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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cleaner doesn’t clean!

40 replies

Gilead · 25/10/2021 21:22

I am severely disabled and have therefore given in and hired somebody to do the things I cannot do. They have been three times now and things aren’t the way I like them. I have tried to be explicit as to what I need/ expect without making it sound like I am telling a teenager how to do their bedroom. For example, I asked for kitchen cupboards and kick boards to be done. Outside of cupboards was done but there were coffee grounds on the floor by the kick boards.
The bathroom: things not moved when cleaning the floor, tiles (half tiled) not cleaned.
I pay the average rate for the area, am I being unreasonable to expect things to be done to my standard?

OP posts:

Lime37 · 25/10/2021 22:34

Yanbu but I would find a different cleaner

R2G · 25/10/2021 22:36

Yanbu is it a company if so ask for someone else

Original poster

Gilead · 25/10/2021 22:50

It isn’t a company. We (family helped) hired her because she has DBS check. She’s nice, and I’ll feel bad if I have to let her go but honestly, I can’t see why I should pay for a half arsed job eg couple of bottles I keep on the floor by the sink. Moved into the corner but corner not cleaned.

OP posts:

SolasAnla · 25/10/2021 22:54

You need a new cleaner.

You are employing someone to do tasks so you need to be very specific to start with.
Spend the first call going through a list of exactly what you want done in each room per call and any deep clean / semi regular things.
The cleaner can estimate the time each task will take and how much you will be charged

Explain that you will be checking each room as the new cleaner finishes and pointing out what was or was not done to your satisfaction
E.g. they should spend time tidying the items off the floor before cleaning it

Viviennemary · 25/10/2021 22:56

Depends how long she is at you house and if it's realistic for her to get all the jobs done in the time allocated.

Anordinarymum · 25/10/2021 23:05

So she has been three times and not cleaned.

The first time I cleaned for my very first client I was so worried they would not like my work and rushed about and broke a butter dish. Mortified, I went to a nice shop and bought another one to replace it because what else would you do.....
The butter dish cost more than my wage.

If she is not cleaning after the third time then don't have her back. Please remember you are paying this woman to come into your home and do the jobs you either cannot do or do not have the time/energy/whatever so you pay someone to do them.

If you are afraid of offending tell her a family member is going to do it, but get rid of her as it won't get better and you will end up anxious and very unhappy.
There will be someone who does not want to take advantage of you in this way. Most people are honest and kind. It's only a minority who are like this.

ittakes2 · 25/10/2021 23:07

I think if you are not happy with her you should find a new one. But you need to be very specific - write a clear list - of your expectations. Like you mentioned the tiles - did you mean the tiles behind the sink or do you mean the tiles all over the bathroom? I have had cleaner for 20 odd years and I have never had any of them clean the tiles all over the bathroom - and I have never thought to ask for that either. It is also unusual to have kick boards cleaned every time - but if that's what you want than write it down.
I don't know many cleaners that move everything on the floor to be honest. On a normal clean my cleaners won't but I will from time to time ask for a deeper clean and then ask them to do this - and then I will drop something else off the list they usually do to create more time.
I think you need to be aware of the timing of things too. The tiles, the kickboards - definitly more a deeper clean so you need to be aware of how long it will all take.

hibbledibble · 25/10/2021 23:08

How long do you give her and how big is your house? I'm just wondering if your expectations are reasonable.

If you aren't happy with her work, then you can find someone else.

LorenzoVonMatterhorn · 25/10/2021 23:11

Ktchen cupboards and kick-boards sounds more like a deep clean that a weekly clean to me.

How many rooms / how many hours?

gobbynorthernbird · 25/10/2021 23:21

It can also be the case that if you're super specific about the directions you give then things outside those directions don't get done because you haven't asked for them.

Original poster

Gilead · 25/10/2021 23:43

I ask for two rooms to be done and she has two hours. I don’t get kickboards done every time. But I do want the kitchen floor washed every time. I am fairly specific but am not sure what’s normal.
The cooker was wiped over but still had burnt food on it, this I really don’t understand.

OP posts:

Viviennemary · 25/10/2021 23:51

Maybe you would have been better to get a deep clean to begin with if you've been unable to clean for a while and things have built up. Its difficult to say. You might be better with an agency. I think they are usually more thorough.

halloweenie13 · 25/10/2021 23:54

@Gilead

I ask for two rooms to be done and she has two hours. I don’t get kickboards done every time. But I do want the kitchen floor washed every time. I am fairly specific but am not sure what’s normal. The cooker was wiped over but still had burnt food on it, this I really don’t understand.

I think 2 hours is quite a limited time to do everything, although she probably is missing key parts, to fully clean down a hob and wash the kitchen floors and kickboards alone is nearly a 2 hour job

Summerfun54321 · 26/10/2021 00:05

You just know when you have a good cleaner, keep trying until you find one.

Winniemarysarah · 26/10/2021 00:09

@halloweenie13 that takes me around 15-20 minutes max. A hob wipe down and floor hoover/mop is included in a standard clean. Kickboards are not usually included in a weekly clean, but as they are in this case they shouldn’t be getting so dirty that the jobs taking more than a few minutes. I’m bewildered about how you think 3 small tasks in the kitchen will take you 2 hours. I’ll clean the majority of a 3 bed house in 3 hours unless it’s filthy or cluttered

Kite22 · 26/10/2021 00:09

I agree with Viviennemary and halloweenie13
It is difficult for us to say, without knowing how much the cleaner is being asked to do.
I know when I first had my cleaner, she told me before starting that it would take longer to begin with and then she would speed up as she got to know the house. This was without any deep cleaning that you might need, if you haven't been able to get on top of things for a while.
Talk to her, ask her what she thinks about the time now she's done 3 cleans. Ask her what she thinks is realistic to get done each week, or if a rota of some jobs might be a better way of approaching it so she can do a more thorough job.

Wingedharpy · 26/10/2021 00:20

If there's burned food on the hob, it will need more than just a wipe down methinks.

heebiejeebies45 · 26/10/2021 07:48

The first time I had a cleaner she was like this. She would mop/sweep around things but wouldn't move them to mop/sweep underneath. She was quite lazy and didn't even stay the whole 2hrs (I ended up getting 0.5hrs refunded) but luckily I had booked her through a cleaning company.

There service was shit so I ended up joining a new one and now I have a way better cleaner who does 2hrs here too. You're paying her for her time so just pull her up and say you'd like this this and this cleaned and to not clean around things. Just communicate otherwise she may not know it's not to your expectation. If she's still rubbish then I wouldn't feel bad about letting her go

TheLastLonelyBakedBeanInTheTin · 26/10/2021 08:09

I had a cleaner for a short while due to ill health. 2 hours twice a week was fine once she had deep cleaned, but I paid for a one off deep clean at the beginning. She never tidied up though, so if I left stuff out she would clean round it. I used to pick the toilet brush off the floor before she came round and make sure everything was off the floors (even if it was only on the bed or somewhere instead!). She would hoover my house (3 bed), mop, a basic dust and wipe round, toilet cleaned, basin gleaming, hob and sink gleaming downstairs (unless I had left a couple of things in the kitchen sink then she wouldn't do the sink at all). Occasionally I would pay her for an extra hour to clean things like kickboards, the oven, the blinds, etc if I noticed they needed doing, As I knew that would take her extra time. She did sometimes finish the 2 hour clean a little bit early, but I never begrudged her that because it would have taken me much longer than 2 hours. If I was home we would sometimes have a cup of tea together.

Andwander · 26/10/2021 08:27

I have worked as a selfemployed cleaner for many years.2 hours for 2 rooms is loads of time.You can expect in this time:all floors hoovered and kitchen floor moped(corners and kick boards wiped too) outside of kitchen cupboard wiped ,kitchen worksurface wiped,cooker wiped( easy come of stuff on cooker should be wioed of,heavily crusted in stains would need special time) sink draining board cleaned.Bathroom floor moped,toilet cleaned ,shower cleaned( heavy limescale need extra time)washbasin cleaned(heavy limescale need extra time).
How does your cleaner respond when you mention the things you are not happy with?why dont you get another cleaner for a short time on another day and compare.It is perfectly reasonable to have a "testing period" ? For both sides.I have had customers who expected the absolute impossible from me(I usually left these customers in a ery short time) I charge £15/hour.I hole you can resolve the issue with your cleaner,specially as you feel otherwise comfortable with her in your house.

Original poster

Gilead · 26/10/2021 09:28

@Andwander thank you! The cooker just had one grotty bit. Kickboards were done once.
I will be specific next time. I do find it frustrating that corners and edges of flooring don’t get done. I honestly think it can’t be that bad to clean as she is invariably late and seems to leave ten minutes early. I don’t mind but do feel that twenty odd minutes could be used to finish things off properly.

OP posts:

TotallySuper · 26/10/2021 09:36

YANBU get a new cleaner you shouldn't have to explain what you want doing - a good cleaner would clean a hob properly. As the PP said- to clean my hob properly including using a scraper if it needs it takes max 10 mins.

MatildaTheCat · 26/10/2021 09:42

[quote Gilead]@Andwander thank you! The cooker just had one grotty bit. Kickboards were done once.
I will be specific next time. I do find it frustrating that corners and edges of flooring don’t get done. I honestly think it can’t be that bad to clean as she is invariably late and seems to leave ten minutes early. I don’t mind but do feel that twenty odd minutes could be used to finish things off properly.[/quote]
Honestly just find someone else. Arriving late and leaving early whilst not cleaning to a satisfactory level- apply that to any job and you’ll be fired. And she’ll get worse, trust me.

I now use an agency and it’s far less hassle and I feedback to them both compliments and anything that’s not right. It’s way easier.

NailsNeedDoing · 26/10/2021 09:44

Arriving late and leaving early is not acceptable, especially if she isn’t even doing a good job of the areas she does clean. I wouldn’t waste time trying to train her because if the time issue, she’s showing you already that she has a bad attitude and doesn’t care.

gamerchick · 26/10/2021 09:47

Why don't you just use an agency? Get a deep clean and then a maintenance clean after that. It's simpler.

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