To ask: if you are a cleaner, what are the things in the house that would make you judge someone?

I tidy a bit so that it’s easy to clean but certainly not clear surfaces everywhere. Just what I can do in half an hour max at the end of the weekend before she comes on Monday morning.

I make sure nothing is gross - basically toilets, bins. But I do that daily anyway - not like they are dirty all week then I suddenly clean them.

we just had our cleaner start this week so I was thinking about it too!

I used to clean when I was at uni. Hated seeing shit in the loo or grimy knickers on the floor. Oh and cat shit! On the stairs in one place. Nearly lost my lunch.

I used to be a cleaner. I didn't really judge the cleanliness of a house but I didn't like cleaning houses that were so cluttered and grubby that I couldn't make them look nice.

I mostly judged the character of the client. Most of them were absolutely lovely, made me tea and chatted. The odd one made me feel that I was a servant and inferior (I think one referred to me as 'The cleaner'). I've got a degree...I was cleaning because it fit in well around school hours.

I make sure the house is tidy so ours can concentrate on cleaning. I roll up some rugs so it’s easier for her to hoover and mop the floor, and then she puts them back afterwards. I’d give the toilet bowl a quick clean if anyone had left some skid marks. I try and remember to empty the bathroom bins, as she’ll always empty them if I don’t, and I don’t think she should have to do that.

Why are you paying someone to do something and then doing it for them! Get your money's worth or just clean yourself.
Or do whatever it's your life just saying what I'd do

Clear surfaces, make sure the toilets are OK, that's it really

My cleaner said she loved coming to us as she felt she really made a difference 😂👍

This and the others like it are completely bonkers.

I mean, what on earth is the point of employing someone to do a job you have already done ?

Listen to the cleaners on this thread.

@MounjaroUser

i think it's more skanky to have toilets that need cleaning before the cleaner comes.

I had a cleaner who told me I needed to clean the floor in the downstairs loo before she came (just dried mud on the floor, nothing really icky), I’d already heard on the grapevine that she’d asked other clients to leave the place broadly clean before she got there. I decided that wasn’t the sort of cleaner I needed 😂 I have a lovely cleaner now!

Ours comes once a fortnight (she was ill last time so it's been a month. She's been today and I can't wait to get home!)

Part of the appeal is that it makes us do a fortnightly re-set. Me, dh and ds do 20 minutes the night before she comes. We:

Change the beds
Make sure toilets aren't gross
Tidy up
Empty bins
Clean the litter tray

That's it. She's never said anything assume the house is fine!

I think Keeping Up Appearances is not a reality show 😉.

I tidy (declutter) so the cleaner can clean. I also check DC bathroom for any signs of skibidi toilet. DC are asked to declutter and clean their toilet if necessary.

If my house looks very tidy but crumby and grubby, that's cleaner ready.

This.

Please don't clean your house beforehand. It's utterly pointless. Nothing worse as a cleaner than cleaning a clean home! Just be aware that the more clutter there is, the longer it all takes. If your kitchen surface is covered in paperwork, dishes etc, there's only so much I can do. I don't judge anything though (other than a client who used to use the mop to clean up her dogs wee accidents and then leave the mop festering all week. The smell used to take my breath away and it'd take me 15 minutes to get the mop clean enough to use. Even then, I didn't judge as such, I just couldn't bear it for very long).

Oh all the cleaners are saying not to clean!

I prefer not to have to see dried on skids in the loo.
san pro products are fine but please wrap them up, not left open and stuck to the bin etc...
Sink full of dirty scummy water and a plug hole jammed with food-I don't mind washing up but it does take time away from the actual cleaning
Otherwise I enjoy the tidying part as well as the cleaning

Yes, exactly.

Put the sex toys away

I think it's really skanky not to clean the toilets before a cleaner arrives.

I used to be a cleaner and I say the same.

We tidy as I am paying for her to clean not tidy. I only have 3 hrs a fortnight for a 4 bed so prefer that to be actual cleaning. I also find it encourages everyone to tidy up.

Ex cleaner here! Nothing. I'm there to do a job. As someone who loves cleaning, it's the before/after that brings me satisfaction. On second thoughts, poop in the toilet. I can handle sanitary stuff but I think we can all be sure someone else doesn't see any butt remnants in the bowl 😅
Otherwise, it's your house, it's lived in, I'm happy to do what you need from me.

From a ex lodge cleaner, I judged harshly anyone who left them unreasonably clean. I'm sure no one at home has lasagne/spaghetti bolognese sauce all over the walls in their own home but it seems a good chunk of the guests thought it was fine to leave the kitchen/diner splattered.

I tidy up. Surfaces clear everywhere. No dishes etc

I don’t clean the toilet though!

She cleans everywhere and once she’s gone the house is clean & tidy!

She literally needs to wipe/hoover/dust & mop

I tidy up as well before the cleaner comes. Not because she’d judge me but because I don’t want to spend hours looking for stuff and where she thought it belongs and undoing her work in the process.

I'm the same. I tidy before the cleaner arrives because for me there is no real point in my house being clean but still looking like a mess. I want the house to feel clean and tidy after the cleaner has been so I do my part. I used to tidy on a Tuesday for the cleaners visit on Wednesday and my husband always thought the cleaner came on Tuesday because making sure everything is tidied away made such a difference.