Advice re cleaner

[creamcheeseandlox]

So I'm loosing the will to live with my cleaners. I've probably had a about 4 cleaners in the 6 years I've lived at my house. Every one always promised the earth and the first few weeks are always good but gradually the standards slip. I have a 4 bed house with a bathroom, en-suite and cloakroom loo. Two receptions rooms, kitchen and hall. My cleaner does it in 3 hrs for £36. I have her fortnightly. I don't think my standards are particularly unusual but expect the basics of dusting, cleaning the kitchen/bathroom, vacuuming, mopping. I even went and bought a new mop as she said she only had a steam mop and not a normal one. Today I get back from town and she hasn't mopped any floors. There's still muddy prints in the hall and toothpaste marks on the bathroom floor as well as the tiles. I have spoken to her before about it before and she apologies. Every week it's something else that I have to message her about. I work 3 days a week in a stressful job and so my treat is to have a cleaner twice a fortnight so I don't have to spend my days off cleaning and can use them for household errands etc. She doesn't do the shower or glass door so I do this myself. I only realised this when it wasn't done twice in a row and didn't bother bringing it up with her as it would just be something else she probably wouldn't do.

My last cleaners were also bad but I kept them longer than I should as I didn't want the hassle of finding new ones. This lady was recommended so went with her. She has long term customers so I don't get it. Am I being particularly fussy to expect the basics? It's not like I'm asking for a deep oven clean every week or all the windows to be done!!

No. I sent her a final message saying it's not working for me plus as she didn't acknowledge my calls/message we couldn't even discuss the time constraints etc. So I then said I won't need her anymore blah blah.

I can recommend someone, if you are in or around Lancashire. PM.

I've given up with cleaners for now too. I made it clear I just wanted a couple of jobs done well as there is too much to do in the time I had allocated. Instead, they rushed around moving furniture and rolling up everything that could be rolled up (towels/throws/flannels). I feel your pain OP.

I wish widg. She didn't even tidy any towels. Just left them strewn on the towel rail!

I had the same problem (but a weekly 3hr clean for a 3 bed) so gave up on a cleaner. I loosely follow the organised mum method of cleaning and do a bit each day now - my house is actually cleaner now.
I used the money saved to get a professional cleaning company in just before Christmas to do a proper deep clean (which my cleaners would never have done - the last one didn't even hoover under DD's cot which is on coasters ffs so easy to move) which was amazing - they did the oven, dishwasher, carpets(I mainly have wooden floors) - every nook and cranny. I paid over £200 for two cleaners for six hours but they brought all their equipment. The place was shinning!
It gave me the motivation to keep on top of it. I will get them back in April/ May time.

I had a cleaner in my two bedroom house which had a family bathroom, en suite and downstairs loo. I’m sure it was two hours she was meant to come for and she was just terrible. House wasn’t cleaned properly and she definitely wasn’t in the house for the whole two hours.

We are in a different house now which we will be renovating and extending and we’re planning to have a cleaner when that’s done just to keep it nice and help me out but sounds like it will still be more bother than it’s worth!

My cleaner comes for two hours a week and doesn't touch the bedrooms, it's not really long enough but the kitchen and bathrooms are always clean at least

Try someone else and see if they need 4 hours

I'm my own cleaner when DS is at preschool one morning. I walk the dog and then do 2 hours and I'm bloody knackered. I do tidy and hang washing as well, but most cleaners don't put away your stuff so should be quicker. But I do the bathrooms on a separate day ( can do 2, plus clock room in an hour)

I think it's just exhausting, imagine then going to another house to do the same. Plus I clean more in the week to keep on top of it.

I had a 2 cleaners (2 hours each week so an 1 hour together ) and they were a very much a if they see dirt wipe it approach. They didn't seem to clean things like the shower glass or scrub the toilets . I found things like limescale really built up. It took me about 6 weeks to get it back to standard. But I needed someone for those 6 months, as couldn't do it myself. She they least dusted and hoovered.

When one of my cleaners left the other stayed on and did it all herself. She was quicker, but not very good alone. Sometimes she'd do the whole house in and hour and 15 then go. It was so basic, it became a bit of joke and I let her go. However I a couple of people I know have her still and rave about how good she is. So i think it depends on your standards and whenever you want to bleach your own toilet anyway or just don't see the stains

Dithering. I follows TOMO and would definitely follow her schedule if I didn't work. I work 3 long days a week plus have two DC so won't want to spend my two days off a week cleaning the house when I have so many other Errands and chores to do. I like the cleaner on a Wednesday when I am work so it's nice and clean for the rest of the week/weekend. Me and my DH work hard and long hours and the least I can do is treat myself to a cleaner so it's one less thing for me to have to do.

@creamcheeseandlox Id say say new cleaner longer hours xx

@ILoveMaxiBondi do you dry clean bathrooms? My old cleaner didn't seem to get anything wet. I didn't know if this was a professional technique or just she didn't really clean it. I get myself soaked cleaning the shower, but would prefer not to if there is a better way.

anapple I can honestly say that cleaning showers is the job I hate the most! I always get water running up my arms! Sometimes I feel like I should be wearing a hazchem suit when getting into some people’s showers. Awful job. Most hated are the showers that aren’t sealed properly and no-one warns you the first time so you have a soaked bathroom. Such fun! I don’t know how I would get things cleaned without water. Was your cleaner just swiping a dry cloth around?

I pay £10 / hr in North West. I have same number of rooms as you but not the ensuite. My house could be smaller than yours still. She does weekly 2.5 hours but never in reality more than 2h 15min, probably less sometimes.

She doesn't deep clean but she gets the place looking clean. She does all the beds laundry every other week. We pay extra for ironing.

Dh gets annoyed at her as she doesnt deep clean, things get left when we know she's not doing the full time. Plus she often doesn't turn up unexpectedly. I say to him to suck it up as so many cleaners are worse plus trust is a big issue.

In that case creamcheese I would echo above - new cleaner and maybe 2hrs weekly.
I would also set out expectations clearly from the beginning. A friend of mine has a list of weekly chores (it is very specific!) and then she adds one or two additional things each week (it is a laminated sheet 😂). She also specifies which products to be used where and what cloth!
I think it is easy to forget what you have been asked to do.

@ILoveMaxiBondi yes I think so. She would also carry around a viakal bottle but obviously that was just for show

that sounds like the office equivalent of always carrying a piece of paper around so you look like you’re busy!

Easiest question in these scenarios is can YOU clean your house to the required standard in the time allotted? If you can't, generally a cleaner can't.

I disagree with this.
In my own house, I get side tracked, or more involved in something once I go into a room. In someone else's you are more focused. When you are being paid to do a job, you also crack on, whereas, when I am cleaning, I think 'Oh, I'll just make a coffee now' and faff around.

OP I don't think you are expecting too much. My cleaner came today. She cleans 2 bathrooms + downstairs toilet, kitchen, bathroom, 2 x stairs 2 x landings + 1x hallway, 2 Reception rooms and (today) only did 2 bedrooms, but one of them needed a LOT of tidying first as my teen dd's bedroom is a tip . She also did a bit of ironing (about 9 or 10 tops), and was still finished in an hour and 40mins. That included mopping kitchen, all bathrooms and hall floor, as well as vac'ing, emptying bins, a pile of washing up / drying / putting away, cleaning surfaces and cupboard fronts in kitchen, hob, etc. Sometimes when no ironing, she'll change sheets, or usually do more bedrooms.
Oh, and whoever it was said about poor pay - my cleaner charges £10 an hour, as seems to be the going rate around here.

I'm a cleaner and my basic rate - pensioners, long standing customers, is £12. Anything else is more than that. I think 3 hours sounds a bit tight for your house to be honest - I clean a 3 bed, two bath with two studies and spend 3.5 hours one week and 4 hours the next. If your cleaner is missing things and still saying there is no issue I'd find someone else. I'm always honest with my clients and say I'd rather they point out something I miss or ask if anything specific needs more attention - we both stay happy that way

She cleans 2 bathrooms + downstairs toilet, kitchen, bathroom, 2 x stairs 2 x landings + 1x hallway, 2 Reception rooms and (today) only did 2 bedrooms, but one of them needed a LOT of tidying first as my teen dd's bedroom is a tip . She also did a bit of ironing (about 9 or 10 tops), and was still finished in an hour and 40mins. That included mopping kitchen, all bathrooms and hall floor, as well as vac'ing, emptying bins, a pile of washing up / drying / putting away, cleaning surfaces and cupboard fronts in kitchen, hob, etc.

Now way can that be cleaning properly.

no way

Well, short of inviting you round to watch her, I'm not sure what I can say . She is WONDERFUL and I love coming in to my house after she's been. Gives me such a 'lift'.

I’ll take your word for it if you say it’s good! I’m just struggling to imagine getting all that done in that time and being happy with the result.

I always make sure the house it tidy before a cleaner comes to. After all they are there to clean not tidy and to tidy would take double the time.

Agree with Ilovemax - there's no possible way a cleaner can do all that properly in 1 hour 40. They are doing a light touch at best.