Expectation of cleaners

[buttercuplizzy]

Me and my husband work full time & I'm having a difficult pregnancy with number 3. We decided for our sanity to hire a cleaner, as it was all becoming too much for us.

We have two cleaners who come once a fortnight for an hour. I was expecting a deeper level of cleaning, but its very much a surface level clean (think this is down to my unrealistic expectations vs. The cleaning ladies) i.e. the kitchen is worktops, hob and floor. Bathroom wipe down the shower, sink, toliet and the floor. Dust and hoover throughout... I was expecting more attention to detail i.e. the kitchen wall tiles and various bits and bobs on the counter weren't clean I.e. the knife block, the tray where the oils and salts live etc.

Realistically, what should I be expecting from a cleaner? I can do the surface level stuff myself and want someone more for focusing on the things I haven't the time for I.e. skirting boards, radiators, internal windows etc.

If I want a deeper level of clean, what should I be going for? A weekly clean? Increase the length of my fortnightly clean? Or keep the same, but add some deep cleans in as and when?

The surface level clean sounds about right from my experience; I’d ask them to focus on doing a deep clean on the kitchen if you want them to do things like that and then either accept they won’t spend so long on other things or ask them to stay longer

Did you have an initial deep clean? This is usually the way to start, then subsequent visits can keep on top of it. However, it sounds like the cleaners are either bad, lazy, or don't have enough time.

How big is your house? 2 hours a fortnight is nothing really. If you want them to do specific tasks give them a list but they obviously won’t have time to do a general clean as well.

Sorry, just saw it is only 2hrs work fortnightly. Doesn't sound nearly enough time, sorry. I think weekly is much better than fortnightly. It depends on how many rooms, level of tidiness, but I would want 2hrs minimum weekly or try 3hrs per fortnight.

They clean whatever you tell them too.
Mine started with a two people
Deep clean and me doing a walk through of the things i wanted doing. I can flex it week to week.

Id have thought an hour once a fortnight jn a house with two kids barely touches the sides. But maybe that's because i barely
Do any cleaning between my weekly visits. If there is lots you are still happy to do just chat to them.

Tbh i think about it the other way round. Because the basics are done i can do the exceptionals.

Two man hours once a fortnight won’t be enough time for these extra jobs on top of their usual clean. Could you increase their time by an extra 30 mins or 1 hr and ask them to do specific extra jobs on top?

Sounds about right for 2 hours a fortnight.

Your choices are
Increase that to 4 hours a fortnight (if you do it to 2 a week then most of the same jobs will be repeated and you won't gain the other jobs).

Or
Let them do what they do and use the time released by you pair not doing that, to pay attention to the jobs they haven't done.
Or
See if they will be willing to do specific other jobs instead, but I suspect this would be the worst option as they will work quicker doing the 'standard' or expected jobs than coming in and you having to give them lists of different jobs each week, and explain what you mean.

Two hours once a fortnight for a family home is not long enough to get more than surface cleaning done. I would suggest a deep clean to get on top of everything, be realistic, it'll be more hours than you probably think, then if money allows have them every week.

I’ve found this as well. I have a weekly cleaner and they tend to do surface cleans unless you ask specifically for something else. My cleaner got to know us and what we wanted and now does a more in depth job. Tell them what you want them to do

You expect them to do a deep clean if they're only coming once a fortnight for an hour? If you're doing all the other stuff, then you need to ask them to do the specifics. Otherwise they're just going to assume you want your house looking clean.

Sounds about right for 2 hours a fortnight. Frees you up from the surface level stuff to tackle the deeper stuff as and when.

Ask them to focus on one room/area each time to achieve a deeper level of cleaning. Like if they both clean the kitchen it should be absolutely spotless and they will be able to do the skirtings/tiles etc but obviously the rest of the house will suffer that week. Depends on what your priorities are. Or get them to come and do a deep clean for longer (a lot of cleaners will do this to start and then it's easier to maintain). How do you communicate with them? Maybe leave a note or quick chat if you are around when they come.