Do you think my cleaner should be doing more for her money

[Pennina]

We have a large four bed house and my family comprises of my husband and two teenage DCs. I have a newish cleaner who I pay £10 an hour and she comes twice a week. She is fairly new (she's been cleaning for me for about six weeks) and so far although she cleans to a very good standard she is in my opinion rather slow.

Today I was out working and left her a note asking her to spend one hour ironing, 30 minutes in the kitchen to empty dishwasher put a small load of washing on the line, wipe down surfaces and sweep the floor. The kitchen was not dirty so there was no mopping or scrubbing or anything like that needed. I also told her to spend another 30 minutes sweeping the wooden floor in the hall and lounge diner and hoovering the stairs, landing and three bedrooms that we use. The cleaning part was done fine but when I went to the spare room which we use for ironing I was disappointed to see that in one hour she had only ironed about a quarter of the basket comprising of half a dozen pillow slips two T-shirts a polo shirt and one shirt. Left in the basket was three more shirts and four duvet covers. I quite like ironing and although I'm not brilliant at it, I would've got that whole basket done in less than an hour.

So aibu to be a little disheartened about this? I'm half hoping that you will tell me that Iabu as it's so hard to find cleaners! However I can't help but feel ripped off by having to pay £10 for only quarter of a basket of ironing.

I stand braced for your views!

I sometimes do a client's ironing if they ask me. But it will be a few bits. Not an hours worth! And Definatly not duvet covers!

*Unreasonable to her, I mean.

Lorlorr it was £20.00!

I think leaving a list of things to be done is fine but I don't think you should be timing it for her. I am better at some things than others so whereas I can clean a whole room in 30 mins it would then take me 20 mins just to do my shower (disclaimer: I am not a cleaner!).
Also I agree that ironing is a separate thing altogether.

I imagine an ironing service might work out cheaper for you, and the standard would he higher. Ironing is not cleaning and not a skill everyone has. Did you have a conversation about your expectations when she started work for you?

Also, I think it's more usual to agree a list.of jobs and the cleaner will tell you how long they will take, rather than allocating her time for her. She's the expert!

I wouldn't ask a cleaner to iron - or to hang out washing.

I also wouldn't be giving her times for tasks, she isn't one of your kids you need to chivvy along!

I would have expected your initial meeting to be you saying what you would like done and how regularly, and for HER to say how long it would take. Then you modify your requests up or down according to budget.

WTAF? You ask your cleaner to do your ironing for you and expect to pay her less than what you'd have to at a laundry service?

My local one charges per item, or by bulk i.e. £2 per shirt or £5 for 3. Bedding comes in at £15 for a full set (duvet cover, sheets and 2 pillow cases)

YABVVVVVU!!!

If she only charges £10 per hour and is a good cleaner I'd thank my lucky stars and say hallelujah!!

I also agree with pp and consider ironing and emptying dishwasher, laundry etc as housekeeping and not cleaning work. Not many cleaning services will offer it but some do.

That is an extremely low rate for cleaning though, I can't imagine she's left with much of a wage if she's only charging that per hour.

£20 to clean a large four bedroom house? And to do a basket of ironing including duvet covers?

We pay our cleaner £35 each time she comes, and we only live in a two bedroom flat (where our kitchen and living room are the same room). And she doesn't do any ironing.

I have to agree with the others who've said YABU.

The only cleaner i have known do ironing took it home and used her pro iron/steamer thing.

Cleaners definitely do ironing too around here.

WOW. If my boss gave me a time limit on every task and acted as condescending and superior as you come across, I would be out the door pretty quick.

You hired a service, your £10 does not give you the right to behave like you own her. I hope she tells you where to stick it.

Freida £40. She does 2 visits a week each 2 hours

I have always found when I had asked the cleaner to do ironing that it took her longer than I would expect. I think you are also perhaps expecting to manage her time a bit excessively. I gave up having a cleaner in the end because I was always slightly disappointed by how much she could do in the time. I am quite quick but I guess it is different when you are doing your own cleaning as you want to finish it asap so as to sit down with a cup of tea! However I am v surprised by all these people who are suggesting you are unreasonable to expect a cleaner to deal with laundry for ten pounds an hour. Why laundry should attract a higher rate is beyond me. It is no harder than anything else surely - just different.

I'm about to start looking for my very first cleaner.

It never occured to me to ask whoever I find to iron/unload dishwasher/do a wash.

Is this a thing??

I'm in Central Scotland and not Hampstead if that makes a difference.

She's entitled to tell me to stick it, it's a free world.

My previous cleaner worked for me for 13 years and she only left because she started a family. I'm not an ogre.

Duties were clearly agreed between us when I hired her. So, although some of you may not think dishwashers and putting washing out should be included, the fact is that is what was agreed between us. I'm paying for her time

I send ironing out if I have a huge amount to do and find it costs about £20-£25 for 2 large bags, i.e. much cheaper than if my cleaner did it.

& yes, so sometimes my cleaner unloads the dishwasher if we didn't get time before we went to work. It's fine, I accept that takes 10mins from another task.

Agree with others on micro managing being counterproductive. I think asking for ironing to be done and dishwasher to be emptied is fine too if previously agreed. But I think that £10 is a bit meagre ( though I live in London so this might affect this judgment).

Verybutch: I have always had my cleaners do those things but made it clear that that's what I wanted. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules it very much depends on what you need to and watch your cleaner is happy to do

It sounds like ironing isn't her best suit, and she may have agreed to it because she wanted the job. I also agree she most likely didn't expect to see duvet covers. I think I would find a double duvet cover intimidating to iron.
If she's a good cleaner then use her best skills. You might be right that she is slow, but she might be aiming for perfection. I think most people would find being micromanaged that way quite stressful. A list in order of importance would be better.

Does she shove a brush up her arse and sweep as she goes along?!