Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

To give new cleaner another chance or not?

40 replies

Summering23 · 19/09/2023 12:53

I had a new cleaner start yesterday. When she arrived I showed her around, where the cleaning products could be found etc. and talked her through what I wanted her to do.

After she left and I walked through the house there's quite a bit that she has not done. It doesn't look like she has cleaned the kitchen surfaces properly or moved anything as they felt dusty under my hands, crumbs under the toaster etc. A fair few dusty surfaces around in general when I specified to dust and vacuum in every room I showed her.

I specifically asked her to clean the glass of the french doors, and the hanging light pendants - both not cleaned. I also asked that she clean the kitchen cupboard doors and there are still quite a few greasy marks on them.

She has done a good job in the bathrooms with the exception of one toilet which still had a dirty toilet seat when I lifted it up (kids bathroom).

Is this to be expected with a first clean, or not? It's not a time issue as she left 10 minutes earlier than I'd paid for. I'm not sure if I just need to go through it all again next time she comes and specify every surface she should dust rather than just a generic "please dust in here"? Or am I better off telling her not to come again and trying to find another cleaner?

OP posts:
Quitelikeit · 19/09/2023 12:55

Just message her and ask if she needs more time as x,y & z was not done

Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 13:35

Do you mean in a " I know you don't need more time but I am trying to be nice" kind of way? as she left early.

OP posts:
NewYearNewUsername23 · 19/09/2023 13:38

When I’ve had cleaners, it’s been expected to be tidy before they come and they don’t usually move things (this was an issue as due to disability I couldn’t do some of what they expected me to do in advance).

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cleaning
TrailingLoellia · 19/09/2023 13:39

I agree it seems like there wasn’t enough time to clean all you wanted to be cleaned as your list of what was skipped would have taken more then ten minutes to do.

I agree you should text her and perhaps agree on an initial deep clean that is longer time and then step down to regular top up cleans.

Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 13:59

My house is extremely tidy already, when I say that nothing was moved, I expected that things like the toaster, butter dish, etc. would be moved to clean the worktop and not just wiped around. Is that not usual?

I did make a point of saying what rooms to prioritise and to let me know if she did not manage to get around everywhere. I'd have preferred her to have said she'd left a bedroom or two untouched than to have done half a job in all rooms. I only got a cleaner to stop rows with my DH because it's me who usually does it all, but even trying to organise someone else to do it adds extra work to my plate 😫

OP posts:
rookiemere · 19/09/2023 14:00

Unless she came highly recommended, or you expected her to deep clean a 4 bed house in 2 hours, I'd probably just move on to someone else.
The fact this was her first time coming and she left things undone and left 10 minutes early aren't good signs.

TrailingLoellia · 19/09/2023 14:03

I'd have preferred her to have said she'd left a bedroom or two untouched than to have done half a job in all rooms.

Other customers would prefer every room cleaned a bit when short on time.
The issue is there wasn’t enough time to do all the cleaning, so she did a quick rush job and got most of each room done. There is no way that ten minutes would have been enough time to even do a quarter of what you have listed as not done.

GreenIsTheMagicColour · 19/09/2023 14:04

I'd get someone else in. Surely wipe down surfaces properly is the absolute minimum that is expected!

Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 14:12

TrailingLoellia · 19/09/2023 14:03

I'd have preferred her to have said she'd left a bedroom or two untouched than to have done half a job in all rooms.

Other customers would prefer every room cleaned a bit when short on time.
The issue is there wasn’t enough time to do all the cleaning, so she did a quick rush job and got most of each room done. There is no way that ten minutes would have been enough time to even do a quarter of what you have listed as not done.

I know that is why I specified what it was that I wanted. It's easier for me to go and clean one or two rooms than to have to go around the entire house cleaning what's not been done properly.

Previous cleaners have managed it all in the same time though it's been a couple of years since I last had a cleaner.

OP posts:
OhComeOnFFS · 19/09/2023 14:14

I would definitely let her go, just for leaving 10 minutes early on her first day. That's really bad. It doesn't sound as though she's done anything well.

Can you book through an agency?

AnonymousJM · 19/09/2023 14:22

@Summering23

I am a cleaner myself
And moving basic equipment like toasters, kettle and even the microwave is something you'd just naturally do.
It sounds like she rushed the clean and wasn't thorough

Usually my first clean is always a deep clean
So I will target a specific area

One time it actually took me two hours to clean someone's kitchen
(Including oven)

The client was satisfied with this

Just means that going forward I can then target other areas

There's nothing worse than having someone come into the home to do a job that you have to then do yourself after they had left

I would unfortunately just let them go
I wouldn't bother explaining basic cleaning duties to her

I always go into my clients homes with the mindset of 'would I be satisfied if someone cleaned my home to the standard I'm cleaning other peoples homes'

If the answer is yes then I know I am doing a good enough job

I've had people pay me extra money for my services out of choice

It's trial and error

Hopefully you find the right person soon!

WhatFlavourIsIt · 19/09/2023 14:38

Sounds like she didn't have enough time. Maybe do another walk though with her and clarify that what you're asking her to do is realistic. Did she have window gear with her for the glass doors?. The main thing I've learned from years of cleaning is to be open & honest with clients to manage expectations .

rookiemere · 19/09/2023 14:40

But surely if she didn't have enough time, she should have let OP know in advance, or at least when she was leaving.

Cleaners are self employed so OP shouldn't have to teach her how to do her job.

FerretFarago · 19/09/2023 14:41

Also was there any kind of step or ladder clearly available to her to do the light fittings and all the glass doors, or was she expected to hover in mid air?

AffIt · 19/09/2023 14:46

@Summering23

Usually my first clean is always a deep clean, so I will target a specific area

I had a wonderful cleaner who did what you have suggested - when she first came to visit, she said she would take the first couple of appointments to 'get the rooms up to her standard', by which she would deep clean each area then have them on a schedule.

I didn't interfere and let her get on with it! She was absolutely terrific and unfortunately I have never been able to find a cleaner who can match her, but that was mostly because I could trust her absolutely to do her job (and she had exceptionally high standards).

OP, I think I would just put this one down to experience and move on - you don't want to have to be explaining basic cleaning tenets to a cleaner.

mathanxiety · 19/09/2023 14:48

How much time did she spend in your house?
How many bedrooms? Bathrooms?
How many panes in the French doors?
How many pendant lights? How high?

Did the cleaner get a chance to give you an estimate of how many hours she would need before her first cleaning visit?

If you noticed dust, etc, in rooms she had cleaned, is it possible your house required a good deal more time for an initial clean than you or the cleaner bargained for?

ArcticLingered · 19/09/2023 14:54

@Summering23 it sounds like the house was much dirtier than the cleaner had bargained for - has it been a while since you have had a cleaner? Once the cleaner gets on top of the backlog they might start doing a better job. I expect they felt overwhelmed by all the greasy cupboard doors, filthy toilet seats, toast crumbs everywhere etc.

Cigarettesandbooze · 19/09/2023 14:56

Kick her to the kerb. She’s not going to get any better. You’d expect her to be at her best on the first day.

Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 15:02

@mathanxiety I asked for 4 hours to do a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. I specifically said what I wanted prioritised and to leave any rooms she could not fit in. There are 3 pendants and large french doors but I clean then weekly so they just needed a quick wipe with an e-cloth and it was one of the tasks I asked to be prioritised.

Nothing was mentioned about time and when I asked if she needed anything extra from me it wasn't brought up. And like I say previous cleaners have been able to do it all in that time. I appreciate some may be faster than others hence why I gave a priority list of what I wanted done.

Maybe she did need time for a bigger initial clean but the house is kept pretty spotless and a quick wipe over with a duster would have sufficed for most surfaces but wasn't done.

OP posts:
goingtotown · 19/09/2023 15:41

Don't give her a second chance, she had her chance & failed.

Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 15:41

ArcticLingered · 19/09/2023 14:54

@Summering23 it sounds like the house was much dirtier than the cleaner had bargained for - has it been a while since you have had a cleaner? Once the cleaner gets on top of the backlog they might start doing a better job. I expect they felt overwhelmed by all the greasy cupboard doors, filthy toilet seats, toast crumbs everywhere etc.

Edited

Lol not at all. The house is kept very clean. You are making it sound like a hovel. It's just the normal dirt that builds up in a house over the course of a week. Dark painted kitchen cupboards show every finger mark etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 15:43

FerretFarago · 19/09/2023 14:41

Also was there any kind of step or ladder clearly available to her to do the light fittings and all the glass doors, or was she expected to hover in mid air?

Bit ridiculous, no? Of course there was a step available but even if not surely you'd ask not just leave it?

OP posts:
AliceOlive · 19/09/2023 15:44

No, because of the crumbs on the counter.

That is ample time to clean a house of that size.

arabellaL · 19/09/2023 16:13

People's desire to find fault with the OP no matter what never fails to make me laugh. She's a shit cleaner and even if it wasn't enough time (4 hours is definitely enough for a decent cleaner and a regularly layman cleaned house), the onus is on her to do a reccy on the house beforehand and let you know if it's enough time. That's professionalism. Get rid and try again

Original poster
Summering23 · 19/09/2023 16:16

arabellaL · 19/09/2023 16:13

People's desire to find fault with the OP no matter what never fails to make me laugh. She's a shit cleaner and even if it wasn't enough time (4 hours is definitely enough for a decent cleaner and a regularly layman cleaned house), the onus is on her to do a reccy on the house beforehand and let you know if it's enough time. That's professionalism. Get rid and try again

Thank you!!

OP posts: