To set some traps for the cleaner?

[Dothetwist]

Not thinking the wire abd bucket kind...

I have never had an experience with a cleaner before, she starts tomorrow morning

I was wondering how people manage to gain trust in someone coming in to their house, I've given her a key and asked it to be posted back through each time..

Wibu to set some little traps? Like a dirt patch somewhere i would expect to be cleaned or a £10er somewhere?

I think tbh if you are considering 'laying traps' you deserve to do your own bloody cleaning.

Here's a very easy way to "test" a cleaner.

Does the house look clean?

If yes, great! If not, find someone else.

Yabu. I would tell her specifically what you want cleaning. If there are things you are particular about, tell her. If she doesn't do it properly, tell her. If she doesn't meet your standards, get someone else in.

Re money. I don't leave money laying around the house. If you do, maybe know how much is there rather than leaving random fivers scattered about.

Yabu. As a former cleaner I find this insulting. No way would I want to work for someone like you. You sound extremely paranoid, have you considered counselling?

I also have piles of change lying around...and piles of crumbs...though certainly not to test my cleaner (when I was lucky enough to have one). My tendency to leave piles of crap and not really care, is why I needed a cleaner.

Does anyone remember a thread about the thefts and generally horrible things done by workers such as builders and electricians, who were left alone in people's houses? I was really shocked by those (never had a bad experience with a workman either).

Get over yourself.

Oh, and while you're at it, get the hoover and duster out.

Having worked as a nanny, and having seen many a trap, I never thought very nice thoughts about my employers after seeing what they had done. In fact, my usual thought was 'what nasty people'.

Do you really think someone would risk destroying their reputation (which is all a cleaner has, or a nanny, when it all boils down) for the sake of a fiver?

If you have enough time to plot and create dirt traps and leave sums of money out to check afterwards, maybe you have the time to clean your own house.

"However, how do i know i can trust her without seeing if she does things thoroughly and not just on the surface."
You check. If you see dirt with your own eyes then she has not cleaned thoroughly. You don't need X-ray vision. Dirt is on the surface if it is anywhere at all. If you don't see it, then it has been cleaned away. Whatever there may be lurking inside your couch cushions or inside your walls shouldn't bother you.

Oh shit. The first time the cleaners came to ours we left about £300 on the mantelpiece - it was not deliberate - I remembered at work- I was mortified that they would think it was a test. Dh said I was being silly.

They hate us don't they? They are still here 18 months later doing a great job.

Maybe they have forgiven us.

Glad you didn't leave any traps. I would, as a rule of thumb, always try to think the best of people, until proven otherwise. You have got references, give her trust and show her gratitude and I'm sure she will be fabulous.

Nishky - £300 isn't a test, probably looked a bit braggy though!

I am not sure which is worse-damn dh and his refusal to write cheques,

I agree, please don't set a trap. It is insulting. Just assess whether you think she has done a good job or not. That's easy enough.

If I were a cleaner and found a trap I would think very nasty thoughts about you and would think you were a very unpleasant person. Not conducive to a good relationship.

I've had a few different cleaners some via agency some through friends. They have been my absolute saving grace. I give them keys as it demonstrates total trust and respect.

You should definitely consider:

• judge them not on whether they've fully cleaned every bit of your house but rather on whether they've done enough for the few hours you've paid them / how much you yourself would realistically achieve in that time.
• if you want tidying up or cleaning or both - some will do all but they then need to increase the hours. Cleaning a floor is quick if not covered in clothes but it can take 45mins to put away a pile of clothes.
• make sure you review any pay and increase it annually. We also pay holidays / sickness absence for our cleaner. No one should feel they have to work when they are sick and everyone needs a break.

I find our current cleaner goes above and beyond.

Actually, our poor cleaner..... DH is messy beyond belief and a hoarder. I bet she thinks horrid thoughts about us.

Is it ok to say we only want hard floors hoovering, not mopping?

You just leave a list, it ain't hard. If you don't leave a list they'll do what they think is necessary.... Not mind readers.

Ok is it odd to say we don't want hard floors mopping

huh. our whole house is a trap for the cleaner but its not intentional.

thank goodness she copes, bless her, life would be very much worse without her. we do try and tidy up for her.

like a lot of people we know, we've had jewellry taken from the house over the years, almost certainly by cleaners: brooches removed from clothing. necklaces. pendants. that sort of thing. often discovered after the apparently nice cleaner has gone 'on holiday'. you cant claim off the insurance.
sadly, cleaners are more likely to be dishonest if they have plenty of time in the house to root around while you are at work.
we now keep no jewellry of worth. or pretty clocks. or expensive watches.

People have read that the Op decided not to set any traps. haven't they?

Yabu and, tbh, a bit of a twat.

Traps for the cleaner

Smearing yoghurt in window corner to catch out the window cleaner

How can you live with a mindset like that?!

I live on a planet where I expect people to do the job they are paid to do. If they don't or there's an issue I do something about it.
I think it's horrible to lay a trap. Where do yo draw the line, what about when your kids bring a new friend home will you lay a trap for them too? Horrible behaviour and attitude.

The keys thing does seem a cumbersome arrangement, a cleaner should really hold the keys.

Not sure about her's obviously but our insurance includes key holding insurance. it's just part of the job to keep keys safe.

I've said this many times before but now I'm over the shock of 'traps' i will say it again:

At the first meeting when your cleaner is quoting and pricing up the scope of the work he/she should let you know what is and is not included within the scope of his/her service and then if there is anything else you would like to be included TELL him/her at the point of sale so she can price it in, if you decide to add items later there will need to be a price increase and then all can be well going forward.

Another thing, if a home turns out to be much more untidy than presented at the quote (and I imagine someone setting traps would be making some small mess on purpose) then the scope of the work has increased and my price will no longer work so we have to have a price adjustment to clean to the same standards (or compromise by tidying and then just cleaning what we can get to within a usual time-frame for the price).

Please don;t make mess on purpose, the house should be prepared for cleaning with as little mess as possible but being humans we understand some days you just fly out the door and we don't nickel and dime you for that. Obviously if I suspected and determined deliberate mess to 'test' us I would raise the price all the way up the wazoo and back!! (or just take the offending client OFF our schedule and terminate service!)

Stealth - yes that's okay, of course. If you see your cleaner he/she will normally ask you if you want anything special doing (or not doing), if you don't see him/her then leave a note.
" Please don't bother mopping conservatory floor today, no-one's been in there this week. Could you do X instead? Thanks and see you next week"

Hidden cameras obviously