How many hours do I need a cleaner for each week?

[suzanneme]

Can any MNers give me an estimate of how many hours/week I might need a cleaner for? I work full-time, and am tired of the filth and depravity I live in and exhausted with it all (the two small people who make all the mess are too young to be put to work yet!!). I have a three-bed, one bathroom house (modern, not that huge) and think twice a week would probably work. How many hours each time, do you think?

We are in 2 bed, 2 bath modern flat (so not huge but still spacious). I have a cleaner for 2 hours each fortnight and they have time to spare.

I make sure everything is tidied and clear so they are just doing cleaning.

If you want extra housekeeping (tidying toys/papers, making lots of beds etc) then I think 3-3.5 hours once per week will be more than enough. If they come twice then I would probably expect that the jobs would be split and each job would only be done once/week anyway.

dmo, if your cleaner can't get your place cleaned in less than 2 hours you are either the messiest person in England or your cleaner is crap. Maybe first visit it might take an extra hour but ongoing should def not be that long.