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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think carers should not be used as cleaners?

26 replies

Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 08:53

I’ve recently seen in the care community that people are hiring carers and using them as cleaners as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner. They are being expected to go beyond their normal care duties and do heavy cleaning at least twice a week. This goes beyond normal care duties.

Has anyone else noticed this?

OP posts:
TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 30/04/2026 09:04

I’m a support worker/carer and cleaning comes under the umbrella of ‘supporting someone’.

I also do shopping, ordering items, collect medications, laundry, do basic DIY, gardening, etc. This week at work my colleagues and I have been painting a fence.

It’s normal.

Wiffywombat · 30/04/2026 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TheDandyLion · 30/04/2026 09:08

The carers who visit my dad on a daily basis don't clean a thing. When they change his clothes at the start and end of each day you're lucky if they put they put it in the laundry basket.

muddyford · 30/04/2026 09:15

My cleaner costs about 15% less than the cheapest carer!

PacificState · 30/04/2026 09:16

Are carers really cheaper than cleaners? I wouldn’t expect a carer to scrub out an oven, but keeping a home reasonably hygienic, tidy and sweet-smelling is a part of caring for someone, I think. What sort of ‘heavy’ cleaning jobs do you mean?

If you’re talking about very short timed visits where the carer is under a lot of time pressure, I agree it would be cheeky to say ‘can you just run the vacuum round’.

Leavesandthings · 30/04/2026 09:17

What do you mean by the "care community" exactly?

There's a difference between housework being part of the support someone requires, and someone saying "if I book someone off this caring website, when they turn up, I'm gonna get them to do all the cleaning instead."

The former is normal.

Cosyblankets · 30/04/2026 09:18

Where are you getting your information from?

Bilbobagginsbollox · 30/04/2026 09:21

It really depends what level of care someone needs. My parents carer mainly helps them with cleaning and laundry and this is what they struggle with. They could just have a cleaner but they feel much happier with the carer who is also keeping an eye on them and can help with other things if necessary. Cleaning was offered as part of the service and she is more expensive than a regular cleaner. I also feel more comfortable knowing that it is a carer visiting them every week rather than a regular cleaner who has no obligation whatsoever to consider their well-being as part of her duties.

Sillystring100 · 30/04/2026 09:33

My DM was funding her care privately and they were more than happy to do any cleaning that was requested. She is now receiving funding from health via CHC and they will also do any light housework but only if they have capacity which is fair enough, DM is their priority. We were paying £30 an hour privately which I’m sure is more expensive than a cleaner.

ToadRage · 30/04/2026 09:41

My OT made it very clear that my carer is not a cleaner. I have never and never would never ask her to clean. I have noticed that some will wash up if there are dishes in the sink. I'm not going to ask them to stop but it's not required or expected of them. She is there to make my lunch so I won't ask her to neglect that duty in favour of something else.

Catza · 30/04/2026 09:52

Carers are there to do whatever is requested as part of a care package. There is usually a process which involves care assessment and if a person requires cleaning, then that's what's in their care plan.
I used to work as a carer while at uni and some clients required just company and a cup of tea, some had binders with chef-level recipes that I had to prepare for their mum alongside making sure her commode is cleaned, bed changed, laundry folded and her night gown placed on a radiator to warm up before changing. It's their money and I was happy to do whatever is in a care plan.

Ohnoyoudont2 · 30/04/2026 10:55

Carers/Support workers are supposed to have support plans in place for each client, outlining goals they are meant to achieve. Any organisation not providing this and not checking in on progress is probably shonky, and to be avoided.

If the care/support plan has no goals beyond "a clean house" then that's the job you do - or choose not to, as you can certainly refuse to be a cleaner if you want to, there are a lot of people begging for decent support workers/carers.

If however there are goals to be achived such as applying for a job, learning how to navigate public transport, attending regular psychology appointments, learning how to shop and cook and all the hundreds of other goals that support workers/carers are supposed to assist with then of course they must not, and should not, be expected to be a cleaner, though a bit of light cleaning should be fine, provided it doesn't take away from their real role.

Katemax82 · 30/04/2026 11:00

I used to be a cleaner for a man with Parkinson's who really needed a carer. He had me dropping off prescriptions and buying his jerry cans of petrol for his mower. I didn't work for him for long as he stopped paying

Original poster
Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 11:10

I’ve seen the lists on TikTok that carers are posting of what they are expected to be doing and some of them are pages long. A lot of comments underneath from other carers that some of them are getting hired to basically clean as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner.

OP posts:
Leavesandthings · 30/04/2026 11:20

I work in care. I haven't seen or heard of the things you are describing from tiktok.

Gardenimp · 30/04/2026 11:21

Bilbobagginsbollox · 30/04/2026 09:21

It really depends what level of care someone needs. My parents carer mainly helps them with cleaning and laundry and this is what they struggle with. They could just have a cleaner but they feel much happier with the carer who is also keeping an eye on them and can help with other things if necessary. Cleaning was offered as part of the service and she is more expensive than a regular cleaner. I also feel more comfortable knowing that it is a carer visiting them every week rather than a regular cleaner who has no obligation whatsoever to consider their well-being as part of her duties.

How did you find this person? This is what my parents' need but I don't know what I'm looking for or where to.look.

Redaska · 30/04/2026 11:27

A carer is not cheaper than a cleaner.

My mother's carers did housework, laundry, shopping etc. It was included in the job description and as a PP said it's all part of doing whatever is needed to support the person.

@Gardenimp it's called companion care, I think a lot of agencies offer it. We used Home Instead.

Cosyblankets · 30/04/2026 12:20

Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 11:10

I’ve seen the lists on TikTok that carers are posting of what they are expected to be doing and some of them are pages long. A lot of comments underneath from other carers that some of them are getting hired to basically clean as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner.

Oh well if it was on Tik Tok it must be true

HoskinsChoice · 30/04/2026 12:33

Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 11:10

I’ve seen the lists on TikTok that carers are posting of what they are expected to be doing and some of them are pages long. A lot of comments underneath from other carers that some of them are getting hired to basically clean as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner.

Really? You are basing your views on Tiktok?! Wow. I don't whether to laugh or cry.

HoskinsChoice · 30/04/2026 12:34

The answer to your question lies in the Job Description. 'Care' covers a raft of things. If the JD includes cleaning, what's the problem? Total non-story.

BiteSizedLife · 30/04/2026 12:55

When mum came out of hospital she was allowed 8 weeks of carers (2x daily) on the NHS.

All they were allowed to do was:

  • help her clean herself
  • empty bedpans/commodes etc
  • put food in a microwave
  • make a flask of tea
  • they might have changed the bedsheets if asked...

Nothing else. They were not allowed to put a plate in the dishwasher, transfer washing from washer to dryer, or even twiddle a fork under the tap.

It's all a bit mystic tbh - some people have experiences like mum and yet you hear of others like the OP!

rwalker · 30/04/2026 13:09

Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 11:10

I’ve seen the lists on TikTok that carers are posting of what they are expected to be doing and some of them are pages long. A lot of comments underneath from other carers that some of them are getting hired to basically clean as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner.

TikTok isn’t Wikipedia
take it with a pinch of salt usually posted in there for likes and attention rather than spreading the word and fighting injustice

DeskGnome · 30/04/2026 13:18

Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 11:10

I’ve seen the lists on TikTok that carers are posting of what they are expected to be doing and some of them are pages long. A lot of comments underneath from other carers that some of them are getting hired to basically clean as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner.

Ahh Tiktok, the bible of truth.

xxxlove · 30/04/2026 13:43

Depends what kind of cleaning. Caring and cleaning are part of the same process, helping someone in their home...if the old person smeared poo all over the toilet, perhaps it is the carer's job to clean it? What is so much there in cleaning an old person's space?

Catza · 30/04/2026 23:01

Tonyritundo · 30/04/2026 11:10

I’ve seen the lists on TikTok that carers are posting of what they are expected to be doing and some of them are pages long. A lot of comments underneath from other carers that some of them are getting hired to basically clean as it’s cheaper than hiring a cleaner.

Social media is not real, haven't you heard?

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