Cleaner - not sure if piss take

[norma1980]

Got a cleaner - came recommended.

House is new built4 bed
Office
Toy room
Living room
Kitchen diner
Bathroom
En-suite
Downstairs loo
Utility

She doesn't clean office or toy room at my request.

Have no carpets in house only hard floors.

4 hours every 2 weeks. Pay £14 an hour. In regions.

When they started I asked them to do a normal clean and hoover and mop. So no oven and fridge etc.

Always make sure house immaturely tidy before comes.

My problem is that it appears that the Cleaner doesn't clean kitchen worktops, or Kitchen table. Doesn't clean hob. Doesn't dust. She doesn't clean downstairs loo. Doesn't clean under bed for dust. Found sweet wrappers next to young daughters bed after clean so cleaner hadn't cleaned that much.

Im just a bit perplexed as to what she does for 4 hours. She just appears to clean the bathroom and en-suite and a bit of mopping. Always leaves hoover in middle of rug when she leaves no sure why.

Is she taking the piss? It's not a mansion just normal size house. She didn't mention needing more hours.

I don't have a cleaner. We have one leas bedroom than you, no en Suite or utiltiy. No way could I do everything you are asking her to do in 4 hours a fortnight.

I'm a bit confused, OP. I understand the point about her not cleaning the kitchen worktops and hob. But you say she hoovers and yet you hoover the night before she comes? One of these lots of hoovering is needless.

You say "House is immaculate before she comes" so what do you want her to clean? Why have a cleaner if you clean before she comes? (Except for the problematic kitchen areas).

I'd get her coming in for 2 hours each week instead of fortnightly. I'd give her a laminated list of jobs and ask her to tick them off as she does them. Do you have a steam mop because that really speeds up mopping? I'd tell her you need the worktops wiped over with anti bac spray. Maybe the problem is she leaves early. Call her out on it.

@Precipice I know. I never used to hoover the night before she came or clean downstairs loo. I used to make sure everything was tidy and bins emptied and loos not disgusting from kids. But then as time has gone on and she hasn't hoovered everywhere or cleaned worktops I've ended up doing it before she comes to ward off disappointment. Handing over money and the. looking around after clean when she'd gone to see the workshops haven't been rubbed down pissed me off. Trying to work out if she'd cleaned downstairs loo or not (she hadn't).

Anyways thanks. This has confirmed I need someone else and to make it clear that I want workstops cleaned and kitchen table cleaned. If three or need more hours happy to give it I don't want to take the piss either

Thanks everyone

She should definitely be cleaning the kitchen tops. That's basic stuff.

Yanbu. I've had great cleaners and crap ones. Sack off yours as soon as you can - you'll feel better.

You have similar setup to me and mine comes for 3 hours every two weeks (doesn't do spare room or office). Hob and surfaces are totally a priority as well as mopping floors. No way would I hoover before! Defeats the point! I do clean loos and tidy thoroughly.

I've said if you don't have time for everything you can leave xyz as doesn't always need doing - she manages it though. Sometimes I'm cleaning up the odd bit she's rushed but like you I want to concentrate on the non-routine jobs like windows or skirting boards.

@caringcarer I've got a cross wave, a Henry, a shark hoover, a mop (I replace head every 2 weeks) so they can take their pick

Thanks @HyggeTygge

Your asks seem reasonable. Talk to her first and explain what you expect. If no change get someone else.

For context OP...I live in a TINY two bed new build terrace by myself. One bedroom isn't used at all, so my cleaner doesn't even go in there.

She cleans my teeny lounge, kitchen, stairs, upstairs bathroom and my bedroom. That's it! She cleans it very well...all surfaces dusted, kitchen worktops, skirting boards get a dust with her feather thing.

She does this at SPEED and it takes her two hours each week...so essentially the same hours that your cleaner does but weekly rather than 4 hours once a fortnight.

You are expecting a lot of your cleaner in the time she's there...maybe a weekly 3/hour clean would be better than a fortnightly 4 hour. Could you do what you're asking in the time she is given?

And if your child is leaving sweet wrappers on the floor...make them tidy up!!!

My cleaner does two hours a week and during that time she does the kitchen top to bottom (hoovers, mops, all surfaces, wipes down cabinets, inside the microwave). She then hoovers all the downstairs and up the stairs, of which there are a lot. It takes about 45 mins just to do the stairs! Oh she also empties the bins. On the odd occasion she does a quick wipe down in the bathroom but tbh she doesn't often have time.

It sounds like yours is slacking.

I wouldn’t continue to pay for that service. I think you need to give her notice and try with someone else.

I understand @SpringIntoChaos but yep I could do all I'm asking in 4 hours. I do in the weeks she doesn't come. In 4 hours I also manage to put laundry in, empty fire, empty bins. I guess that's why I know she's slacking. I can hear her on her phone when she's hear which I think distracts her.

We have a similar sized house including a room that we ask not to be cleaned.

Our cleaner does 3 hours every 2 weeks.

We realise she won't do everything in that time so gave her a list of what had to be done each time (kitchen, bathrooms and flooring) then any time leftover she does dusting, hoovering sofas etc.

Things she can't get done include windows, inside the oven and all the little nooks and crannies each time.

If you've given your cleaner a list of expectations and she's not meeting them then YANBU OP.

My house is way bigger and I would easily get the whole lot vacuumed, cleaned dusted in 4 hours! She is definitely taking the P*

She is absolutely rubbish and you are a fool to pay her for such a bad job. Don't hoover the night before, that's insane! Tell her it's not good enough.

I clean for 2.5 hrs fourtnightly. I dust, clean all surfaces, clean the bathrooms, make the bed, hoover and mop the whole bungalow. YANBU!

Everyone cleans completely differently
I never clean under beds and if you told me to not clean oven I would assume that meant hob
Just give really clear instructions

In 4 hours?! It should be immaculate when she leaves minus any tidying up that's left out... what is she doing with her time?

Thanks everyone.

She cleans full time and has for years so I did assume she knows what is expected. She came recommended. My mistake was to take her around the house and ask her to do a "normal clean" so kitchen bathrooms living room and floor etc. mop and hoover. I did ask her how long she thought it would take and she said 4 hours.

I didn't think I needed to expressly ask her to wash down kitchen worktops - that I'd sound patronising because it's so obvious but obviously o do. I get a feeling though that she is purposely taking the piss out of me though.

Thanks everyone. Lessons learned and will look for new one.

We have a similar sized house and our cleaner does 4 hours weekly.

She hoovers, mops, dusts main surfaces and skirting boards, cleans kitchen surfaces and bathrooms.

She doesn't clean the insides of windows, fridge, oven or move furniture out (even small mobile stuff like laundry baskets - which is my only real gripe).

We try to leave floors and worktops pretty clear for her. We are a fairly tidy family anyway.

Cleaner here, four hours is about right depending on how many bathrooms. Hard floors are more time consuming to clean because they need hoovering and mopping. Could you ask the person who recommended them what they do for them and how long it takes?