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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why people have cleaners

285 replies

Gingerninj · 30/06/2018 10:07

I don't mean this in a rude way I'm just curious how much people really benefit from having a cleaner. They seem to do the hovering, cleaning floors, changing beds, dusting, clean windows and so on. Honestly I don't do much of this very often, maybe hover once a week, change beds every other week, clean windows and dust possibly every other week but probably not. The house still looks fairly nice and clean. Fair enough some people don't have time for this, I don't either really but it seems like it would take up more of my time to tidy all the rooms enough that I'd be happy to let someone see them.

OP posts:
HungerOfThePine · 30/06/2018 12:40

Their* gah

SaltyPeanut · 30/06/2018 12:46

I would have thought it's only because people like a clean home but just don't want to do it themselves but apparently it's a lot to do with signifying how important and/or weathy they are if some of the answers here are anything to go by.

SamHeughansLeftEyebrow · 30/06/2018 12:51

DH has just said to me that our finances are back in a place to get a cleaner again, after a break for house renovations, new jobs etc where we decided to save our income for a bit. I will be finding one as soon as possible.

We have a 5 bed/4 bathroom house, dog, cat, two kids. It takes us 4 hours on a Saturday morning to keep on top of it (8 person hours) and even then it is not immaculate. Why wouldn't we have a cleaner rather than work full time and spend another day cleaning rather than enjoy our lives.

Paying other people for a service is all part of the economy and providing other people with a source of income.

notproductive · 30/06/2018 12:54

I don’t think it’s a sign of how wealthy you are, I know people with higher incomes then me who don’t have one. My sister got one way before me in her 20s whereas I spent all my spare money in my 20s on going out & on fashion & got a cleaner once DC arrived.

Pebblespony · 30/06/2018 12:55

Mumsnet is obsessed with cleaning houses.

notproductive · 30/06/2018 12:58

And actually we were richer before we had the cleaner & kids as I had a good career whereas now I’m p/t in new career plus we have childcare costs. However pre kids we were never home to eat or mess, ahh the good old days!

Notevilstepmother · 30/06/2018 12:58

Cleaning is boring.

TheVonTrappFamilySwingers · 30/06/2018 12:58

Guess what...

I have a cleaner who comes in each week.

And I am a SAHM! Grin

Totally lazy and entitled me.

oblada · 30/06/2018 13:04

We could do loads of things ourselves but we select. Some people clean their cars each time. Some take it to a valet. Some take their motorbike serviced and some do it themselves. Some go shopping some do online shopping. Some cook and some buy ready meals and take aways. Some look after their kids during the day and some pay nursery/childminder/nanny/babysitter. Some people build their own house extension and some pay a builder to do it. Some mow their own grass/manage their gardens and some have a gardeners. Some iron their clothes and some pay someone for that. And most of us will do a combination of the above at different times in the week and in our lives. Choices.

happymummy12345 · 30/06/2018 13:07

I have to dust once a week at least. I do a weekly clean but I hate it. If we could afford a cleaner to come in once a week and do it I'd get one tomorrow

Ethylred · 30/06/2018 13:11

Why have a cleaner?
Because the housekeeper says it's beneath her.

Lucyccfc · 30/06/2018 13:12

I couldn't have a cleaner as I just don't think anyone would clean my house as well as I do.

However, I do have a gardener and someone to do my ironing. I am allergic to lots of the plants in my garden and I seriously hate ironing (but like my clothes to be totally crease free).

I am also a single parent, who works F/T, with a DS who needs taking to his hobbies and activities.

I am at a stage in my life where I can afford to get someone else to do those jobs for me, so why not?

Babybrainagain · 30/06/2018 13:14

I have one once a week which means I only have to keep on top of washing up in the week. I would rather spend my time enjoying life than cleaning, its 30 a week which some people spend on getting nails done or on cigarettes for example - so I do not feel bad in the slightest. Great value for money!

BitOutOfPractice · 30/06/2018 13:16

I spend sunday morning cleaning

Well not everyone wants to do that.

Surely that's pretty obvious!

Mississippilessly · 30/06/2018 13:17

Because I like my neighbour to think I am posh. Also I like testing the class theories on MN by seeing how many biscuits she eats. And I am obsessive about cleaning. I also like the feeling of paying someone else to wipe up after me.

OR I work 70+ hours per work, as does my DH, and we wouldn't actually have a weekend if we didn't.

What a fucking stupid question.

WerkSupp · 30/06/2018 13:19

You'd have to be pretty thick not to be able to manage to think why people have cleaners.

CMOTDibbler · 30/06/2018 13:19

Neither dh or I like cleaning, and our cleaner does - so we pay her, she has a job that is flexible and suits her, w have more time to do the things we like.
The only cleaning we do is a swipe round the loos a couple of times a week and the kitchen surfaces

scaryteacher · 30/06/2018 13:19

Mine is a whizz at loos, floors, bathrooms, and she irons Dh's shirts as well. I don't drink much, or smoke....so I have a cleaner. We can afford it, and it gives her employment. I will miss her when we move back to UK next year and dh retires. I'll be back to doing the cleaning.

NorthernJugni · 30/06/2018 13:20

I have a cleaner because me and other half work full time, out the house and back at 6, have to cook, walk the dogs- and we both have chronic fatigue. Combine that with two cats, two dogs (one being a chaotic shedding collie) and it is impossible to keep the place tidy. Cleaner once a week is a life saver.

crispysausagerolls · 30/06/2018 13:25

I clean the house once a week myself, hoover and mop etc and surfaces. But I have a cleaner who comes once a week to do a much more thorough clean that i simply don’t want to do - bath, loo, blinds etc.

Freetodowhatiwant · 30/06/2018 13:28

Because I’m shit at housework and instead of cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, toilets and hoovering the house I would rather, well, be doing just about anything else. Ours has been off for a few weeks and I’m hating it! If I had the money I would have her in every morning for an hour like being in a hotel.

Redglitter · 30/06/2018 13:28

I have one because I work long shifts and don't want to waste previous days off cleaning.

I also have health problems which make some jobs difficult or risk causing me problems if I do them

Freetodowhatiwant · 30/06/2018 13:30

Oh as a PS DH used to do all the cooking and cleaning before we had kids but I’m at home more now (work a lot less hours than him) so it naturally falls on me more as I’m there to do it. Except I don’t and the cleaner does!

HorribleSinger · 30/06/2018 13:33

We have a dog that sheds loads so hoover / sweep every day and the fucking pot washing, I swear I'd get a cleaner just to stop having to do that alone! 😂

WalkTallActFine · 30/06/2018 13:36

I'd love to have a cleaner. I like my house to be nice and clean but I hate doing housework.

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