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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask how thorough you expect a cleaner to be?

43 replies

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 19:41

I know this is a first world problem and that I’m fortunate to be able to have a cleaner but I’m really disappointed and need to know if IABU.

It’s been a long time since I had one but I had a good one I knew for a long time so trying to work out if I had unusually good service in the past.

The caveat is I’ve just returned to work after maternity leave and the house is a bit chaotic but the cleaning manager said it might take longer the first week to clean thoroughly (no problem and obviously happy to pay extra) so today I was expecting it to be very clean.

There is still dust behind all the photo frame on my sideboard.

Several work surfaces feel gritty

Side table has not been cleaned.

Floors are still quite dirty in places.

Floor length curtains in living room haven’t been moved so floor dirty behind them.

The rugs still have dirty bits.

The upstairs bathroom is excellent.

The bedroom has been hoovered but not dusted.

How thorough is your cleaner? I have a large 3 Bef house but she’s not to bother with my older son’s bedroom and has 3.5 hours which feels like it should be enough.

AIBU or are they a bit sloppy?

OP posts:

grumiosmum · 31/01/2019 19:43

I've had many cleaners over the years and in my experience they are all good at different things.

I had one who dusted the skirting boards every week, but couldn't shift the limescale in the bathroom.

Her replacement was brilliant with limescale but didn't seem to see cobwebs.

etc. etc.

If you have a particular way you want something done, communication is the key!

Jimdandy · 31/01/2019 19:44

Yes they’re sloppy and I get frustrated with them.

I had 3 hours at one point and said I’d rather you deep cleaned the downstairs than just swished everywhere. It’s long enough to do thoroughly

Cheerbear23 · 31/01/2019 19:44

Hmmm when my cleaner started she did extra deep clean in several rooms until she’d worked her way around the house. For a 3.5 hr clean in a 3 bedroom house I’d expect everything dusted & hoovered tbh. Maybe she concentrated her time on the bathroom but didn’t tell you?

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 19:44

I’m paying £14 per hour if that’s relevant.

OP posts:

grumiosmum · 31/01/2019 19:44

And overall, it is far more important to have a cleaner you like as a person than who is brilliant at cleaning.

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 19:45

@cheerbear23

The thing is, the bathroom is the one room I keep quite clean so probably needed the least time

OP posts:

Santaclarita · 31/01/2019 19:46

In all honesty your house sounds like it was quite dirty to begin with. Maybe she spent most of her time on the bathroom figuring that was most important and plans to do the rest next time?

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 19:49

Santa

It was quite dirty - not nasty but definitely dusty and needed a good going over.

However the bathroom is small and easy to clean - even the most diligent and thorough clean wouldn’t take longer than 40 mins - that’s including de-limescaling the taps and shower screen.

OP posts:

Surfskatefamily · 31/01/2019 19:50

It depends if the hours you are hiring for are adequate for your entire house.
Im a cleaner and have had houses need more than im hired for before. I geberally tell the customer this and we duscuss realistic expectations of the work to be done

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 19:53

surfs

The cleaning manager came over to look and said 3-3.5 hours so I went with 3.5.

OP posts:

Santaclarita · 31/01/2019 19:53

I would give them a second chance, see how they do and if still bad discuss it.

Lookingforadvice123 · 31/01/2019 19:54

grumiosmum really? Isn't it most important that they are good at their job?

OP I've tried and given up on about 5 cleaners over the years. We've decided it's not worth the money! They either start off good and then drop the standard, or they become unreliable/don't turn up without telling you why.

I did have one company which was brilliant and in my old 2 bedroom house they would clean well, top to bottom, in 2 hours. Including dusting the skirtings etc. Then as soon as we moved to a bigger house they said they needed more than twice the time (even though it's only one extra bedroom!) and the last time I had them, before giving up, they charged for 3 hours work and all that was cleaned was the (small) bathroom and open plan kitchen/diner (which is new so very easy to clean).

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 19:55

I think I will. I’m just upset. I’ve had a really tough few months, this was a real treat and I was excited and I feel deflated.

I was expecting to open the door and smell all the fresh clean smell and got nothing so I was disappointed from the off.

OP posts:

poundoflard · 31/01/2019 19:59

As a cleaner myself you can easily clean, very thoroughly a 3 bed house in 3 hours.
Obviously things like inside of windows and moving clutter or having to scrub a very dirty bath or shower wouldn't fit in to those first three hours. But after a couple of weeks they should be on top of it all, (unless you leave heaps of stuff about each week that needs shifting first)

However, I recently covered for a cleaner off sick with an agency and the women I worked with were utterly usless. We worked as a team and the others did the bare minimum, I was shocked and would never ever use them or recommend them.
What I am saying is you have to choose your cleaner carefully. Some of us do it cos we love it and take pride in our work, I certainly do. Leaving a spotless house is pure job satisfaction.
Others do it because they think it easy money, in a warm house all day and no one watching them so they skive off a bit.

I suggest saying 'oh would you mind concentrating on the cobwebs/ corners/ limescale etc this week' then you know if they bother or not!

Good luck. If I were near you ( I have no idea where you are !) I would come and show you how its done! I bloody love cleaning I do

Marymarg · 31/01/2019 20:00

I would say as a cleaner myself you need to tell her what you want prioratising. Saying that a general dust everywhere, cleaning all the floors and vacuuming everywhere goes without saying in all my houses.
Cobwebs, that's a different story I'm learning to look up!

@grum really? you think having a crap cleaner as long as you get on is fine? I do know someone who's cleaner is rubbish but they like her so much they can't get rid of her. I must admit she is lovely but she can't clean for toffee.

SueSnell · 31/01/2019 20:01

@poundoflard where are you??? You sound amazing!

CottonSock · 31/01/2019 20:05

My house is a large 3 bed and whole lot gets done in 2 hours. I do leave it pretty tidy though. Maybe see how next week goes.

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 31/01/2019 20:09

Thank you everyone.

I just want to say I did clear away to there wasn’t lots of clutter, nothing was really nasty - just neglected.

@poundoflard - if you’re in SW London let me know!!!

I’ll give her another week and explain I’m a bit disappointed about the floors and go from there.

OP posts:

scissorsandpen · 31/01/2019 20:12

Is it agency as I feel they have a set time. I got cleaners for 3hrs they suggesting it drop to 2 the girls themselves as they were getting round it. However they were sloppy so why not spend the extra hour ? I just cancelled thrn in the end. Have another cleaner who is not sloppy but she isn’t very efficient so can’t get fund everything . Someone good and eff isn’t and trustworthy are like gold dust. I think you need to try somewhere else x

feliciabirthgiver · 31/01/2019 20:12

Definitely let the cleaning manager know, it sounds like you are going through an agency like Molly Maid?

It's really important to gain trust, so raise your concerns and give them a chance to fix it next time, it's perfectly acceptable for you to do this.

Daddylonglegs1965 · 31/01/2019 20:16

Too be fair in 3.5 hours I would expect the lot done. My cleaner left a couple of months ago. She came for 3 hours and initially she was absolutely brilliant we live in an extended 3 bed so fairly large kitchen diner, living room, study, toilet, hallway downstairs and three decent sized bedrooms and bathroom. I used to pick up and put away (as we are all messy so she could get access to all work surfaces) before she came which took a goodly awhile. But after awhile I discovered she never moved any furniture (so behind the beds, sofas etc were completely untouched). I asked if she could do behind the sofas every so often and she refused saying she never moved furniture incase she hurt her back. She never seemed to see cobwebs on the light fightings or dust on skirting boards.
She also started writing notes like because it took me so long to do A I never had time to do X Y and Z and she was doing a much worse job all round she was also forever phoning in sick 5 minutes before I was due to leave work and had spent 40 minutes trashing round picking up and putting away for her which drove me nuts. What she did do she did well cleaning huge kitchen work surface, fire place, floors, sinks, toilet, bathrooms etc.
I think you need a new cleaner OP.

Larrythecat · 31/01/2019 20:23

After a few disappointments, I come to the conclusion that it's me, not them. If I were to try to do the full house, I definitely could not fit it in 2-3h at the level of standard I was expecting. We've talked and we agreed to concentrate on a few rooms (the ones that mattered the most to me) and do the rest in rotation. I have two kids and I feel often overwhelmed. Any help is good help. If she weren't here, I would not be doing this much cleaning on a regular basis, so it does help and my house is cleaner. When I accepted that, everyone was happier. I have to say she's good and it forces us to tidy up and clear surfaces on a regular basis. It's just not the sparkling-clean commercial every week, but in 2.5h I don't think it it's achievable

ricepolo · 31/01/2019 20:25

They sound bad to me. Not even taking out bins? That’s poor.

Glitterblue · 31/01/2019 20:37

I've never had a cleaner before but I would expect a lot to be done in that time, going by how much I do in our own house. My grandma has a cleaner who goes in for two hours a week and seems barely able to hoover and dust in that time. In fact I can't see what she actually does. She went in to clean when my grandma was in hospital a few months ago and it looked as if she hadn't been in at all. I'm pretty sure she didn't even hoover.

SuziQ10 · 31/01/2019 20:38

I've had cleaners in the past and have always found they start off fantastic and then after a couple of months don't do such a great job / miss things out.

I wouldn't continue with someone who wasn't thorough the first couple of weeks, as unfortunately it probably won't get much better & you don't want to have to keep raising things that haven't been done.

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