To ask how thorough you expect a cleaner to be?

[Merryoldgoat]

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?

I know my cleaners have been as soon as I walk in the door. The place smells of polish and surface cleaner.
Mine do two and a half hours each time, but there’s two of them as easier to move furniture etc. I pay £12.50 an hour.
They empty dishwasher, if needed. Put away everything on surfaces then wash them all. Descale sink and kitchen taps. Clean Aga.
Inside windows if they’ve been splashed.
Hoove and mop kitchen floor.
Clean bathrooms and lavatories properly. Swap hand towels. Empty bins.
Fluff sofas.
Dust and polish all wooden surfaces.
Hoover including behind sofas.
Mop parquet floors.
Hoover and dust bedroom (s)
Empty bins. Hoover dog’s beds.

Usually a few ‘special’ jobs - skirting boards, inside windows or high level dusting of beams.

That sort of thing.

Not surprised you are disappointed I could have our 4 bedroom house spotless in 3.5 hours I think it sounds very poor indeed that on their very first day you didn't return to a gleaming house! £14 per hour is a lot too. I would literally give them one further week and if you don't feel it is worth it, let them go
You ANBU!

Pound of lard just give us the first part of your postcode pleeease

I am amazed at how clean our house is. We are two very untidy people and we have cleaners coming once every four weeks. It is a company and usually two cleaners but occasionally three when one is being trained.
We do tidy up and that is great as otherwise the piles of magazines would reach the ceiling look untidy.
We have noticed a gradual improvement over time. The house was clean after the first visit but the furniture is getting a better shine as it is cared for more often. Each time they come some bit of furniture gets moved and the wall and floor behind is cleaned. The theory is that one person cleans a room and the other person checks it. We just leave them to do their work but it is good to have the place cleaned. We have a two bed-roomed flat and today the two ladies took about two hours to clean it (they do not clean the spare bedroom).

I'll admit to feeling a bit guilty that I do not so the cleaning and feel that we do not need a cleaner as we can do it but my excuse is that my wife had cancer a few years ago and frankly we want to enjoy life not clean our home

I've employed cleaners on and off for about 16 years.

I think 3 hours is reasonable for cleaning an average sized 3 bed, 1 bathroom, 1 downstairs loo type of house.

We have a cleaner right now who I like a lot because she doesn't want to chat to me about her personal problems (I work from home) and she is really thorough with the hoover and skirting boards and things like that. However, I have had to ask her to clean mirrors and window sills and the cooker hood. She hadn't seemed to notice they were dirty and I had to point it out. But she wasn't in the least huffy about those things and just got on and cleaned them perfectly.

You just have to have an honest relationship with some give and take on both sides imo. Don't expect perfection. Hopefully your cleaner won't expect you to do everything exactly as they would wish too.

To be honest I'd have cleaned the house to my expected standards first then said this is what i want in the future. Realise that could just be me though

My cleaner does 2-2.5 hours. She does the kitchen, bathrooms (2.5), and floors of our 4 bed thoroughly every week and then does other jobs in rotation. She's not the best cleaner in the world but my house smells fresh and clean after she has been, she is always willing to do whatever job i ask her to, and I trust her with my key and in my home. She keeps it ticking over nicely and I do bits (very few bits) in between.

I never ask her to tidy! Each Thursday evening we tidy up and put our belongings away, that way on Friday night we start the weekend with a clean and tidy house. I pay her £20 each week.

I expect my whole house to be spotless after the cleaner has been. She knows this and delivers - she also knows no time limit so she charges me for the time it takes which can vary depending on how the house is. I trust her

Mine is normally "ok" but not amazing. She has good days and bad tbh and most of the time I let little things go. Communication is key but I struggle to communicate with mine as I don't see her and texting is not a great way to solve problems. Also I'm a bit scared of her as when I have said something she gets a bit snarly. She's off with a bad back atm and her friend is filling in and it's made me realise how good my other one is. I feel that sense if disappointment you described when getting home now - she's just not as thorough. It's not that easy to find a replacement cleaner though and I don't have the time.

Sorry I'm SW no where near London!

I found working with an agency they were always pushed for time and did the quickest clean ever, used excuses like too much stuff on the floor ( a towel or newspaper) so I couldn't vacuum. i.e. couldn't be arsed.
I was ashamed to work for them. They wanted to jump into the car for a fag and move to the next job. Always telling the supervisor there was no where to park, traffic was bad etc. The supervisor was a brilliant cleaner and she was spot on and thorough, shame her cleaners weren't. They were rude about the clients too.

I know the folk I worked for often found it hard to trust someone in their home and give them a key. You have to build a bond and like who you work for too!

I think agency cleaners working as a pair spend more time chatting, drinking tea and smoking than someone independent. But thats just my opinion.

They came back today to ‘fix’ things but it’s really not good enough.

I’m going to call it a day and get a lone cleaner - I’d rather pay £14 per hour to someone directly I think.

Thank you everyone for your input and advice.

Shop around OP, don't settle for someone until you're happy with the job they do. I've had two brilliant cleaners, I couldn't stand the disappointment in a bad one now. Ask on local Facebook site etc and try people recommended. You might hit a few duds initially but you'll get someone good and be bloody glad you didn't settle for second best

We have a large house and used to pay by the hour, but I found out cleaner would adapt the time it took her to how many hours she needed to do that day, not the accurate length of time it took. So for example when she was ironing, she could simply slow down to suit her needs.

First of all don't use an agency. The cleaners are paid shit money and the owner takes a large cut.
A self employed cleaner will have more pride.

Keep changing cleaners until you find one you like. It is dead easy - it is not as if you have to break them in. Ideally not agency and on personal recommendation.

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.

What poundoflard said is music to my ears.

After years of putting up with substandard cleaning from aupairs, I have become quite a good cleaner myself and recognise a kindred soul when I meet one. There is a certain attention to detail and perfectionist streak in a good cleaner. There is deep joy and satisfaction in a clean and fresh house with sparkling surfaces.

My cleaner goes into 'the zone' when she cleans. I luff her.

I do agree with grimiosmum's first post, that communication is the key, and what is important to one person isn't as important to the next. So, for me, I'm happy that my cleaner puts the vacuum round the living room where you can see - I don't expect her t be going behind the curtains every week. For you, it is clearly important.
Some people were disbelieving on here at what my cleaner does in the 2 hours I pay her. Firstly, she is excellent - really quick, doesn't stop for a drink, never on her phone, doesn't stop and chat, etc, but secondly, I only expect her to do what I would do if I didn't have a cleaner, and that doesn't involve some jobs that I don't think need to be done every week.
She also told me at the start that the first week, she would only get a bit more than a half done in the 2 hours she is hear, from what she would be doing 4 or 5 weeks in.

I think 3.5 hours is a lot - should be more than plenty to do your house, but I do think it needs a couple of weeks to embed, and I do think it is important you prioritise what you would like to be done.

That sounds bloody hopeless OP, and your disappointment is totally understandable.
YANBU.

Poundoflard - whereabouts in the SW are you??