Cleaner: expectations

[NewChoos]

We have had our first cleaning visit today and I feel slightly disappointed but not sure if my expectations are too high. In 2 hours she hoovered the house, washed the kitchen floor, bathroom, ensuite & downstairs loo. Dusted/wiped down surfaces.

It looks fine, but certainly isn't perfect ie she didn't polish towel rails, kettle, toaster. There were still marks on the fridge door, few splashes on paintwork, tv's dusty.

I asked her if 2 hours was enough to do the house and she said yes as doesn't need to do the same cleaning every week, for example no need to do the guest room weekly.

Although it looks fine, I certainly didn't have the wow feeling but not sure if I should??
We are paying £11 per hour. Should I see this as help with getting the basics done and I can do the finer details myself or shall I try a different cleaner to see if standards are any better?

Give her a chance!

In 2 hours she wont be polishing kettles, especially if it is the first clean

Give it a couple more weeks and if you are still disappointed then look elsewhere. I suspect she will have less to do each clean as she gets it under control and finds her way around and you will start to see some of the detail stuff done

I tend to do the finer details (and always have in 15 years of having 5 different cleaners) like washing skirtings and cleaning cupboard fronts/ outsides of appliances. They simply dont have time to do that level

Here is a tip.....tell her what you want her to do....she is not a mind reader

Trouble with cleaning you always notice what has not been done. It always takes longer the first few times. Would not think a kettle would need doing every week..

i think you are being a bit harsh on her. she managed to do quite bit in those two hours to be fair. i would probably draw a list up of the things you want done every time as standard and then add things that may need particular attention as and when. for detailed things such as towel rails, etc, i would perhaps take her room by room around the house and say what you want doing.

Indaba - have discussed with her the level of cleaning I wish.

I think the list is a good idea. I have no problem paying for more hours but she insists 2 is enough! I'll see how the month goes, I do think I have high standards though and when she came round initially she said I'm not sure you need a cleaner!

Wish I had your house Newchoos please can I have your cleaner?

I agree with redglow - it is always easier to notice what hasn't been done.

TBH there are times I notice things that I think my cleaner really should have done but hasn't, but I take the view that because she is doing the jobs I hate - hoovering, mopping, dusting, bathrooms - then it leaves me with time to give a quick wipe or polish on anything I notice.

We no longer have a kettle, because we have this fab kettle tap, but I don't recall my cleaner ever polishing our kettle when we did have one.

NewChoos .How long does it take you to do the same task?

Sorry,not task but tasks.

Hmmm difficult to say as I have a very wriggly 5mo old so have to do my cleaning in bursts! I think I could manage what the cleaner did but probably to a higher standard for example, I would have gone over the lounge carpet again.
I think I'll check with her again re time this week. I am a little suspicious she might be a bit half hearted about cleaning though (she tells me just an interim job), I asked her if she'd do another hour this week to clean the cooker and she said no, a professional oven cleaner will do a better job....

I'm trying not to be critical but afterall I am paying for a service and so would like to see a difference and not feel i have to get the hoover out again when she's gone!

My complaint is always the opposite.

They spend too much of 'my' time doing inane things like polishing towel rails!

I chatted to my last cleaner to say that my motivation in hiring her was to decrease my workload rather than to have super shiny clean house.... She then started to do more tidying.... Which seemed to focus on folding the entire contents of my underwear drawer and resorting the kids clothes missing vital gender clues (like gifting DS pink tights and Dd Thomas vests).

She had to go when I came home from school to find that she'd decided that the back of my fridge needed washing. I ended up having to feed the kids sandwiches in the garden, and was billed extra hours for the pleasure.

I still have her number, if the OP wants it

It will take her few visits to get used to the house, also ask for the specific things to do(hoovering behind the sofa, hoovering behind the beds, cleaning the windows) make the rotation of those, say once a months.
As for polishing you could easily do those around the kitchen, and have a cleaner tackle the things you have no time for(refolding the wardrobes, washing the bathroom tiles down, in general things that get attention often) be demanding and you will get the service.

Am at your kettle tap Beryl!

I've had 3 cleaners and everyone got the Alan Sugar treatment. I don't think you should give her a chance to get into the swing of things; in my experience they get worse, not better! Are you there when they do the cleaning? I wasn't and later discovered they were only doing just over an hour, when I was paying for two hours. Half the time they didn't even bother turning up! Even worse, it was really hard to tell if they'd been or not.

HOWEVER, I tidied up before the cleaner came so they could get straight to the cleaning and then did the bits they missed.

Now I've no cleaner, no one to tidy up for and never seem to get around to doing any cleaning...I'm living in a shit tip!

As long as the bathroom and kitchen is clean I'm happy. My latest one is keen to clean my oven which I'm delighted about. Far rather this than polishing towel rails and kettles.

OP, have you checked references from previous cleaning jobs?

If she has said cleaning is an interim job, I would wonder a bit. I have had experience of people in the past who have thought, 'why not be a cleaner, anyone can do it?' but I would argue otherwise - there is definitely a skill to it.

I would also make sure you are at the house when she comes, so you can keep an eye on things.

How did you get her? Was she recommended?

Good points - I think she isn't really a 'cleaner' I'll trial for a few weeks and then give someone else a go.

I have to say although she gave me references to check I didn't so might fault really..... I am intending to be here when she cleans.

Footprintsonthemoon your cleaner sounded like an absolute gem!!

I polish/microfibre wipe my kettle (everytime I wipe my kitchen worktops down, many times a day ) and I do the same to my towel rails twice a week (they get quite dusty)... If I had a cleaner (I can't, no one would clean the way I do and I know I'd not be satisfied with anyone) I'd expect that too choos. Maybe you're like me, not cut out to have a cleaner?

Sorry OP...think my post was a bit abrupt!

What I meant was I think its the sort of job you have to coach someone into as each persons standards are so different. Keep communication open over first few weeks re expectations.

Good luck and I hope it works out.

wanting out - sounds like you have been ripped off.

8 hours @ £15/hour, and I would expect the house to be absolutely spotless. In 8 hours, I would expect woodwork to be done.

I would not be doing it again myself - I would be speaking to the owner and demanding it is done properly, or you will be reporting him to trading standards.