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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do cleaners not do dishes?

358 replies

Fifi00 · 13/02/2023 13:47

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
OnceUponAThread · 13/02/2023 21:46

Suedomin · 13/02/2023 13:58

I wouldn't expect them to do the dishes anymore than I would expect them to do the Laundry. It's not their fault that you had already cleaned up and left nothing for them to do.
However if you prefer them to do the dishes in the future if they have time you should ask them.

Our cleaner does any dishes that are out and some laundry (bedsheets etc) 🤷🏼‍♀️. Always has done.

If she runs out of things to do she has even been known to do a spot of ironing.

If the house is already clean (e.g, we've had guests and done a lot for that) she will proactively look for things to fill her time.

She's amazing though.

DragonflyLady · 13/02/2023 21:51

I do what my clients want me to. None has asked me to do dishes. If I finish early and there’s some that need doing, I will do them. In one home, sometimes there’s dishes in the sink and I need to use the sink so I wash them. But generally people have put their dishes in the dishwasher.

YoungGiftedwithflab32 · 13/02/2023 22:05

I'm a cleaner, and I do anything that needs doing in the time I have, I generally try my best to do everything! Out of 10 clients only two will have dishes to clean, others usually have either do them their selves or put them in the dishwasher ( if you want the dishwasher emptied then ask for it to be done) If your cleaner is leaving early either tell the agency or talk to them directly! As you stated they were new cleaners so maybe they need to be told to do the dishes and if they have time left, to do x,y&z. I love it when a client leaves me a list of jobs (especially at a new clean) as I know what is expected of me!

ladykale · 13/02/2023 22:10

dollymixtured · 13/02/2023 13:49

Of course they don’t do your dishes!

You hire cleaners who wouldn't do dishes in the sink?! Isn't that part of cleaning the kitchen?!

ladykale · 13/02/2023 22:11

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 13/02/2023 13:50

No, dishes is usually a extra you have to pay for if they provide it. Most don't.

Aren't they paid based on time at the house?

ladykale · 13/02/2023 22:12

RealBecca · 13/02/2023 13:54

The office cleaners dont do dishes so I wouldnt expect a domestic one to do so. They usually being their cleaning tools and dont think I've seen washing up liquid in there.

Have a list next time and expressly ask about dishes.

Who does dishes in an office if not the cleaner? It's even more important at work where everyone leaves their dirty dishes around the kitchen

OoooohMatron · 13/02/2023 22:13

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.

So it's fine for someone to clean your toilet, where you shit, but not wash a couple of plates? 🤣

PoshHorseyBird · 13/02/2023 22:15

I work for myself as a cleaner and personally I don't mind doing the washing up. If my client walks in the kitchen I don't want their eye to be drawn straight to the dirty dishes left I want them to admire the clean kitchen 😂 obviously if someone had cooked a 3 course meal and left everything that would be different! But some breakfast dishes and the odd cup left around the house I'll wash up and leave on the draining board. As for them leaving half an hour early, no totally unacceptable. You can always find something to do, if not ask if the client wants an extra job doing. If not then tell the client you've finished early.

Hobbesmanc · 13/02/2023 22:19

Mine does. But I try to not leave pots. I'd rather run a half full dishwasher. She comes very early Monday so there's usually a clean load to put away. I'd not ever leave dirty pans etc. But she'll deffo do the odd mug or wine glass left.

I wipe down the sink and loos on a Sunday and empty the slop bucket in the kitchen. I wouldn't leave anything untidy. Not her job to pick up books or hoover around discarded papers or shoes.

catandcoffee · 13/02/2023 22:21

OP you'd probably be better advertising for a private cleaner/housekeeping

Explain what you need to be done....so no cleaning toilets but wash up or empty dishwasher. Put laundry on ? Ironing ?

That way you'd have the same person regularly. One of my clients leaves a note with written instructions for that particular clean.

nalabae · 13/02/2023 22:22

If you ask them most decent cleaners will,
But no it’s not a job for house cleaners neither is doing windows, inside and out, folding clothes, putting on washes.

deep clean is cleaning cupboards, fridge. Even though some cheeky clients try to ask for this in a normal clean,

most cleaners charge min 2hours so if your cleaner was done that’s why she left. Stop minute watching because if they stay 10mins over are you paying them? I doubt it.

You should have asked her to do the dishes,

side note;
i think it’s disgusting people expect cleaners to use their dirty toilet brushes and clean their toilets, wiping around and putting toilet cleaner is fine, some people have no shame.

nalabae · 13/02/2023 22:25

Most the people commenting aren’t even cleaners, I have a cleaning company and was a cleaner before.

LemonDrizzles · 13/02/2023 22:25

Yes but make it

  • limited (I used to leave 6 items max)
  • all in a relatively small area
  • drying rack, sponge, liquid readily available
  • if in doubt, chat about it first
AllTheThingsIWantAreHere · 13/02/2023 22:26

Mine does but it depends on what you've agreed.

escapingthecity · 13/02/2023 22:27

Ours have always done any washing up in the sink when they're there. Leaving half an hour early was the worse thing.

Reinventinganna · 13/02/2023 22:33

Have you spoken to the new ones about your expectations? What jobs you want prioritising, what you want doing if they have time left overtime, time keeping etc.

Communicate with them.

BeckyWithTheGoodHair010101 · 13/02/2023 22:40

Dishes is what you'd pay housekeeping rates for. Stop cleaning before the cleaner comes and wash up after yourself!

maddy68 · 13/02/2023 22:42

Mine does. Just ask her

Original poster
Fifi00 · 13/02/2023 22:48

nalabae · 13/02/2023 22:22

If you ask them most decent cleaners will,
But no it’s not a job for house cleaners neither is doing windows, inside and out, folding clothes, putting on washes.

deep clean is cleaning cupboards, fridge. Even though some cheeky clients try to ask for this in a normal clean,

most cleaners charge min 2hours so if your cleaner was done that’s why she left. Stop minute watching because if they stay 10mins over are you paying them? I doubt it.

You should have asked her to do the dishes,

side note;
i think it’s disgusting people expect cleaners to use their dirty toilet brushes and clean their toilets, wiping around and putting toilet cleaner is fine, some people have no shame.

I don't think they have ever stayed the full 2 hours 🤣🤣. If it's charged by the hour then they should stay almost the full 2 hours?

OP posts:
Oigetoffmylawn · 13/02/2023 22:51

I've had 3 cleaners, all have done dishes. For some that's meant unloading and reloading the dishwasher and washing stuff that doesn't go in, 1 hand washed everything though. My most recent one asked me if I wanted him to do dishes, and I've said only if they have time, and they do!

Headabovetheparakeet · 13/02/2023 22:52

BeckyWithTheGoodHair010101 · 13/02/2023 22:40

Dishes is what you'd pay housekeeping rates for. Stop cleaning before the cleaner comes and wash up after yourself!

What are housekeeping rates? Do people charge more for doing dishes than cleaning bathrooms? That surprises me.

Spinachandrice · 13/02/2023 22:54

Cleaners should wash the dishes! What is the point to pay them if they leave the kitchen in a messy state?

I don’t have a cleaner but my mum does.

The cleaner comes around 8am and leaves around 2pm on a weekly basis (6hours - €50 - not in the Uk).

The cleaner does everything from flooring to tidying up, washing clothes, ironing clothes, windows, changing sheets, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning surfaces, oven, washes dishes, literally anything that you would do if you want your house to be spotless.

It surprised me that people said that it is an extra to wash the dishes!

Original poster
Fifi00 · 13/02/2023 22:59

BeckyWithTheGoodHair010101 · 13/02/2023 22:40

Dishes is what you'd pay housekeeping rates for. Stop cleaning before the cleaner comes and wash up after yourself!

Housekeeping rates I've just checked the average salary and it's around the same as a cleaner. There's no special rate for washing the dishes.

OP posts:
ButtonMoonMrsSpoon · 13/02/2023 23:01

I do cleaning. If it's a few bits to wash up then of course I do it. I wouldn't however wash up an entire dinners worth and then try to cram everything else in.
So many of the people I clean for expect their whole house cleaned top to bottom including high dusting, skirting boards and last week I was asked to clean all the mould off the walls and windows off her chronically damp house but given no extra time. She still wanted everything else doing too in the 2 hrs she pays for. An A4 sheets worth. What happened, I went over by 40 mins that I'm not going to get paid for because I don't want to be seen as not doing my job properly when in fact people expect far too much for what they are prepared to pay for.
I have a few people that actually make me feel like a personal skivvy and literally leave their crap and rubbish everywhere because oh the cleaner will do it.
I wouldn't do ironing, if you want that done get an ironing lady.
Personally I hate this job now because of how I find so many people and yet I can't be bad as I've had to turn down 4 more people this week for regular work as I'm full.
I am a cleaner, not a maid or a housekeeper but so many people seem to think that is what we are

mondaytosunday · 13/02/2023 23:03

I have never left dishes as I don't want the time spent doing it rather than other jobs, but if they had time to spare?
Also seems incredible that a cleaner would move dishes aside to clean the sink but not clean the dishes.
But no, I don't think cleaners expect to be doing the dishes. If you want them to tell them. Like some people have cleaners change the bed linen, some don't.