Why is it so impossible to find a cleaner?!

[rhino12345]

We've been searching for a cleaner now for about 4 months and it's honestly broken me 😂 For all the time I've spent looking for a cleaner, I could have deep cleaned a bloody hotel !!!!

Have asked on local Facebook group, but got 5 responses of which 3 were fully booked, 1 never replied to my message and another said she was coming and then never showed up on the day.

Asked some friends who have cleaners for recommendations, again one came for a couple of weeks and then never showed up again - can't get hold of her and neither can my friend??

Had another lady come that was highly recommended by an old colleague, she messaged and said "sorry, I can't come this week but my friend Vicky will be with you instead". When Vicky arrived, I asked how she knew the original cleaner (just making conversation more than anything) only to find she'd never met her and she was just a random woman off Facebook!!!!!! And she was sub-letting the cleaning job to her???!!!

Asked another friend who she uses, but she was very honest and said she wouldn't recommend them as they won't mop or hoover?!!!

I feel completely aghast. I've now tried three different agencies, inc a national one, thinking I'd have more luck there, but again one never replied, the other was fully booked and another local one said they only had time to do 'half' the house?!

I'm starting to wonder if I'm on some sort of cleaning blacklist 😂Our house is just a normal house, very tidy, no pets, non-smoker etc! And I'm a nice person, smiley and friendly and leave them to it.

SO AIBU? Is it impossible to find a cleaner, or is there some secret club I need to be a part of? 😅

Following for ideas!

You’re not alone, OP

I am so tired of these cleaners. They are all unreliable. Most dont take their job's seriously, I guess it's a temporary career choice for them.

These days, I follow a few cleaning influencers on instagram and try to her inspiration to do it myself.

I have found a couple of lovely cleaners on Next Door app. Might be worth a try.

Yeah it is bad.
To be honest, I quite enjoy cleaning (especially watching people clean on reels 😂) and so would happily do it myself, but neither me nor DH have the time!!

Both work full time, we have three kids, the weekends are spent either ferrying them to their clubs or catching up with family..
The house hasn't been cleaned for two weeks (since the last cleaner ghosted me!!) and I have no idea when we'll get time to do it now!!

Ooh I have never been on that. I will resort to that now

You are not alone. I was so fed up DH and are now doing it ourselves. I don't know where to find a reliable and good one.

What about agency cleaners?

I was incredibly lucky to find a local woman who had just set herself up as a self employed cleaner after working for agencies. In some areas the demand for good cleaners massively outstrips the demand.
You might consider looking for a local sixth former who needs money and training her up, paying the full rate for your area. Even 2 hours a week to give kitchen and bathrooms a deep clean would make a big difference.

Ditto.. I'm a disabled pensioner and just had spinal surgery six weeks ago. Been looking before my surgery... one gave me a price including oven cleaning.. l said my oven is brand new and wont need cleaning.. but was told she would still charge for it because that's her policy.. so l declined that one.. second one didn't have insurance. Third one only did night cleaning after 8 pm( too late for me) fourth one no show.. touch wood I've got one that has good reviews.. seems very friendly and is coming next Tuesday 🤞.
Good luck.

Yes, as I said in OP I've tried with three different agencies but one never replied (I emailed, phoned and then sent a text...nada!) the other was fully booked and another local one said they could only do 1 hour a week!

Yes this is a good idea. I was a housekeeper in my gap year and loved it!

I will keep my fingers firmly crossed for you!!!

And there was me holding back on starting up my cleaning business, through worry there would be no demand!

Good luck. A little advert in your local Facebook group or free paper would help you judge the you the demand.

I’ve managed to get a few to actually turn up but they all seem to do a very shit job for a few weeks and then disappear again. I’ve never found anyone who cleans to my own standards. And I’m not Mrs Hinch standards either, just mopping, hoovering, doing the bathrooms properly etc. Mostly they just seem to spend time making everything “look” pretty without actually cleaning. One particular one I had used to fold every end of every toilet roll into some sort of fancy fan rather than actually cleaning the things she was paid to clean!

Always loads of cleaners advertising. If anyone posts locally for a cleaner they get loads of replies.
My friend is a long term cleaner and enjoys it.
All her customers come from word of mouth. I don't believe in all the years she's been doing it, she has ever advertised online.

TaskRabbit is good OP. I've found a couple of great cleaners there

Where are you based? X

I hear you. I could have written this myself. I had a wonderful cleaner for seven years until she got married and moved two hours away. Since then I’ve had a few not respond or not turn up when they said they would. Finally found someone but in three months she cancelled three times, once two days before Christmas (which is a date she asked for after cancelling the week before!) then brought her child along who sat in my sofa eating crisps whilst I was trying to work. Eventually she just didn’t turn up. I could see she was active on Facebook so clearly hadn’t come to any harm. She did a mediocre job anyway so I didn’t bother chasing.
I’ve been doing it myself but I really need someone to do a proper deep clean.

south manchester

Yeah, it is really odd. We had one woman who came a handful of times but she would do things like not mop the bathroom floor, or "forget" to clean the living room, or one time she cleaned the whole kitchen but not the hob (it wasn't super dirty, just needed a quick wipe over). Really strange.

I will keep my eyes peeled

What are you asking for to be done out of interest? I did domestic cleaning years ago and some clients expectations verged into housekeeper territory and were unrealistic.

There ARE cleaners available in my area. But all the ones that were prepared to continue with the work long term had quirks I couldn't deal with.

1 always finished early.
1 only worked to a set schedule and wouldn't deviate from the jobs on her (not my) list.
1 was nuts and started showing up on non cleaning days and letting herself in. She also started interrupting my online work meetings.

In the end, I decided to just do it myself. Instead, I arrange to have someone come over a couple of times a week (coffee etc) which shames me into cleaning.

I think the best cleaning arrangements are with good friends who also don't want to clean their houses but don't mind cleaning. Do each others, once or twice a month. It works surprisingly well.