In your opinion, what makes a good cleaner?

[ZoyaDestroyer]

I'm helping a friend out with maternity cover cleaning houses, just wondering what people expect from their cleaner. Obviously a clean house, but what little touches etc

Honesty, discretion, attention to detail, reliability.

Doing the full time paid for and not sloping off early, paying attention to where things go so I don’t have a weekly hunt to find anything they have put away, being proactive about spotting what needs doing and using any spare time on little extra jobs.

Don't hoover/mop/dust around movable stuff (but put it back please).
Dust the tops and crannies of furniture and doors and skirtings.
Be proactive
Don't use copious amount of sprays/detergents.
Keep cleaning cloths separate for the different jobs.

Doing the full time paid for and not sloping off early, paying attention to where things go so I don’t have a weekly hunt to find anything they have put away, being proactive about spotting what needs doing and using any spare time on little extra jobs.

This pretty much sums it up!

And being able to actually clean which sounds obvious but you'd be surprised.

I would also add (but is not essential) is having a bit of finesse. Arranging cushions, towels, objects etc I'd had a few cleaners that have been great at that and it's a nice touch.

My cleaners drives me insane (same agency but not same cleaner each time) that they don't rinse and clean the tooth brush pot, 3 cleaners and none of them do this, they also never put my cushions back to how they were before they were remove and that makes my trench itch slightly! they do however make my toilet roll into a point at the end and I like this

Ask what priorities are. If time, do some of those tasks that are needed less often, like cleaning inside the fridge or washing machine, the front door and step, etc.

@feellikezerobucks I would not want anyone touching my toothbrushes - can't you put them away while the cleaner is working?

OP, to answer your question, don't wipe/clean around things. Move them, clean, put them back. Use different cloths for appropriate tasks. Don't overdo it on clean smell over clean surfaces.

Thanks for caring enough to ask! I bet you'll do great.

My place is lovely atm - yes, S. comes every Friday morning for 2 hrs
I appreciate that she tells me when stocks of whatever are running low so I can add them to my shopping list.

Thank you everyone. I follow the organised mum method at home so thinking I will use an adapted version of that? Toilet paper into a point is noted

Reliability and noticing what needs doing, rather than doing exactly the same things every week and permanently ignoring other things. And cleaning in the corners, again not every corner every week but a different one each week maybe!

Folded toilet paper won’t be a winner with everyone! Personally hate it

Honestly don’t need any ‘extra touches’ just a thorough job of the basics, so it feels lovely & clean. This means moving things like a book on the coffee table or the small bean bag, not wiping/hoovering around them

Most things have already been mentioned. My consistently good agency rearrange the botties nicely in the shower so I know there has been a thorough clean and the taps are done with Viakal so are super shiny. Folding the towels nicely on towel rail and spraying a nice, natural air freshener at the end. I notice all of this.