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

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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

Great idea Myranda, I'll look into that.

wisterical you have never supervised another person to do cleaning nor do you by your own admission do it well yourself. Hence, I don't think you are qualified to speak about the art behind skilful cleaning.

Please do not denigrate the value of a good cleaner, who is a living breathing tradesperson exercising freedom of self-employment. It is quite patronising for you to purport to speak for them.

Here’s how you do it:

“When you clean for others, chances are the client won’t be home while you clean, so you won’t be able to ask where things go. So just tidy as you go.”

As for the bit about the actual cleaning - tell her, as she is new and asking for feedback, you could get her in again next time and give her a list, and then in the final 20 minutes you can point out to her anything that’s been missed. Make a big deal about how she’s asked for pointers.

£33 to put up with all that crap, poor lady must need the money.

Feel free to tell her what you think of her. However, be ready to hear in return what SHE thinks of YOU for having a house that looks like a tip before she comes. Anyone who can dish out criticism should be prepared to take it.
I have a fortnightly cleaner so I'm not against cleaners, but I'm against treating them like skivvies by leaving crap lying all over the place. That's just lazy.

blueshoes you make too many assumptions. I've been a chambermaid, a pub cleaner and a cleaner in private houses. The problem with the last of these is that by the time you've finished knacking your body cleaning another persons personal mess and dirt (that they just don't fancy cleaning themselves) you feel like saying 'do you want me to wipe your arse for you now too?'

I do not understand the privilege and sense of entitlement that allows anyone to feel okay with messing their home knowing a poorer person will clear up after them.

I obviously can’t generalise but the people I clean for aren’t all well off. I’d say half of them don’t have a higher household income than I do. We could afford a cleaner if we wanted one, we just choose not to.

I think you should just leave it too. Your regular cleaner will be back soon. No biggie.

The only time I have ever had a cleaner is for a deep clean just before we put our last house on the market, and even then I felt bad about hiring someone. Would much rather do it myself and only myself to blame if it's nor perfect.