Down about my cleaning job

[GreenEyes48]

Hey. I am 48 and work for a company cleaning houses. I have been doing this since December last year. I get paid £13.50 per hour. It's started to get me down though. I quite enjoyed it but time and time again teh same people are just too filthy. Leaving shit down the toilet , thick skid marks, wee all over toilets seats , pubic hair and shavings in toilet on floor, shower and baths. Some houses are like a bio hazard and they are paying for a Normal clean. My boss has said few times some are taking the ouss and she will say something . I have had to start wearing a Covid mask to some as the smell is too much and some times the thick dog hairs I feel like I am breathing in. Ami la hairs I can deal with and understand I'm a cleaner but it's when people don't care about bodily fluids etc. I am a really good cleaner and always get good feedback but not sure if I can continue. Anyone else felt like this within a cleaning job .?

Nice houses don't mean a lot as a cleaner you know what is inside is very different. Sorry OP but some people are just scruffy, even ones with nice houses and money. A lot of those people also enjoy having someone do their dirty work. I think the idea of taking photos is a good one and hopefully if people are charged more or spoken to it'll make things easier. Your boss should give ground rules to clients but the problem is some people see it as your job to do it, otherwise they wouldn't leave their house that way

You are definitely not alone in feeling this way..so many cleaners go through exactly this and it is completely understandable. There is a big difference between a normal messy home and what sounds like genuine neglect of basic hygiene. You should never have to clean up bodily fluids as part of a standard clean that is not what you signed up for. It might be worth having a proper conversation with your boss about setting clearer boundaries with clients on what is and is not included in a normal clean. Your health and wellbeing matter too! You clearly take real pride in your work and that shows don't let other people's lack of consideration dim that. Sending you lots of support!

Hey thank you ladies . Inhave read all the replies and thank you. Yeah I took yesterday off and said I'm just to exhausted as I had 4 cleans back to back all 20 mins apart more in traffic . I was just honest . I am going to speak to my boss face to face on Monday and say I can't deal with the wee pubes and poo. Also cat and dog hair is fine as that's life but some of these people just haven't bothered at inbetween cleans . Our clothes are smothered and the smell is overwhelming. I have also had two staffs jump up on me . Last clean I said to my bosss daughter I'm nervous of dogs I don't know can you make sure he doesn't come up stairs as he is really hyper. They are lovely dogs but get excited but last one was really growling me and the owner was holding on to her . Then upstairs is her young daughter with a baby . They are all walking about while I'm cleaning in a small space and I thought I need to get out 🤣

Yes it's clear they leave their house that way as don't care . One house is beautiful and they have money and she had the plastic tubes from tampons around the bin . I was so pissed off i left them on the floor so she knew

Yes I am going to mention I can't do the filthy homes anymore and she needs to let clients know. One in particular she said she will speak to. She has cat shit on her floor often. She doesn't stop talking to us while we trying to clean and says to us she is lazy cow and laughs . I can't even laugh as we have down full clear out for her and keep helping her and the next week it's filthy again.last time we went I was ready to walk

That sounds horrible.

We have a cleaner, and we pay £25 per hour. She does not have to clean shit off toilets, hairs out of plugholes, or any of the other unpleasant things you mention.

She hoovers, mops, dusts, does the inside of the windows, cleans the bathrooms and so on, but starting from a decent state.

You could earn significantly more working for yourself, and choose your own clients although of course you’d not be paid between houses, would need insurance and would not get holiday or sick pay.

I don't get holiday or sick pay . I don't get paid between houses or diesel cover .

That’s really poor, and gives even more reason to try doing it for yourself.

Good cleaners are in high demand. If you can turn up reliably and do a good job you’ll have more demand than you need and can pick and choose your jobs.

You could ease into it by cutting down the hours at your current job and taking on one or two private clients at first.

That's a really poor rate of pay then. We paid a cleaner through a cleaning agency who employed her and we were paying £60 we were told per job and didn't quote per hour. It later became clear the cleaner was only being paid for 1.5 hours and I also suspect not being given holiday or sickness pay. So can definitely earn a lot more self employed. Though I would not have agreed to 1.5 hours (£40 an hour) if had known. But I would have agreed to £20-£30 an hour. I also pre clean but obviously no point cleaning things that are already clean. I would refuse to do anything from animals, just point it out to the client or leave it.

You are also legally entilted to holiday pay if employed even on a zero hours contract.

I work as a commercial cleaner the lack of respect is everywhere unfortunately. Most days we get poo on toilet seats skid marks and used sanitary towels left on the top of sanitary bins. We complain but nothing changes. The only thing keeping me there is the local authority pension.

Op that is a terrible amount to be paid. Cleaners here are 20 upwards.

And start charging 19-20 phr. Go yourself, get your own clients and work with them. Many people are not filthy like this.

What’s stopping you from applying to a different company? You’re obviously experienced and in demand. Have confidence in yourself. The worst thing that could happen is you get turned down, and you’ll still have your current job.

Start over, work for yourself. Raise your prices, build your own clients. It’s unacceptable to be paid that little op.

So your boss probably charges £20/hr to the client hence the client is paying a premium and has no qualms leaving their home in that state.

And your boss gets £6.50/hr and doesn't even need to get their hands dirty?

Shouldn't she also be making pension contributions and paying you holiday and sick pay???

I can't find a cleaner at the moment but will only employ self employed cleaners who work for themselves and not a company. I want to pay one person and that person alone cleans my house!

I think setting up on your own is a great idea!!