Is this a reasonable list of jobs for a cleaner?

[SomethingNastyInTheBallPool]

Hi everyone. Some advice needed, please. We have a new cleaner, who did her first clean for us yesterday. I haven't met her, but DP did - he said she's very nice but possibly doesn't have much cleaning experience.

When I got home from work, I had a look at what she'd done - floors were cleaned and rugs/carpets were well hoovered, but some of the kitchen and bathroom surfaces were still a bit grotty, and bedroom furniture was dusty.

I was planning to give her a checklist of things to be done every week. She'd be cleaning a large through lounge, kitchen, two bathrooms and two bedrooms, in addition to stairs, hall and landing. (There are two other bedrooms we don't need cleaned.) She came for 3 hours and said she thought that was the right amount of time for the space.

What do you think of this list? Is it doable in 3 hours?

Hallway
Clean floor
Clean mirror
Dust banisters
Dust wardrobe doors

Living room
Dust all surfaces
Clean mirror
Vacuum rug
Vacuum sofa and cushions
Mop/dust floor boards
Clean TV screen

Kitchen
Dust/wipe down/clean all surfaces and appliances, eg outside of fridge, cooker, cooker hood, microwave, kettle
Mop floor
Clean sink and shine taps
Clean draining board

Stairs/landing
Vacuum stairs
Vacuum landing
Wipe down/dust bannister rail

Bathrooms
Clean bath, loo, basin, bidet
Mop or wipe down floor
Shine taps
Clean shower screen
Attack limescale round taps/plugs with Cillit Bang or vinegar

Bedrooms
Vacuum floor
Dust all surfaces
Clean mirrors

It would take me longer than three hours to do all that. But I’m not in best of health, arthritis.
How much are you paying her?
Sorry I’m not much help but it does seem a lot to me.

Yes all perfectly acceptable and 3 hours sounds about right for that level of detail.

I am a Housekeeper/Cleaner, whatever you call them. Personally, that is all doable in three hours except the limescale attack. It can take a long time to remove limescale unless the cleaner puts the appropriate treatment on first while she does the rest of the house so it gives it time to treat it.

I don’t think I could do all of that in three hours but I’m a slow cleaner, not a professional.

I think that's too much fro 3 hours.

@KnittingForMittens -- it's not big limescale deposits, so I was thinking she could squirt on Cillit Bang or vinegar when she arrives and wipe it off after a couple of hours.

I had a cleaner who was amazing - she cleaned every surface and floor in an hour. This was a living room, hallway and stairs, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large kitchen. Basically, I would expect a cleaner to do what I do every week and I think three hours is enough. Are you going to give her a checklist?

I think 3 hours is a bit ambitious but I’m a VERY thorough cleaner. I’d have to cut corners to get through that in 3 hours.

For those of you who think it's too much to do in 3 hours, what do you think the right amount of time would be to get it done? The cleaner's young and fit, by the way.

I’m also not a professional!

she cleaned every surface and floor in an hour. This was a living room, hallway and stairs, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large kitchen.

Not possible.

That’s reasonable

@feemcgee Did your wondercleaner clone herself or something?? The plan is to give her a checklist but I want it to be realistic.

OP for all the surfaces that require dusting, are there lots of picture frames, ornaments, plants and Knick knacks that need moving? That takes up a lot of time. You might find you have to either allow extra time for that or rotate which rooms get dusted each week.

My villa cleaner used to work for Disney. They were taught to spray all dirty surfaces and leave the product to do its job while they tackled the laundry, made up beds, cleared fridge etc.
It was a big 4 bedroomed three bathroomed house. Pool area had to be tidy
How they did all of that in 2-3 hours I don’t know.
Cost me $80 but I bet they didn’t see more than half that

@JoxerGoesToStuttgart We’re pretty nicknack-free - our DD is autistic and loves to sweep objects to the ground, so we’ve given up on keeping stuff at child level!

I have two cats who do the same!

That’ll make the dusting far easier!

My Mum runs her own domestic and small commercial cleaning company, something she's done for 20 odd years.

Ran it by her and agreed that 3 hours is ambitious for for that list. Suggested splitting up the tasks on a weekly rotation. For example all floors and main visible surfaces each addressed each visit with a selection of additional deeper clean tasks added one visit and then others the following visit.

I know it takes me a long time cleaning, but then I'm pretty thorough and somewhat of a perfectionist.. thanks Mum!

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone. I like the idea of a basic list plus extra stuff on rotation, @AzaG (and your mum) - thank you.

I had a discussion with the cleaner -- she said she'll give the list a go next week and then let me know whether it's doable. If it isn't, I'll have a look at what can be dropped/done less regularly.

Also the first couple of cleans will be slower as the cleaner gets used to your house. Plus once they have cleaned i find the dirt builds up less magically

Your check list is absolutely fine, and should be easily accomplished by any professional domestic cleaner, this is only provided the house is in good order before hand. If not I would recommend a one of deep clean to bring up the house, then the maintenance clean of 3hrs weekly should be ample. This of course won't include any deep cleaning of areas.

It doesn't really matter what is on your list or how many hours she is there for, at the beginning of a new client, she will be finding her way around ... where power points are, where everything is kept , the flow of the house, the most efficient way to clean YOUR house.

It all takes time to get that down pat.

Leave her be a few weeks yet before you pounce.