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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think i am a cleaner, not a fucking housekeeper/general dogsbody!!

146 replies

superv1xen · 05/04/2011 16:14

i have a small cleaning business, ok its basically just me, my mop and my hoover, and a gumtree ad :o i have got 3 clients and work 3 days a week.

one of my clients has the most cluttered house i have ever seen, it makes it really hard for me to clean at the best of times as i don't like to move stuff too much plus she always leaves stuff that looks like rubbish lying around but i darent chuck it in case its important (she works from home). she also expects me to change her beds and clean out her coffee machine, which is a right fiddly arse of a job. also i usually have to fill the dishwasher as theres usually a few pots and pans lying about in the kitchen. i think this is a bit above and beyond what i would ask of a cleaner, (my other clients wouldnt dream of asking me to do that) but i need the money work so i just accept it. but today they really took the piss IMO.

i got there and her and her DH were cooking a fry up (hmm) so i went and did the upstairs first to stay out of their way. and came down to find that there were greasy, filthy pots and pans ALL over the work surfaces, the cooker was swimming in grease and the sink was overflowing with dishes. in the sitting room the dining table was covered with dirty cups, plates etc, it looked like they had had some kind of dinner party last night. so i had no choice but to empty their (full) dishwasher and put everything away so i could put all their dirty pots in there and do a new load (to clear them out of the way more than anything) and there wasn't even enough space in there for everything so i had to handwash a load too. and it took me ages to rid the cooker top of its horrible black greasiness. there was also disgusting bits of food and stuff all over the worktops which i had to bin, i was nearly sick i swear.

AIBU or does that take the piss a bit? when i was growing up we had a cleaner when i lived at home and my mum used to make sure it was tidy-ish for when she came so she could do a decent job. as do my other clients!

OP posts:
ChristinedePizan · 05/04/2011 16:16

I'd dump them - they're not showing any respect. Can you get another job to fill the vacancy.

rookiemater · 05/04/2011 16:19

It depends if you have time to do the other jobs you are expected to do in the time you are paid for. To be honest, although my house isn't as cluttered as your clients I wouldn't clean up before the cleaner arrives, I would expect her to tell me if she hasn't got time to do all the jobs because of this.

It doesn't sound as if cleaning is a job that you are suited for if you are so critical of your clients.

louloudia · 05/04/2011 16:20

tuts, did they offer to share the bacon and eggs though???

inchhighprivateeye · 05/04/2011 16:22

I don't understand - They are paying you to clean, right? So you cleaned. End of story. OK so maybe you could get more done if they tidied, but if they are paying you for the job and this is what they want you to do, what's the problem?

Bramshott · 05/04/2011 16:23

Can you explain to them that if you are tidying up after them, you won't have time to do all the cleaning they want?

I told my cleaner that we were pretty messy, but that she wasn't to tidy up after us because it was cleaning that I wanted! Sorry if that sounds harsh, but my last cleaner used to spend ages tidying (eg. if I'd tipped a load of stuff onto DDs bed, she'd sort it out) and less time cleaning.

Some people prefer it that way I guess, but personally, it's the messy jobs I want someone else to do!

OldBagWantsNewBag · 05/04/2011 16:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Karbea · 05/04/2011 16:23

Hello,

I guess you can only do what you can do in the time they've allocated to you (guess you are paid £x for x hrs?), and also, you are employed as a cleaner and if the house isn't tidy you can't clean it can you.

I think i'd be inclined to clean where you can and have a conversation with them to say you are unable to clean when the house isn't more or less tidy.

I'd left a pile of clean washing in a washing basket on our floor in the bedroom on thursday when my cleaner came and she took it downstairs and pilled the dirty bed linen on top, so I had to redo all the washing - that'll teach me to leave stuff out!
I guess you could do something similar?

Good luck with your business :-) xx

LittleCheesyPineappleOne · 05/04/2011 16:23

YANBU. I was sacked by my then cleaner because my house was too untidy. I was (in retrospect) a bit depressed at the time: a young child, working full time, old house with no storage. These are excuses because I am also a naturally lazy person (although not disorganised). It was a wake up call actually. I am now much better and the house is usually pretty good, tidiness-wise, before the cleaner gets here. Especially since we've had a nanny who's been with us for 3 years - out of respect to our nanny we are now much better at keeping the place picked up.

I have gone through a number of cleaners since then: they usually last 6-12m. I think if you're a good cleaner, and in demand, you will be able to drop untidy clients like me, as you build up your business.

One of my cleaners just lasted a couple of weeks - she was completely anal (probably not a bad thing in a cleaner) - but she couldn't manage our house. Others have lasted much longer - most of those ones have children of their own so know what it's like.

A friend who runs a cleaning business (and still cleans herself) is so good and in demand she only takes on childless working clients whose houses barely get dirty. Which is fair enough, as it's clearly easier for her. If my house is more untidy one week, frankly I'm grateful for anything my cleaner does in the time she has.

DastardlyandSmuttily · 05/04/2011 16:23

You could do what my cleaner does - she cleans the sink and draining board. Then plonks neatly stacks any washing up I've left out back in the sink. With me it's never more than the odd dry breakfast plate or mug, and i always apologise if i realise, but it nicely makes the point that she will clean, not wash up.

Not sure about the cooker though - it needed cleaning, they pay you to clean. Do you expect them to 'pre-clean' it for you?

Bed changing I would've thought was ok - ours used to offer to do it, but I prefer to do it myself. Coffee machine - just say if you don't want to do it. Say you're scared of breaking it or something.

It does sound like you really don't like cleaning much though, and I know lots of people don't, so maybe I'm really lucky in finding a cleaner who seems wierdly passionate about it!

IMissSleep · 05/04/2011 16:24

Yuk!!

We have a cleaner and I always:

  • load dishwasher before she comes
  • Get rid of any crap (papers,mags etc)
  • make beds and make sure there are no clothes lying around.

That way she can do what we need her to: hoover, mop, polish etc. She's always telling me she's happy to change bedding, clean oven. I have had her come an hour extra to clean oven but I paid her extra because its a pain in the arse and takes ages! I'd never expect her to just do it.

They are taking the piss!!

grovel · 05/04/2011 16:24

There is an "etiquette" for how cleaners are treated. Generally, no washing-up and no ironing unless specifically agreed in advance.

GelflinGirl · 05/04/2011 16:24

YANBU, ditch them or add an extra hours pay on top.

Fluteyboots · 05/04/2011 16:26

YANBU. A good cleaner is hard to find. I have someone to help 2hrs a week and I wouldn't dream of leaving dirty dishes or a lot of clutter, or I would be stopping her doing the job she has agreed to do.

Have you had a discussion with your clients about what they would like you to achieve in the time you are there? I did this with my cleaner when she started, and told her what the things I wanted doing every week were, and what were the things to do if she had time left over. I then leave her a note in a notebook every week and if there's something different I let her know. If the house is a mess I chuck everything into spare room or onto the beds so she can still get around the floors and surfaces.

Maybe you could broach like that, say that you'd like to go over again with them what they actually want you to do, and then if you cannot do it all because of mess and dishes, then point that out each time. IMO they are taking the piss a bit.

Goodynuff · 05/04/2011 16:29

I used to work as a cleaner, and we would agree on what was to be done before I started. I charged by the hour, so if there was tons to do, I made more money. When someone is paying $/hour, they usually do the easier jobs themselves (ie bed making) and leave the nastier jobs, like stoves, toilets, floors and such.

Acanthus · 05/04/2011 16:31

I agree that the etiquette is no ironing unless specifically requested. Not so sure about washing up- I'd always load the dishwasher but the few things that don't go in I would probably leave by the sink for my cleaner.

nijinsky · 05/04/2011 16:31

This is why I don't use cleaners to clean my rental properties between lets but do them myself! Cleaners can't clean if its too untidy and if I start tidying it up, I might as well clean it myself. I know what you mean by revolting amounts of dirt, I've seen it all!

sausagerollmodel · 05/04/2011 16:39

Bleurgh!
I would ask the slobs clients what they want you to do as a priority each day. Then ask them what extra jobs need doing if you have any time left. Then hopefully you can avoid the more unpleasant jobs!
If you need to buy extra heavy duty cleaning materials to cut through the grime you should ask for more money.
If it doesn't work out in the end, sack them as soon as you can get some tidier clients!

TWDA · 05/04/2011 16:41

I expect our cleaner to do dishes if they're there ( i find it weird that some don't, how else can you clean the kitchen surfaces!) but we don't usuallyt leave many and our house is spotless generally so that she can getting on with the mopping etc They sound like pigs. Try explaining to them that you're there for a limited time and if they want you to wash filthy dishes fine but you won't have time to do owt else if your are stuck at the sink and picking crap up off the floor the whole time... Or if you really don't do dishes then tell them that and see what they say - good cleaners are like gold dust ( I should know I used to be one :) )so they will either respect your boundaries and keep you or take offence and get rid. In which case ask one of your other two much less piggy clients to recommend you...

exoticfruits · 05/04/2011 16:47

I am sure that you can ditch her and find more reasonable people. I have friends where the cleaner has been around first and chosen whether she will take them on.
I would advertise more and then vet any contacts and state your expectations first-don't take them on if they can't meet them. Put flyers through letterboxes in the area that you like.

boohoohoo · 05/04/2011 16:50

Your a cleaner not a tidy upper!!!!!

LoveACuppaTea · 05/04/2011 16:51

hello

ive not read all the replies so sorry if this has already been said. Im a self employed cleaner too and one of my "terms" is that the house must be tidy in order for me to clean it and I will not clean any surface that has too much clutter on it - for their sake and mines.

DuplicitousBitch · 05/04/2011 16:57

you have set a precedent unless you make it clear what you will and will not do they will expect you to clean up this sort of thing every week

new2cm · 05/04/2011 16:58

YANBU.

I always clear the clutter off the floor. As my previous cleaner said to me, "I ain't doing it for free and the more time I take to clear the stuff off the floor, the less time I have to vacumm and clean your home."

Fair enough, I thought!

ajandjjmum · 05/04/2011 16:58

Our cleaner does load and unload the dishwasher, changes beds and irons. She also tries to tidy up the chaos, but is on a loser there! Grin

But she works for 2 days a week, so has the time to do these things.

It really depends on what she was employed to do, and how long she has.

FattyAcid · 05/04/2011 17:09

I think it would be a good idea for all cleaners and their clients to agree a tick list at the start of what will be done (and what won't!). Also what to prioritise if time is short and what extra tasks there are if there is unused time.

That way everyone knows what they are getting into and what to expect.

Its not too late to do this with your unfavoured client if you want to. On the other hand cleaning work is pretty easy to get if you fancy changing clients though isn't it?