Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell the cleaner what I really think of her attempt at cleaning my house

84 replies

LinkyPlease · 19/12/2017 19:48

My regular cleaner is on holiday for three weeks and was unable to provide me with a replacement. No problem, I love her and have no issue with her having a holiday etc.

I asked around for recommendations for someone who could do a couple of cleans over Xmas, got given the name of a fellow nursery mum by the nursery manager, she's looking for any domestic work. I know and trust the nursery manager so sent this woman a message, she came round to visit bla bla we agreed she'd clean for me today for 3 hours at £11 ph.

She came round today and slightly missed the mark. Every toy in the living room she picked up and brought to me in the kitchen to ask where to put it. Each time I told her, as I'd said at the look around the day before, and when she arrived, to put them ALL on the playmat and ignore the whole thing. She must have asked about 20 different toys, also a baby sock, a pen, a piece of paper... I repeatedly asked her to just tidy stuff on the coffee table i to a neat pile and ignore it. She repeatedly ignored what I'd said.

Then she had to ask me how to work the hoover including how to turn it on. It's a Miele, so simple. Plug it in and press the on button?!

Then the bits she left! Bloody great muddy footprints by the back door. When I looked round at the end nothing was wet, no sink, no shower tray, no shower screen, no floor which shed supposedly mopped. I think she sprayed cleaner onto a cloth and rubbed about a quarter of the areas to clean, and left the rest.

There are bits of dried toothpaste in the sink, both shower trays and screens are grubby. She didn't put the hoover or mop away, left the wet cloths hung on a peg next to a socket? She didn't tidy any of the stuff on the bedside tables. And she didn't empty any bins.

She said if there was anything I wasn't satisfied with to let her know for next time. I was her first cleaning gig so I guess maybe she didn't know things like tidying bedside tables?

I really don't want to give her a list of what she did wrong though. I'm too British. AIBU to just mumble it was fine and never have her back? It was only going to be this and next week anyway, then my normal cleaner returns in Jan. Or should I do a community service and make us both really uncomfortable to give her some honest feedback on how to do a better job for next time?

Its a small nursery and I don't want to have to see her for the next 4 years and feel awkward

OP posts:
MyKingdomForBrie · 19/12/2017 20:49

just a dolly or two about 20 toys

Erm...

But no, YANBU, I have similar (no where near as bad, just bits missed with the mopping and hoovering) and I cannot bring myself to say anything! Hopeless.

Allwashedup · 19/12/2017 20:51

Perhaps do your own cleaning?

Ijustlovefood · 19/12/2017 20:51

Mine never emptiness the bins either (unless I ask her) another thing she does that is really annoying is not plug sockets back in that she's taken out. I don't have the heart to say anything though.

category12 · 19/12/2017 20:51

You don't need to give her feedback: she'll know by not being asked again.

Tbh it sounds like she's never cleaned for anyone before. Possibly not even herself.

Ijustlovefood · 19/12/2017 20:52

Putting

Janetjanetjanet · 19/12/2017 20:53

Allwashedup

^

Not really helpful that, is it?

Ethereum · 19/12/2017 20:55

Just say thanks but it wasn't up to the standard your other (professional) cleaner does and ask her if she wants honest feedback. If she does, great. if she doesn't pay her for that one session and say we'll call it a one off and best of luck.

PolkaDottyRose · 19/12/2017 20:55

You need to give her a defined list of exactly what you want her to do. It's very difficult for her to know how much to clean on her first time, especially if you throw tidying up , which is hugely subjective anyway (and how on earth is she to know where to put the tidied away stuff? and if you just want her to tidy it into a pile, how do you define a neat pile v an untidy pile?) into the mix. Really, you should just have her clean, tidying up detritus is a personal, impenetrable science without explicit instructions.

Wisterical · 19/12/2017 20:56

Is there a reason you can't clean your own home?

RestingGrinchFace · 19/12/2017 20:56

Tidying up is normal for cleaners if you hire them for the extra hours it takes to do the tidying. No need to call OP a 'lazy cow'. If she had the time to do that kind of thing she wouldn't need a cleaner. OP-don't say anything and just get a professional company in for a deep clean next week, might as well.

He11y · 19/12/2017 20:58

Definitely give her feedback as she's asked for it.

I tidy bedside tables all the time and that doesn't bother me at all - I'm just not keen on having to pick up loads of bits and pieces from the floor. Toys are the easiest to be fair as they just go straight in the toy box or onto a chair or table if there isn't one. Stray socks, hair bands and crap like that makes for a frustrating job.

If I was picking up lots of bits and pieces and couldn't get the actual cleaning done then I'd tell them they need to tidy it before I arrive or increase the time. However, if your regular cleaner can do it then she shouldn't be massively out for a basic clean, even allowing time for finding cleaning products and locating sockets etc.

Dsmummy · 19/12/2017 20:59

Seems like she was nervous you were there and was panicking that she would do something wrong so kept asking you.

Justanothernameonthepage · 19/12/2017 20:59

Provide a empty wash basket for any random bits and print off a copy of a cleaning checklist with marks against what you expect weekly and number the jobs that might be more monthly.

anothersuitcase · 19/12/2017 21:06

Gosh that's awful, absolutely in the wrong job. Nerves etc do not explain it, at the very least the sink and shower tray should be sparkling. Sounds like she's desperate for money but doesn't really want to do it. I bet this makes you appreciate your regular cleaner, I always give mine a huge Christmas tip as she's brilliant and I don't want her to ever leave!

allthgoodusernamesaretaken · 19/12/2017 21:07

I think YABU to expect a one off / temp cleaner to know how you like things done. It takes a while to become familiar with a house / how everything works

StrangeLookingParasite · 19/12/2017 21:08

Is there a reason you can't clean your own home?

Such a useless question, in this context.

EasterRobin · 19/12/2017 21:09

I think you need to be clearer on what she needs to do. Since it's just temporary I would ask her to just do the kitchen and bathroom (or whatever rooms you least like cleaning) next week so she has enough time to do a good job on them.

There's no point alienating another nursery mum for the sake of a single clean. But you also don't want to get nothing for your money, so this might be a sensible compromise.

Cromwell1536 · 19/12/2017 21:09

I don't use a cleaner regularly, but recently got one in to do some deep cleaning in the kitchen. Basically, I told the agency the job I needed doing, and they sent a cleaner for two hours. I got the impression that this kind of one-off hiring for specific jobs was fairly standard. Why don't you do that for the interval that your regular cleaner is away? Then you have recourse to the agency if the cleaner doesn't come up to scratch and you don't have to confront the cleaner his/herself.

Branleuse · 19/12/2017 21:09

id make some excuse and not ask her back. I dont think theres much point criticising her if youre not keeping her on anyway

My cleaner tidies as did my last cleaner. This is fairly normal, as long as you specify this when hiring one.

Aridane · 19/12/2017 21:11

My cleaner tidied up - I love her (and pay her!) for that.

Pollaidh · 19/12/2017 21:12

A temp cleaner will always take longer than your regular, therefore clean less, because the house, equipment etc is new to them. Everything they clean just takes a tiny bit longer, and that adds up over the 3 hours.

It does sound like yours doesn't know how to clean. I'd probably offer tactful feedback, if she really seemed to want it. I'd definitely pay her for what she has already done.

As for next week - well following feedback you can have her back if she took feedback well. I'd provide a check list that explains what needs doing in each room. You can have two excellent cleaners, but they will prioritise slightly different things. My new cleaner is very very thorough but not great at the finishing touches like tidying towels, or remembering where she moved things from; previous excellent cleaner left it looking exactly how I wanted but didn't move the heavy bits of furniture.

My check list has a weekly column and an occasional/as needed column.

With a temp you need to make an extra effort to be tidy beforehand, as she won't know your ways and where to pile stuff up.

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 19/12/2017 21:12

A shit ton of toys, socks, pens, a cluttered table aren't "a few odd items" OP.

SkyIsTooHigh · 19/12/2017 21:12

If you're feeling brave, tell her you feel she was trying to both tidy and clean, whereas your usual cleaner just throws any mess into piles to keep it out of the way and spends more of the time giving kitchen and bathroom a real scrub and wet mopping the floor. Also maybe ask her for feedback on whether she had the right tools or if there's anything she'd wanted to ask, so it's more a conversation than a debrief.

I think some of the stuff you mention is a bit unreasonable - I wouldn't expect bins emptied or bedside tables neatened, mine use a spray mop thing so don't leave the floor very damp, and I don't know what she should have done with the cloths. But my cleaners generally leave kitchen and bathroom absolutely sparkling and there is no excuse for not giving the sink a good scrub. I don't expect them to tidy.

Wisterical · 19/12/2017 21:13

parasite as the context is OP complaining that her house is not as clean as she likes, asking why she can't clean it is a pertinent question.

Hellywelly10 · 19/12/2017 21:14

Just put it down to experience. Next time getc a friend to recommend somewone xx