To be annoyed by cleaner?

[pbdr]

I recently started having a cleaner for 3 hours a fortnight, and while she does an ok job of cleaning I am finding something she does a bit irritating. I’m not sure if it’s just me being unreasonable and this is typical, or if I am right and should be looking for someone else.

Whenever she is cleaning a room, she will move all the items in the room out of the way (off the floor if hoovering, off of a surface if cleaning that surface) but she never puts any of it back afterwards. So for example after she has been in the kitchen, the utensil holder, tea towel, oven gloves, washing up liquid etc will all just be stuffed inside a drawer somewhere. In the bathroom I am left searching for the toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel etc and will find it in a cupboard somewhere. I’ve had to text her before to ask where the TV remote control is because it was hidden so well I couldn’t find it anywhere. We have a play room where toys are kept in designated spots on shelves. I don’t really care if they are put back in the ‘wrong’ places, but they will just all be left crammed into a storage bin in the corner while the (freshly wiped down) shelves are left bare.

I’m spending about 15 mins after each clean going around the house finding everything and returning it to its usual place. It’s a bit of a pain but I’ve only had a cleaner once before in the past (who did not do this) so I’m not sure if this is just what’s typical. AIBU?

This not normal! None of my cleaners have ever done this.

I always tidied up before the cleaner came, and never had a cluttered house so there wasn’t much to move but what was there, was left there. Things like photo frames etc would be moved to dust, but always out back roughly in the right place.

It really depends if she is making a point about cleaning around mess? If your house is very cluttered and messy, maybe she is being passive aggressive. Although I doubt it is if you employ a cleaner! If your house is just normal, then she is being weird and rude.

Tell her you'd like things put back where they were?

Completely normal to move things out of the way temporarily… Completely bananas to put things in a cupboard or a drawer!

You would be very reasonable to just ask her to put things back as best she can where they came from

Normally put things back but we do clear things first as much as possible and put back after so time spent is maybe 30 mins for us.

Just pick up with one hand clean with the other and then put it down! It’s not brain surgery!

It's odd but it wouldn't bother me that much.

My house is not very messy and cluttered. I mean, I’ve got two young kids so there are plenty of toys, but they all have their own place that they are tidied up to once they are done being played with. It no doubt looks tidier when everything is crammed into a cupboard and all the surfaces are bare, but that’s really impractical

Why don't you just ask her to return items to original place?

Yeah that’s probably the simplest solution, although I’ve discovered that she charges about £7.50 per hour more than the average local cleaner, and she changes the day and time of the clean every fortnight which is a bit of a pain so I might be better just trying someone different anyway

I prefer to put all the clutter in a cupboard or drawer before the cleaner comes so she can get the maximum amount of cleaning done in the time.

Really? You wouldn’t be bothered that you can’t find things because the cleaner has moved them?

Cleaners should put everything that isn’t rubbish back where they found them.

Exactly! I’ve done cleaning before and you just pick it up clean under it, put it back. If it’s a very cluttered surface you’re entitled to not even clean it (commercial cleaning).

So very very very simple

“please could you ensure things you move to clean underneath are returned back to original place. Thanks”

Ok so there’s more. Obviously. Always is.

She is not the cleaner for you

How much do you pay her?

£27.50/hour, town in Scotland. Feels pretty steep so I asked around and most are charging £18-22/hour. I think it’s probably time to switch to someone else.

OP, I live in the South where things are pretty expensive, and my granddaughter has her own cleaning business, she only charges £20 an hour, so I think you're being well and truly ripped off, and she's only doing half the job anyway, if you have to put everything back. Get rid!

And going forward…. Actually use words to a cleaner if you’d like them to do something differently

In ny limited experience it's fairly common for cleaners to move things a little so it's obvious that they've cleaned under and not just round them; but she does seem to be taking it to extremes!!