What's your opinion ?

[LyndsayLoLoSWLondon]

Hi
I currently employ a cleaner for 25 hours a week 5 hours on a Monday- Friday. (especially before and after the weekend!). The trouble is I don't know if I am being unrealistic about what I'm expecting her to do and not giving her enough hours or if she just isn't as good as my last amazing cleaner who sadly retired 4 months ago after working for me for 12 years prior to me having kids (just cleaning my apartment) and the last 10 years with an ever expanding family! So here's the jobs I ask. I pay £12 p/hr so £300 a week.

1. Change my bed and all 4 kids beds once a week on a Friday and nanny's bed. All sheets are sent to the dry cleaners to be washed and pressed every week so all she needs to do is strip he beds and bag up and leave in the utility. All clean sheets are left in airing cupboards. Sometimes there's the guest bedroom to change also. I don't think this is difficult I just don't have the time to do It myself.

1. Clean kitchen 'generally' Hoover and mop tiles, clean skirting boards, wipe over splash backs clean gas hob. Wipe over ovens and dust over the AGA, clean microwave. Empty the dishwasher if finished. Empty bin, Clean the dining table. Clean bi fold doors. I ask all this to be done on a Friday and then again on the Monday because everything marks easily. Clean out fridge empty out of date things and clean with anti bac spray.

1. Clean and dust the best lounge - not much mess in there.

1. Clean and dust the main lounge and Hoover.

1. Dust and Hoover the kids rooms.

1. Dust and Hoover my bedroom and dust and Hoover my office.

1. Clean 4 bathrooms and 3 separate loos.

1. Clean guest bedroom if it's been used and their bathroom.

1. Hoover all stairs and dust banisters.

10. Hoover sofas.

Note: there is never Outside doors or windows to clean. Never and deep thorough clean of ovens as I have someone in every 3 months to clean the ovens professionally.
There is no ironing or washing to put on or hang out, I have someone collect and drop of ironing and nanny puts it away.

What do you think ?

Thanks in advance.

They are 14, 10, 6 and 3

Puglife15 you have hit the nail on the head !!! I seriously struggle at home yet at work it comes naturally

Honestly?
I could do all that in 2 hours
You could easily have someone for 3 hours twice a week (min and fri?)
I think this cleaner has a VERY easy job!

Jesus...£300 a week!
I live in the midlands and the rate is £10 an hour - you could get all that done for £60 a week!
Where do you live!?

RE: nanny - are the kids school-aged, and does she work weekends?

£300/week for cleaning is a lot. I pay £300 per month for my cleaner who has my house pretty spick and span (although it's 2400 sq ft). She is super efficient and is here about 5 hours a week. No sheets, no fridge though (that falls squarely on my shoulders!).

I'm working from a coffee shop today well not strictly working I've got 2 days off and doing some catching up so the lady will have left the time I get home today I am going to send her a message and ask her to come round tomorrow morning for 10am ish to have a chat. I can't carry on I need to tell her and I need to find someone else your all right it isn't working and you've all confirmed what I was thinking - thank you

I realise you were desperate but am surprised you went along with upping her hours simply because she said it couldn't all be done in 15. Your previous cleaner had managed that for over a decade so, presuming it's the same list of tasks, yiunshouldnhave yhankednher for her time and ended the interview.

Honestly, there are loads of cleaners (and cleaning companies) to choose from. I would give her notice because I see no way she will improve the quality of her work or increase the number of tasks she's accomplishing.

As my dear old mother would say....she is taking the Royal piss :)

South West London

sprink loved your 'unless you're The Who' comment

She's taking the piss, but why do your DC not clean up after themselves? That's basic regardless of whether you have a cleaner/nanny.

In hindsight I know I shouldn't have gone along with it and ended te interview. But honestly I was desperate I'm a single parent with 4 kids and work 80 hour weeks, and I just don't have enough hours in the day and conducting interviews falls on my precious weekend time I just rushed it. Now regretting it.

In 5 hours a day I would have imagined that as well as a cleaner someone would have time to be more of an all-round "house-keeper" TBH.

So as well as cleaning, washing and ironing she could be taking delivery of your online food shop and putting it away, cooking some meals (eg. prepping a casserole and putting in the slow-cooker, peeling the pots ready for you to finish when you get in) and so on.

Ha that made me laugh...no they are not silk but I don't actually get them dry cleaned they just go to the dry cleaners and are put in the washing machine and pressed....its just 'easy' and there crisp and clean makes me feel like I'm in a hotel ha ha

I don't think it's possible to do what the OP needs doing in a couple of hours, or even one day. There are 7? toilets that need cleaning, lots of vacuuming, multiple staircases etc etc.

But 15 hours does sound reasonable and that's what the old cleaner did. This one doesn't even appear to be doing all the jobs in 25 hours.

Have you tried an agency OP? They will be experienced enough to know what is possible to do time/jobwise and will possibly send 2 cleaners, which might be more efficient for some jobs like bed changing. And if you aren't happy, it is up to them to bring it up with the cleaners, not you.

My opinion?

Your older two kids should be responsible for their rooms, also the nanny should keeping her area clean. That way the cleaner only does the beds and a quick dust and Hoover of those rooms. All the kids should be putting away their toys/books/homework stuff.

I can wipe down my kitchen in 10/15 minutes. And that includes filling/emptying the dishwasher. (Dishwasher could be done by one of the kids?)

Does hoovering and dusting need doing daily? I do mine twice a week.

Maybe I'm a bigger slob than I think I am? My house is always clean and tidy enough not to worry about "pop in" visitors. My kids are expected to do chores, we all live in the house, we all make mess, we all tidy it.

25 hours of cleaning a week seems an excessive amount...

its just 'easy' and there crisp and clean makes me feel like I'm in a hotel ha ha

While that's really nice if you're looking to economist that's one luxury you can ditch straight away.

Have you tried an agency OP?

Agencies totally take the piss - £20 p/hour (and they pay their staff pittance) different cleaners turn up every week, sometimes 2 cleaners who then chat to each other the whole time, and they quote an outrageous number of hours for work that other cleaners can reasonably complete in half. That's been my experience in London anyway.

I'd prefer agency as they are insured but it has never worked out for me.

If you get a more competent cleaner could they do the sheets in house - sending them all out must cost a fair bit. Maybe you could just ask them to iron your bedsheets, not the DCs, as they aren't likely to notice?

Really thank you to you all you've picked me up on a few points that I never realised...I'm going to write a clearly defined list of everything I need doing and how often.

How about rethinking how the house is run. Maybe it would be simpler to employ a nanny/housekeeper who is responsible for everything (like a SAHP) and then a part time cleaner who helps her out who she is in charge of. She can be in charge of all other stuff like food shopping, cooking, window cleaners, laundry etc.

Of couse people on here will come and tell you their cleaner gets all of this done in 2 hours, HA-HA-HA. Just like the proverbial chicken, who feeds a small village for a week. My cleaner does 2 large bathrooms, 1 large kitchen, stairs, porch and garden area in 5 hours. I prefer quality cleaning and that comes at a price. I should know - I have been a cleaner myself. So, here is my advice:

1. Make a very detailed list of what you want, not only by jobs, but by days too. Spreading 25 hours over 5 days does less jobs than 25 hours over 3 days. You can spread them over 25 days and then I doubt she will ever go any further than sweeping the kitchen floor and tidying the bedrooms. See what I mean?

If you have no detailed instructions for the cleaner, she may do something non-important every day, eating away at her time left for the other jobs.

1. Sack the current cleaner - she is not good if you are not satisfied with the quality of what she does do. And no, it is not up to you to teach her quality. She either has it in herself or not.

1. Call an agency and ask for a quote. They are best suited to give you an estimate of the time it should take to do the jobs on the very detailed list you prepared in point 1.

1. Keep firing staff until you meet the right one. Then you will just know it. You owe them nothing. They owe you an excellent service for the payment they receive.

Most of all, without point 1. nobody can tell you whether your 25 hours are enough or too little. Don't be fooled by the cheapos who pay for 2 hours and expect a brand new house. They are just jealous you can afford quality as well as quantity.

Good luck.

If you were near me id be applying for the job! 25 hours is crazy, could do all the laundry, ironing, grocery shop, everything in that time!