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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to wonder why everyone has cleaners these days!

648 replies

Storm4star · 20/04/2018 21:49

Ok, please don’t take offence, I say this somewhat in jest. But my goodness how many of you have cleaners?? I have been utterly ripping the pee out of a male colleague at work because he and his wife have a cleaner but I hadn’t realised how common it’s become until I joined MN!

I personally struggle to justify spending my hard earned cash on things I could do myself (also do most of my own decorating and DIY). But have I missed something? Is a cleaner now the new must have?

OP posts:
mandieleeinatree · 20/04/2018 22:42

@Swearingmakeseverythingbetter

Maybe more people on MN have cleaners because the people without cleaners don't have time to go on MN? They are too busy cleaning.

Never mind that, how do the women on here claiming to work 15 hour days, 6 days a week, manage to spend so much time on mumsnet? Wink

perroy · 20/04/2018 22:42

I can afford it but I clean
The thought of making someone else deal with my dirt especially my toilet is offensive to me
I am surprised I feel this way because I have always lived in homes with full time help

SciFiFan2015 · 20/04/2018 22:43

We had a cleaner for two hours every other week while we could afford it. But now we don't. When we can afford it again then we'll get another cleaner. As a PP said it's like buying time and for us was worth the investment.

TeeBee · 20/04/2018 22:44

I run two businesses and don't get much time off, it doesn't make financial sense for me to spend hours a week cleaning. It's much much cheaper for me to get someone else to do it. I actually quite like cleaning my own house though because it makes me feel connected to my house but it really makes no sense for me to do it. And I know my cleaner really needs the money. So win win.

FleurDelacoeur · 20/04/2018 22:44

i’m in the 1% minority that doesn’t have a problem with cleaning my own house.

What are you after, a medal? Hmm

Lots of us have explained that although you enjoy cleaning your house, many of us don't and can afford to pay someone else to do it.

And you know what? People with cleaners shouldn't have to justify their choices by saying they work long hours or whatever. It's FINE not to like cleaning. Nobody on their death bed wished they'd spent more time cleaning the loo.

And "ripping the piss" out of someone because they have a cleaner is very juvenile.

whywhywhywhywhyyy · 20/04/2018 22:45

All the cleaners hand out mumsnet business cards Wink

Namesarehard · 20/04/2018 22:47

I can afford a cleaner but don't have one simply because I know i'd end up cleaning before they arrived.

cadburyegg · 20/04/2018 22:49

I’d love a cleaner, we used to have one before we took on a bigger mortgage. When both our boys are at school I will take on more hours at work and hire a cleaner. It makes more sense IMO than spending a few hours at home doing it myself, when I am rubbish at it and would prefer to be working.

As a society we outsource lots of things, childcare, dog walking, cleaning cars, etc im not sure why there is a stigma around house cleaning. The same principle applies - people don’t want to or can’t do it themselves so they pay someone else to do it. Smile

justawhisper · 20/04/2018 22:49

I clean a shithole factory full time. I wish I could afford a cleaner Grin last thing I want to do is then clean my own house... hey ho!

Boggisbunceandbean · 20/04/2018 22:50

We have a cleaner and I’m on maternity leave. I could clean if it wanted but it’s money really well spent to be able to sit down and relax in my house and have a cup of tea and not spot some job that needs to be done. Not an accessory but worth it.

cheminotte · 20/04/2018 22:50

We don’t have a cleaner. We had one briefly (2 women who worked together) when I increased to full time. But they were useless - under the bed not cleaned, didn’t have time to do all the house they said. So DP still does most of it but is very efficient- 1/2 hour for bathrooms/ loo, 1 hour for vacuuming and keeping tidy, cleaning kitchen as we go along. I can do ironing once a week in front of TV in an hour and that’s it.

Chickoletta · 20/04/2018 22:51

YABU to make rude comments about your colleague's domestic life.

I have a cleaner because I would rather spend my free time with my family than cleaning. I still have plenty of jobs to do - laundry, tidying etc but it makes a real difference to our quality of life. If I had to, I would give up many things before my cleaner.

If you don't want a cleaner, don't have one but don't be so bloody judgemental about those of us who do.

BiddydeBint · 20/04/2018 22:51

People pay other people to mind their kids, fix their cars, and wax their fannies. Paying someone to clean your house is just the sane, except there's still the echoes of "the help" isn't there? That's what makes people feel uncomfortable. It really shouldn't though, not these days. Cleaning is a good job that pays well, with hours that can work for most people. There's no shame in it, you're providing a service that people pay for. I made more money per hour as a cleaner than I did in the first few years of my graduate job.

mandieleeinatree · 20/04/2018 22:51

@cadburyegg

As a society we outsource lots of things, childcare, dog walking, cleaning cars, etc im not sure why there is a stigma around house cleaning. The same principle applies - people don’t want to or can’t do it themselves so they pay someone else to do it

DevilsAttic · 20/04/2018 22:52

mandieleeinatree as I said I'm self employed so on top of been working 11 hours a day I have a lot of paperwork that is done weekly to keep on top of and sourcing stuff on a weekly basis. If I could buy time I would.

Ki0612 · 20/04/2018 22:54

Have had a cleaner since well before we had kids. We have both always worked full time and resented our weekends being taken up by cleaning the bathroom, floors etc. She's only once a fortnight now but there are loads of things I'd budget cut before her. It literally is like buying time.

StormcloakNord · 20/04/2018 22:55

If I could afford a cleaner I'd 10000% have one. That is a proper luxury and I would love it so much!!!

crayzeedaze · 20/04/2018 22:57

Everyone I know has a cleaner, but then I live in an affluent London suburb. I'm from a working class background, and it would never have occurred to me to get a cleaner if I hadn't realised I was the only mum-to-be in my ante-natal group that didn't have one. It took me a while to take the plunge, because it did feel very self-indulgent, but in the end I compromised by getting one fortnightly. I don't like my house being invaded, so that suits us better than weekly - I just do a cursory clean in-between to keep things respectable.

Gah81 · 20/04/2018 22:57

I have a cleaner. I work long hours, I can afford it and it is the best money I spend.

It is just lovely to get home late in the evenings and know I don't have to clean anything. And that I can spend my weekends doing other things.

I don't know many people without a cleaner, but willing to accept that may be unusual.

Viviennemary · 20/04/2018 22:59

I think people realise that they don't particularly want to come back from work and clean or even if they don't work they'd rather do other things than clean. And it's a flexible job for people to do and they can work round school hours and any other responsibilities they may have.

she326 · 20/04/2018 22:59

I thinks it's the norm to have help around the house nowadays.

I have a lovely cleaner who comes once a week
A gardener who comes 4/6 a year
Window cleaner I think he comes 4 times a year or when we need him.

In the past both myself and DH have worked 50+ hours a week and have got used to the extra help. Now I have reduced my hours but still enjoy not having to do the chores.

It's not very expensive and like someone said previously it works out at the cost of a weekly takeaway.

DairyisClosed · 20/04/2018 23:01

OK but you could grow your own vegetables or bake your own bread or make you own yoghurt, knit your own jumpers, sew your own dresses etc. I don't like cleaning. Therefore I pay someone else to do it. Simple as that.

paranoidpammywhammy2 · 20/04/2018 23:02

I've noticed more and more people have cleaners. There are a few people I know that I didn't expect to employ cleaners as I thought they'd have less spare money to be able to afford it.

Mawalls Fri 20-Apr-18 22:29:10
cheap eastern european labour working cash in hand is the answer

Possibly.

There are also a couple of people I know that are cleaners or do ironing in their spare time and I really wouldn't expect it of them as they have decent jobs. One says she is saving up for her honeymoon and that she enjoys it and gets a lot of satisfaction from it. She says it's very easy to pick up the work. The other is paid as a carer but has started taking on other cleaning and ironing for non family.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 20/04/2018 23:04

I have cleaners who come in once a month, and clean through downstairs - I have depression, and struggle to do things, and having this bit of cleaning done for me enables me to keep on top of the house. I feel better when I don’t feel like the cleaning has got away from me.

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 20/04/2018 23:04

We have a cleaner because we both work full time long hours and want to spend weekends and evenings with our kids. I’m also shit at cleaning so when I do it myself it takes up lots of valuable time that I need to spend doing other things. If I’m honest I do feel a bit ashamed about someone else cleaning up after me (clearly not ashamed enough to do it myself). I grew up abroad with a house full of staff and I feel guilty about how much unearned privilege I have.