How to motivate your cleaner

[supergolden88]

I have a cleaner who comes once every two weeks for 3 hours. It's a three bedroom house although she does not clean spare room or do any dusting or ironing (at my request). Mostly it's mopping, vacuuming and changing bedding plus cleaning kitchen surfaces and some general tidying.

Recently I have noticed she is getting increasingly sloppy and the floors look like the haven't really been cleaned properly, there's dust gathering in corners where she has not vacuumed etc. Even the bedding looks like it been changed by my five year old. Not that she was ever cleaner of the year but the standards are dropping.

I don't want to change cleaners really and at same time I dont really know how to bring up the fact that she is getting worse and worse.

Any ideas? Should I ask her to stay an extra hour to do the work properly? I have to admit the house is pretty chaotic with baby toys and toddler toys/crafts strewn about and I really need the help to keep it under some sort of control.

[Pickle]

I wonder if it's worth getting her to come weekly? IMO it's easier to keep on top of dust etc. if the cleaning is done regularly (although maybe you're doing it in between her visits?).

Otherwise I would just be honest with her, and point out the areas that need done more thoroughly. I've just done exactly that with my cleaner this morning - she's been cleaning for me for over 3 years now, and is great, but there were a few things that I felt needed more attention and she was absolutely fine about it.

[candj]

I agree with pickle that if something is not done correctly it's better to let her know about it. Also agree that weekly cleaning is much easier and better than a whole mass of cleaning done fortnightly especially with baby and toddler as more stuff gets moved around. Perhaps three hours isn't long enough so she's rushing? I would ask her if she feels she has enough time, needs more cleaning supplies, if the mop is okay, etc. My housekeeper has been with me for 6 1/2 years and is very proactive but is never put out when asked to do something else or told that something needs to be done differently/with more care (sweep garden leaves, hand wash cashmere jumper).

[amydown]

Personally, 3 hours every two weeks for 3-bed house does sound quite stretched (even without the spareroom).

Just to give you an idea, our cleaning lady (through Sonia's company recommended here) comes round twice a week, two hours each time. It's 4-bed house but she doesn't clean the guest bedroom or the study. No ironing either and change of bedding is only by exception as I think she would normally run out of time?

Our house does get rather messy (would like to blame on toddler but more me actually) but it does give you something to compare it against.

[Grotty]

i'm having the same problem - 3 bed house - cleaner comes for 3 hours fortnightly - she hoovers whole house, mops the floors and cleans kitchen and bathroom. Started off great, but increasingly seems to look less and less clean when she's been. Think you're right - just better to discuss it with her, but i find the whole thing a bit awkward...

[Otta]

If standards have actually dropped, just point it out to her and see what she has to say.

[supergolden88]

I am dreading having an actual chat. I know I should but not sure it would be constructive (once I pointed out an area which she had supposedly cleaned that was full of cat hair and she got very defensive about it).

May ask her to do an extra hour is possible. Of course having a baby in the house at same time and trying to nap makes her visits rather fraught for me.

[zeban]

I can easily spend 3 hours cleaning my studio flat. 3 hours is no where near enough and the cleaner probably feels like she's drowning. Give her more hours.

[Otta]

(once I pointed out an area which she had supposedly cleaned that was full of cat hair and she got very defensive about it).

I understand that must be difficult for you, but at the end of the day, you're paying her to clean. Whether you need her for longer or not, is really another issue. If she has "cleaned" something, and it's not clean, then she's not doing what you're paying her for.