to ask anybody with cleaner's to answer two questions.

[SlightlyConfusedAlwaysMad]

How big are your homes and how much does your cleaner do?

Ahem Venus, I think you'll find it's the apostrophe police I noticed too but I wouldn't comment.

Before I take myself off to Pedants' Corner can I say that if I lived anywhere near KatyTheCleaningLady I'd employ her like a shot. I gave up on cleaners after the third lot didn't bother to move a small kitchen bin before mopping the floor .

Wow I am in awe at what some of you ladies can get through in three hours. I am obviously far more lazy feeble than I thought.

Big rambly farmhouse with wood stoves and 4 bedrooms, 3 large reception rooms an office and a dump of a "quirky" stone floor kitchen.

My (AWESOME) cleaners blitz the bathroom, hoover throughout, blitz the kitchen, wipe surfaces, cupboard doors, wash the floors, mop all hardwood/tile floors, dust everywhere, and generally are amazing. Takes 3/4 of them 45 minutes, so I'd say 3-4 hours in total. About every 6 weeks, they spring clean, which includes cleaning all the windows, cleaning the oven, hoovering all the corners for cobwebs, washing skirting board, etc. That takes a bit longer - usually 1.5 hours for 3 of them. They work like stink.

I don't expect them to tidy, clean litter boxes, put laundry away or anything like that. Their job is to clean, and I love them. because it means I don;t have to do it :)

We have a small three bed, our awesome cleaner does the whole lot in 2 hours flat. She's amazing. She charges £10/hour.

I was a cleaner years ago before I had a home of my own and kids. The lady of the 'manor' was very pernickity and insisted I dusted her bronze 'blankety blank cheque book and pen' which was in pride of place on top of the telly - is anyone here old enough to know what im on about ?

4bed, 3 bath, lots of stairs, ironing, change beds, does all laundry. 8hrs.

4 bed, reasonable size house. There are two cleaners, they come once a fortnight. Do all the floors, clean the hob, really good general clean, do the bathroom and cloakroom but only do the loos (3) if I ask specifically

They do two hours each, so four hours a fortnight.

5 bedrooms. 5 hours here.

wifeofgrime -When you resigned, did you tell her to shove her check book and pen up her blank or blanks?

5 bed, 5 bath. Two ladies come at once for 2 hours. They vacuum and mop the floors (entire house it tiled) and just about manage to sling a duster round and empty the bins.

3 bedroom, 4 floor house. My lovely cleaner knows how to clean so I don't have to ask her (which I would find a bit uncomfortable) and she does it on a rota basis. Always does the kitchen, bathroom and stairs, hall and landings and then alternates the other rooms on a quick whizz or a deeper clean basis. 4 hours a week which isn't that much given we are dirty folk with a large dog. She has been cleaning for us for about 8 years and, although we could manage without her, it is a lovely luxury. We communicate in our second language which is entertaining/bewildering/confusing but it seems to work. I wouldn't describe her as a friend but we do have a very real and strong relationship.

Don't wish to derail, but do you stay in when your cleaner is round, or give keys? I'm researching getting a cleaner, and not sure what the usual way is. OH isn't happy about someone being in flat while we're out, I don't want to sit on the sofa while someone hoovers round us (think it's weird!) Are agency cleaners covered by insurance (to reassure paranoid husband)?

Yes, ours has a key and does 2 1/2 hours when we are out.

Or at least I thought she did! I was off sick this week and discovered that she can do all our jobs in less than 2 hours and that's without rushing at all.

I'm not unhappy - as she is doing everything I asked of her, but the agency 'minimum' is 2 1/2 hours so I can't cut her hours without sacking her and getting a new agency. My plan instead is to up her jobs- all suggestions welcome...

She currently- hoovers whole house ( Small 3 bed), cleans kitchen (doesn't do inside of microwave unless specifically asked- and even then not well), cleans bathroom, dusts living room, and master bedroom. Cleans dining table, and coffee table. Mops kitchen/utility room floor. Does general straightening of cushions etc.. But no major tidying.

Next week I'm going to add- change master bed sheets, any other ideas?

Oh and yy to insurance humpty.

Always given a key - she cleaned/ironed whilst I was at work. Did get references though first. Now she cleans around my mum who likes the company!

Katy it sounds like you do lots!

3 beds plus study. 2 x 3 hours a week. One of those days inc quite a bit of ironing. Have two dogs and am fussy so like kitchen, bathrooms, carpets and hard floors done twice a week.

Blimey, katy can you come and clean my house? My "cleaner" had 4 hours to clean 3 bedrooms, a sitting room, dining room, kitchen, downstairs loo, bathroom and 2 shower rooms and did jackshit. She was sacked when I came home from holiday during which time she'd been and only cleaned half the rooms in half the house (ie only hoovered half the room. You could tell because there were hoover stripes on one side of the room and still bits of biscuit on the other side;).

Large house - 3 bathrooms and 4 bedrooms.
Normal 4 hours:
clean bathrooms
clean kitchen
mop all hardwood floors
wash any dishes left in kitchen
dust lounge
mops 3 balconies
empty bins
She comes in for 12 hours per week and the rest of the time does the following:
clean windows
random spring cleaning jobs - e.g pull out dishwasher and clean behind, tidy kitchen cupboards, resort linen cupboard
cleans area where bikes are stored
She is fab - always seems to know just what needs doing!

5 beds, 2 bath, 2 reception rooms.

4 hours a week which includes 1 hour of ironing. But 1 bed and bathroom are not used often so don't require much cleaning.

When our house was 3 bed & 1 bath (we converted the loft) she did 3 hours a week including 1 hour of ironing.

Thanks butkin and felicity - useful info! x