Cleaners list, anyone recommend one?

[NookAndCranny]

I manage, most of the time, to cover the basic flit around with a vac and a duster but never seem to have time for anything much more than that.

Have finally had to admit that I need a little bit of extra help for those jobs that I never seem to get around to and found a cleaning company to try out. Booked them for five hours (four bed / 3 bath house). Really would be just once per month, anything more would be just a bit too expensive to justify. They say that I should provide them with a list of all that I need them to cover and then we can negotiate on times / schedules etc.

Trouble is that I am really not the "sort" to feel comfortable having a cleaner but needs must before it becomes a health and safety issue. But where can I find a list?

Is there some sort of cleaners template / checklist that you could suggest?

I don't know of any proper lists, but it will be easy to write one.

So I presume you are taking care of washing, hoovering, dusting and general bathroom and kitchen duties.

This leaves the 'big' jobs for the cleaner, things like:

Clean the kitchen cabinets/oven (anything that doesn't get covered in a normal kitchen clean)
Cleaning inside windows/mirrors
Washing down paintwork
Cleaning bathroom and kitchen tiles inc grout
Moving furniture and hoovering under etc

To write the list start with the most important and add things that they can do if they have time.

So do you want them to do one big job and then a quick clean all through when they come?

Or leave the hoovering and dusting to you and just focus on the big jobs?

Its sounds like a pretty big house so I would say if they did one big job it would take one cleaner a good 3 hours. That would leave them an hour to whip the hoover and duster around.

So the list might say
Wash all interior paintwork
then any of the following time allows
hoover
dust
mop floors.

Remember to get the most out of your cleaning time by having the house tidy before they come, that way they are just getting on with cleaning and not wastimg time picking up and working around your things!

Don't feel embarrassed to ask them to do jobs, it is their job/business and everyone else asks the same.

Sit down and have a think about what you want from this, and what will benefit you most.

Get them to do the jobs you hate - cleaning windows etc. Don't feel that you shouldn't give them the awful jobs and keep them for yourself while they get the light cleaning duties!

Thanks oreo. That's the thing really - just feel a bit cheeky asking them to do anything. Really could do with them just taking on the whole lot but not sure what's reasonable to expect them to do in the time given.

Dusting and a vac is about all I do seem to have time for these days, but even that is never a full-on moving furniture event.

So what would you say is a reasonable expectation? How much of it do you think they should be able to cover in the 5 hours?

Is it one cleaner?

I'm comparing with how long it takes me to clean my 4 bed 2 bath house, I (when left to my own devices without small people and large animals) can clean my house averagely in 4 hours.

That includes damp dust every room, hoover every room, hoover and mop bathroom and kitchen floors, change 2 beds, clean bathrooms and kitchen (also a bit of tidying as I go - empty bins, sort washing that sort of thing)

That is not moving any furniture, or washing tiles/paintwork/cupboard doors.

They will be quicker than me, so I imagine that 3.5 hours would cover an average clean in your house. (provided you have it tidy for them going in).

If I were you, I would ask for the above to be done each time they come, and the extra time (1.5hrs) to be spent doing a particular thing - windows/paintwork.

Or what my DM gets her cleaner to do is to 'bottom' one room each visit (move furniture, wash windows and paint work then dust polish and hoover). Then spend the remaining time on a general clean of the rest of the house.

If that is being done by the cleaner all you need to focus on week to week is your laundry, changing beds, quick bathroom and kitchen clean and run the hoover around. Your own time and standards can dictate how often you want to do this!

I need a cleaner/housekeeper in Sevenoaks...asap

Oreo - Thanks.

Have had a good look around and feel a bit ashamed.... Seems that it's just about everything that needs a good clean, including all walls and woodwork and windows. But then there's the bathrooms.... The hours booked, so far, are five "man hours" and I have left them to decide whether they send one person for the five hours or two people for two and half hours.

If nothing else, I think this whole thing has proven that I really do need to make it a regular thing.

I think whichever way you do it, you will be spurred on to 'top' up the cleaning. If you can afford to do it reguarly there is no shame in it! When I lived alone I had a cleaner! She left when DP moved in !

I havn't dared employ one since. My problem is mess, I love cleaning, its the unearthing the house from under my crap treasure that gets to me!

The cleaning company will be able to advise you as well.

A decent cleaner wont need a list. They will just do what needs to be done

My cleaner will do cupboards etc if we are away and havent messed the house up but thats the only time I ask for something different