To give up looking for a good cleaner

[Fedupofcleans]

I’ve tried so so many. Some agency , some self employed individuals and can’t find a good one. Im totally fed up and can’t help thinking have I been very unlucky or are the majority of cleaners just rubbish 😭

#1 was doing batch cooking and her washing here when we were out (she forgot some underwear once and I confronted her and she denied it was hers and then I got a camera and we saw what she was doing as soon as arrived putting a wash on and then cooking)

#2 would stand upstairs with the hoover on so it sounded like she was cleaning and was actually on her phone.

#3 was booked for 4 hours but was arriving late and leaving early and only averaging 2-2.5 hours

#4 stole from us

#5 cancelled more than she came and when she did come she kept complaining we had the wrong products even when I went and got the exact ones she asked for she then changed her mind.

we also had 3 that we arranged and they never turned up.

our house isn’t cluttered , so it wasn’t that it was a difficult job. I try to stay out as much as possible , I just don’t know what to do as we can’t find a good cleaner. I could really do with some help but it’s so hard to find someone who will just clean

YANBU, I have had similar experiences and have now given up. Utter crap.

I just don’t know what to do as we can’t find a good cleaner

if you’re just looking for sympathy and agreement then no problem

if you want actual help them aside from national agencies (Molly Maid is it?) then no one will be able to make a good recommendation on here without geographical information

Good cleaners are few and far between. You need to offer the best money to get the best cleaners. If you've only attracted bad ones, I'd say you're maybe not offering enough money.

I never offered an amount I always ask what they charged which has been between £11-14 ph

The 2 agency cleaners were £11 ph

My first and only cleaner is a good friend of mine who set up a cleaning business. If she gives it up I’ll probably just do it myself as I know I can trust my friend completely. She does a great job and she loves my dog so he gets so excited when she arrives (she brings her dog too as he’s my dog’s friend! With my permission of course)

I don't know where you are but that is VERY cheap for where I am (London). Maybe look at a range of agencies to see what the pay range is like in your area. The best cleaners will be with the best agencies.

I don’t know if I have the energy anymore it’s that bad !! I feel like arranging it all and then the first visit with a new person it’s just got stressful now as it never works out. I probably need to do the cleaning myself

Look for a local company. Someone running a professional business but small enough to care about their reputation.

Individuals may do as little as they can get away with and large agencies don't keep on top of the staff and have huge turnover.

Otherwise decide what you can outsource that can't be done too badly and pay for the job not the time e.g £20 to thoroughly clean interior windows, vacuum carpets and wash floors then do the rest yourself.

I've always gotten mine through local recommendations, which have happened to be self employed.

Agree. It’s really hard.
ive just re-started with a cleaner after 3 years of self-cleaning as dh hasn’t got time to help anymore plus I have some health issues and find it hard to do the bathrooms to a good enough standard and lug the heavy upright around.
She was OK but nowhere as good as some previous ones (last one attempted to steal from us so this is why I was resistant to another cleaner) who have left the house like a hotel (I don’t really need this but if you’re paying £20ph then it should be sparkling, cushions arranged nicely etc).
i would never leave one with the key again although I’d prob go out while she’s here for an hour or so after a few weeks. If I’m not around I’d cancel the clean for that week.

Are you on a local Facebook page?could you ask for recommendations on there or friends and family. We found ours on a local Facebook page and she is amazing

I pay £17.50 an hour for my cleaner her rate has gone up from £15. Had her 4 years

I could recommend loads in my area, but you don't say where you are...

My sister cleans for me, means I don't also have to tidy and I obviously trust her implicitly

Worth their weight in gold! I paid £12.50 far outside London and she was very thorough, always on time, always did her hours and despite me offering never took a break to have a cup of tea. But she was slow - I'm not sure how as she was always moving and energetic but could never get all the jobs done. The one I had before was trained in a hotel snd was very good indeed - and she had time to organise the odd kitchen cupboard and cut flowers from the garden! She just disappeared off the face of the earth one day - I even owed her money but got no answer from her.
I'm just finishing my house renovation and starting to look for one. I accosted a woman coming out of a house across the street (carrying a caddy of cleaning supplies) and she does several houses in the street so I'm going to see if she has time first.