Yyeess!! Cleaner here i come!!!!

**smurfette** · 21-11-2014, 12:49 PM

Just met a lovely family to fill my last space .. One day a week. Wasn't going to fill it but realised that If I did I could afford a cleaner and that would be more beneficial than only having two little ones not three one day a week.

Ssoo.. All signed up! Looking for some advice now... What is best for cleaner to do? Where do you find most help?

I suppose for most childminders the downstairs has to be pretty clean most of the time.. We hoover and steam mop every night. Los aren't allowed upstairs so that gets a mess as everything gets shoved up there out of way but a lot of that is clutter not dirt.

Can afford three hours once a week.. Hoover stairs and landing, clean bathrooms, hoover bedrooms and change beds? Wish I could have someone in every evening lol!!

What does your cleaner do if you have one?

**smurfette** · 21-11-2014, 12:53 PM

Also when is best time? I am off Friday so was thinking then. But won't it be a mess again by Sunday night?!

**Maza** · 21-11-2014, 01:27 PM

I have one for three hours a week. She does a bit of ironing, cleans the bathroom and kitchen (I never leave her any washing up though), dusts and hoovers bedrooms (2), living room and dining room. I never get her to change or make the beds because they are jobs that I don't mind doing. Occasionally I will ask her to give a particular cupboard or the fridge a clean if we haven't got any ironing. The first two cleaners we had only got through about two thirds of this but as I had no one to compare them to I assumed that that was all that could be managed in three hours. We have had about three cleaners since then and they have never struggled to get our whole flat done. They get lovely Christmas tips as a result.

I've had various days in the past and there are advantages and disadvantages of each day. I've had them when the mindees were here but then you are paranoid that they will leave the bleach out or the iron around. Also, you don't want your mindees messing up afterwards and so for me that wasn't so great. She now comes on Thursday when I don't childmind but sometimes am out doing supply teaching.

**funemnx** · 21-11-2014, 02:42 PM

Mine comes Friday morning when I'm out with the children. She comes 2 hours and changes our bed, puts a wash on, dust/polish upstairs, vacuum upstairs and down the stairs, plus lounge. Cleans the upstairs bathroom and steam cleans the kitchen/diner floor. The best decision I ever made

**Ripeberry** · 21-11-2014, 02:47 PM

I would like to get a team of cleaners in to do an all day 'deep clean' and maybe do that every 6 months or so. Can't stand any strangers touching my stuff, so would never have a cleaner round.

**smurfette** · 07-01-2015, 12:54 PM

So here I am again.. Lost my cleaner money before Christmas as needed to buy new oven but have this terms in my account (one mum does one day a week and has paid me Til end feb)

So need to take the plunge for some reason a bit nervous about it, trying to decide whether to get cleaner before weekend so nice clean house but then will have to clean again Sunday night or get Monday mornings early so it's clean for week.

**Daisy1956** · 07-01-2015, 01:46 PM

Watching with interest to see what you decide. Have never really thought about having a cleaner but find never enough time to
do all I want, even if I only got one to hoover upstairs and the stairs it would be a help. Let us know how you go on, also how do you go about finding one.

**FloraDora** · 07-01-2015, 03:15 PM

I think you will appreciate it more if you have a cleaner on Friday. It will be a lovely start to the weekend and you won't sit on Friday night thinking about cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen on Saturday! The back of it will be done and Sunday night will only be a flick around. If like me you clean the bathrooms/ toilet daily anyway in the week then you will want them clean for children arriving Monday morning so the cleaner may be too late.
When I worked full time I always had a cleaner and Fridays were a real treat to come home to ...if you get a good one.

Now I have a retired DH who is cleaner, cook and caretaker. He cleans bathrooms as I set up for children, cleans kitchen as he goes along, vacs as soon as he gets up,when they sleep, and when they leave after he puts things away whilst I finish diaries/ obs/ paperwork. The best housekeeper you can find!

**Rubybubbles** · 07-01-2015, 04:48 PM

I have a cleaner who comes every other Monday, she cleans bathrooms, hall, stairs and all of downstairs. I do keep on top of the cleaning but this has really helped as we travel every other weekend and means I can leave on the Friday evening and know she'll be in on the Monday morning, 😄

**smurfette** · 07-01-2015, 06:05 PM

[QUOTE="FloraDora;1387603"]I think you will appreciate it more if you have a cleaner on Friday. It will be a lovely start to the weekend and you won't sit on Friday night thinking about cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen on Saturday! The back of it will be done and Sunday night will only be a flick around. If like me you clean the bathrooms/ toilet daily anyway in the week then you will want them clean for children arriving Monday morning so the cleaner may be too late. When I worked full time I always had a cleaner and Fridays were a real treat to come home to ...if you get a good one. Now I have a retired DH who is cleaner, cook and caretaker. He cleans bathrooms as I set up for children, cleans kitchen as he goes along, vacs as soon as he gets up,when they sleep, and when they leave after he puts things away whilst I finish diaries/ obs/ paperwork. The best housekeeper you can find![/QUOTE
Lucky lady ! Dh is great to be fair and says we don't need one but he works full time and can be away travelling with work , the girls are busy with sport at the weekend And we seem to spend the whole weekend cleaning ! I have them trained in to each do bits but we also have animal cages to clean out etc and I also think if the cleaner would hoover their room and change the beds they might keep them tidier!

I think your Friday idea is spot on ,, I don't start Til 9 on Mondays so thought she could start doing downstairs before little ones come but really we would only need to do floors sun pm / mon am and it would be more of an inconvenience her being there that early

**smurfette** · 07-01-2015, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Rubybubbles

I have a cleaner who comes every other Monday, she cleans bathrooms, hall, stairs and all of downstairs. I do keep on top of the cleaning but this has really helped as we travel every other weekend and means I can leave on the Friday evening and know she'll be in on the Monday morning, dde04

That's fab .. Pain in the bum having to cleAn when you come home plus all the laundry uou bring back!

You haven't been about for a while .. You moved ?

**smurfette** · 07-01-2015, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Daisy1956

Watching with interest to see what you decide. Have never really thought about having a cleaner but find never enough time to do all I want, even if I only got one to hoover upstairs and the stairs it would be a help. Let us know how you go on, also how do you go about finding one.

I have been talking today to one on gumtree and one on adverts which is a buying / selling site. Didn't really know who to ask for a recommendation people don't really talk about it!

Have also looked at hassle.com.. Think they run in uk too.. You enter a time and how long and they bring up details of available cleaners and whoever replies first gets the job,. You can book one off so I am kinda tempted by that cos if you don't like what they do you don't have to book again!

**Daisy1956** · 07-01-2015, 11:23 PM

Thanks Smurfette will really have to think about it. Finding really have no inclanation to do the housework, know I have to but really would rather do something else.

**Rubybubbles** · 08-01-2015, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by smurfette

That's fab .. Pain in the bum having to cleAn when you come home plus all the laundry uou bring back! You haven't been about for a while .. You moved ?

Yes moved in July and started working late sept, been full on and very busy, I try not to lurk and join in but ended up lurking haha

**smurfette** · 08-01-2015, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Rubybubbles

Yes moved in July and started working late sept, been full on and very busy, I try not to lurk and join in but ended up lurking haha

Ah I see lol!

**smurfette** · 08-01-2015, 09:56 PM

Lol dh is predictably being stubborn about it. Doesn't want cleaner at weekends
When he is about as he would feel uncomfortable , doesn't want her upstairs doing the kids rooms
(I think it would make them keep it tidier!) said Fridays a bad idea as we like to slob a bit at weekend and don't do much cleaning outside the big clean usually on Sunday (the floor gets muddy from dog and us in and out
Cleaning out animals) and it will be a mess again by Monday .. This is a good point!

Says he could do it in hour and half if I took the kids out. Either of us could but isn't the point for us to have time as a family!! Would rather I spent money on him lol!! Sigh