Please help me respond to this cleaning client!!

[cleaningdilemma11]

I’ve just started my cleaning business, going to see my first client on Sunday. I normally charge £15 an hour, but because she’s my first client I have agreed to do it for £10 an hour for 4 hours, and then it will be £15 an hour. She didn’t even ask, I suggested it in return for a review/reference. She wants a regular 4 hours clean every week so I was ok with it doing it for £10 for a first clean.

Now client 2 has just texted me asking if I can come for a “trial “. She asked how much I charge, and I said £15 an hour but will do it for £10 in exchange for review/reference, she then said that’s out of her budget but if I’m willing to do it for £10 an hour for her she will recommend me to her sister who also needs a cleaner?

She lives 45 mins from me, I don’t drive but we both live in London. So I don’t know what to do, do I say yes and take what I can until I get enough customers to be picky or do I just stick with my price and tell her to fuck off?

I give discounts hoping I can get reviews on my Facebook page and build up enough credibility to get more customers, I don’t know if that’s right though? Can anyone help me?

Tell her you are sorry but tjat is the price.

It was a tough day OP.
Don't let it put you off.
Just to advise you as a few friends use cleaners, they don't do the dishes.
If your spending half the time tidying putting away plates and cutlery before you can clean they'll have to pay more or get a new client.

This is for real isn't it?
A woman followed you round, then criticised your cleaning and then her husband re does the cleaning and she has a thing about shiny?

A cleaner cleans, they might was up a few odds and ends. Did they have a dishwasher?

Anyone know how to make everything shiny, let me know 😢

   I expect my cleaner to KNOW THAT, FGS

Surely you realised a paying client wants the job to look good? You needed to be told the bathroom sink was still dirty?

When it comes to making things shiny, after having wiped them with a very hot wet cloth with appropriate cleaner on it, I then wipe them with a glass cloth, it makes sure it's both clean and shiny.

And I'm sorry OP, this is why I don't have a cleaner, I am so picky, I'd be the nightmare client, it's not fair to expect another person to clean the way I do.

Hopefully the next one is better!

You shouldn't be doing dishes. You're paid to clean.
She shouldn't be following you round.
But if you need telling how to clean something without leaving water marks, I wouldn't be asking you back
For your next client make it clear that things need to be put away etc before you can actually clean.
Are you taking stuff on the bus?

Why shouldn’t the cleaner be doing dishes? I never ask mine to but if there’s the occasional mug/dish she always would. If that’s what the client wants surely that’s fine! No difference than changing beds surely?

But also aghast about you not knowing how to make things shiny - I pay for a cleaner as I expect them to do it as well, if not better than me. If you are charging a premium rate and new to the market you need to be amazing.

Stop changing prices and offering deals for references. Set your rate. Stick to it.

I've only read your posts Op and I know everyone needs to start somewhere but if the going rate in your area is £12 and experienced cleaners are charging that then you need to charge less until you're experienced because cleaning professionally is very different to domestic cleaning in your own home.

I'd be pretty cross if our cleaner left things less than properly clean, watermarks gone and anything requiring shining, shined.

Don't worry too much OP. I should think if you go on You Tube, you'll find techniques for making things very shiny. They'll be a lot of videos. I think bicarbonate of soda works well and I guess Viakal for limescale. Just keep putting more cards out in shop windows. Try to see if there are jobs cleaning schools or community halls. These might be more relaxed. Also think about offering in your advert some other services like pet feeding/ sitting alongside cleaning.
I wouldn't mention the reviews because it is making you look inexperienced and in need of these.
Personally, I would be inclined to split the difference and say £12.50 per hour. In all fairness, people who are new to cleaning tend to go a bit slower sometimes, so it is not a good measure of what great service you're offering to say you spent a whole hour doing a room - well not necessarily. Well done for being enterprising. Especially in these Covid times, it's good to go out and get the business and offer a core service people need and which has to be done. But really, OP, cleaning is the sort of thing you get faster and more effective at, so don't be disheartened. Referrals will come! Best of luck.

OP: if she mentions stuff like you didn't do it properly, ask to see what she means before her husband redoes it. It can help you see and learn for later (so you can understand their preference etc).

Stuff like cupboards, definitely look at the cloths you're using. Decent microfibre ones are worth their price

If the appliances were stainless steel, all you need to get rid of watermarks is to wipe down with a clean micro-fibre cloth rinsed out with hot water.

I’m not sure how a bathroom sink couldn’t be clean if you used spray, wipe properly making sure there were no scum/soap marks, rinse and dry off with a clean rinsed out cloth and polish off taps.

Make sure you have plenty of cloths, microfibre, yellow duster ones and the blue cloths for cleaning glass.

In the part of S W Surrey where I live,almost everyone has cleaners, gardeners and childminders and the going rate for cleaning is £12-14ph. Gardening about £15ph depending on heavy lifting etc and childminding is £14/20ph.
All of these are negotiable according to type of work undertaken. Scrubbing out a dirty oven and cleaning mould off grout in bathroom would attract a higher cost ph.
I've done all this and believe me, the state of some 'posh' houses leaves A LOT to be desired.

She sounds ridiculous. Doing dishes is neither right nor wrong, some people do include it, others don’t. I tend to leave my hand-wash only pots and pans for my cleaner to do. Of course it takes up time so if she can’t do something else that’s my call. .

Don’t be put off, most clients would not be like this. In what way were the sink and cupboards still dirty?

However, re “if anyone knows how to make things shiny?” there are literally hundreds of YouTube videos on all this. You’ve heard of Mrs Hinch, right? Cleaning tutorials and chat are a massive industry at the moment. And you can practise on your own house

Start from the top floor and work down. Tidy up before dusting and vaccuum last thing.

OP have you thought about working for a company who provide cleaners, like Merry Maids or Fantastic Services? It sounds like you maybe need the training and logistical support of a company while you “learn your trade”, then you could set up on your own in the future. These companies often send people in in pairs as well, which might suit you better.

Micro fiber cloths are great for a shine.
The shine is important.

You need a DVD clearance, insurance and need to do a spreadsheet of your clients (when you get them) names, days, charges and work out your travelling time. You will also need to, at some point, sort out your potential tax liability and put some cash into a pension fund.
You could incorporate yourself as a sole trader (cheap to do, look at the details online)
Good luck 🍀
You would also need to give them a bill and keep receipts or have them pay directly into your bank account.

Should be DBS

No because her sister will want it for the same price as her.

I'm just a bit baffled. What inspired you to offer a cleaning service at top rate charge when you have no experience of cleaning?

If the going rate is £12-13 and you're charging £15, as a customer I'd be thinking "Wow, she must be amazing to charge that." Then it transpires that you actually have never cleaned a customer's house before.

I admire your confidence, but I do think you might want to reassess your strategy.

You can also make pretty much everything, except wood, shine with window spray and kitchen roll.

If there were water marks left in the appliances I’d be disappointed if I had paid a “professional” to clean them. The problem is that “clean” is very subjective. Every person has their own definition of what is clean enough and what needs to be cleaned how often. I had a boyfriend years ago whose mother was horrified that I didn’t clean my windows every week. Then there are people who change their bedding every two weeks whereas I think they need to be changed twice weekly. You need to have a good discussion with each client as to what their expectations are but certainly there shouldn’t be water marks left on appliances if you are being paid above the average rate to clean. She’s right up be disappointed with that.

my mates husband uses glass cleaner on the bathroom sink to make it shine

I use viklida or whatever on the taps to make them clean and shiny

I use washing powder on the kitchen stainless steel sink as it bring it up very clean and ive also used millions to clean stainless steel but it s not cheap and a bleach so can do damage to other materials

possibly do some research on tips for cleaning