Fortnightly cleaner

[Manicpixidreamgirl]

I am hoping to get a cleaner for 3 hours per fortnight next year. Have not had a cleaner before. Those of you who have a cleaner, particularly every fortnight as opposed to weekly… how do you manage your cleaning schedule the rest of the time? I don’t want to over/under clean but to be frank, anything would be an improvement as we currently only manage the day to day surfaces and toilet cleaning! For context, we are a family of 4 in large semi. Thanks

We're a four adult family in a small three bedroomed, one bathroom house. Two hours a week is enough for vacuuming and mopping throughout, changing one or two beds, thoroughly cleaning the bathroom and quick clean everywhere else. Main school holidays, I clean the whole house as thoroughly as I can in time available; half-term holidays, I try and do anything that really needs it.

We tidy up for the cleaner, so it's reasonably clean and tidy. I prefer once a week, so that they clean all the floors and the bathroom weekly.

Cleaner here!
I would suggest speaking to the cleaner to see how long they will need to clean through entirely. 3 hours may not be enough for a large semi - how many bathrooms, bedrooms, reception rooms?

If 3 hours is your budget, perhaps you can do the rooms that the cleaner won't get to do within the 3 hours.

Generally, on a fortnightly clean, the client would at least maintain the kitchen. Other than that, most clients leave everything to us.

We have this arrangement in our 4 bed , 2.5 bathroom house and it works great , between visits I will sweep or send the robo hoover round downstairs , clear kitchen and wipe benches , dishes into dishwasher etc daily and of course deal with laundry but it means for me I have time to tackle any more intensive projects as she keeps the basics in shape.

We have a cleaner fortnightly for 3 hours.
She does all of downstairs, and upstairs she does 2 x bathrooms and one main bedroom.

We do a smaller clean on the weeks she doesn’t come.
we DON’T do dusting, we do very little mopping.

we hoover the main carpets (bedroom, stairs and landing) and sweep/hoover hard floors. If for example if we have visitors I’ll do a quick mop. I do a general toilet/sink clean several times. I leave the shower screens unless visibly dirty.

Kitchen worktops get done, hob gets wiped over, things like cupboard door handles I spot clean.

I do all the bed changing myself.

It helps that we are very tidy usually.

Thanks all

@Fynoderee 1 reception room, 2 bathroom (one large bathroom and a shower room), 4 bed (one not used so only 3 need doing).
In your experience, would a cleaner be willing to do the stuff that I don’t get round to e.g. skirting boards, light fittings etc or for a regular domestic clean is it just general/basic clean they expect to do?

These are the kind of things to discuss at the quote.

We include dusting woodwork in our standard cleans. Washing woodwork is an optional part extra that clients pay for as and when they want it done OR we can substitute another task.
We dust light fittings as standard. Actually removing the shade and washing is an additional task.

These can all be factored into regular cleans if clients wish but the time/cost needs to be adjusted accordingly.

It’s important that you and the cleaner are both clear about expectations from the start so she doesn’t feel you’re trying to squeeze too much out of each clean and you don’t feel that the cleaner is skimping on the service they’re providing.