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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask when do you think your cleaner will back in your home?

135 replies

tootsey · 27/04/2020 21:01

I know lots on here have said they will have their cleaner return, but as a cleaner myself and self employed, realistically when can you envisage they will return? I am trying to work out how this would work if social distancing has to remain in place, especially with elderly clients. Then those who are still wfh. I suppose they could remain in one room, but speaking to a few of mine, they don't want to do that.

So AIBU to ask such a question at this time, as none of us really know what the future holds.

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 27/04/2020 22:32

When restrictions are lifted so kids aren’t here - there’s no way we could social distance currently with us all at home.

Desperate for her to come back. We are paying her though - I’m sorry your clients aren’t doing the same.

nanbread · 27/04/2020 22:33

We're still paying our cleaner even though she hasn't come for 6/7 weeks, but think we'll let her go soon - realised we don't mind doing it ourselves too much.

Popuppippa · 27/04/2020 22:36

Still paying in full and no idea when she'll be back. I said we'd be back in touch when they review this lockdown. TBH, I'm not sure how long this will go on, especially as the children are off school. The house is usually empty when she's here.

OneandTwenty · 27/04/2020 22:37

not a chance before September at the earliest.
With the current "lockdown", it's completely out of question to have anyone in my house unless there's a genuine emergency.

Even when things will calm down a bit, no point keeping my kids from school if we start have visitors at home.

I am waiting to see what the 2nd wave does before considering taking things more lightly. We are not there yet.

Ilovemypantry · 27/04/2020 22:38

For those that are still having their cleaners clean their house...isn’t this against lockdown rules of not having anyone from outside in your home? You’re not even supposed to have any family members visit. So are people just ignoring the lockdown rules that don’t suit them?

MrsFogi · 27/04/2020 22:39

Mine restarted today (I paid for the last four weeks) - we have a house that is big enough for us to be in different rooms whilst she is here. We have also agreed a different time to avoid breakfast when we are moving around, I am paying by bank transfer to avoid cash and all windows open before, during and after cleaning. She offered to wear a mask but I left that up to her and she didn't wear one.

homeschoolmyarse · 27/04/2020 22:40

Mine came back last week
Big house So we just stayed in one room
It was a mess and it was making me so miserable
I felt a million times better afterwards
She’s wearing gloves, spraying disinfectant everywhere
We’ve not been anywhere for a month, we were her first client since lockdown.

Coffeepot72 · 27/04/2020 22:41

I am currently WFH, no kids, and as there’s nothing to do at evenings and weekends, we are tackling the cleaning ourselves. But the minute I’m back in the office, our cleaner will be back.

I wanted to ask this question last week, but thought I would be annihilated ......

Coffeepot72 · 27/04/2020 22:43

PS I don’t want anyone coming into the house, apart from me and DH, til the restrictions are eased

OneandTwenty · 27/04/2020 22:50

So are people just ignoring the lockdown rules that don’t suit them?

yes...
We have one the least strict "lockdown" possible, and many people are not that bothered. There are no consequences anyway.

Florencemattell · 27/04/2020 22:51

@Ilovemypantry
The rules are clear. If you can work from home. If you have a job you can’t do from home you can and always have been able to go to work. You must maintain social distancing eg 2 m away from others at work.
A lot of nannies are still working. The government were asked about this and repeated above advice.
As a nanny social distancing from the children is not possible but the cleaner can easily do this. There has been conflicting advice re the germ living on surfaces. If you are worried just wipe door handles with bleach solution after cleaner has left.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 27/04/2020 22:53

Next week, we will hide in a room while she is here.

Original poster
tootsey · 27/04/2020 22:55

Thankyou all for the replies. So, going by all your answers, I am not going to have any considerable work /money for a while.

OP posts:
Ilovemypantry · 27/04/2020 22:56

@Florencemattell
The rules clearly state that no one should enter your home, not even members of your family not in the same household.

Ilovemypantry · 27/04/2020 22:58

@OneandTwenty
There are consequences....the virus continues to spread and the death toll continues to rise.

homeschoolmyarse · 27/04/2020 23:02

Cleaners, gardeners, decorators, labourers, diy can’t work from home, so are still working with social distancing in place

Nighttimefreedom · 27/04/2020 23:05

Ilovemypantry I had a locksmith in my house on Saturday.
If you can maintain social distancing whilst working and can't do your job from home, you are allowed to work.
Those are in fact the rules.

user1487194234 · 27/04/2020 23:07

Mine can come back as soon as she likes

Original poster
tootsey · 27/04/2020 23:12

I think the rules were not thought through well. You cannot compare a nanny and a cleaner.

Nanny more often works for one family, so just the one household. Cleaner is in and out of multiple houses daily. When they said you can go to work if you can't work from home, but then don't mix households not even allowing other family in.

Knowing my clients, the biggest majority will not want me in their houses for a long time. I think there is only one out of 30 odd that is happy to have me there in the next fortnight or so.

OP posts:
Florencemattell · 27/04/2020 23:12

@Ilovemypantry
No you are wrong if you work in a household you can go to work. The Queen has staff at Windsor. The nanny industry have consulted MPs regarding this. If 100 percent clear you can work as a nanny.
It does seem contradictory but the government have been with many issues. Nannies who have refused to work have been sacked.

CalmYoBadSelf · 27/04/2020 23:12

I would be concerned that if my cleaner was infected but asymptomatic she could leave the virus on any surface in the house. Also that she could bring it in from another clients house
I think I'm just too nervous to have her back yet

PerplexingWords · 27/04/2020 23:14

We are all mainly at home. I work on a rota but our house is not big enough to have all of us and her. She comes via an agency and we don’t have her number. They asked today if she could come tomorrow and we said no, not yet. We will pay her in full in cash when she comes back though. She’s not perfect but lovely and good enough.

Florencemattell · 27/04/2020 23:14

@tootsey is corr

Ilovemypantry · 27/04/2020 23:14

@homeschoolmyarse
No, that is not correct. None of the jobs you mentioned (except perhaps gardener as they would be outside) can work in your home.

Oly4 · 27/04/2020 23:18

I don’t want to put my cleaner at risk so I’m doing my own cleaning AND paying her. Wouldn’t dream of asking her back yet.. much as I miss her she’s not essential to my life