First time I've had a cleaner what do I need to know/do? Advice please!

[cassell]

So I'm quite excited, having gone back to work after ds (now 13mo) I've decided to treat myself to having a cleaner as want to be able to spend the time I'm at home with ds.

I have someone coming around on Saturday for an initial chat/visit who has been recommended by a friend.

But I really don't know what I need to ask her, what is reasonable to expect her to do, how long things take (it takes me ages but then I'm rubbish at cleaning and have ds trying to climb all over me most of the time!), what is the etiquette - do you give them tea/coffee? How do you get the working relationship off to a good start? How tidy does your house have to be? Do you normally stay there while they are cleaning? Do you give your keys?

Sorry so many questions! Any advice welcomed....

Thank you!

This is what I would like a potential cleaner to do pn each visit:

1. Bathroom and kitchen (all surfaces)
2. Dusting and hoovering
3. Mopping of floors

Then each weeek to tackle a different 'area' of the house. So one week, the windows, the next the insides of your cupboards, the next the oven etc etc.

Do you want your cleaner to change your sheets? Personally I was a bit uncomfortable with this so I said no, we'd do that.

I'd say your house needs to be tidyish, but if you don't mind paying them to tidy up then it can be as messy as you like. For instance, I used to get annoyed with DH for leaving washing up for the cleaner when she could have been doing better things.

You could get them to do an intensive clean the first week and then just get them to maintain that standard.

I used to leave her to it and gave her keys, but she was next door neighbour.

How many hours is she working each week?

that's v helpful belly - thanks!

bythepower - haven't agreed it with her yet, I'm guessing probably 2/3hrs as not sure I can afford much more but depends what she can get done in that time

I hsve a very lovely cleaner who got stuck in straight away and just uses her common sense tbh! if there are particular things I want done I tell her, but tbh she cleans things i'd never have thought of

i always offer her tea if i'm making one, otherwise I have shown her where all the stuff is and told her to help herself

I normally try and go out, simply because I have 2 under 3 here and they'd be under her feet the whole time and making mess

i tend to tidy most stuff away so that she can get on and clean, but she has no objections to putting toys and stuff aawy in the kids room and stuff

I tidy so she can spend all her time cleaning (she comes for 3 hours every fortnight). I don't get her to empty bins or change sheets.
I always make her a cup of coffee and tell her to help herself when she needs another one. We had a one month trial period after which either of us could back out if it wasn't working. She has a key because she often does cleaning when we are away.

our lovely cleaner does upsatiars one week and down stairs the next (although I am thinking of changing it)

she deep cleans everything, so moves the boys beds to hoover, and hoovers under our bed, cleans all skirting and windows and surfaces there is no limescale anywhere in any of the bathrooms and it is lovely.

However, I never feel like the whole house is clean.. so I am hoping to switch to kitchen and bathrooms every week with hall stairs and landing, then downstairs rooms one week and upstairs rooms the next.
I think I am going to have to ask her to do another hour (or half if I can get away with it) to cover it.

I remind DH and the boys each week that she is a cleaner and not a tidier and they help to make sure things are in the right place before bed the night before.

I am a cleaner and basically clean as I would expect my own house to be cleaned.

In 2 hours I get a 3 bed house: Hoovered, dusted, kitchen worktops and cooker top, 2 bathrooms, all floors mopped and maybe a few windows.

I don't expect tea but sometimes accept if offered. Its easier if house owner is out but if not I do upstairs when they are down and visa versa

I tend to do a trial period of a couple of weeks during which I stay in the house while they clean (partly so I can tell them where stuff is and explain about sticking locks etc and partly so I can get comfortable enough to hand over my keys).

Remember that a permanent cleaner is legally entitled to 4 weeks paid holiday a year - mine are usually embarrassingly grateful to be given it, but actually it's simply their right.

I'd normally reckon that a decent experienced cleaner should be able to clean all kitchen and bathroom surfaces and floor including cooker hob, hoover and dust the rest of the house and do a little bit extra in two hours.
However for the first couple of times while she's asking questions and working out which cleaning product does what and how the hoover works then she'll be slower.

magnolia- that sounds good - hope my cleaner will be as efficient as you

Dilys I am suprised by your statement there
What basis are they entitled to it under?
I tend to pay my cleaner at Christmas and occasionally extra but I am not sure she is ENTITLED to it as she doesnt work only for me

DO you have a reference for that?

Oh dear I think I might have overstated the case here. Agency cleaners do normally get holiday pay as employees, but actually maybe normal ones don't.

The fact that someone works for more than one employer doesn't mean that she's not your employee - but in practice she is probably self-employed so probably not formally entitled to holiday pay.

Hmm, we need an up to date employment lawyer to confirm.

Hi Dilys ahh yes, I agree agency ones do get leave. I shall try and find a way to ask my cleaner what she expects ....
Thanks!

I wouldn't have thought non-agency cleaners are entitled to holiday pay from you unless you are "employing" them ie. paying their tax and NI...

Otherwise I would assume they are working on a self-employed basis and would not get anything.

Non-agency cleaners are self-employed therefore you do not pay them for holidays - no wonder your cleaners are "embarrassingly grateful" at your generosity, Dilys