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AMA

Experienced Solo House Cleaner - AMA.

32 replies

Lexibletheflexible · 20/07/2026 06:54

I've also been a house cleaner for about a decade altogether. AMA anything about that!

OP posts:
Lexibletheflexible · 20/07/2026 11:54

Heylittlesongbird · 20/07/2026 09:11

What vacuum cleaner would you recommend?
I usually just use a non corded Dyson stick, but it sounds like a plug in one might be better?

Any corded one is better than a cordless Dyson etc IMO. The basic one from Morrisons for example.

OP posts:
Lexibletheflexible · 20/07/2026 11:56

TepidBathwater · 20/07/2026 09:39

Do you have any concerns about your prison sentence potentially causing concerns with clients who give you access to their homes? I can’t see if you’ve said on your other thread whether you moved away from where you’d lived previously after being released.

Nobody asks for a DBS. I reckon about 3/4 of the houses I clean now contain a person who could have been a client of mine previously, too! At least on a couple of weekends a year.

OP posts:
Lexibletheflexible · 20/07/2026 11:57

ChasingRainbow5 · 20/07/2026 09:22

How much ‘prep’ do you expect clients to do before you clean - ie tidying, cleaning anything that’s particularly dirty?

None. I do expect them to pay me for the time it takes to get their house to a devent condition, though. So if I have to do an hour of tidying before I clean, I expect them to budget for that.

OP posts:
Lexibletheflexible · 20/07/2026 18:17

Imdunfer · 20/07/2026 08:49

I was going to suggest you were baiting with this post, but sadly it's my own experience and the friends of mine with a paid cleaner. Both ended up sneaking away early if they thought we weren't going to catch them.

So my question to the OP is, do you do the set tasks and finish or do you work a set number of hours and find stuff to do until the time is up?

With regular clients (say today I've had 2), we agree on a price which is based on an hourly rate. So say it might be 3hrs at £15 so £45. That time and price would be something we agreed given what the client wants/expects and how long I estimate it will take me to do in that house.

I will always spend at least 3hrs there but sometimes it will be more and I won't charge them for that unless it becomes routine that I'm spending another 30mins+. Then we will talk about why it is now taking longer and whether they want to up the price or do more before I arrive.

If it starts to take me 2.5hrs, I'll fill it with jobs that aren't on the list. I might tell them to leave out bedding and I'll change all the bedding since I regularly have that extra 30 mins. Something like that.

OP posts:
Lexibletheflexible · 21/07/2026 20:30

@IucyB

oven and grill

I swear by a pumice stone and steel wool 0000 along with a degreasing product (even fairy with water, fairly strong dilution). Things like crevice brushes, old toothbrushes and a handheld steam cleaner (you can get a cheap one for £20) get into all the crevices. If you can dismantle the oven door, all the better.

ceramic hob

Along with a pumice stone, I recommed using a razor blade. This is the best video I could find on YouTube that shows technique. Keeping both the surface and the tool wet is very important with these tools to prevent damage.

https://share.google/WwCmS7XGkj6dQCfgp

laminate floors and tiled floors
For tiled floors, either a steam cleaner or a really good scrub with something like this. The abrasion will be the key here. The safest thing to use is something mild dish soap.

I use 2 mops when I am about to clean a floor. 1 to get the dirty floor wet before I scrub, and one clean one for a final mop. I scrub in sections, use the squeegee bit to gather the water and then soak that dirty water up with an old towel. When I have scubbed the whole floor and I am happy it is as clean as I can get it, I then give it a "normal" mop to finish.

Laminate floors, I use an abrasive sponge, hands and knees, and clean it old school.

Pay particular attention to edges and corners where dirt collects. Most of that comes up with a good scrub.

carpets

This is honestly worth outsourcing to get done properly. You can get really reasonable rates.

walls

Sugar soap and a flat mop for speed. Change the pads regularly. If you don't want to use sugar soap, fairy liquid and water is fine.

bathrooms

Crevice brush to get in all the gaps. Barkeepers friend original powder on glass and steel or very ingrained dirt in bathtub. Always dust and hoover first. Vital in the bathroom

Amazon

Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swan-Scrubbing-Squeegee-Pivoting-Posture-Positive/dp/B0FJSS3ZHF/ref=asc_df_B0FJSS3ZHF?mcid=e136be8d108a31f48ce647e24073dde3&th=1&psc=1&linkCode=df0&hvadid=764604202039&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16487030545519249822&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9181181&hvtargid=pla-2440996676829&hvocijid=16487030545519249822-B0FJSS3ZHF-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-AMA-5556550-experienced-solo-house-cleaner-ama

OP posts:
IucyB · 22/07/2026 07:20

Thank you that's wonderful!

Wyldemint · 30/07/2026 21:36

You sound amazing; so knowledgeable!

I have had two cleaners in life so far and both were pretty pants - happy with a ‘wipe round’ and would knock off early if I wasn’t there :(

If by some small miracle you live in Worcestershire/Herefordshire and ever have any availability message me 😅!!!

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