WIBU to ask the cleaner to do the shit jobs

[Chipbutty67]

I have a 2 hour cleaning service booked w Fantastic Cleaners later today at 3

I have 2 kids under 4 and suffer a little bit from anxiety, which I really keep under control by having things very tidy. So today, I've already hoovered, wiped down the bathrooms and wiped down all surfaces, emptied the dishwasher, cleaned the sink etc. The windows were done and floors mopped last night.

Would i be a CF if I used the 2 hours to get all the jobs done that I hat doing - cleaning pVc window frames and doors, cleaning light switches, skirting boards and vacuuming the ceiling, maybe sweeping the drive?

I know it's booked as a 'domestic cleaning' not a deep clean, but there isn't all that much for her to do. But I also feel a bit rude because the cleaner will expect a regular domestic cleaning job?

I don't think you can ask her to sweep the drive.

I think it sounds fine apart from the drive.

YANBU at all, but indoors only. Not the drive.

why did you book a clean when there isn't anything for the cleaner to really do?
cleaning light switches etc, even if you live in a mansion, wouldn't take an experienced cleaner anything like 2 hours.

I agree with everybody else that the driveway (and any other outdoor tasks you might imagine, like external window cleaning) would be VVVVV unreasonable.

I think you can ask her and she can say no if that’s not part of her job description. But ask politely in the manner of someone who doesn’t know, not in the manner of someone issuing orders to an underling

Cleaner here.
Over the past 6 years I have :
Put Christmas trees up.
Taken Christmas trees down.
Packed for a df +ds to go on holiday.
Organised carer fitters.
Hung new curtains.
Cleaned out a chicken house.
Walked a dog.
Cleaned up cat poo /sick /dead presents.
Organised dc bedrooms .
Overseen dc off school poorly..
It's why I still have my regular well paying customers, am well thought of and recommended.
Amd always remembered at Christmas!!
So crack on op and do what needs done!!

I’m a cleaner and wouldn’t mind any of that but wouldn’t sweep the drive and would think you were joking if you asked me to vacuum the ceiling!

Why have you booked a cleaner if you don't need one?

Of course you can ask her to sweep the drive. Its using a broom, not unblocking a toilet.
You can ask, they can refuse anything they don't want to do. They may be able to recommend someone else.

Cool, I think consensus so far is no to drive, yes to indoor tasks.

I would definitely ask politely not issue orders!

Vacuuming the ceiling made me smile. I assume you mean using the hose to suck stuff up rather than turning the hoover upside down

Most of that sounds ok and I would just say that these are the jobs that need doing.

Except for hoovering the ceilings and sweeping the driveway. I would ASK if they would mind doing those things, both are ‘heavier’ work than regular domestic cleaning.

However, I think you might need to revisit your GP about your anxiety etc because booking a cleaner then doing all the regular housework really isn’t ‘normal’ Look after yourself 🌷

I was thinking of getting a regular cleaner to do shit jobs only, so I am glad the consensus is you are not a CF!!

vaccuuming the ceiling???

Not the drive but windows/paintwork etc all part of the job

Haha not a proper Hoover on the ceiling. I meant, our house is old and spider filled, using the little crevice attachment on the handheld vacuum to suck up all the cobwebs

today, I've already hoovered, wiped down the bathrooms and wiped down all surfaces, emptied the dishwasher, cleaned the sink etc. The windows were done and floors mopped last night.

Blimey! You've done all the work already. I must live in a different world to other posters :(

I regularly swept a drive and washed garage doors with a pressure washer.
The customer was out.
And brought back fresh scones for my cuppa!!
What's the issue using a sweeping brush??

Aprilshowersnowstorm - will you please come and work for me?

My cleaner does all the things I ask her to, and more. The closest she comes to vacuuming the ceiling though is to get the little crevice tool up in the corners, I guess replacing the job of a feather duster. I wouldn't ask her to sweep the drive though.

My sister is a cleaner and I have been horrified by some of the tasks her employers ask of her - moving building materials and spreading compost amongst them. She doesn’t mind though and sees it as a badge of honour never to turn any job down.

OTH I once had an agency cleaner carefully clean around a cat turd that had been kicked out of the litter tray and onto a tiled floor. I then got a letter from the agency warning me that their staff didn’t deal with excrement and if it happened again they would no longer send cleaners to my house. Given the impossibility of my being able to ensure the cats used the trays in an acceptable fashion whilst I was out of the house, I terminated the contract and found someone a little more flexible.

All you can do is ask and they will say yes or no as they choose.

I'm so happy you posted this OP - I want to get a cleaner for those jobs too (apart from the drive!).
I can keep on top of floors and kit hen etc, but just want someone to to skirting boards, behind the sofa and the inside of window frames which seem to get filthy living near an airport .

Glad the consensus is that this is ok!

I vacuum my ceiling. There’s loads of Victorian cornicing. The cleaner is shorter than me I don’t think they’d manage.

@Aprilshowersnowastorm

You sound amazing! Any chance you're in London?