Cleaner doesn’t clean!

[Gilead]

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?

[Shoxfordian]

It’s really better to go through an agency; they’ll check the standards of the cleaner and if you’re not happy you can easily ask for a different cleaner next time. Also if your cleaner is on holiday then you’ll get cover so it’ll still be done. The cleaner you’ve been using sounds pretty rubbish; sack her and go to an agency

[BoredZelda]

I think 2 hours is quite a limited time to do everything

To do two rooms?? My cleaner does my 4 bedroom house with 3 bathrooms in 3 hours (she gave me the timescale she'd need to do the house). 2 hours is plenty long enough to do two rooms.

@Gilead I feel your pain. We've had a whole load of different cleaners over the past decade and it is tough to find a decent one. It is just trial and error really.

[BoredZelda]

It’s really better to go through an agency; they’ll check the standards of the cleaner and if you’re not happy you can easily ask for a different cleaner next time. Also if your cleaner is on holiday then you’ll get cover so it’ll still be done. The cleaner you’ve been using sounds pretty rubbish; sack her and go to an agency

It does depend on the agency though. I've had cleaners through an agency and to be honest, the ones I hired directly have generally been better.

[godmum56]

If she is starting late and finishing early then there is zero excuse. If you are expecting more to be done than the hours that you pay for then she needs to point this out. Honestly I'd let her go and look around for someone else.

[Shoxfordian]

Yeah that’s true; it does depend on getting a good agency

[Maskless]

Type a listed description of what needs to be done, and HOW you want it done. e.g. "clear bathroom floor before mopping" and anything else you feel specific about.

You can either send this to her before she comes next time, or sack her and give it to her replacement.

There are loads of cleaners about. I've been employing them for 20+ years and YANBU.

[IamtheDevilsAvocado]

This cleaner sounds as if she doesn't care enough to do a decent job.

I've employed cleaners before for elderly and disabled relatives.

Found the only way to go is do a checklist... Dowb to the level of:
Eg
Wipe kitchen unit handles
Move dining chairs /table and mop under.

The good ones will do it regardless
The bad ones you need to sack...

But there's plenty in the middle who would be fine as long as you detail clearly WHAT you want.

[starrynight87]

Find someone else, get a recommendation.

[Anonanon1234]

I hate housework and am a lousy cleaner (my home is hygienic but not sterile) but even I would consider two hours to do two rooms, is way more than enough time.
Leaving burnt food on the hob is just lazy and blind....I just spray and leave to soak in for a bit, then wipe away and stuck on bits, really not that hard.

Honestly, she sounds careless and sloppy. I too would begrudge paying her. Get someone else.

[2bazookas]

I'd sack her and get a better cleaner.

If you don't sack her, you're going to have to crack the whip a bit.

First, you'd have to say " I need the work to be done more thoroughly. Here is a list of what I want you to do today."
Then you hand her a written list of todays tasks, explicitly explained.
Instead of " wipe kickboards" it would be "Sweep the floor then wash it with hot water containing Floorscrub. Then wipe the kickboards".

"Kitchen cupboards; empty the top left cupboard, wash the shelves, dry with kitchen paper than replace the contents neatly with all the labels facing the door so I can see what's in the tins and packets. Do the same with the righthand cupboard. "

[Andwander]

Being late and leaving early is totally unacceptable.to be honest,I would look for a new cleaner and ask for refrences.You are right,corners should always be cleaned.I used to lay flat on my belly to hoover right under the beds.Proper cleaning is a very physical and exhausting job and if you do a good job,it is very rewarding to see a happy customer and a tidy clean house.

[Concestor]

I used to do cleaning. I always wiped cupboard doors and kickboards as part of the kitchen clean, it doesn't take long. Honestly I'd get rid of her because she will only get worse. Find someone else.

[Kite22]

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 agree with this ^
I don't pay an agency, but my cleaner is fantastic. I suspect there are brilliant and poor cleaners both amongst the self employed and amongst the employed.
However, 2 hours to only do one kitchen and bathroom is FAR more than I would expect someone to need.
Also, if she is not arriving on time, and then is leaving early, it is more than reasonable to ask why, when she isn't even managing to do the cleaning she has been asked to do.

[Boood]

Does she have time to plump cushions and arrange them into a nice pattern on the sofa and fold the toilet roll into a point, but not to mop the floor? Every cleaner I’ve ever had has been like that.

[Nachostress]

OP, cleaning is one of those jobs that is low paid because 'anyone could do it' but in reality, 'anyone' can do it a bit rubbishly, and only a minority can do it really well (see also, care work, hospitality etc)

What you've described sounds to me like someone who isn't a professional cleaner giving it a go and cleaning like they would do at home. That's very different to someone doing it to the standard of a professional cleaner. As others have said, look for someone new and someone who is able to discuss with you your requests and what is reasonable for them to complete in that time.