Employing a cleaner

Primrose

Increasing disability is forcing me to reluctantly consider going down this route.

Can anybody offer me some advance tips of how to prepare the house, things to avoid expecting, hints to make the reality of it all easier for both parties. What tasks should I prioritise? I was thinking heavy duty like vacuuming and kitchen floor mopping. And of course, suggested frequency on the basis of effectiveness versus economy.

How much is a realistic rate for south of England? Thanks.

Farway

I'm paying £12.50 per hour which seems about par around here, with the cleaner supplying her own gear but my Hoover [Dyson] Hampshire

I've specified to ignore two bedrooms rooms that I rarely use, live on my own, mine's couple of hours once a fortnight, kitchen, bathroom, stairs diner / lounge

Some bits get missed with the odd cobweb here & there but I cna live with that

They wanted to do a "deep clean" before they took over, to ensure it was clean from the off, that was 4 hours. Only mentioning it in case yours may want the same

They've learnt to not "tidy me up" and if I put a letter on the mantle piece That is where I want it, and not to "Tidy it" elsewhere

Icey77

I live in Hertfordshire, our house is a 4 bedroom family home with 2 adults and 2 young primary age children.

Our cleaner comes weekly for 2 hours and hoovers the house, mops the floors, cleans the 2.5 bathrooms and has her own rota for extra jobs such as blinds, skirting boards etc

I ensure the house is tidy for her and if the kids rooms are not acceptable to me I will shut their door and they will be ignored this week.

She uses our hoover, mop and cleaning products leaving me notes when something is running low. I pay £10 per hour. She is self employed rather than through an agency. I utterly adore her and value her enormously and make sure to give her a Christmas gift and birthday card etc.

HTH x

unrecordings

Only from employing a cleaner for commercial premises once: If they come via a franchise then check how the franchise operates in terms of the cleaner and end user (you). For example you might be over the moon with the cleaner, but they leave the franchise which can all sorts of problems when the franchise try to fob you off with 'their' replacement

Gers

Interesting question.

I have a cleaner who (normally) comes for two hours every fortnight and does dusting, vacuuming, washing kitchen / bathroom floors and cleans surfaces, basins etc. Having her makes me more tidy! For now she comes in for one hour once a fortnight to keep the place dust free.

My DM (whom I am with temporarily) has her own cleaner. Two hours every week. DM and her and now friends even though DM keeps her on her toes as she's very particular. As this cleaner has just had a toe joint fused we are just about to get a temporary cleaner through an agency, though the cleaner is self-employed. She'll start next week. The owner gave us a list of things which DM can tick off to show what she wants done and when. Again, main areas are kitchen and bathroom. The two reception rooms don't need much as they are rarely used just now.

Both (all?) are well worth the money.

NeilCr

I have a cleaner who comes in (with her mum to help) about once a week. It can vary a bit as she has another job. They do two hours in total and I pay £10 an hour in Kent. They used to run a business which they closed but they "kept me on" as we had become close friends

They have a key and I trust them completely. They often come in when I am not there - most importantly they are animal friendly and are very good with and careful with my indoors only cat. If I am away for a couple of days they will come in and feed and water him

I've got a modern two bedroomed house which they say is easy to clean. There is only me and the cat - and, apart from some shedding (him not me) we don't make much of a mess. Like others the bathroom and downstairs loo are a priority - as is the heavy stuff like vacuuming and floor washing. I supply cleaning materials and the hoover

The mother is an inveterate tidier away (I gather she is at home too) so I do put some things in drawers before they come. It is also does make you a bit lazy - if I know they are coming the next day it can be easy just to leave things (cat grit especially)

One of the best things I ever did. As a guy on my own I would be much more lax than they are - and a bad back and knees mitigate against lugging a hoover around

Very well worth the money

thriftwizard

My daughters paid a cleaner friend to come in for 2 hours a week when I was on chemo last year; she charged £9 per hour & generally managed with the equipment & stuff we have here, though from time to time she brought her industrial steamer down to tackle a particularly grimy bit. We're in Dorset, and live in an old & quirky house that's only just recovering from 27 years of large-family life. I found it very helpful; she concentrated on the kitchen, bathrooms, living room and the stairs, bedrooms being the responsibility of whichever offspring/parent is currently using them! (One bedroom is currently the sewing studio - mostly me, then - and another is full of OH's football programmes.)

buildersdaughter

I have recently had to make this decision. It seems the big consideration is whether you go the agency route or local, self-employed.
The advantage of an agency is the insurance, cover when cleaner is away etc. It seems agencies are very variable - the one I use is very active, covers the cleaner's holidays, travel, pension payments, has safety guidelines etc. Obviously that costs!
I am gradually getting to know the lovely young woman they sent, and she is getting to know me and our precious home.

Misslayed

I am in Dorset too, my Household Management Technician comes for two hours every fortnight and I pay her £12.50 an hour. She's been with me for nearly 22 years and is now a very dear friend. She has my key and my absolute trust. She cleans the kitchen, loo and bathroom, hoovers and mops, dusts and polishes. I'm retired now, when I was working she came for 4 hours a week and did everything - changed beds, did laundry, ironing, cleaned the oven etc. She has also helped to nurse my first husband and supported me through that and subsequent bereavement. From the outset I have paid her three weeks holiday money, and also paid her when she's had very rare days off sick.

happydays89

I am a self employed cleaner, I have had my cleaning jobs for years.
Some people have asked me to clean temporary while they are ill and then they get used to having a cleaner and 6 years later I’m still cleaning for them.
If I were you I would make a list of what you want doing,I find each job is different,then leave them to get on with the cleaning.Everyone has their own way of doing things and if the cleaners not doing it the way you would do it then you might find it a bit annoying.I don’t advertise,it’s all word of mouth.

catherinekate

Get them to prioritise the jobs you struggle with/ dislike. I don't mind washing up but hate cleaning the bathroom.

Having someone in your home can feel intrusive, and it's easy to get under their feet. I try to be out at cleaning time - meet them, say hi, then go for a walk or a cuppa until they're finished.