Cleaner not cleaning... Maybe IBU?

[SpawnChorus]

I've recently hired a cleaner through an agency. Never had a cleaner before, so I'm genuinely not sure if I'm being unreasonable in my expectations. We live in a three bedroom flat three kids (ages 8-13) and two cats. We're not hugely filthy, and I have been doing some cleaning in between her sessions. She comes for two hours a week.

My instructions have been to vacuum, mop and dust each room, wipe kitchen cupboards, clean our (tiny) bathroom, and de-hair the sofas. I was hoping she might have time for the occasional "deep clean" job (eg clean microwave or dust lampshades).

The first week she managed most of the "basic" stuff, but didn't dust anything in the bedrooms, and she took more than two hours. The next time she did everything, but was here for less than two hours (maybe an hour and a half or a little longer). So this time I asked if she could add one of the "deep clean" jobs.

So when I got home I found a lovely shiny microwave, but the floors were (mostly) not vacuumed or mopped (I think she might have done the bathroom and kitchen, but not brilliantly), and even less was dusted than in previous sessions. She did however unstack and stack the dishwasher (even though I've not asked her to... I'd rather do it myself!)

Just to add, she was meant to come yesterday, but was ill, so came today instead (I'd have been fine with her missing this week if she wasn't feeling well enough!).

Argh...I REALLY don't want to criticise her cleaning, but I think I'm going to have to day something. So, AIBU? and if not, how to word it kindly?

Okay how does this sound?:

Thanks for making it out to us today in this storm! Microwave looks great (as does the bathroom and kitchen!). It looks like you might not have vacuumed/mopped in the bedrooms and sitting room though. The vacuuming, mopping and dusting is really important to us, otherwise the flat gets very crumby and hairy. Perhaps we could have a chat about it next time to make sure we're on the same page with prioritising jobs? Best wishes,

Hmm, so I sent her that message, and she's replied to say that she did vacuum and mop the whole flat, which is awkward as she definitely had not. I was hoping she would say she'd run out of time or had been feeling poorly still, so hadn't managed it. Not sure how to proceed with this... I think I'll see how it goes next week.

Speak to the agency? I assume you have a contract with them etc?

We have cleaners through an agency for my FiL's house as he is 92. Some of them have been very hit and miss so I just phone the agency and explain the problem and they sort it out.

I live in a 4 bed house with 4 rooms downstairs. In 2 hours my cleaner:
Vacuums every room
Mops 2 rooms downstairs
Dusts most rooms
Cleans bathroom and downstairs loo
Tidies kids rooms and makes their beds
Vacuums the sofa
Vacuums hall, stairs and landing
Mops hallway
Cleans kitchen sides and 2 sinks

Ebonyscrooge your cleaner sounds like superwoman. I'd never be able to do all that in 2 hours. Plus I didn't know you could get cleaners to make the beds. (Never had a cleaner btw but would love one)

We own a cleaning company and with your description of the home my first thought was '4 hour ish clean' but obviously different cleaning companies have a different service level.

The main thing is, (as a pp has correctly stated), to contact the company as they are there to manage the situation and help to manage the work agreed to with the cleaner and maybe if necessary mange your expectations as to what is realistic to achieve for the price and timings they have quoted for the service.

It's all about communication really but the company are there to manage this situation.

Yes. Our cleaner is fantastic. She will miss the odd room most weeks usually the conservstory or 4th bedroom as her time runs out but its fine... she just picks it up the week after and if a room isnt particularly dusty one week she leaves it until the next time. It should be easy for them to keep on top of it all after a few weeks as everything wont need to be done every week

She's being slow. I do my parents housework. No kids or pets there but lots of crumbs (my dad has had a stroke and struggles with eating!) And a 3 bed house. I vacuum every room (including sofas and curtains) Dust every room. (Including lamp shades) Change bedding on 2 beds. Deep clean bathroom (harder as contains mobility aids). Wash kitchen floor and Have lunch with them...all in 2 hours.

Thanks for your messages! I'm going to see how it goes next week, but having sounded out other friends/family about their cleaning arrangements I really don't think I am being unreasonable in my expectations.

Plus on reflection I'm more bothered that she said she had vacuumed and mopped all the rooms and she definitely hadn't! If she'd said she'd run out of time, that would be different (although I'd wonder how she'd managed to do it all in less than two hours previously ). Ah well, Tuesday will be the day of reckoning.

In 2 hours for a 2 bedroom house we used to get done: all common areas hoovered and mopped, including stairs, bathroom and toilet cleaned well, kitchen cleaned well (but not inside of microwave, etc) living room dusted and mirrors wiped, French doors wiped of fingerprints. Sometimes something would be done extra, i.e. windows washed, bedroom vacuumed and dusted, microwave cleaned, but only if the kitchen or bathroom was pretty much done before she arrived. I think your expectations are too high.

That said, if she hasn't hoovered but says she has, you have a problem. Do you use your hoover? Have you checked it's working ok and picking up still, doesn't need emptying?

I only suggested cleaning the microwave as she had time to spare the week before (when she'd managed all the "basics"). Vacuum is defo working fine (I ended up hoovering and mopping the rooms she'd missed when I got home).

Just in case anyone's on tenterhooks, the cleaning was done very well today. Hooray!