How clean should your house be after a cleaner visit?

[Merryoldgoat]

I am trying to work out if I have unreasonable expectations of my cleaner.

She does a bit of tidying as well and some ironing. She has plenty of time, isn’t rushed but I’m finding that stuff I think is basic is being left unclean.

Should they move stuff to vacuum around?

Should they move stuff on the kitchen worktop to clean under?

Should there be smears on windows or glass surfaces? This is kind of where she’s obviously wiped it down but not ‘polished’ it off.

Would you expect the floor in the gaps between appliances to be cleaned?

Would you expect cobwebs to be removed?

I’m having a real internal struggle as I really like her, she’s a lovely women, but I just don’t feel like she’s doing a good enough job.

I pay her well, she has good conditions, I am just trying to understand if my expectations are too high.

Happy to answer any questions if it helps.

Following with interest… and wondering if we have the same cleaner!!!

@SenecaFalls1848

That would be quite the coincidence 😬

Cleaning and tidying are different things - if you're leaving her to tidy, that might be where she's spending most of her time. So I do all the picking up ahead of time.

If you do all that and things don't improve, consider whether you've got too much stuff out, e.g. if you've got 10 items out on every surface, it takes a lot of time to pick them up and clean under them. Can you reduce what you have out? Or simplify it, so a few things are put on a tray for example, so there is just one thing to move and put back.

If that's not the issue, are you giving her enough time? Ask her what she thinks is enough time to clean your house, maybe give her another hour or two for a few weeks and see if that improves things?

If she has ample time, tell her each week one or two things you want her to focus on.

I'm a cleaner and yes, I move things to hoover. I don't however move sofas every time, just maybe once a month but it depends on my clients. Some have children and want under the sofas done more often to get all the sweet wrappers, crumbs and toys! What kind of things is she not moving? Yes I also move stuff to clean or dust under. Glass is really hard. I know I've left streaks occasionally cos theres just no way I could get rid of them no matter what I've done. What's floor in the gaps?

Should they move stuff to vacuum around? Not heavy furniture, no but yes for example a bag left on the floor.

Should they move stuff on the kitchen worktop to clean under? Again not heavy equipment like a Kenwood mixer but yes for smaller items such as kettle or toaster.

Should there be smears on windows or glass surfaces? This is kind of where she’s obviously wiped it down but not ‘polished’ it off. No

Would you expect the floor in the gaps between appliances to be cleaned? No

Would you expect cobwebs to be removed? Yes

It depends on the time available. My cleaner has a list of things she does on every visit, a list of things she does once a month and will do 1/4 of them per visit and then a list of things she does when we go on holiday.
Even with that, there is still some cleaning I do. Some of it because it needs doing daily; other bits because it wouldn't need doing that regularly and is too time consuming for the cleaner.
I expect my cleaner to move things like the fruit bowl and wipe under that on the kitchen work top but not the stand mixer which is mainly there for ornamental purposes as I prefer to use the handheld one. I expect her to move things like the kitchen chairs so that she can clean under them and the table properly but not the sofa which is up against the wall

You need to talk to your cleaner about your expectations. Our cleaner doesn’t clean windows, we have a window cleaner for that as they can do inside and outside. Our cleaner cleans rather than tidies iykwim. If you want your cleaner to tidy, then you need to be clear on that. We do a quickly tidy around before ours arrive.

I would never expect her to move any heavy furniture to clean behind/under or anything that would involve her having up use steps, so wouldn’t expect gaps between appliances to be cleaned if it involved pulling out the appliance. Cobwebs, yes if they can be reached by reaching up with a broom.

Thank you for the replies. I’ll try to answer

I don’t leave much tidying - more like a few kids books out and maybe a few toiletries on my dressing table.

It’s things like the taps have grime on them at the base - she’s wiped the front of the basin but not round the back.

The floor gaps - I mean where there is a gap between say the dishwasher and the cupboard next to it, crumbs etc collect a bit.

Not talking about moving heavy furniture - more like under the dining table or kitchen table, moving laundry baskets or a shoe/blanket basket in the hallway

definitely wouldn’t expect her to climb ANYTHING.

She has plenty of time - 4 hours and has been leaving early - I actually don’t care if the house was clean as I’m paying for a job but leaving early AND leaving stuff.

I have spoken to her but I feel like a broken record.

Also, it feels weird to say ‘when you clean the bathroom can you make sure to clean round the basis and the taps all the way to the bottom?’

That just feels obvious which is why I’m asking if I’m being unreasonable - it seems so obvious that if she’s not doing it is it unreasonable?

I think your expectations are about right for that amount of time and little to tidy.I was a cleaner and I've had clients ask me to hoover the main room (very large house and only 2 hours so they picked jobs required) but the floor was covered in about 50 cd,s and the bedroom at 2pm....the husband professor was still occupying. The worst was hoovering for another couple when they clearly hadn't cleaned up cat sick for days as it was hard and dried into carpet. But unless you're as slovenly as those..these are not unreasonable expectations

This is what I’d like and I will talk to her about having a list like this.

I obviously clean a bit in between but the reality is it’s hard as I have two SEN children and both DH and I work which is why I value the big cleaning being outsourced.

That sounds vile!

If DH or I are working from home then we would obviously not expect her to clean that room as thoroughly.

Could I ask if you’d use the nozzle on the vacuum to hoover along the edges and skirtings?

I know this all sounds very stupid but I was never taught to clean, obviously I know what to do but I don’t know what’s normal and what you’d expect from someone else.

Occasionally I’d have a really good scrub of my grout - I’d never ask a cleaner to do that.

I don’t think she is doing a good job. She should clean under and around everything on your kitchen worktop & should move dining chairs & small items (magazine racks, baskets ) to clean. Not big items, tho I ask my cleaner to occasionally move the couch to clean behind. Definitely cobwebs. I sacked my cleaner recently for being similar to yours, cut a lot of corners & spent 2 hrs, while being paid for 3.
Tell her your expectations & if she doesn’t meet them, find a better cleaner.

My house is pretty much spotless when my cleaner is done. The house is tidy before she arrives though and surfaces are clear so all she needs to do is clean, not tidy.

She will do one or two 'big' jobs each week, for example, windows, she wouldn't do these every single visit but would rotate what she focuses on. If I ask her to focus more on one area of the house then she will do that.

Should they move stuff to vacuum around?

I wouldn't expect my cleaner to move big items of furniture, but she would lift a bin or dining chair for example. There is nothing else on the floor she would need to move.

Should they move stuff on the kitchen worktop to clean under?

I leave my worktops clear for the cleaner coming, if there was lots of clutter on the worktop she wouldn't be able to clean. But she will lift the toaster to get the crumbs and do under the kettle, things like that.

Should there be smears on windows or glass surfaces? This is kind of where she’s obviously wiped it down but not ‘polished’ it off.

Mine always surfaces shiny, I don't know how she does it because it's a streaky mess when I do it!

Would you expect the floor in the gaps between appliances to be cleaned?

I'm not sure what you mean by this, what appliances?

Would you expect cobwebs to be removed?

Yes, absolutely.

What do you pay her out of interest?

is it an hourly rate or a list of jobs

my cleaner does a weekly clean for £25 around 1.5 hours and I'm happy with her hoovering the house and cleaning the surfaces

we tidy before she comes

Thank you. I will talk to her. That is exactly the kind of thing I’d expect her to move - a few baskets etc - not the piano! 🤣

How much time does she have op and how big is the house? You’re developing quite a list there, on top of tidying and ironing.

so the key question is time and house size.

I had a couple of cleaners, and ended up doing it myself as they didn't clean to a high enough standard for me, ended up doing it myself. Same thing, leaving early, and not doing it properly.
I'm talking about similar things, mirrors with smears, half my bedroom furniture dusted and taps half done.
Always left place tidy so they could clean.

@Reallyontherocks

£15 an hour for cleaning and some ironing (basic bits - not smart shirts etc).

I pay for 4 hours but don’t mind her finishing early if the house is really clean.

So for example I dropped a concealer stick the other day on my way out of house and it rolled under my hall way unit, the base of which is about 15 inches off the floor.

It was still there when I got home and there was dust all there so she’s not hoovered swept or mopped under and that wouldn’t have required anything to be moved.

I would just get a new cleaner. If you talk to her she will do what you want a few times then go back to her old ways. She knows she's doing a crap job and she doesn't care.

If she’s not doing basic things like cleaning taps properly, then it’s time to let her go or maybe first, explain exactly what cleaning is not up to standard and give her a chance to step up. It may well be that she thinks she’s doing a good job.

Hoovering edges is part of the job of hoovering. I had some who cleaned before I arrived (very strange) and others that, well, left worse but I won't make you sick with that one. Basic jobs should definitely be done properly if time allows, which clearly they do as she leaves early. Not getting what you pay for tbh

4 hours

3 bed

One bathroom and one loo. They are very modern so no funny crevices etc.

Basically I want hoovered throughout, hard floors mopped, all rooms dusted, thorough clean in kitchen and bathrooms.

No bed linen changes etc

The ironing is an ‘if you have time’ and not essential.

sorry but you need to get a new cleaner. Changing the beds is the best bit of having ours!

Ok, thank you everyone. Much appreciate all of your input.

Big chat this week 👌🏾