Do you have a cleaner?

We have a cleaner once a week. We are in a five bedroom house and she comes for four hours. It sounds as if you would need 2 hours a week or 3 hours fortnightly depending on whether or not you want her to change the bed. Our cleaner comes in when we are on holiday and does extras k=like cleaning cupboards, the fridge or the oven. I couldn’t manage without her. I didn’t retire to do housework.

Yes - tbh I only have them once a fortnight. I hate changing beds - that’s their main job. A quick hoover and clean of the bedrooms and kitchen. My lounge is hardly used as I live alone, (I am mostly in the TV/Dining room . But today, I did notice quite a bit of dust on the hall shelves. So I must do some dusting tomorrow 😂

Yes I have one that I wanted mainly for changing bedding. hoovering and dusting. She was employed for 3 hours weekly but was nipping out of the door after 2 and a half so I reduced the hours to two. I have a 3 bedroom house, a shower and 2 loos.

She is punctual and honest but speaks very little English. I have had cleaners for as long as I can remember.

Agencies are very expensive- word of mouth is far better.

We use an agency for our cleaners so it’s not cheap. We did have a local weekly cleaner but she had to stop coming during the pandemic and then found something else. They are like gold dust where I live so an agency it is. We have had cleaners on and off over the years, specially when my three children were small. As someone else said, I didn’t retire to clean. We have a gardener too as it’s not our favourite occupation but love a beautiful garden. We have a four bedroom house with two loos, a dining room, kitchen, utility room and a conservatory. The ladies come fortnightly in pairs and stay around one and a half hours. They Hoover and polish and clean the bathrooms. OH and I do our own ironing.

We have weekly cleaning.

Pair of women, their own business. Their supplies.

Two hrs @ £40/hour.

Had a new hip in spring so found a cleaner this summer, 2 hours every fortnight. She does bathroom and shower room, hall stairs and landing and one other room. Hoovers another if time allows. I paid her double at Christmas and hope she stays as have never liked housewirk, but always had to do it, up to now.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Since my children were small (1982?!) I’ve always had a cleaner, preferring individual ones to agencies.

Currently, for my two bedroom flat, my cleaner visits once a fortnight for two hours to clean the bathroom and kitchen plus vac and dust throughout. She’s not the best I’ve had but kindhearted and trustworthy, which I appreciate as she has sometimes looked after my flat when I’m in France.

Well, I always had a cleaner when I worked, but then stopped on retirement, as I figure housework keeps me more active,and it certainly does, on top of other stuff I do. I quite enjoy it.

But I will definitely employ one if I’m lucky to live to a doddery old age (I’m 77 soon, so not very old) and find it difficult to bend and reach etc.

I've never had a cleaner although most women I know have them. I'm a terrible housekeeper but I like privacy and don't want someone in my home other than invited friends. People who use them have to clear away clutter before the cleaners arrive and, for me, that's the hardest part. I may eventually use one since everyone says how nice it is to have the house so nice and clean.

Whitewave: I just turned 76 and as long as I'm still able to vacuum and change the bedding, I think my body is doing pretty well. It's definitely good exercise.

I have always had a cleaner and prefer to employ direct rather than through an agency.

It is very true that some are better than others and a good one is worth holding on to.

Mom3

Whitewave: I just turned 76 and as long as I'm still able to vacuum and change the bedding, I think my body is doing pretty well. It's definitely good exercise.

Yes that’s what I figure.

I’m a great believer in keeping active - mind and body. So I walk every day for at least an hour -as well as housework etc, it is so much better than boring gyms. I did join once, but found it mind stifling dull. I really prefer to be outdoors.

No I don’t have a cleaner I don’t mind a bit of housework so while I can do it myself I’ll carry on as well as the garden.

Always had a cleaner, once a week, all my married life.
Had a few as they give up for various reasons, however mine is an absolute treasure, she's part of the family now, she's been with me about 20 years.

If you get a special one they are worth their weight in Gold.

Humbertbear

We have a cleaner once a week. We are in a five bedroom house and she comes for four hours. It sounds as if you would need 2 hours a week or 3 hours fortnightly depending on whether or not you want her to change the bed. Our cleaner comes in when we are on holiday and does extras k=like cleaning cupboards, the fridge or the oven. I couldn’t manage without her. I didn’t retire to do housework.

Very entitled post 🙄

Ladyleftfieldlover

We use an agency for our cleaners so it’s not cheap. We did have a local weekly cleaner but she had to stop coming during the pandemic and then found something else. They are like gold dust where I live so an agency it is. We have had cleaners on and off over the years, specially when my three children were small. As someone else said, I didn’t retire to clean. We have a gardener too as it’s not our favourite occupation but love a beautiful garden. We have a four bedroom house with two loos, a dining room, kitchen, utility room and a conservatory. The ladies come fortnightly in pairs and stay around one and a half hours. They Hoover and polish and clean the bathrooms. OH and I do our own ironing.

Another smug post 🙄

LOUISA1523 - is that a large chip I can see on your shoulder or are you just being rude?

We have had cleaners for over 35 years (not the same one)

I hate housework but I am rather fussy and love a clean and tidy house.

Cleaners are like gold dust round here, and good ones are hard to find.

Life is to short to spend time in things that I do not enjoy.

Norah

We have weekly cleaning.

Pair of women, their own business. Their supplies.

Two hrs @ £40/hour.

Forty pounds an hour??!!

I have a cleaner for 2 hours a week. Hired by word of mouth as she cleans for others in the area. She does the jobs Im too disabled to do. I pay via bank transfer.

I dont see anything smug about Ladyleftfieldlover's posting and I agree that I did not retire to do housework. I also have a gardner. Nothing wrong with providing employment for someone else or paying them to do things which are beyond me since I became mobility impaired.

I have quite poor mobility but I can dust, clean the loo washbasin and shower, use a long-reach soft brush for cupboard tops and skirting boards, wipe the work tops, clean the fridge & microwave, wipe window ledges, load the washing machine & dryer, mop the hard surface floors.........bed stripping is shared with OH and he helps with all the above and does the vacuuming and most of the ironing. I have to confess to recently having the oven professionally cleaned though. The thought of anyone else cleaning my toilet etc just does not appeal to be honest. while I can do it, I will do it. I basically, have more sense than money I guess.

I've had a cleaner for over 20 years due to having M.E. and very little energy.

She's not the world's best cleaner but she's a lovely person and has been coming to me for nearly 10 years, and we've become friends. She comes for 2 hours once a fortnight and I do tidy up beforehand, and knowing that she's coming makes me do that.

During the lockdowns when she didn't come, I had wondered if I could manage without her..... but I couldn't. I started off cleaning one room a day which meant it was a continual ongoing chore, but I often have bad days as I'm juggling a number of health conditions, so then I'd miss a couple of days, and before I knew it, a week had gone by with no cleaning. I also have a lovely chap to do my garden.

I like the house to look nice and I get a great deal of pleasure from a pretty and colourful garden, so I'd rather do without other things in order to keep these going.