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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you have a cleaner?

84 replies

kjvjfknv · 22/04/2025 19:30

We are both professionals, live in London in a two bed flat with two kids. We've never had a cleaner, everyone else seems to but Dh thinks it's a total waste of money to pay £60 per to clean what is ostensibly not a large dwelling. He does do stuff around the house but it never feels totally 'clean' in one go. Yes, this is a first world problem ...is getting a cleaner a waste of money?

OP posts:
Spirallingdownwards · 22/04/2025 19:32

No it isn't a waste of money and I still had one even when I was at home. The amount of stress it relieves knowing someone else was giving it a good once over once a week was well worth the money. If you can afford one go for it. You won't regret it and if you get a good one hold on to them for dear life!

B1indEye · 22/04/2025 19:33

I dont have a cleaner because I don't want one, not sure how that helps you make a decision though

TonTonMacoute · 22/04/2025 19:33

No, a good cleaner is worth every penny.

iloveeverykindofcat · 22/04/2025 19:35

No but if I get a salary increment next year its the first thing I'm doing. Absolutely wouldn't consider it a waste of money.

northernballer · 22/04/2025 19:35

I had a cleaner but had to let her go due to the cost of living. It was a luxury but my god she was amazing and I would have another cleaner in a heartbeat if I could afford it!

CoastalCalm · 22/04/2025 19:36

I have yes , once a fortnight to clean bathrooms , floors and kitchens - worth every penny to have the big jobs tackled

Pandimoanymum · 22/04/2025 19:37

No, but if i could afford it I absolutely would have one.

MightyGoldBear · 22/04/2025 19:37

Depends on the cleaner. A good cleaner is wonderful and can really reduce stress. It felt like a waste of money for us as we didn't find the right fit for us. It always felt like a surface clean rushed job that we could do ourselves. I think as they were agency I think they were on the clock to get to the next house.
Couldn't afford a cleaner so non issue for us now.

EatingSleeping · 22/04/2025 19:40

It isn't a waste of money if it's something youd like and value (though finding one can be really hard!)

I love knowing the whole house is clean top to bottom once a fortnight. It makes a massive difference to my mental health and we squabble a lot less when we have one. My OH doesn't see dirt the way I do and so often I'd end up saying this needs doing and he would disagree. Now I can do extra on top but I know everything is broadly clean most of the time

We gave up take aways for ours and it worth it to me. It wouldn't be worth it for everyone

LavenderBlue19 · 22/04/2025 19:41

We have one, yes. Both work full time, one primary age child. Two hours every other week, just to keep on top of the bathroom and kitchen, floors and dusting.

I would cut out a lot before I lost the cleaner. It means I don't ever have to worry about the bathroom not having been cleaned in ages if someone comes over unexpectedly.

Caroparo52 · 22/04/2025 19:42

Love love love having my cleaner come once a fortnight. I work and this is how I want to spend my hard earnt money. I can swan around my cleaned house endlessly.

doodleschnoodle · 22/04/2025 19:43

Yes, she does two hours every Monday, it’s brilliant. We don’t do that much in between other than usual cleaning kitchen surfaces and toilet as she does all the big jobs, proper kitchen clean, hob, sink, splash backs, shower, bath, taps, mopping floors, proper vacuuming, all that stuff.

DH works full time from home mainly, I WFH 3 days and have DD2 home the other days, but I also do a lot of voluntary work out of the house so not having to spend precious time cleaning is brilliant.

Ineffable23 · 22/04/2025 19:45

I have a cleaner but I don't pay £60 a time. I pay £30, have a cleaner for 2 hours once a week - for a two bed terrace. I think even once a fortnight would make a big difference.

Iudncuewbccgrcb · 22/04/2025 19:46

Absolutely.

Mine folds laundry as well though which was a game changer

RosesAndHellebores · 22/04/2025 19:46

Yes. I wouldn’t have married a man who expected me to clean.

UnbelievableLie · 22/04/2025 19:50

We gave ours up after a couple of years of searching for a decent one. It was really frustrating, getting a rushed, wipe down and some cleaners never sticking to agreed time slots. We even tried a couple of different companies and it was impossible to find someone who actually did a good job. But I imagine of you find a great one, it would be worth it.

EachandEveryone · 22/04/2025 19:50

I don’t know many that would do once a fortnight surely that’s double cleaning? I have a cleaner twice a week then once the following week. She does everything £16 an hour and I’d hate to have to let her go.

ML5 · 22/04/2025 19:52

Yes I have a cleaner every 4-6 weeks £65 for a 3 bed semi detached house

Gardenertobe · 22/04/2025 19:52

It’s worth every penny, saves my sanity with little kids. For some reason it’s mostly men who thinks it’s a waste of money. There is something elevating about a lovely clean house when you are exhausted from daily life. She is so lovely (took a while to find her) and helps with laundry as well, which is a huge game changer.

Zanatdy · 22/04/2025 19:54

I did when living in my ex’s house, as I was the only adult, it was 5 bedrooms and my friend set up a cleaning business. She came weekly, then I moved to a 2 bed flat and she came fortnightly. Sadly friend died suddenly in March. I do miss coming home to a clean place (obviously miss friend much more than for that, she was an amazing person) but I am saving to move next year, and a 2 bed flat isn’t that hard to clean. With 2 of you, I can see why your DH agrees with that. I only paid £36 a clean, it was well worth it.

Eenameenadeeka · 22/04/2025 19:57

With the prices they charge where I live, I do find it a waste of money but I'm always one who doesn't want to pay anyone to do something that I could do myself. Having been in my inlaws home after paid cleaners, I was never overly impressed by the quality but there must be some good ones out there. Seeing as it sounds like you're quite busy, having that extra time might be completely worth it for you.

Junobug · 22/04/2025 19:59

Yes. I put it off for a long time and wish I had got one sooner. It sounds silly but it massively reduced my mental load and improved my mental health. I probably clean more now that I have a cleaner but I like knowing that it isn’t just me and my DH cleaning and if I don’t, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t feel like a pressure any more. I think there are so many things in life that we could do our self like cook from scratch, grow our food, make our own clothes. But we don’t. A cleaner shouldn’t be any different.

AmIAloneInThinking · 22/04/2025 20:03

Yes we have one and she is AMAZING. Tends to do a couple of hours per week-3 bed terrace in London. She rotates the big jobs like cleaning out the fridge or the oven and things, and will also do ironing and change the beds etc. She is truly wonderful and I appreciate everything she does for us. We both work full time in stressful jobs and have children-it’s something we can afford and neither of us likes cleaning so 🤷🏻‍♀️

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 22/04/2025 20:04

No not a waste of money. If you have the ability to afford one then I would get one, the feeling of a clean house is glorious.

I had one as a single, childless woman who lived alone and worked 40h a week...I frankly, just didn't want to clean

HunnyPot · 22/04/2025 20:08

Life is too short to be cleaning your toilet.