Cleaner - holiday etiquette?

[mamayaya]

Hi

We are off on holiday for 2 weeks on Tuesday. Our cleaner comes on Fridays, and so this means 2 cleans whilst we are away.

I can't really see what she'd do the second time as there's no big jobs or different things to do.... Can I just ask her to come once do you think? Feeling bad about her missing out on a week's cash but then again I do pay cash in hand and she'd have nothing to do the second time.....what should I do?

Thanks!

Is there a 'big job' you could ask her to do while you're away - getting everything out of the kitchen cupboards, giving them a good clean, and putting it all back again? There are all sorts of dusty horrors in the back of mine

Sorry, just saw there aren't...

Hmmm that's a good idea actually, maybe clean out fridge and change all sheets.

I always give mine the choice as I feel slightly bad saying that we're off enjoying ourselves so you're not getting paid (I may be slightly soft though...) This time we suggested cleaning out kitchen cupboards etc as Julia suggested.

Also she could water plants, check the house, make sure the postman hasn't left stuff sticking out the letter box, turn some lights on and off and move curtains to make the place look inhabited - all sorts of things.

I'm not a Julia btw, I'm usually Fussbucket but have namechanged in honour of the Jubilee!

She could de-frost the freezer while cleaning the cupboards.

The dust will still build up while you are not there, the house could be aired too while the heatings off.

Clean the windows, clean the fridge, DO the oven. Basically do some of the spring cleaning jobs you don't normally get time to do.

When I had a cleaner we used to give her plenty of notice when we were going away so she could do extra shifts for other clients if required. (They often "required" !)

i used to clean and never had someone tell me not to come in becasue they were going on holiday. i couldn't have worked like that anyway as i accounted for my wages each week. theres always something that needs doing - the oven, fridge, kitchen cupboards, change all beds.

Wipe the skirting boards, tops of door frames/pictures, ironing, cleaning any wall tiles in bathroom not just the usual ones around sink, bath, shower.

Mine usually does the fridge as it is fairly empty as we are away and kitchen cupboards. Like pp she is a single mum so has her income each week allocated so doesn't want to not work.

I always pay our cleaner when we go on holiday and I pay her over holiday times for 4 weeks of the year when she doesn't necessarily come into work, usually 1 week at Christmas, 1 week at Easter and 2 weeks in the summer (as she still needs to pay her rent etc). I don't pay her if she goes over this though.

I always pay if we are away. Could she clean for an elderly relative of yours instead if they live nearby?