Is a cleaner worth it? AIBU to get one?

[HelloWorld2577]

Hi all!

Working mum of 3 here, and I’m seriously looking into getting a cleaner and just wanted opinions. My son has ASD and I seem to spend all of my time tidying up after him and my toddler that I don’t get time to do actual cleaning when I’m home from work. I’m constantly behind on washing etc.

I do have general concerns though as I’m out at work all week so how do they get in? No one I know has a cleaner so would be just finding one online and enquiring so just concerns me! Should I install internal cameras? If you have a cleaner how frequently do you have them out and what do you specify they do & hm do you pay (I’m in the south).

Thanks all in advance.

Best money I spend. Not only for the actual cleaning, but removes the constant nagging feeling that I really ought to clean the shower/mop the floor/clean the oven or whatever. So can spend my weekends doing other things and not thinking about cleaning.

I love having a cleaner. ASD child plus two others and my wife and I are both ND and both work so do not have time for housework. Ours comes for 3 hours a week and does thorough a thorough clean in the bathrooms and kitchen, dusts, hoovers all floors and mops hard floors, changes bedding, washes up, a bit of ironing and gives the baby a cuddle. If we're on holiday for more than a week she brings her carpet cleaner and does the carpets and soft furnishings, washes toys that have got a bit grubby and cleans the inside of the fridge. You'll have to decide what needs cleaning and discuss if that's realistic when you speak to someone.
I pay £18/hour and she's worth every penny but not in the south so probably not comparable.
She has her own key, though either my wife or I worked from home for the first couple of months then we gave her a key. We have used a company which I know some people prefer because you know a) your house key is locked up and b) they will always send someone but we found it very hit and miss and in the end decided we'd rather have someone really good and just have to clean ourselves a couple of times a year when she goes on holiday.
I wouldn't install cameras. How would you feel about your employer videoing you while you work?

Every. Bloody. Penny.

The important fact is - the cleaner must be honest and a hard worker, not the type I've seen in some people houses - they have their mobile glued to their ear years ago but now have the ear piece

if the clean is realble and affordable - and you were working like us mon to fridays - why not - we used to get the ornoring done, worth every penny

Saves me hours and my sanity

My cleaner is worth her weight in gold. I am not a good housekeeper so my house being throughly cleaned every week keeps my world together. I’m also under pressure to tidy up for her she can clean.

i’ve 3 kids, I work full time and this is just one way I can keep on top of things. I trust her so she has a key.

Cleaner works on 2 levels

1. Does 3 hours of cleaning which I never get around 2 and also gives it a nice finish. So nice to come home to.
2. Gives a weekly deadline to have the house tidy enough to clean so the tidying never descends too far into chaos as it would with no deadline.

No 2 possibly of more value than no1 for us!

I'm a cleaner. People who work for agencies normally need a recent DBS certificate. I personally have a key to one of my clients houses as she's always at work. I either get paid In cash or via bank transfer. It's probably best you go through an agency for insurance purposes and there are often other cleaners who can step in if there's a problem or your regular cleaner can't come in

Our cleaner is fabulous and well worth the money. She does about 2 hours a week actual cleaning but then on top of this irons all DH's shirts. She also walks the dog on the day she cleans and since our dog walker moved away she now does 2 extra visits to walk the dog on my office days she also dog sits when we are away. I honestly could not do without her she will do any extra jobs she notices that need doing without being asked. I pay her weekly by bank transfer and if she buys any cleaning products that we have run out of she leaves a note and I just add it to her payment. What I would say is if you find the right cleaner then hold onto them - make sure that they never have to remind you to pay them, pay them for their annual holiday weeks before they go away and always remember to treat them at birthday and Christmas.

A family member told me (and I'll never forget it), "free time is valuable"

If you have the money, and are ok with them hoovering around the house while you're on Teams etc, or are ok with them coming in and leaving while you're out... do it.

It's one less stress, and probably a good half a day to a day that you get free for yourself. I know they might only be there for 2-3 hours, but it's dedicated time... if you clean, it will probably have distractions, kids, shopping trips... it's worth it.

Oh it's definitely worth it. I had a cleaner when I was living alone because I despise cleaning. It was my only luxury! I left her a note with my priority areas and the key was hidden in a fake rock outside the door (paid cash)! With my current cleaner I'm usually working from home but even if I wasn't she just makes sure the house in general is clean and tidy (bank transfer).

Ours has a key and lets herself in while I’m at work. Why wouldn’t it be worth it, assuming you can afford this? We found her via word of mouth from neighbours. If you have a neighbourhood WhatsApp, it’s a good place to ask, as lots of cleaners like to concentrate their services in a particular location rather than travelling far between clients.

I used to do cleaning in people's houses.
One of which the householder was at home when I first arrived so she'd let me in and I'd set the alarm and lock up when I went, putting the front door key through the letter box.

Another I was what's classed as a key holder where I had a set of keys to get in.

Getting a cleaner can be either through social media advertising or an agency.
Some agencies send in a team.

Best option though is through word of mouth, maybe a school parent/carer has one and can recommend.

Trust between cleaner and client obviously is a must.

A million times yes. I work full time with one child and was completely overwhelmed, bathroom was never clean, it was really getting to me. Now I don't need to think about the 'big' jobs because I know the bathroom and kitchen will be cleaned properly every other week, and I just do the day to day stuff.

Also mine is literally amazing - she can clean in two hours what would take me five hours.

I found her via a company which was recommended by a friend. So she personally wasn't recommended, but the company was. I have had other cleaners while she's been away who weren't as good, so I think I got really lucky.

Worth every penny.

My wife and I got a cleaner over ten years ago. I was away from home a lot and my wife worked nearly full time. Even though we cleaned regularly it was always lovely to get home to that extra added sparkle. She has always had a key.

It's just me now. I asked her if she would continue even though I work from home full-time now. She still has her key and lets herself in when she comes for the clean, she also pops in for a cup of tea and a chat if she's in the area as she knows I spend a lot of time on my own.

She always confirms the evening before the clean and if she can't for any reason she'll arrange an alternative.

She's fab.

Absolutely worth it.

Why do you think you need cameras?

God, yes! A billion times, yes!

We've had our cleaner for years and I care about her more than some family members. She came highly recommended by a friend and we had to go on her waiting list as she was so in demand. She cleans very thoroughly, is 100% reliable and makes the beds up with clean linen each time. She has her own key and we trust her implicitly.

I have one, she comes in 10 hours a week and does a thorough deep clean each time.

I find it so odd that people think twice or think of themselves as lazy for having. It's a service like any other that makes your life easier so why wouldn't you?? Do you do online shopping? Same thing really.

In our home everything has a place and we declutter regularly so she comes in and does a proper clean instead of wasting time tidying up.
Eg. The kids rooms have proper toy storage and a book case, bedding is just very simple without a hundred pillows, cupboards are also organised into school clothes and other. So it literally takes me 5 minutes max to do a tidy of each room so when she comes, she can do a proper bedding change, dusting, and extras.

You have a full household, working and child with SN so why on earth won't you get one to make life easier?

Same here. Give them a key. No need for cameras!
I have 6 hours a week and as pp said it's the best money I ever spend

working mum of 3? You're only U to have got this far without a cleaner.
The house gets a good once over once a week, it saves so much stress and aggro. My mum always says "your house is so nice when Barbara's been" - it's true, I love coming home when she's been!

I’ve just had to let my cleaner go as she was unreliable - not turning up and not messaging, so I’m back in the market for a new one. Quite desperate too! I’ve messaged my local friends & school mums for recommendations and have got one contact that I’m following up, fingers crossed.

I pay £15 per hour for 4 hours a week and it’s the best money ever spent. I pay cash. I give my cleaner keys although there is generally someone home as DH wfh mostly.

It is a leap of faith trusting a stranger in your home but I’ve had 3 long term cleaners over the last 10 years and no problems with trustworthiness. It’s worth spending time with them in the first few weeks to get to know each other and develop a rapport - it helps to be on the same page about things.

I read precisely five words and voted YANBU.

I read the rest and didn’t change my mind.

Our cleaner does 4-5 hours a week (comes twice so 2 hours a time ish) and we pay £17.50 per hour in the south west. Excellent value and no problems.

I have a cleaner every other week for 3 hours in my 2 bed flat. It definitely frees my time but I find I have to really say what I would like doing, the skirting boards won't be touched and no is hoovering done under the sofa or beds so I do have to ask, kitchen tiles not wiped. I am thinking about getting a deep clean every quarter because I can do a superficial clean it's more the harder tasks I need help with.

We have a cleaner once a week for 2 hours. She's got a key. No I don't have cameras.

We've had a few different ones over the years.

2 were from personal recommendations and I'd highly recommend that. Ask around people at work etc.

Our current cleaner I saw advertising on facebook and she came and had a chat and she interviewed us as much as we were having a look at her.

She does upstairs one week and downstairs the other. She's very good.

It means everything gets a good proper clean and we just have to keep on top of it in between.