How much could a cleamer do in 3 hours?

[beholdmylastfuckflyingaway]

Im super excited to be getting a cleaner. I'm disabled so I'm slow. But how much should I expect to be done in three hours?

It's a large weirdly shaped 2 bed house with three receptions, kitchen bathroom, and shower room....

I just don't know what to expect...

Would love to hear where I should set my expectations reasonably.

Our cleaner used to do our 3-bed, 2-office, 1.5bath house (1 living room) in about three hours.

It depends on so many different things and what YOU actually feel important is cleaned.
It depends on your house and how big your rooms are ?
How clear the rooms are for cleaning?
Whether you need cleaning or tidying as well? Surface claeaning or deep cleaning?

I can clean my 3- bed / 2-reception /1 bath / kitchen top to bottom in 2.5 hours.
My daughter's 3 bed / 2 reception / conservatory / 1 bath /1 cloakroom / kitchen needs 5 hours
My other daughter's 4 -bed + en-suites / 1 very large double reception / kitchen needs 3 hours

Size definitely matters! 😎😂😂

Thanks so much to both of you!

I think this is going to be transformative. I am now about to start frantically cleaning/tidying so that I am not shamed when the cleaner arrives....

I know, that's mad..... but some areas of the house are looking a tad grim.....

Haven’ t had a cleaner for years but when we did she cleaned our large 5 bed detached in 6 hours so I’d say a decent cleaner could do pretty much your whole house in 3.
Enjoy!

A lot depends on the cleaner. I once booked myself a Big Clean (four hours) as a birthday present to myself.

As far as I could tell the cleaner shoved the hoover around (and broke it), didn't move the furniture at all, and wiped the sides in the kitchen. Yet when I was a cleaner I would move all furniture, clean out the fridge, wipe all the woodwork, tidy anything left lying around into piles, etc etc. So you may need to leave instructions (I hadn't done for mine, just told her to give the place 'a good clean'. Sigh.)

Also - do be clear if you want specific things doing. Eg my cleaner changes the bed linen every 2 weeks. This is really important to me as I'd struggle to do it myself.

3 hour weekly clean here for a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom, 2 reception rooms. Always looks and feels clean afterwards.

Our cleaner did a good once over of the house in 3 hours-
Hoover dust and polish all rooms
Wipe down and clean kitchen and bathroom reasonably thoroughly inc mopping floors.
Generally leave it looking tidy- plumped up cushions etc
Didn't go as far as moving large furniture, cleaning skirtings or inside fridge unless there was an obvious spill or stain. I would consider that a deep clean.

4 hours for our 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom flat.

I had cleaners for many years and always began with a list. I can give it to you if you want. The first visit spend the first 15 minutes going around the house, showing what is important to you. The first three weeks will take longer than usual as she gets it up to a standard. Once things are running smoothly don’t be afraid to ask her to concentrate on a particular area.

I always gave them notice. Next week will you take everything out of the kitchen cupboard for example. Let them do that job first, then use their time for the other stuff.

I dont know your financial situation, but I always paid my cleaner when she or I were on holiday. I have worked as a cleaner myself and worked harder and did extras for those that respected what I did.

Just wanted to come back and say a huge thank you for everyone's responses. All super helpful. I have now created a four week schedule, which I was reticent about at first but which I think will be helpful given there are some rooms in the house that we just don't use and will only need the occasional flick of a duster.

Also yes @Lytlethings I agree and plan on paying for holiday because I want to foster a good relationship.

I didn't say before and perhaps now I am guilty of the drip feed, but I had a cleaner once before many years ago, and frankly I got taken advantage of. She did what she fancied, finished up (hours) early and the final nail in the coffin was when she stole both money and small but expensive electrical items (items which were tracked to her address).

So, on the basis of that experience, I found myself a little unsure as I make the decision to go again, as to how much I should expect, and how to set boundaries.

On reflection I think my boundaries and expectations need to be very clear from day 1, so I now feel a little more comfortable with the whole piece so thank you all for taking the time to share.

I am so glad that I was able to help. I have about half a dozen cleaners over the last 30 years and have always been extremely fortunate.

One rule I have for any trades person that works in my home is that they must live locally, must supply an address and two telephone numbers. I think I have every trade going at one time or another and have never been disappointed.

I think how a person behaves and speaks on the first visit is a good indication of whether they will be a good fit. One cleaner who was required to do three days a week, when she saw the list said “oh I could not work in house where I did not vacuum every day.” I said that ‘I could not employ a cleaner who told me, before she even started, that she was unwilling to do as asked”.

Isn’t it good to vacuum every day?

No. There were only three of us in the house and we were out all day. It did not get that dirty. We only had carpet upper landing and stairs. I had a Microfibre mop for the dust on the wooden floors. There was enough to do for six hours cleaning a week, 2 hours a day, that did not need pulling a heavy vacuum round. Kitchen and bathrooms took a lot of the time. It was a case of she had her way of doing things. Polishing with aerosol was another no, “please don’t.”
The main point is, that as an employee you don’t get to choose what to do,

the lady I interviewed after her was a diamond and worked for me for 6 years.

The extra benefit of getting a cleaner; all the cleaning and tidying you do out of shame in advance. I’m with you 😂

All of that. Ours does a 4 bed 3 reception kitchen and 2 bathrooms and downstairs loo in 2.5 hours but she is good!!

Tidying before your cleaner comes means the can clean more efficiently. Plus the benefit to you of your house keeping tider!