Hello, I’m thinking now the time has come for me to seriously consider getting a cleaner in
Has anybody got any tips for me and what can I avoid? This is really worrying me at the moment.
hubby is very good, but I do feel we need a little bit more help here.
I've employed a cleaner for over 40 years as used to work full time so it was great. Ask them around for a cup of tea, to see if you like them. Ask them to bring ID with address on like a driving licence and keep a note of its number. Never just go by a recommendation on Facebook as they may be related but see if anyone locally has one and if they'd be interested in your work. Make it clear your hiring their time so no nonsense about more money for a deep clean thats tosh. An hourly rate here is about £15 but I pay £17.50 as she's worth it and doesn't watch the clock plus has a set of keys so when away she can get in. I have a large house it takes a day to polish the furniture (old fashioned wax) so I ask her to do both bathrooms, skirting boards, polish upstairs (spray is fine) wipe over all doors and cobweb check. Then every couple of months do an extra day to polish. I've had one cleaner for over 15 years then she retired and moved away since then a few rubbish but gave them a chance but no keys. Then two years ago this lady, lovely and thorough and trusted. I pay cash and ask no questions about tax. lol My best advice is go with the gut and don't go for I'll bring own products and charge more thats a con. Be clear about your expectations and ask to agree to a trial for a month as it does take time for them and you to adjust. Worth every penny in my view. When I retired I didn't need one at first but about 18 years ago decided to get one again not because of RA but fed up of housework
What brilliant advice.! Thank you for such detail. I have reached the stage where I can’t bend, can’t scrub and clean - and don’t want to as it's all too bloody boring - so am definitely looking for help.
I’ve never had any help before apart from a chap who does bits in the garden but have heard it’s difficult to find good, reliable and honest cleaners so your tips are very valuable. 😀👍
Most important is don't be afraid to say how you want things done. A good one won't mind or they may even be better than you! My lady is far better at polishing my floors than me as can get down and does the edges first. I trust her and she does clean my windows better than me too. You can usually tell a good one by windows if they clean them as round then get rid of them. My lady has 3 children so we're flexible she is booked for Tuesdays but if a little one is ill and her mum can't help she do another day. I don't mind that as if not in she can let herself in and do the usual. It does free up my life and I love a clean tidy house but it takes me so long now ! so she's worth every penny plus I regard her now as a friend.
I currently do my housework, but I only do it fortnightly now, and it takes 2 days to do. I stay in my PJs till I’ve done what I can manage, as I end up a dripping mess, and breathless from my fused ribs and lung conditions. Hubby has been suggesting recently that we should maybe think about a cleaner. I know it sounds bizarre, but I would feel guilty sitting around while they were working. However, I do think I’ll have to look into it. I can’t bend due to the stiffness from the AS, I have loads of long handled gadgets to do skirting, and getting cobwebs from the ceiling. I’m lucky that although it’s a 4 bedroom house, there is only the two of us now, so we don’t make much of a mess. Good advice you’ve given when looking for a cleaner, so will bear it in mind. Thanks 🤗
Before I retired it was vital as otherwise I’d have had no free time to enjoy the family etc. I admit to being tidy and there’s only us two and half the house isn’t used. The dining room is lovely but I’ve turned its heating off unless we’ve company as it’s a waste and the furniture doesn't feel cold. I think it’s vital to spend time doing what you want to do. I worked and am busy retired. I’m lucky and tbh the house is far too big now, we’ve thought about downsizing but I’d really miss the garden and I do love this house. My furniture is old, some very old stuff stuff which we’ve inherited and it did surprise me when my son said he wanted the old table and dressers so it won’t be just chucked out eventually. We’re recycling as our forebearers did but they just never knew it would be fashionable. Xx
Another thing to think about to not feel guilty as we all know is a lot of young families these days are a bit hard up its older people like me with a disposable income and in reality its mums unable to find a job that ties in with school hours or doesn't require high child care costs often do this. They've got the energy too unlike me nowadays. My lady has children all at school and makes a good living cleaning as she said it helps them out as much as it does me. So you could be doing someone a favour ?? Just a thought but I've never felt guilty at all. lol xx
Really, really impressed with your reply m-l! I dont need any help just now - other than I can’t really be bothered with cleaning, it’s not top on my list of priorities and I’ve not really got a system now, not sure I ever had one. The place isn’t a health hazard though
Years ago when I was working I used the lady who cleaned the place where my husband worked and that worked out for me although she used to break the odd thing and watered my plants whether they needed it or not which was a nuisance but her cleaning skills made up for that. I’m going to keep your advice should I ever need to hire 😊
Thank you so much for your reply. Very good advice which I will keep in mind.
This is a difficult decision I have been thinking about for sometime now . It’s frustrating not being able to do cleaning like I use to. And admitting it .
I had a monthly cleaner but now have fortnightly. Word of mouth is good: ask neighbours. I’ve not had a good experience with any of the chains; Molly Maid etc. Start with a trial clean or cleans. Don’t be frightened to say what you want. Good luck.
I found some of the companies more expensive and less flexible. Always interview the person before hand and ask for ID (as mentioned above). Most cleaners are glad of the work. We are flexible over days worked as we only need 4hours a week, which includes some ironing. Don't be afraid to ask them to do something differently. A good attitude is important. They are working in your home. I have placed a local add in our local shop and found that mum's are often in interested in part-time work to fit around school time. I have had to speak to a couple of cleaners (over 40 + years of using them) about not doing work as I wanted and they both left. One has remained a good friend. I didn't know but her husband had developed cancer and she wasn't coping. It worked out for her and us that she left and we found someone else. Some Age UK have cleaning services but the charge is £20 per hour.
great advice here already. I employed a cleaner when I went back to working full time. Think about exactly what you want them to do and how often and how long you will want them for. My cleaner comes for two hours per week and spends most of that time cleaning our large kitchen-diner, living room and bathroom. If she has time she does the bedrooms. We have dogs so I really appreciate the extra help.
When I first employed her, I asked word of mouth and put a message on a local Facebook group board. I ‘interviewed’ two ladies and would have been happy to employ either but really clicked with this one. I am her only client and it’s worked really well and she has become a trusted friend. Be brave and go for it. It’s such a huge help.
I have a cleaner, she comes fortnightly, 5 hours a month. She does things I struggle to do. Best thing I did for myself.
I had a cleaner when my disabled son was young. I told my ex that either he paid for a cleaner, or he moved back in with us to look after my son while I did the cleaning. He choose to pay for someone. It was hard at first to get one as I live in a really wealthy area. There were only companies supplying half days only, they wouldn't just do two hours a week. I think all the local cleaners were snapped up by the wealthy people who had them working several days a week.
I finally found her through word of mouth, and she was lovely, but when my ex changed to running his own company he couldn't afford to pay for her any more.
I was actually relieved in some ways, as I was tried of having to rewash the dishes after she had done them, and retrieving Lego from the hoover. We dispose of all organic waste in the compost bin, and for years after she left I was still finding socks and little things in the veggie patch.
Several things were chipped or broken, and the floors were never quite clean (no carpet, just ancient pitch pine floor boards and a couple of rugs). She used hot water to wash the floors and it washed off the oil coating making it even harder to keep them clean. Turns out she didn't like wearing her glasses unless she was driving, so I don't think she saw the dirt on the floor.
So when she left I took over myself. But that was 20 years ago. As I have become less able myself, I was doing less and less housework. Turns out that the cobwebs are homes to spiders that eat the flies. And the dust on the furniture doesn't get any worse.
Now I am struggling to finish my PhD and with psoriatic arthritis and a useless rheumatology department. I do no housework other than washing the dishes (well, my son loads and unloads the dishwasher!) and keep the kitchen surfaces 'clean enough'.
No one has died, or got ill. And guests say it is a really relaxing house to be in because they don't worry about messing it up.
Housework is overrated!
I’ve had a cleaner for years. Not the same one and they’re definitely not equal. Your idea of clean may be quite different from the cleaners. I’m super tidy so it’s not arduous, Trying to get a cleaner to move bin bag from bin to outside bin seems to be an endless struggle for some reason.
I’ve also had amazing cleaners that make the place gleam and are a delight. I’ve just moved so have been looking for someone and I think I’ve found the right person. Met her last week (which is important) and I like her.
Beware of the cleaner that you find on social media. They may be unreliable as I’ve always found that they end up with childcare issues, illness, something else and then it can get tricky.
Another thing to watch for are fees. If it’s a company they’re likely to be vat registered so you’ll need to add 20% on top of the fee.
I’ve paid £25 an hour for a reliable company which included vat. Now I’m going to pay £18 an hour and no vat.
Tips? Be very clear about what’s important to you to have help with. Aside from the bin, duvet cover putting on is important for me.
I have a cleaner as I have two businesses to run. Well, that’s my excuse. In reality, it’s because I’m lazy and detest cleaning. My late husband always said if I did the cleaning, the house was more of a mess. Result!
And make them a cuppa!
Just so I make mine a cuppa and I can still do the beds but can't clean all the windows and I'd not say lazy but ...... I totally agree facebook it might be friend who recommend I go with the idea " Do I need to hide jewellery?" if my gut says "yes" then not one for me. I did have one steal many years ago and I'd have given her the bits if she'd asked. I've also tried a company and it was a rip off, higher costs and no idea who's coming. I like to know whom I employing and also I pay 2 her weeks holiday in summer and Christmas as I appreciate her loyalty when I need extra help.
That's terrible that someone stole from you. I'm lazy 🤣🤣. I have no interest in cleaning but I do work over 12 hours a day but it doesn't feel like work. It's not like having to get up and go to an office. I can stay in PJs if I want to (but I don't!)
I have a cleaner once a week for up to 1.5 to 2 hours and she is excellent and very reliable. She even came in every day to feed my cat when I went away! I find changing bed linen difficult now and hate ironing! Vacuuming and sweeping can set off back pain for me so I avoid that too. I pay her £15 per hour and it's money well spent in my opinion.
But as an alternative you could consider having a cleaning company/team less frequently (once a month or every two months) to do a more major clean and potter around with you and your hubby doing the basics in between.
I agree with cyberbarn that housework is very overrated! There are plenty of people looking for this type of work to earn extra income and work around their other commitments. So you will be helping them and have time to do more interesting things yourselves. Win-Win!!
Definitely do it. I have one. The house isn't spotless but it's great not having to think about it
Do any of your friends or relatives have a cleaner? Ask for a recommendation as word of mouth seems to have worked for us.
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