Am I being too picky with the standard of cleaning by my cleaner?

[Crazyladee]

If recently taken on a cleaner. She was a recommendation from a friend. She's coming for two hours a week and we've discussed the rooms I'd like cleaning each week.
This is cleaning a smallish main bathroom, a tiny ensuite and a downstairs loo. I've also asked her to dust the lounge, hoover the stairs and wipe over the two leather two seater settees.

She told me from the start she doesn't provide her own cleaning products and cloths. Or strip/make up beds. I was a bit disappointed in this as the reason why we decided to get a cleaner was I'm due to have a knee operation soon and will struggle doing the beds. I thought id give her a try anyway and maybe further down the line she might change her mind or we could come to an agreement about it.

She's a lovely little japanese lady and I've noticed she struggles to understand what product to use on what. The first week I showed her where I keep all my cleaning products and cloths and left her to it.
I love accumulating cleaning stuff and have tonnes of really good branded cleaning products but was taken aback when I noticed she was using an anti bacterial multi purpose spray in the lounge on all my wooden furniture and fireplace.
When I saw her start tackling the leather sofas I quickly stopped her and ran and got my leather cleaning product and explained to use that on the sofa. She agreed and off she went. It's the kind of product that a little goes a long way plus you have to buff afterwards.
She's made a bit of a mess as I've realised after she went she's used tonnes of the stuff and not buffed so the sofas have got drip/spray marks on the sofas and look like they're covered in grease. So I've had to go over them myself after she left.
I've also noticed she's not done a thorough clean in the bathroom. A glass shelf where all our toothbrushes are kept which gets full of toothpaste has not been cleaned plus the hinges of the toilet seat are still dirty.
What she does love doing though are making things pretty such as she puts little bows and foldy things on all our toilet rolls which are nice but id sooner her give the place a deeper clean.
It's difficult to explain things to her due to the language barrier but she's so nice it's difficult to fire her off. This week she came round with a load of japanese food that she'd cooked for us which was lovely. She's also a little cheaper than other cleaners in the area too. Am I being too picky?

The rules are, tidy, clutter free and clear. For cleaning!

As Perking says...! I've never been a cleaner but I've had a few: none of them came with "rules", and none of them did a double-take at my expectations. I admit I haven't canvassed all of my friends to find out if their cleaners change their beds, but I will do now, as I'm intrigued. I know that the couple who recommended our cleaner don't have her do their laundry which is clearly why they recommended her but she does tidy up all their toddler chaos.

I have a strong suspicion I'll find that "the rules are, there are no rules". Just contracts between individuals.

I have a strong suspicion I'll find that "the rules are, there are no rules". Just contracts between individuals

Exactly. And I think that applies to this thread. Ask a cleaner to do what you want upfront.

My old cleaner used to make the bed (we'd strip it and leave clean stuff on the bed).
New one we've not asked but she always re smooths the duvet out and folds my pyjamas properly.
Just feels like a natural job on house cleaning day,clean flat and clean bedding. Though we only have one bed.

Ask a cleaner to do what you want upfront.

I'm confused about how else anyone would manage it! "Never assume what your cleaner will do" is like saying "never assume what your dentist will do" - it doesn't matter what I assume, they're not in any way beholden to any assumptions I may have, they're free to just say yes or no to my requests.

That said, is agency work different? I get the feeling gamer worked for an agency, from which I suppose you can be fired. All of my cleaners have been self-employed, and perfectly within their rights to negotiate their own terms.

I had a cleaner once who used a brillo pad on my stainless steel backsplash and glossy kitchen units when I was a new mum and needed some help 🙈. Another one used a stiff broom on my patio and managed to wear them down so much that the texture went from rough to smooth and the two-tone colour was lost. Since then I've done all my own cleaning even if I'm struggling. 🤷‍♀️

Both of my cleaners have offered to make up beds when they started working for me. And knowing which products to use on which surfaces is basic cleaning 101, this woman (although nice) is not a cleaner and should be let go immediately before it becomes harder. Pretty toilet roll ends are a waste of her time (your money). Thats not cleaning, it's window dressing /housekeeping and if she wants to be a housekeeper she'd better learn to make beds quick smart. Sounds like a nice lady, absolutely terrible cleaner

I'm a cleaner and I don't mind doing the beds (if they pay me extra), but you'd be amazed at what people ask you to do.

1. look after the kids AND do a full house clean 2)clean the pet bowls and pick up poo in the garden
2. collect kids from school (if you happen to clean in the afternoon) 4)help with sorting out junk By the way all the above I would never do unless they paid extra. It's the ones who want this kind of thing added onto a normal clean for NOTHING, that really are taking the mickey!

I think it's her bringing the cooking round that's made it awkward for me to fire her off. Iyswim

The longer you keep her, OP, the harder it will be to sack her! If she is not the right cleaner for you, better to let her go now before you become too attached!

@lookingfortreasure Aldi do a multi surface spray with bleach, spray it all over the grout and leave for a few hours, then rinse, and wipe over with dry cloth. For any mould that lies along a horizontal surface on sealant etc, use thick bleach soaked onto tissue/cotton wool to keep the bleach in contact with the mould. leave overnight then remove and rinse and should get rid. Keep all bleach away from stainless steel taps/plugs etc

Another thing I don't understand with some clients is that they never wipe up any spills during the week.
When I get there, there are dried lumps of yoghurt and porridge all over the table and the cooker has old tomato sauce on it, so of course the 'acid' from the tomato eats into the steel surface.
But then, it's their furniture and equipment that they are destroying with lazyness?

Tensixtysix I wonder if you used to clean for my husband Before I moved in with him he never even washed up during the week, he just shoved his dirty plates and bowls into the bookshelves to fester until she came. He was an animal.

On the plus side, his kitchen was a pretty easy job besides the week's worth of washing up, as it had only ever been used about three times in the week, to make tortellini, cheese sandwiches or a bowl of cereal.

I think she deserved a sainthood for tolerating him.

(I hasten to add I've housebroken him now. Within a few weeks of my moving in our cleaner announced she was dropping her hours )

Oh dear Disty you used to clean for him too

My sister is a cleaner and she's v lucky by the sound of it! All her clients leave the toilets clean and surfaces free for her to wipe and dishes cleared away! Although she is self-employed so can choose who to clean for and has only had to get rid of one client so far!

I have spoken to DH about it. He admitted that on one week when she came when I was out, she spent a whole hour of the two hour slot on nothing but cleaning our wooden slatted dining room blind. I had told her beforehand to give it a wipe over with the duster if she had time at the end. Again, she cleaned it with her favourite anti bac multi purpose kitchen spray. I must admit, the spray does smell nice (rhubarb) but you just can't use one product on everything. So I've texted her (she's good with texting) to say can we make next week the last week as my mum is going to help me with the cleaning from now on.

I've just washed up all the tupperware that contained all the food she cooked for me and feel a mixture of sadness and relief.

I've got a local cleaning company coming around next week to discuss my requirements. They clean in pairs so let's see what happens. And whether they will change beds!