I think it's mostly people saying 'clean your own house' when posters are complaining about their cleaners not cleaning a big house properly in 2 hours, leaving a few minutes early or being accused of nicking the family silver. Or one which amused me where the cleaner ate the fancy biscuits instead of the boring ones.

Begrudgery plain and simple.

On a general population scale its not standard to have a cleaner.
It's usually the well off or people who struggle with tasks due to either mobility or focus or motivation struggles.

Though a fair amount of men seem to benefit from acting like they have a cleaner judging by this site..

I do the cleaning and dh does the plumbing, gardening, electrics. We both do the cooking.

So you do way more than him then.

Because plastering and plumbing are skilled jobs and everyone wouldn't be able to just do them. But everyone can clean their house. That's why people say it. I don't know anyone with a cleaner. I would like one though.

Arguments ‘against’ I’ve seen usually are along the lines of ‘rich women exploiting poor women’. A feminist argument I suppose - the employer being able to achieve some kind of self-actualisation by outsourcing their domestic labour to a poorer woman.

IMO cleaning is a job like any other, and creating a job for someone is surely a good thing.

As others have said, we don’t criticise people for using gardeners or for cleaning your car.

I agree with this. It amazes me what people’s cleaners get done in two hours. They must be taking amphetamines before they get the hoover out. It takes me an hour just to clean the bathroom, and I can spend whole days deep cleaning the kitchen.