Page 6 | Do cleaners not do dishes?

Fifi00 · 2023-02-13T13:47:42+00:00

My new cleaners seem a bit rubbish. I clean the loo , move clothes, I had already hoovered a couple of days ago and gave everything a proper scrub/mop there wasn't much for them to do but DD and DH had left breakfast dishes in the sink. The dishes were untouched and the cleaners left 30 mins early. I pay for 2 hours a week , 2 cleaners so 1 hour. Is washing some dishes and cleaning the sink really unacceptable?

SouperNoodle · 13/02/2023 17:09

When I drink tea, I use the same mug throughout the day, as does DH, and we leave them on the kitchen side.
Our old cleaner would wash the mugs and leave them on the drainer (we never expected it though) but our new cleaner doesn't.

I think it's just down to who you have.

Fluffyhoglets · 13/02/2023 17:13

My cleaner does dishes, unloads and loads dishwasher. Hangs laundry out and puts a wash on. Changes bedding. Empties bins. Does the ironing. She's fabulous and it's evolved into this over the years as she has offered to do things.
She understands I have physical limitations and an untidy/messy family and has really helped keep me sane.

LMBoston · 13/02/2023 17:22

Cleaner/housekeeper/gardener here — for me, it varies depending on the client but I would always do dishes left in the sink and/or unpack dishwasher (providing there’s time) before I clean the kitchen. As a pp said, I might frown a bit if there was the detritus from a 3 course dinner party in there and in a 2 hour slot that wouldn’t get done, but a few cups and plates… meh. I want my clients to come home and feel happy that they don’t have anything to do!

Some clients leave their house ultra-tidy so I just clean, some busy homes I tidy as well and sort laundry etc (longer slots), some elderly clients I do bedding and ironing, some clients I take the dog out if needed. Basically I’ll do whatever wants doing. I’m self-employed though, with a good close relationship to my clients, so perhaps it’s easier for me to be more flexible than an agency with a tick-list and a changing roster of staff?

Cheeky buggers shouldn’t be leaving half an hour early though; either fill the time or only charge for hours worked. That to me would be a “see ya” offence!

gogohmm · 13/02/2023 17:27

You need to give them a list of additional chores for if they finish the first list early. Make it clear you are paying them for time not a job list

OoooohMatron · 13/02/2023 17:29

I think YABU in this situation. 30 mins to spare and leaving dirty dishes. I'd find a new cleaner.

OoooohMatron · 13/02/2023 17:30

YANBU sorry

PegasusReturns · 13/02/2023 17:34

This is one of those threads that stuns me!

of course cleaners do dishes! If I had one that didn’t I’d be very disappointed and onto the next one.

RemoteControlDoobry · 13/02/2023 17:37

They shouldn’t be leaving early and I’d say that it’s ok for them to wash maybe a couple of items. I’ve done some work as a cleaner and I’d never clean around anything because it isn’t satisfying to leave a room looking untidy. However, I despise washing up with a passion and hate doing my own so if I’d walked in to a full sink of dishes I wouldn’t have been happy.

2bazookas · 13/02/2023 17:50

That depends what you discussed and agreed with the cleaner before employing them.

If mine cheated on timekeeping on their very first day, that would also be their last.

schnubbins · 13/02/2023 17:53

No .

Creamcrackersandricecakes · 13/02/2023 17:59

The state they've left your hob in is shocking - I'd get rid of them just for that. I'd never leave a client's cooker looking that grubby even if I was pushed for time, which they weren't!!

Userusing1 · 13/02/2023 18:08

They probably thought they were there to go in the dishwasher.

Cocobutt · 13/02/2023 19:11

So I'm basically paying money for them to leave early and not assist in making my life easier. I may as well just sack them waste of time.

You chose to clean before she came and so you wasted your own money.

I’ve had numerous cleaning jobs and washing the dishes has never been a part of it.

Do you also expect them to do your laundry?

Why not have a list of things you want them to do.

Motheranddaughter · 13/02/2023 19:13

Mine does dishes
Not sure what the problem is with that

harrassedmumto3 · 13/02/2023 19:14

I wouldn't expect my cleaner to wash our dirty dishes. It's a respect thing, at least in my view.

Mybumlooksbig · 13/02/2023 19:14

I think if it's a case of a couple of bits yes not a full on huge amount. I did cleaning for years and would always wash up and clean sink just so the kitchen looked done.

ThomasWaghornsConeHat · 13/02/2023 19:25

This is what puts me off hiring a cleaner. Finishing early when there is always something else to clean. Also it seems as long with not working their paid hours most cleaners can't be proactive and work to a list. Really good cleaners would work through a list then be proactive doing other things to fill the hours. If a cleaner can always do 2 hours in 1.5 why pay them for 2 hours? It takes 1.5 hours so pay them that.

BigFeelingsMoment · 13/02/2023 19:55

On MN, no cleaners shouldn’t be expected to do anything and you should apologise for only letting them leave half an hour early. In the real world, most cleaners are happy to do the odd dish, or stack the dishwasher, so long as you don’t leave a mountain of washing up for them.

Either tell them that you’re a bit surprised about them leaving early and not cleaning the sink/dishes and come up with a list of “if you have time” jobs, or get new cleaners. Also agree with PP who said change of sheets on beds is always a good one if there’s not too much to do.

Original poster

Fifi00 · 13/02/2023 21:13

Cocobutt · 13/02/2023 19:11

So I'm basically paying money for them to leave early and not assist in making my life easier. I may as well just sack them waste of time.

You chose to clean before she came and so you wasted your own money.

I’ve had numerous cleaning jobs and washing the dishes has never been a part of it.

Do you also expect them to do your laundry?

Why not have a list of things you want them to do.

Right thank you I will be parting ways with my current cleaner and hiring someone who will help me with dishes/laundry if the need arises.

OP posts:

Original poster

Fifi00 · 13/02/2023 21:14

BigFeelingsMoment · 13/02/2023 19:55

On MN, no cleaners shouldn’t be expected to do anything and you should apologise for only letting them leave half an hour early. In the real world, most cleaners are happy to do the odd dish, or stack the dishwasher, so long as you don’t leave a mountain of washing up for them.

Either tell them that you’re a bit surprised about them leaving early and not cleaning the sink/dishes and come up with a list of “if you have time” jobs, or get new cleaners. Also agree with PP who said change of sheets on beds is always a good one if there’s not too much to do.

I know may as well just give them the money for no expectation of work 😩

OP posts:

Cocobutt · 13/02/2023 21:25

Do you expect them to put laundry away in your drawers?

Do you expect them to strip the beds?
If so how often?

I think you need to be much more clear about what you want doing.

It’s so much easier to write a list and so everyone knows what is required of them.

Home help usually does things like washing them dishes and stripping the beds but most cleaners don’t, so a cleaner isn’t going to necessarily know that this is what you want doing.

Motheranddaughter · 13/02/2023 21:30

Mine comes twice a week
First thing she does is unload/load the dishwasher and hang up the washing I have put on earlier

Userusing1 · 13/02/2023 21:32

You probably just need to say which cleaning you want doing, no point in mopping if you have just done it

Littleloveydovey · 13/02/2023 21:36

My house is tidy, my cleaner is a professional who cleans. She will wash any dishes there, but it’s rare I leave any. When I do, I expect her to clean them and she does,

lionelewis · 13/02/2023 21:41

What is disrespectful about cleaning a toilet?