Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

AIBU to fault my cleaners?

79 replies

TFC90 · 05/02/2021 11:54

We got new cleaners in October as I was 9 months pregnant. They come every two weeks so they've been quite a few times now.

It's a husband and wife team that whizz around our 4 bedroom house in 2 hours (so four man hours, charged at £15 an hour, £60 total every fortnight)

I've increasingly been noticing little things but wondered if I'm expecting too much of cleaners who come fortnightly? They evaluated our house and told us how long it would take, as opposed to us dictating how long they are here.

Anyway they came yesterday and this it the state of the shower today. My husband thinks I'm expecting too much, and in general he's cleaner and tidier than I am, so I'm left wondering if I'm being unreasonable to expect them to clean more thoroughly?

OP posts:

SignsofSpring · 05/02/2021 12:52

I think 4 hours every two weeks isn't enough for both a once-over of everything, plus a deeper clean (e.g. skirtings, fridge, grime round shower edges).

That probably suits them time-wise as they only have to come once every fortnight, but it's not enough.

For a three bed house, I have 3 hours a week including 1 hour for those deeper clean items as above. I'd also want them to let me know what they are or if they need additional products or will do them next time.

So, you are unreasonable to expect this done on 2 hours for a 4 bed house per week, there isn't enough time but they are wrong for not communicating with you that they either need another hour or two for deep clean items.

speaksofty · 05/02/2021 12:57

You are mixing up a deep clean with a standard weekly clean. 2 hours is not enough in my view to expect that level of attention to detail. That said have a chat to them, show them your priorities, but make sure they have adequate time to do what is important to you. I’ve had plenty of good natured talks with my cleaners over the years, I think it’s important to keep communicating for both parties. Ultimately it’s in both of your interests.

AStudyinPink · 05/02/2021 12:59

I think you have a point, it’s dirty. Can you show us a picture of it now you’ve managed to get it clean?

Whitney168 · 05/02/2021 13:01

@cheeseismydownfall

You'll get slated here OP because somehow mumsnet thinks that cleaning is somehow beneath cleaners

I've never found a cleaner that cleans to the standard I ask them and I have given up trying. It is frustrating because even when I specifically say that I would prefer to pay for an extra hour (or for however long it takes) to be really thorough, it still doesn't happen.

The worst I had was with an agency - I got home from work on the first day they were supposed to visit, and assumed that something had cropped up and that they hadn't been able to come after all. It wasn't until I got a follow up call from the owner of the agency that I discovered they had apparently been in for four hours?! I honestly couldn't tell. They didn't come back.

I have occasionally thought about jacking in my job and setting up The Really Good Cleaning Company. Paying cleaners more, charging more, but doing a really fucking good job and using an dedicated app to manage communications, set up proper cleaning routines for houses, log work done, enable clients to use photos to direct to areas they want focus on etc etc.

@cheeseismydownfall

Please do this in my area. You'd make your fortune!

BeautyGoesToBenidorm · 05/02/2021 13:04

TALK TO YOUR CLEANERS. There's no use bitching on MN if you're unhappy with the standard of their work.

I used to be a domestic cleaner in a hard water area, and limescale/mould was a bitch to remove. I used industrial-strength chemicals over a few weeks, in the worst case.

Do you provide cleaning chemicals, OP, or do your cleaners bring their own?

SpringIsSprung1 · 05/02/2021 13:12

I used to do a 4 bed house, 1 bathroom, 1 ensuite. That should be cleaned as part of the routine. I used a toothbrush, then wipe clean. It takes just a minute! I took great pride in my job, maybe that's what makes the difference?

SpringIsSprung1 · 05/02/2021 13:13

All in 2 hours on my own btw!

Cadent · 05/02/2021 13:27

That does look like baked in dirt/mildew.

How has it got in such a state in 2 weeks?

plasticCandles · 05/02/2021 13:29

Over the last 15 years I’ve had 10 cleaners. Only 1 was any good. She was trustworthy and cleaned to a high standard and was friendly.
Unfortunately the others were all awful. One stole (caught red handed) and another turned up the first time strangely dressed at 9am in full make up and a beautiful dress then told me she needed a room to change in and 15 minutes to ‘get ready’ and 15 mins at the end to ‘change back’ it was bizarre she then spent all her time in the kitchen barely did anything and when I complained she said my house was too dirty for her to clean ! (It wasn’t)
Others just didn’t clean well or kept not turning up

hellasciously · 05/02/2021 13:30

I think you expecting to much if that's the only thing your complaining about. Get the tooth brush out and do it yourself every so often.

Rdaisyleo · 05/02/2021 13:48

I'm a cleaner. Have been on my own for 6 years. I think you are being a bit unreasonable but if ever a customer has wanted something in particular doing then they just leave a casual note or ask me. I don't think they're doing a bad job of thats all you're finding to fault

flippertygibbit · 05/02/2021 14:21

4 hours every fortnight is a 'catch up clean'. If you want them to do more then ask them to work more hours. I appreciate that's what they've quoted but truthfully if you have a cleaner in every 14 days the expectation is that people are cleaning and wiping things like the shower after use, not leaving it to get into a state like that. If you want those things done then you really need them in weekly. The shower tray and track looks sparkling so perhaps they've presoaked the grime which has enabled you to just wipe it off.

user1493413286 · 05/02/2021 14:26

How does it take them 4 hours? My cleaner does our 4 bed house in 2 hours each fortnight (does kitchen, mops kitchen floor, hoovers all rooms, does dusting, cleans bathroom, en suite and toilet). I’d expect everything to be perfect based on what you’re paying them.

ageingdisgracefully · 05/02/2021 14:30

That crud looks like it's been there a while to me too. The rest of the shower looks clean enough.

I used to work as a cleaner, and would've told the client if there was something I hadn't been able to get clean.

I can't imagine why a cleaner would clean the rest of the shower, as is evident, and leave behind the crud if, as the OP says, it was easy to wipe away with a cloth.

Waiting for an "after" pic...

Original poster

TFC90 · 05/02/2021 14:38

So here is what it looks like after I wiped it with some toilet paper. I definitely feel that with a microfibre cloth and a bit of cleaning product, it would come right off.

I'm pretty sure it's not only two weeks worth of build up, I would imagine it hasn't been addressed on their previous visits.

I was only really asking here to manage my own expectations - whether I was expecting too much - and opinion seems pretty split. I'm not intending to moan, I just wasn't sure if it's reasonable to expect them to be cleaning it, before we say anything to them.

I'm happy to pay for an extra couple of hours every now and then for a deeper clean is that's what is needed. Rather that than grime like that actually build up in the shower! Then it becomes a whole lot more difficult to sort.

OP posts:

katieg03 · 05/02/2021 14:40

It looks like you maybe need to re seal those areas.

AStudyinPink · 05/02/2021 14:44

Get the tooth brush out and do it yourself every so often.

If the cleaner was doing it properly each week this wouldn’t be necessary.

MN is ridiculous for the attitude that cleaners are doing their clients a big favour and the client should pay them AND do their own cleaning. Really, they shouldn’t have to do both, should they? If I pay someone to clean the shower I expect a clean shower, and four person-hours should definitely be enough to manage that.

FusionChefGeoff · 05/02/2021 14:58

I could throw napalm at my shower and it would never look that clean

Not sure this is the thread for me (and I have a cleaner who I love but obviously give a very easy ride )

Original poster

TFC90 · 05/02/2021 14:59

@AStudyinPink thank you, these are my sentiments exactly!

I have a 3 month old... If I had the time and inclination to clean I wouldn't be paying someone else to do it!

OP posts:

Original poster

TFC90 · 05/02/2021 15:01

@FusionChefGeoff it is a shower in a new build house so it's only about 2.5 years old. And we wipe it down with shower spray and a squeegee every use

OP posts:

bloodyhairy · 05/02/2021 15:03

Sorry to derail your thread OP, but I have a cleaner question too. Hope nobody minds if I ask it on here.
So, you pay a cleaner for 3 hours and the cleaner only stays for 2. A good job was done, although more in-depth cleaning could also have been done, to make up the time. Would you be happy with this, as the job had been done (a good basic clean), or would you expect to pay for the hours worked only?
Thanks.

AStudyinPink · 05/02/2021 15:05

bloodyhairy

You pay for two.

Dozer · 05/02/2021 15:06

Frequent issue with showers/sealant. Looks like sealant discolouration/mould.

‘With a microfibre cloth and a bit of cleaning product, it would come right off’. From your photos think I disagree with you. Ours doesn’t come off even with mould product or bleach and scrubbing / toothbrush. Why don’t you or your DP try the microfibre cloth and product, then, and see?

If it comes off then yes, would raise it with your cleaners.

Dozer · 05/02/2021 15:06

Bloodyhairy: two hours, cleaner is BU.

bloodyhairy · 05/02/2021 15:07

@AStudyinPink

Thanks. That's what I think too. The owner of the cleaning company seems to think differently

Flip

1 2 3 4