Do you have a cleaner and what do they do?

[blossom]

Getting quite excited as am at the stage where I am finally organising a cleaner to help out in the house, as I'm working more and really cannot cope with everything that needs doing. All I ever have time to do is ten minutes here or there between clients (work from home) and only skim the surface really.

Does anyone else have a cleaner and have you found it's made a real difference for you?

Also looking for a guide as to what can be done in a few hours a week ...what can they do in what sort of timeframe?

Also do they have a routine and expect to do the same jobs each time they come or, say, if you had big jobs sometimes like cleaning the fridge or windows, would it be reasonable to ask them to do that instead on the odd occasion?

New to all this! Looking forward to feeling less shattered though.

 

[virtues2011]

You can ask them to do anything most will, some won't. You can change your list weekly is not always a set pattern but do ask your cleaner and explain. I would only go on recommendation or if that's not possible, references. I wouldn't use a company personally they are quite expensive and the lists of what they won't do is quite long and not personal enough for me. I have used a company before. Be realistic, an hour twice a week won't really cut it. If you want a good thorough job you have to allow the hours to be able to achieve it. If you ask the cleaner what she recommends after you've explained what you require she will be able to tell you. Don't always think everyone is going to rip you off, you can see what they do when they leave and adjust the hours accordingly. Never leave any valuables or money laying around, it is unfair on both you and your cleaner. Tell them you have discreet cctv cameras and they work twice as hard and twice as fast... ha ha. Good luck.

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[Steph86]

Agree with Virtues, you can have a general clean weekly... Depending on the size of your house (the cleaner will work out how long) for your first clean it will probably be a little longer.

Then once they are on top of it all, you could ask for monthly jobs ie windows inside cleaning.

You could ask for them to focus on a deep clean in your kitchen one week, then any extra time to do xyz. (Or ask for an extra hour)

Companies do charge a lot, & usually want you to have 2 cleaners but its swings and round abouts as you'd need less hours & they are fully equipt.

Ive personally found I have time to do the little jobs myself (ie fridge etc) as the main work is already done.

Its bliss coming home to a clean house!

Although I have a dog so still have to do the floors quite often.

Xx

 

[Gina Ballerina]

I don't actually know what my cleaner does but my place always looks lovely every week and I don't actually do any cleaning at all (except after cooking).
I leave £20 a week for her. If it's not completely tidy then I leave £25.
Sometime I text her before to ask if she can do some ironing and leave another £20.
I think she's at our place for 2 hours.
I leave all my valuables around the place. I left my wedding and engagement rings on the side in the kitchen and she text me to say she'd put them in my jewellery box.
My husband has a habit of leaving at least twenty quids worth of change on the window sill and it drives me nuts! (Although I always steal it for parking) If I've not sorted it she stacks all the £1s, £2s and 50ps in order.
I've never discussed what she does, all I can say is she's lovely and I love her

 

[Becca@PolishedToPerfection]

Can I ask a really stupid question?! I work from home and mobile, I don't work too much but I do have 2 children so even when I'm "not doing anything" I don't really have time to clean as I'm busy running around looking after the kids (they are 3yrs and 7 months). Our house is clean-ish but I never have time to do things like clean skirting boards, under the couch, thoroughly mop the floors etc so I've been thinking about getting a cleaner in once a week to do the jobs I don't get time to do. Do they come when your out or when your in? I know that sounds stupid but I wouldn't trust someone to be here on there own but if I was in I would feel really lazy watching them clean my house!!

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[Jodieeeanne]

We have a cleaner and find it's easier when we're out as they can have free reign to do what they need to do.

We leave the cash on the side and she has a key. We will leave a post it note if there's anything in particular we would like her to do such as dusting the shutters or cleaning the oven.

She's worked for us for over 10 years now so we know we can trust her.

Maybe see if a client or friend has someone they can reccomend ? Xx

 

[Becca@PolishedToPerfection]

We have a cleaner and find it's easier when we're out as they can have free reign to do what they need to do.

We leave the cash on the side and she has a key. We will leave a post it note if there's anything in particular we would like her to do such as dusting the shutters or cleaning the oven.

She's worked for us for over 10 years now so we know we can trust her.

Maybe see if a client or friend has someone they can reccomend ? Xx

That's the only thing we haven't lived here long so we would be choosing a complete stranger. I would just be picturing them snooping through all our stuff lol xx

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[GeekyGirly]

My cleaner is crb checked, there is a lot she could steal but I've never had a problem. I leave the cleaning to her and the house is always cleaned properly, if I noticed something that was getting missed I would point it out but I have never needed to. So she just gets on with it and I can get on with the things I want to, it's great. I have had a few cleaners over the years and some have been better than others but they've all been ok.

 

[Isabellamae]

Ooooo your all making me a little jealous!! Xx

 

[virtues2011]

The removal of putting valuables away is purely to remove the risk for both yourself and your cleaner. Why put yourself in that position, if you lose a valuable item or money the blame generally goes onto the cleaner, naturally. It's just common sense to me not because I don't trust them. I've misplaced money before and jewellery through not putting it away.

A lady I once knew left all her money all over the house, she had a daughter and a cleaner. Money went missing, it wasn't the daughter or the lady it was the cleaner!. . The cleaner got the sack and was bad mouthed. Eventually it came to light it wasn't the cleaner taking the money it was the daughter, but she wasn't truthful enough to own up at the time. A cleaner is an easy target for things that get misplaced.

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[Gina Ballerina]

The removal of putting valuables away is purely to remove the risk for both yourself and your cleaner. Why put yourself in that position, if you lose a valuable item or money the blame generally goes onto the cleaner, naturally. It's just common sense to me not because I don't trust them. I've misplaced money before and jewellery through not putting it away.

A lady I once knew left all her money all over the house, she had a daughter and a cleaner. Money went missing, it wasn't the daughter or the lady it was the cleaner!. . The cleaner got the sack and was bad mouthed. Eventually it came to light it wasn't the cleaner taking the money it was the daughter, but she wasn't truthful enough to own up at the time. A cleaner is an easy target for things that get misplaced.

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Ah that's terrible. Our cleaner is a friend of a friend so I never think of things like that, in fact id like her to move in!

 

[LieLash]

Cleaners can be both good and bad / like everything in life.

I did cleaning before my business was fully up and running ( because I needed the money) and never once would I dream of snooping or stealing anything.

Even my boss told me about a strange item that was in the drawer in the bedroom and next time I was there I should look ( I never ever did) my place was to clean.

A good cleaner is worth their weight in gold, so much that this lady who I cleaned for contacted me just last week begging me to come back as the company I worked for ceased trading

Yes companies are good but the best cleaner to get is someone recommend and someone who is self employed ( because if they are dishonest they will probably end up losing their job) no job / no money, no reputation.

Just remember though that we only very hear about bad cleaners and never the good ones.

 

[blossom]

Thanks for all the responses, made interesting reading.

I absolutely cannot wait, I can tell you.

 

[CONNECT-2-HAIR]

My friend Sam cleans for me once a week on a Monday. She will help out with anything I need assistance with. I have her for one and a half hours a week, which is just enough for me.

 

[lydia c]

My mums a cleaner and she is happy to do most things but she prefers a list of tasks for her to do so she can just get on with it so she doesn't interrupt the client / customer x

 

[blossom]

Can I ask a really stupid question?! I work from home and mobile, I don't work too much but I do have 2 children so even when I'm "not doing anything" I don't really have time to clean as I'm busy running around looking after the kids (they are 3yrs and 7 months). Our house is clean-ish but I never have time to do things like clean skirting boards, under the couch, thoroughly mop the floors etc so I've been thinking about getting a cleaner in once a week to do the jobs I don't get time to do. Do they come when your out or when your in? I know that sounds stupid but I wouldn't trust someone to be here on there own but if I was in I would feel really lazy watching them clean my house!!

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Becca you sound like me with the clean-ish house and the things you never have time to do lol
Im planning on being around the first time she comes for a little chat, then I shall stay in and probably iron or something...but in future I will probably be working (work from home) in a different room from where she is so hopefully she won't feel Im keeping an eye on her, I don't want to stalk her while she's working

 

[jojemac]

I have a cleaner for 2 hours a fortnight. What she does in those 2 hours is amazing. My house looks like a show home after! I make sure the place is tidy, then she comes in and blitzes the cleaning for me. A proper vac and all surfaces polished etc, does all skirting boards and picture rails, and scrubs bathroom. And much more.

I have never met my cleaner personally. I hire a company and they send her to me. They no longer send anyone in her place as the last 2 I had as stand ins were rubbish, and I was not happy at all!

I now don't work as many hours as I used to so I ideally need to cancel my cleans, especially since I'll be having a baby in Jan 2015, but I can't face losing her! Lol

 

[Spa Therapist]

The removal of putting valuables away is purely to remove the risk for both yourself and your cleaner. Why put yourself in that position, if you lose a valuable item or money the blame generally goes onto the cleaner, naturally. It's just common sense to me not because I don't trust them. I've misplaced money before and jewellery through not putting it away.

A lady I once knew left all her money all over the house, she had a daughter and a cleaner. Money went missing, it wasn't the daughter or the lady it was the cleaner!. . The cleaner got the sack and was bad mouthed. Eventually it came to light it wasn't the cleaner taking the money it was the daughter, but she wasn't truthful enough to own up at the time. A cleaner is an easy target for things that get misplaced.

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Do you think it would be appropriate for a cleaner to ask their employer to keep any valuables out of sight? On the one hand I think it would sound professional and reassure the employer that you don't want to steal from them... but what if they think you'd be tempted and don't trust yourself?

I'm considering doing some cleaning in the evenings as there are some huge houses around here, so surely there must be a call for it. I love cleaning other people's houses but I'm getting fed up of cleaning my own. Maybe I could work as a cleaner and use the money to pay someone to clean my house?! :lol:

 

[Panoramic]

I have a cleaner and she is wonderful. She comes in once a day and does it all

She is fantastic when it comes to cleaning the fireplaces and my oven is always clean

Would be lost without her. She gets £9.80 per hour.

However, I do lock certain items in the safe as you cannot trust everybody.

When she first came I checked the 'nanny cams" and she passed



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[TanBird]

Becca

Just get a cleaner and don't feel guilty, it doesn't matter if you're working at home, catching up on sleep, or sitting on your ars* drinking champagne while the cleaner is working - you're paying their wages!

We used to have have a cleaner come once a fortnight for 2 hours (no kids, no big pets so not so much dirt coming in). We both work from home so she cleaned whilst we sat at our desks and earned the money to pay her.

I'm sure self-employed cleaners are generally more conscientious than the "average" cleaning company employee - they make or break their own business.