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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:
Nakedavenger74 · 21/04/2018 00:28

Because spending a Saturday every 2 weeks cleaning is shit when I've worked 60 hours in the week. I also 'outsource' as much as possible to enjoy the 2 days I get to myself.

I hope I have justified to you what I spend my money on.

theymademejoin · 21/04/2018 00:31

@Carouselfish - I just wonder if they enjoy a slight feeling of superiority whilst saving their Very Important Time.

No. I'm just happy that I don't have to spend time doing something I hate, in the same way that I am happy to have a secretary who is very good at taking minutes to do it for work meetings as, while I could do it, it's not something I enjoy particularly.

mandieleeinatree · 21/04/2018 00:47

Why do you even need a cleaner if you are at work 60 hours a week, and out of the house 14-15 hours a day with your 'long commute...' (like many people are claiming here?)

The house would still be totally spotless and tidy, as no fucker has been there all week!

Some people are not thinking THIS through very well are they?! Wink

bbcessex · 21/04/2018 00:49

We’ve had the same cleaner almost 8 years.

She does between 5 and 8 hours a week and i live in fear of her sacking us!

SarfE4sticated · 21/04/2018 00:51

We had a cleaner for 8 glorious weeks, and I used to love coming home to a transformed beautiful house. The fact she had made my home so lovely made me feel really loved. It sounds daft, but it was like someone really looking after me.
When we don't have a cleaner (all of the time now) me, DH and DD do it on Saturday morning. DH kitchen, me bathroom and bedrooms, DD hoovering. Takes us an hour tops. We don't do any of the weird deep cleaning the MNers do, and the place is clean and tidy for the week.

Paperthin · 21/04/2018 00:52

mandieleeinatree
how the hell can any 'cleaner,' clean your massive 'affluent area' houses, when they only do 2 hours a week? confused No way on God's PLANET could anyone clean a house with so few hours, not even a small property, never mind the huge homes some claim to have!!!

My cleaner works 2 hours a week for me and does the stuff I ask her to do, not ALL the cleaning, even with a cleaner I am sure most people on here do some of their cleaning themselves ( unless they work for you every day) . Each to their own...I hate cleaning bathrooms, my cleaner does bathrooms so all is good .

nokidshere · 21/04/2018 00:56

My cleaner has been with us for years. Previously because we didn't want to do it and now because I physically can't.

halfwitpicker · 21/04/2018 00:57

If you are paid more than £10 per hour it makes senses to get a cleaner.

Shutthesidegate · 21/04/2018 01:00

I Have 2dc and husband and I work full time. Having a cleaner literally buys us time to spend with our children. I can't get myself too worried about a few hours a week

steff13 · 21/04/2018 01:06

I'm not superior to my cleaner, we are equals. She's amazing. We're in the same book club, which is how we met. She told me she cleans houses, I made an appointment for her to come over and see what she would want to clean my house, and I pay her the rate that she deemed appropriate. There's nothing awkward about it. Oh, and she was born here in Ohio, same as me.

koyaanisqatsi · 21/04/2018 01:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gennz18 · 21/04/2018 01:22

There are some v weird posts on this thread!

I have a cleaner, because we both work FT and have a toddler.

But we also had her pre kids and when I was on mat leave.

So essentially we have cleaner bc we CBF to clean and can afford to outsource. And 2 hours a week is enough time to do floors and bathrooms which is what she does for us.

We also have a pool cleaner and our dog goes to doggy daycare dons Kevlar vest 😂

Want2bSupermum · 21/04/2018 02:08

We don't have a cleaner. We have 3DC and a dog. Both DH and I work. DC are at school/daycare for most of the day.

Cleaners where I am are $25 and hour and they are all terrible. They spend their time doing exactly what I do in pieces during the week. I asked the fourth cleaner I tried to vacuum the blinds, she said there was an extra fee for that. I was floored that she wanted me to pay extra for dusting something as simple as blinds.

Our new home is about 1350 sqft so not exactly huge. Cleaning takes 2 hours on the weekend with everyone pitching in. I pick one thing to do each week so we get to everything eventually.

I highly recommend getting a steam mop, tiger hand mit dusting gloves for under 4's, Miele vacuum cleaner and some soap and vinegar. My home isn't spotless but you aren't about to catch Ebola either.

ashbah1980 · 21/04/2018 02:15

Because it makes my life hell of a lot easier. I dont even own a vacuum cleaner anymore and couldn't tell you how to make a bed if i tried Grin

Each to their own. Some people like luxury cars, some people like to shop at Waitrose instead of Aldi. I'm sure there are things you do/have in your life that your male collegue would "rip the pee" out of you for you do work in a creche dont you?

Adversecamber22 · 21/04/2018 02:53

I have had cleaners on and off for years, I first had one when I was 21. I absolutely loathe housework with every fibre of my being.

People that clean as a job and can do it well can do far more in a shorter time than regular folk can do and to a really good standard.

My Mother was actually a cleaner when I was very young, she ended up manager of the last place place she worked, a real climbing the slope rags to riches kind of tale. I used to go along and assist her when I was little. I worked as a chambermaid and also as a waitress from age 13 at weekends when at school. I know exactly how hard cleaning can be.

corythatwas · 21/04/2018 02:57

No, but I know several people who work as cleaners.

Sofabitch · 21/04/2018 03:00

Because life is too short when you both work full time. I want a better work/life balance and a cleaner gets me this

MissCherryCakeyBun · 21/04/2018 03:36

We have a cleaner, we both work long hours full time and we live in a largish house with my 92yr old FiL and his 2 elderly lodgers( who no longer pay rent to FiL his decision & don't ask very long story) and whilst I will clean the toilet of family I'm buggered if I'm cleaning up after the lodgers too

umpireStrikesBack · 21/04/2018 03:44

My parents always had a cleaner and the only time I haven't is during university.

It's a great use of money. I hate housework. If money was tight I would try to cut back on other things to keep a cleaner.

sleep5 · 21/04/2018 03:57

We have a cleaner because we both hate cleaning. My partner didn't want one but was soon raving about how good it is to have one. If we got into financial trouble we'd cope without her. It's one of our few luxuries.

allthegoodnamesalreadytaken · 21/04/2018 04:06

I have one because I work all week and would rather spend by evenings and weekends connecting with and playing with my child rather than spending it cleaning and ironing etc. I have a lot of "working mum guilt"

huha · 21/04/2018 04:29

I'd rather spend time with my family than cleaning, personally. Each to their own.

comfortandjoy · 21/04/2018 04:37

Weird attitude. You can say that about anything that’s possible to do yourself.
Why go to get your hair dyed at the hairdressers? Why pay for childcare? Why buy a takeaway when you can cook yourself ?
You pay for a cleaner because you’d rather not clean or your time is better spent doing something you care more about.
( I haven’t got one but am considering working a couple more hours so I can use that money for a professional cleaner who would do a better job than me)

Fevs · 21/04/2018 04:51

Don’t take offence op but were you ripping your colleague because secretly you were a little jealous.........? Wink
We have a Cleaner, have done for a good few years. Costs £33 a week for 3 hours and means although we still need to do light cleaning during the week, neither of us need to waste too much time on it or argue over who should have done the toilet clean!
I guess people choose to spend their money on things that make their life happier / easier and boy does this make my life both of those of things! Nothing like walking back into your house after someone has given it a good clean!
My mum was always confused by why we spent money on this until she invested in it herself...
Give it a go... you might never look back!

randomuntrainedcuntowner · 21/04/2018 05:06

I am bloody busy, work 70hours + some weeks. Last thing I want to do when I get to spend some precious time with dp and dd is clean. Plus it makes financial sense - I can earn 4x per hour what I pay my cleaner, so I'm better off picking up an extra shift a month, and using that to pay her.