anyone give advice on how to become cleaner/home help etc

[alliwannado]

Hi, I am moving house soon and will be handing in my notice at work so that I can be around at half-term and after school for my 2 children. I need to bring in some money, over £100 a month at least. So was thinking of offering home help etc but has anyone got any advice on the best way to start, get the word around? Also being a cleaner, does the client provide all materials etc and what happens if something gets broken etc? and generally where to start and how long do you allow to clean a room and how much to charge?
I would be open to any job really that would fit around school. any suggestions or advice on where to start? I will be moving to Frodsham, Cheshire. I only want upto about 10hrs a week to cover us.

Clients normally supply cleaning materials. If you are setting up an actual business you need insurance but individual cleaners don't normally both. You could however register for local authority work - takes more paperwork and you probably need a CRB check but can be more lucrative and reliable (and you don't always get the same clients so you don't have to see stroppy people day in day out.

My mum is a private cleaner, she used to put adds in newsagents windows etc to advertise. It sounds like you just need to do a few mornings a week right? My mum does 2 or 3 hours per morning in each persons house and they supply the cleaning stuff and she gets cash in hand. I think you can charge 6/7 or 8 pounds an hour.

I'm sure you'll earn more than £100 a month, alli!

There are always plenty of people looking for cleaners. The client provides all the materials (to answer your question), but on the subject of breakages, I'm not sure as I haven't managed to break anything yet! I guess that would depend on your relationship with the client!

The best clients are bachelors who are out all day at work. They usually pay very well and are generally tidy, but in return for good pay they usually want you to iron their shirts! It's a small price to pay

Also think of pubs and places of that nature; it can be real drag for a landlord/landlady to clean a pub seven days a week.

£6.00ph is a good basis to start.

Good luck with your move!

thanks everyone, yes maybe £6 or £6.50 per hr is a good start. Because I haven't been employed as a cleaner before how would I supply references because Im sure they would want something of that kind? Yes only want a few mornings for a few hours nothing major but enough to get us through. Im employed as a graphic designer and have been one for 16yrs now in same company so this is such a big step for me but feel its the right thing to do even if it means losing my wage totally
I know I clean my own home but is it any different cleaning someone elses? Is there a method, silly as it sounds or I suppose if they want something done they would just ask. Hmmm I don't even iron my OH shirts so that would be interesting, suppose you don't need training in that?

Blimey - wish you were near me - our cleaners round here cost at LEAST £10 an hour.

Oh and don't worry about being crap either - I'm sure you aren't but - TBH most of us are just grateful not to have to clean the loo ourselves. Very few people complain if you are a bit dodgy at ironing (and if they think you are they will just use an ironing service to avoid insulting you lest you run away and they have to clean said loo themselves)

Suppose the best method would be to start for example in the living room from the fireplace clean top to bottom and move around room clockwise until you get back to fireplace then vaccum. That way you cant miss anything.
As for references about cleaning, offer to clean a friend's house and get them to give you a reference.
Good luck with your house move and finding a job, sure you will earn much more than £100 a month.
AB