AIBU to expect cleaner to clean to my standard?

[Marsaday]

First world problem question: OH and I are working long hours plus i am pregnant and exhausted so decided to get a cleaner so that we can spend weekends with toddler instead of worrying about cleaning. Met cleaner, she had good references so started today.

We asked her to do basic clean, so hoover whole house, clean the kitchen bathroom and toilet, and a quick dusting of surfaces in other rooms.
We have a small house, downstairs only kitchen and small lounge diner. Upstairs are two small double bedrooms and a tiny bedroom where ds sleeps. One bathroom and separate toilet. We reckoned that 2 hours was reasonable to do this, and she agreed when she visited prior to starting.

Just got home to discover house is not cleaned to the standard I hoped for. She has obviously not moved anything, eg bathroom bin, potty, dining chairs to clean under or behind them. Lounge rug was not rolled back to hoover underneath. The tiny bedroom where DS sleep seems not to have been touched at all. There are still hairs all over the bathoom floor, and the sink in the toilet has not been touched either.

My question is, AIBU to expect a better job than this in two hours? I've never had a cleaner before and I don't know if I'm expecting too much wanting it done to my standards ( which I don't think are actually especially high!)

I would love to be here when she comes, but we are both teachers so cannot take a weekday off work to do that. Can't do it in the evening as hoover wakes toddler up.

For me moving furniture and hoovering underneath it is part of basic cleaning but no cleaner I have had seems to think so.

Gah ... I loathe all of these posts saying sack her!

How fucking Victorian. Give the woman a chance and tell her exactly what it is you hope she can do and let her explain why if she cannot.

We can no longer afford a cleaner but back in the days when we could, I ended up showing exactly how I wanted things done and making a checklist of all the different steps. Otherwise I just got bitter and twisted when it wasn't done Exactly Right.

Tell her! Say you were pleased with the kitchen but a bit concerned about x and y. Definitely write a list of jobs you want done including bins emptied, beds changes, blinds dusted etc and check with her that it is reasonable and she can do it all. If she came recommended she probably is ok.

I've had so many cleaners, they all seem to have one issue or another but we've made it work. Talk to her and treat it like any other working relationship.

I think more time is needed for your size of house. More like 3 hours. But I'd also be put out at the slapdash nature of her cleaning. IMO, this isn't about you not communicating clearly about standards.

Basically, you need a cleaner who really really hates dirt. If you find someone like that pay them a premium and treat them very very well.

I sympathise. I have been through multiple cleaners in the last year, but have now found a husband/wife team who (thank god) are very good.

Do give her another chance.

To start with, write her a list of the things you expect her to do as a minimum every week, e.g. empty bins, wipe kitchen cupboard fronts, use bleach in loos etc etc.

Also keep a list for yourself in the week (somewhere handy) of any bits you notice that aren't up to scratch, so that you can also let her know about these e.g. certain areas being missed, cobwebs need doing
.

If you're not there when she cleans it is more difficult to point things out to her, but I think you should give her a few more weeks. If however you're still not happy after 3 or 4 goes I would call it a day and try (good luck!) to find someone better.