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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To feel completely overwhelmed by cleaning

72 replies

ItsBloodyFreezingg · 20/02/2019 12:43

Does anyone else wonder how people find the time to keep such lovely clean homes 24/7?

There are pets and 2 children in our house, both me and DH work full time and I just feel so overwhelmed.

DH is good, he will help often when he's around but he works long hours and often at the weekend too so naturally most of the housework falls to me simply because I'm there more.

I find that when I've got in from work, done the usual necessary jobs like washing up, cooking tea, putting the washing on etc... I can't find the time to properly clean the house.

Tidying is fine, the house is usually always tidy but it's things like dusting everywhere, mopping floors, cleaning windows, cleaning skirting boards etc...

I'm seriously considering getting a one time cleaner in just to do it properly and then I can keep on top afterwards (or try).

I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with it constantly.

Whenever I visit my friends home it's always lovely and sparkling clean and I think my God, she must not do anything else but clean because that's what I'd need to do to get my house looking anywhere near that good, it honestly makes me feel like a failure. She doesn't work so she admits that's how she keeps it up but it gets me down every time I think about it.

Anyone else wonder how people do it?!

OP posts:

Original poster

ItsBloodyFreezingg · 20/02/2019 18:26

Robot vacuum?! They have these?! How have I not heard of those. I'd worry my dog would continuously attack it. Our Hoover is his nemesis!

Would giving up be an option? Works for me

I wish I could be this laid back. I get quite anxious about things and it ends up keeping me up at night (sounds daft I know) if I leave it.

I guess a lot of it is because cleaning is a big chore for me. I hate it. My mother finds it therapeutic apparently but I just despise spending my weekends or precious evenings doing it especially after doing all the usual day to day tasks that need doing too which take up a surprising amount of time.

To the PP who suggested mornings, I do actually get up pretty early because I like to go on a nice walk with the dog before work so perhaps I could cut back some time there and do a few jobs in the morning instead.

I'm going to look into this organised mum method and give it a go.

I've also got a cleaner coming round tomorrow to give me a quote for a deep clean so if it's affordable I'm going to take the plunge and get a one off clean and see how we go.

OP posts:

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 20/02/2019 18:33

Losing my shit and putting all the floor crap in a black bin liners whilst shouting works too.

Finally a strategy I can get behind!

Getting up in the cold dawn to clean the house before work, alas, won't be happening here.

sequinafortune · 20/02/2019 18:48

I'm going to share my secrets.
You ready?
You get really close to the kids and say in the scary, really rather quiet, Mum is about to lose her shit, completely, voice, 'clean xyz'
Generally speaking it works. Or striking. Or shouting while filling back bags. I've found my people!!

rookiemere · 20/02/2019 18:56

I use the robot hoover when DH is walking the dog honestly it's a godsend.
Next purchase is hopefully a robot mop

Missmarplesknitting · 20/02/2019 19:03

Ooh and toy jail.

Get a lockable plastic box, add a padlock.

Put kids toys that are left out into the locked box. They get them back after they tidy up.

This is very effective.

Please do note however, that my house is still a tip.

RB68 · 20/02/2019 19:04

I have found the way to cope is to clean as I go BUT to clean whole rooms and work my way round the house. Hoovering gets done in one go on Fridays and if we have someone popping round we do a where you can see thing.

We have a pet and I find the dirt increases 10 fold with them so its important not just to move dirt so wiping rather than dusting etc.

I use 15 mins wisely as often as I can then use Friday am for cleaning if I can (I haven't been able to for a while so its got a bit out of hand but I am getting it back on track) I am also trying to get DH and DD to at least tidy after themselves if nothing else - so in the bathroom no leaving stuff around, tidy for their rooms (or his side) and DD hoovering more than just her room

Alexandra2018 · 20/02/2019 19:11

Same I need a one off cleaner then I promise I'll stay on top of it! I'm too embarrassed to arrange anything my ovens never been cleaned and if she moves anything! I don't think I can face it!

Original poster

ItsBloodyFreezingg · 20/02/2019 19:22

I feel like I need to clean before the cleaner comes tomorrow

OP posts:

cleanhousewastedlife · 20/02/2019 19:31

We have a fortnightly cleaner. The day before, we are forced to tidy up, so that the 'house fairy' can do her magic.

It costs about £50 a month and it is so, so worth it....

HugoBearsMummy · 20/02/2019 19:40

@StinkyCandle 👏🏻 well done you! Especially with 4 DC. You must be cleaning till all hours of the night. DH and i never sit down before 8pm as it is, we both work till 6, except me on my days off. My house is always very tidy Though no clutter, everything has its place. I just don't think I could keep it thoroughly cleaned to the standard it is now if I worked full time without it eating in to the weekend. You and DH must be super cleaning wizards!

MrsPinkCock · 20/02/2019 19:48

We have a cleaner.

My neighbours all have a cleaner.

All of my friends have a cleaner.

You need a cleaner

MrsPinkCock · 20/02/2019 19:50

I also have a robot vacuum on every floor and clean daily, our cleaner only comes once a week. However it probably helps that I actually enjoy doing it, if I didn’t it would be exhausting!

Bubblysqueak · 20/02/2019 19:54

We've got a robot hoover which is amazing. It keeps on top of the dust and I come home every day to a hoovered house. Ive also started doing the organised mum method which really works.

LittleMissMarker · 20/02/2019 19:54

Robot vacuum?! They have these?! How have I not heard of those. I'd worry my dog would continuously attack it.

The surely do! Google "dogs riding roomba video" for a lot of fun. On the other hand Google "dog roomba mess video" for the downside.

Weepingwillows12 · 20/02/2019 19:58

In the same boat here. Its tidy but there are some jobs I struggle to get round to. It always feels dirty to me and I hate it. Not helped by the fact was awful when we moved in and needs a lot of work. Decades of dirt that I can't fix. Hopefully doing some of the work soon and might feel better

Grinchly · 20/02/2019 19:59

Seriously get a regular cleaner.
Life transforming.

poppycity · 20/02/2019 20:14

I am. It never ends. Organized Mum Method doesn't work for me as it simply isn't enough. I already do something similar and just can't get on top of it all. I think those methods are far better for maintenance than a place to start.

I like Lyndsay Queen of Clean, and what I like about it is she's very honest that keeping her home that sparking - vacuumed, dusted, mopped, on top of bathrooms and laundry etc., is a very big commitment and she spends several hours every morning and evening to keep on top of it. Including going through every room to tidy and clean.

The people I know who have clean and tidy homes who don't spend hours each day doing it, have help. One friends Mum does all her laundry and nappies. Another's MIL comes and cleans weekly and many have cleaners weekly. A friend admitted to me last week she has a cleaner Monday and Thursdays 9:30 - 2: 30. Takes a professional 10 hours a week. Her home is clean, smells nice (fresh not chemicals) and while they have a playroom - three dc under 8 - the rest of the house you wouldn't know.

I think I've found for me until I declutter it will always feel like I'm losing the battle. Despite the fact all my children have chores and our home looks tidy except in the before school/after school chaos. The plan for Easter hols is a massive declutter. Can't wait!

Bamboo15 · 20/02/2019 20:33

cleaning wipes in each room so you can give the bathroom sink a wipe over same for toilet and shower when you ah e two mins really helps to keep on top of things - if you’re tidy your half way there, our issue is the mess of us and two kids means that but the time we’ve tidied enough to clean properly we have run out of time!

StinkyCandle · 20/02/2019 20:37

HugoBearsMummy

I really don't do cleaning in the evening - just the kitchen after diner which is mainly loading the dishwasher.

The only real secret is to be clutter free and have decent storage. We are not there during the day anyway, so nothing gets messy.

To the posters who don't like the organised mum method, for me, the revelation was that you will go back to the room next week, so you don't have to clean from top to bottom every single week if you haven't got the time.

puppymouse · 20/02/2019 21:01

We have a cleaner 2 hours every fortnight. They hoover throughout, clean all bathrooms and dust upstairs. Usually the kitchen is mopped and surfaces wiped. DH keeps on top of downstairs as he's a bit of a control freak about the kitchen in particular. Child and dog in situ.

It's £30 per clean so £60 a month. DH was really anti it beforehand but when we got back from holiday to a lovely clean house it really made a difference.

scissorsandpen · 20/02/2019 21:18

I bit the bullet and got a cleaner every fortnight . The agency did all the rooms in the time but surface clean. Current private cleaner cleans less but better . Last cleaner literally mopped round door mat. I find it easier to keep on top of and the old clean up before cleaner comes helps too :-)

Blondebakingmumma · 20/02/2019 21:38

I get a cleaner in once a month for 3 hours. Makes all the difference

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