How long per week to clean an average size 3 bed semi to a decent level?

[DandyInTheUnderworld]

I'd be interested in how long others spend for an acceptable level of result, not sparkling show home, but generally pretty good for example if people come round unexpectedly. Two adults, one working from home, two (fluffy) cats. Us not a cleaner if that makes a difference.

I'm thinking of actual cleaning rather than tidying / laundry etc, we don't have much clutter & laundry gets done in the course of general everything.

We have a 4 bed but one bedroom is completely empty so that doesn't get cleaned bar the occasional hoover. I spend probably 2-3 hours a week for all general tidying/cleaning/hoovering. I work from home so manage to get a lot done in between meetings and then have at least an hour or two each weekend/Friday getting up together with everything.

I have a dog so I hoover at least twice a day downstairs 😅

I’d say probably 2.5-3.5 hours, closer to the upper end if you have 2 bathrooms + downstairs loo, on the lower end if it’s only the one bathroom.

I’d say 3 hours if youve just the one bathroom

Probably about 40 hours a week if you are Foxtons, or at least that's what they may try and charge you for.

3 hours

Two bathrooms but one only ever gets used for the sink when it's just me & DP at home, so doesn't take a lot of cleaning.

This is sounding optimistic. I'm wanting to get away from cleaning at weekends (supporting elderly DPs who need more doing these days, so getting harder to fit it in, & want to get out & about a bit more).

I've been trying to do half an hour a day in the evening just focusing on one room at a time, to avoid the tendency to skim round the surface frequently and not get round to stuff like the skirting boards. I reckon if both DP & I do that on the days we're home at a decent time then hopefully it should work a bit better.

2 hours max

Sounds like you're doing The Organised Mum Method, OP! If you Google, you'll find free printable on the website and a FB group, although you can buy the books too. The idea is one room a day for 30 mins, plus general laundry/bathroom/kitchen wipe down (around 15 mins). Then nothing at weekends.

I spend about 3 hours a week hoovering, cleaning the downstairs toilet and some dusting and de-furring throws (two cats). About once a month I give the kitchen cupboards a good wipe over, do skirting boards and any bad areas of internal glass (often get spillage marks on a couple of doors and cat snuffle marks on the windows) - probably take 1.5 hours. It's fine for us, but I wouldn't ever say it's immaculate.

I'd pay a cleaner for three hours: mop hard floors,vacuum carpets, dusting, clean bathrooms, wipe over windowsills, light switches, kitchen handles and doors. I would not do it if I also had a full-time job.

Every day, I swab the kitchen worktops, sink, hob, empty the dishwasher, cook, do a load of laundry and shop once a week. That is enough of my time on domestic stuff.

We are also 2 people and a pet (a little dog).
I WFH 3-4 days a week. DH works out of the house, in a physical trade that generates a lot of washing (yes, he'd do it himself happily, but I prefer to).
I spend 30 mins every morning before work, doing a series of random chores to keep on top of everything. At night we just wash up after dinner and leave the living room tidy before going to bed.
Then at the weekend we typically do an hour together on a Saturday and an hour on Sunday keeping on top of the front and back garden.

I’d say 2-3 hours

How many times are you cleaning for 2-3hrs a week? I feel like the front room takes me.an hour per time and then kitchen about the same or longer

I usually spend around 2-3 hours a week. Depending on my motivation. I always say I'm going to do a little each day so I don't have to do a big clean but I'm always too tired or can't be bothered!

On a Saturday morning I will put in my AirPods, put a podcast or music and get cleaning.

A weekly clean would be;
Do all dishes and put away
Wipe kitchen surfaces down
Clean sinking draining board
Wipe down dining room table
Hoover and mop
Put away any clutter
Hoover living room, dust and wipe down any surfaces
Wash and change bedding
Hoover upstairs
Bleach toilets, clean shower and bath out
clean sink & mirrors
mop bathrooms floors

I can see a kitchen clean taking an hour, but what do you do to your front room that takes an hour to clean?!

A cleaner will need a minimum of 3 hours to do a good job in my experience.

I'm thinking of actual cleaning rather than tidying / laundry etc, we don't have much clutter & laundry gets done in the course of general everything.

I'd missed this bit. My 30 mins a day includes everything - laundry, watering houseplants, general odds and sods etc.

My checklist is essentially:

1. polish top of TV unit
2. take ornaments off TV unit
3. polish the three display compartments in TV unit
4. Polish ornaments and put them back
5. polish front side of TV unit
6. wipe over TV
7. I have a set of 3 wooden tables with glass in the middle which I polish each side
8. then a larger table I do the same
9. polish the window seals
10. polish the clock
11. polish the photo frames
12. clean and make a bed ( downstairs living family member)
13. pick up any rubbish or stuff that isn't where it should be
14. put the tables and a footstool on the bed
15. hoover - I do it 3 times once on each setting.
16. put the tables and everything back
17. fold blankets and put on/in footstool.

I dunno maybe this seems like a martyr list putting everything down but I just don't think I could do it quicker.

@StaySpicy yes indeed! the idea for half an hour on one room per day is from TOMM.

I don't think her rota exactly works for us but with a bit of tweaking it should. Our living room is small & dark so not used that much in summer, kitchen/diner is large & gets heavy use plus we both like to cook, so I'd say the kitchen needs more than half hour a week, living room probably less.

But I like the idea of focusing in on one room as I think we'll achieve more in the time.
Good to see that around 3 hours or so seems standard, I think that's realistic for us. I work ft at an outdoors physical job, plus always stop into my parents on the way home. My DP is based at home, but quite often has to work away, & also plays sport after work twice a week (definitely important for his health). But I reckon practically speaking we should each manage 1/2 hour three times a week after work. We do general bits & pieces like laundry before work / DP in breaks if he gets a chance.