What housework does your cleaner do for you?

[Thenewcleaner]

Do you have your cleaner do daily chores, deep cleaning tasks or both? I am starting a cleaning company and plan to do a mix for my customers and wondered what everyone else prefers!

I don't have one right now, but if I did, I'd like them to mostly do the chores I don't get round to doing as often as I'd like:
Cleaning fridge
Cleaning shower glass
Cleaning under the couch and the beds

I have a cleaner. She’s amazing and I love her.

We have house cats so lots of time spent basically de-catting the place m - hoovering, mopping, cleaning blankets.

Changing the beds once a week - that feels so luxurious I absolutely love it.

Makes sure kitchen and bathroom surfaces are sparkling clean.

She will do as hoc stuff every so often which is amazing too, like rearranging and cleaning cupboards, cleaning fridge.

I like that she take the initiative. I don’t have to tell her what to do, she just makes the place feel better. If I do have a specific I’d like her to do, she’s usually totally fine with that. Charges extra for oven cleaning - this was the same with my previous cleaner, totally reasonable.

Would love a cleaner! Even a one off would be fab. We are such slobs! I think I might secretly book a one off deep clean & tell DH I was feeling particularly energetic lol 🤣
If I had a regular cleaner, I would ask them to do all the jobs I don’t get round to myself usually eg shampooing carpets, cleaning skirting boards, moving everything to dust, cleaning between the bathroom tiles etc etc. That is if cleaners are ok to shampoo carpets? Ours are shocking!

Thank you so much for all your replies, this information really helps

I don't have a list of thing that need doing, she just does what I haven't been able to. She does do most of the washing and all the ironing, then beds changing, dusting, floors etc. Today she cleaned out all the glass cupboards, so she can just see what needs doing and gets on with it.

I thing I missed her doing the most when she wasn't able to come in during lockdown, was the floors. I have lab that moults a lot, so that seems like a full time job. And she gets my laminate floors to shine and when I do them, they are streaky. I don't know what she does different.

Mine also uses her initiative - all the usual vacuuming, mopping, wiping etc, but she also strips and remakes all the beds which is amazing. She’ll also do a series of jobs on rotation that she’s identified eg wipe out the fridge one week, descale all the appliances the next, wipe down the windows on the third week.

She also knows where our ironing basket is, so if she finishes earlier she usually does some of that as well. She’s an absolute treasure - getting into my freshly made hotel-like bed on a Thursday is such a treat 😄

@InFiveMins

I don't have one right now, but if I did, I'd like them to mostly do the chores I don't get round to doing as often as I'd like: Cleaning fridge Cleaning shower glass Cleaning under the couch and the beds

That sounds cool, I assume you are happy with your daily housework just don't have the time to spring clean. Have you ever had a cleaner before? How much do you think you would be willing to pay for the service you suggested? Just trying to get as much market research in as possible before I launch next month x

@DeusEx

I have a cleaner. She’s amazing and I love her.

We have house cats so lots of time spent basically de-catting the place m - hoovering, mopping, cleaning blankets.

Changing the beds once a week - that feels so luxurious I absolutely love it.

Makes sure kitchen and bathroom surfaces are sparkling clean.

She will do as hoc stuff every so often which is amazing too, like rearranging and cleaning cupboards, cleaning fridge.

That's good, do you set her the Adhoc tasks or does she just crack on with what she thinks needs doing? Also how much do you pay and where are you based? x

@DeusEx

I like that she take the initiative. I don’t have to tell her what to do, she just makes the place feel better. If I do have a specific I’d like her to do, she’s usually totally fine with that. Charges extra for oven cleaning - this was the same with my previous cleaner, totally reasonable.

Sorry just seen this, which answers my previous question lol! Do you find it awkward to ask for extra/different services? x

I advertised for a home help rather than just a cleaner so mine does things like laundry and sorting etc as well as a heap of cleaning. My work can have big peaks and I needed to know I didn't have to "clean for the cleaner" if that makes sense?

So I have a relative do mine as I could find a commercial person near me to do what I'd like plus trust is an issue. I actually pay her to clean and tidy up a bit, So each quick clean around bathrooms, dust and wipe window sills, TV etc. Vacuum everywhere, clean and obvious dirt spots on doors, kitchen etc. I don't get her doing dishes or laundry but she does a little tidy of shoe area and the kids rooms like straighten beds, and pop a few clothes away etc.

So I pay for that once a week takes two hours and I pay her 30 cash. If I need any extra deep cleans like fridge sort out or oven or Windows I'd pay her another ten per major task like that.

Ahe will move away eventually and I'd love to have someone in to help out like this again with the tidying stuff many cleaners won't do.

Just for context I'm not lazy but I have three kids we both work full time and when I'm not working I'm either cooking dinners or runnings the kids around to all their sports or doing other chores like laundry etc. So for me the money I spend on a Friday to not spend my weekend cleaning and tidying the whole time is well worth it.

We have a cleaner once a fortnight for 2 hours. I blitz through the house the night before and make sure everything is tidied away. I don't want her wasting time moving stuff and I also don't want her to waste time on things like dishes so I always make sure it's all done.

Then she has clear decks to whizz through and dust, hoover, mop and clean the bathrooms. She doesn't do under sofa or cushions but then I think 2 hours goes very quickly, even in a tidy house.

We've never discussed what I'd like her to do, she just does it. I guess she would do extra as hoc things if I asked but something else would have to be left

@CurryLover55

Would love a cleaner! Even a one off would be fab. We are such slobs! I think I might secretly book a one off deep clean & tell DH I was feeling particularly energetic lol 🤣 If I had a regular cleaner, I would ask them to do all the jobs I don’t get round to myself usually eg shampooing carpets, cleaning skirting boards, moving everything to dust, cleaning between the bathroom tiles etc etc. That is if cleaners are ok to shampoo carpets? Ours are shocking!

Yes, do that haha, I think a lot of us are secret slobs lol! How much would you pay for the service you suggested? Some cleaners will shampoo the carpets but a lot are very particular about the jobs they are willing to do x

@isthismylifenow

I don't have a list of thing that need doing, she just does what I haven't been able to. She does do most of the washing and all the ironing, then beds changing, dusting, floors etc. Today she cleaned out all the glass cupboards, so she can just see what needs doing and gets on with it.

I thing I missed her doing the most when she wasn't able to come in during lockdown, was the floors. I have lab that moults a lot, so that seems like a full time job. And she gets my laminate floors to shine and when I do them, they are streaky. I don't know what she does different.

Sound like a dream, how much do you pay her can I ask and where are you based as I know prices differ massively in the UK! Have you asked her if she uses a different product on the floors?

@OnASwankyMarleyPond

Mine also uses her initiative - all the usual vacuuming, mopping, wiping etc, but she also strips and remakes all the beds which is amazing. She’ll also do a series of jobs on rotation that she’s identified eg wipe out the fridge one week, descale all the appliances the next, wipe down the windows on the third week.

She also knows where our ironing basket is, so if she finishes earlier she usually does some of that as well. She’s an absolute treasure - getting into my freshly made hotel-like bed on a Thursday is such a treat 😄

Sounds like a good setup! Did you arrange this with her or did it just happen that way? How much do you pay and where are you based?

@KeyboardWorriers

I advertised for a home help rather than just a cleaner so mine does things like laundry and sorting etc as well as a heap of cleaning. My work can have big peaks and I needed to know I didn't have to "clean for the cleaner" if that makes sense?

Yes, I totally get you. How many hours a week do you have her and how much do you pay? Also where are you based as I know prices change massively depending on what part of the UK live x

@MsMeNz

So I have a relative do mine as I could find a commercial person near me to do what I'd like plus trust is an issue. I actually pay her to clean and tidy up a bit, So each quick clean around bathrooms, dust and wipe window sills, TV etc. Vacuum everywhere, clean and obvious dirt spots on doors, kitchen etc. I don't get her doing dishes or laundry but she does a little tidy of shoe area and the kids rooms like straighten beds, and pop a few clothes away etc.

So I pay for that once a week takes two hours and I pay her 30 cash. If I need any extra deep cleans like fridge sort out or oven or Windows I'd pay her another ten per major task like that.

Ahe will move away eventually and I'd love to have someone in to help out like this again with the tidying stuff many cleaners won't do.

Just for context I'm not lazy but I have three kids we both work full time and when I'm not working I'm either cooking dinners or runnings the kids around to all their sports or doing other chores like laundry etc. So for me the money I spend on a Friday to not spend my weekend cleaning and tidying the whole time is well worth it.

I never would have thought you were lazy, we all have other commitments that can keep us from our housework, thanks so much for the reply! Is there any other housework you wished she was able to do for you to make your life easier? I can imagine it's great to have a relative help out as you can ask for unusual chores to be completed but it might be a bit awkward to ask for certain jobs as you are closer than you would be with a cleaner x

@Hangoverstruggles

We have a cleaner once a fortnight for 2 hours. I blitz through the house the night before and make sure everything is tidied away. I don't want her wasting time moving stuff and I also don't want her to waste time on things like dishes so I always make sure it's all done.

Then she has clear decks to whizz through and dust, hoover, mop and clean the bathrooms. She doesn't do under sofa or cushions but then I think 2 hours goes very quickly, even in a tidy house.

We've never discussed what I'd like her to do, she just does it. I guess she would do extra as hoc things if I asked but something else would have to be left

This makes total sense! How much do you pay and in which area? x

OP, to answer your questions

• No I don’t find it awkward to ask her to do ad hoc stuff, but we’ve agreed to do this in writing so that both of us have a record - she doesn’t speak perfect English and I speak much less of her first language!
• I live overseas but in London for similar, I paid £13 per hour for our self employed (no agency) cleaner. That was a few years ago so would expect it would now be a bit higher.

@DeusEx

OP, to answer your questions

• No I don’t find it awkward to ask her to do ad hoc stuff, but we’ve agreed to do this in writing so that both of us have a record - she doesn’t speak perfect English and I speak much less of her first language!
• I live overseas but in London for similar, I paid £13 per hour for our self employed (no agency) cleaner. That was a few years ago so would expect it would now be a bit higher.

Perfect, thanks for your help! That's good that everything is agreed in writing as I know some people find it difficult to ask for extras! Thanks for the info on pricing x

@Thenewcleaner South West and pay £14 per hour but she uses all her own products including hoover & mop.