Cleaning is a necessary evil. Every house needs regular upkeep, but when you live an already busy life, trying to find time to stay on top of the cleaning is a near-impossible task. This leads to a vicious cycle of needing to do a bigger, more thorough deep clean, but this is even more time-consuming and can take up to a whole weekend of your time to get through.
As a result, many people consider hiring a cleaning person to help with their housework, but if you’ve never had a house cleaner before, it can be tricky to know what the proper etiquette is, how often they should come, and whether you should stay or scarper while they work.
We’re here to answer some of the most common questions around hiring a house cleaner, and whether we think it’s worth it or if it’s a service best reserved for the rich and famous.
How Do I Prepare My House For a House Cleaner?
One worry about hiring a cleaner is that they will judge you for the state that your house is in before working their magic, leading many people to wonder how to prepare for a cleaner.
Firstly, always communicate with your house cleaner before they start so that you know what to expect from their services. That way, you’ll know what jobs are okay to leave for them, and what you should prepare before their arrival, which can help the process along faster.
For example, if making the bed isn’t a part of the remit for your house cleaner’s work, wash your linens and/or make your bed before they turn up. If you’ve discussed it and your cleaner is happy to make the bed as part of their service, lay fresh linen out so that it’s easy to find.
Decluttering your home is another great way to prepare for a house cleaner and will make it a lot easier for them to get through their work faster as they won’t have to deal with things in their way as they clean. Without tidying first, you may not end up with the deepest clean.
What Should You Expect From a House Cleaner?
Every cleaner will have their own list of cleaning services, but some of the general housekeeping duties include vacuuming, mopping, dusting, kitchen cleaning, bathroom cleaning. Some will be happy to include jobs like laundry, but why not utilize their skills more effectively?
Some of the things you shouldn’t expect from your cleaner include:
- Lift any heavy objects
- Clean up after your pet’s accidents
- Run personal errands for you
- Do additional, deep clean services
- Cook
Should You Clean Before Your House Cleaner Comes?
There is some truth in that you should make sure any dirty dishes are clean and put back, general clutter or mess should be tidied, and you should probably stash those dirty undies away with the rest of your unfinished laundry. A house cleaner’s job is to clean, not to tidy.
With that said, however, there’s no point spending money for a cleaner to come to your home if you’re going to run around with a duster and mop before they turn up, cleaning everything first so that it “doesn’t look dirty” when the cleaner actually arrives. Prepare, but don’t clean!
How Often Should a House Cleaner Come?
There isn’t an exact answer to this question as there is no magic to dictate the number of times a house cleaner should come to clean your home.
Firstly, consider how often you can afford to have your cleaner come to the house. You might find that you can only justify the expense of one or two sessions per month, and then decide to supplement this with a weekly clean of your own to tide you over between house cleaning.
If you’re particularly pressed for time or if you have a busy few weeks coming up, you may prefer to have your cleaner come in once a week to relieve you of most of the housework so you can focus on whatever you need to as your priority.
The size of your home will also play a part in this decision, as this affects both how long the cleaning will take you both (how much of your time you’re willing to give up) or your house cleaner (how much money they will charge for their services).
Do You Stay Home With Your House Cleaner?
This is something that will vary from cleaner to cleaner, so it’s worth checking with them before you hire them. Some may request that you remain in the house for the entire time they’re cleaning, whereas others may be happy for you to pop out if you need to run errands.
You might even find that some cleaners will prefer you to stay away from the house for the whole process so that you don’t get in the way (no offense) or distract them. When it comes to pets, it’s always best to check first to see if they’re happy for your pets to stay home or if you’ll need to take them out of the house.
So, is Having a House Cleaner Worth It?
The big question for most people tends to be, “are house cleaners worth it?” We’re inclined to say yes. For many people, the convenience of having a cleaner justifies the price, but this will ultimately depend on how much spare income you have to pay for a cleaning service.
With that being said, there are many affordable cleaning services that you can find to help you with your house cleaning without breaking the budget. Even if you only have your cleaner come in once a month, you may find it’s worth it for a week’s break from cleaning.
We hope that you’ve found this article helpful and that it’s given you a bit of insight into the etiquette of having a cleaner. Just make sure you communicate well and you should be fine!
Related Cleaning Articles:
- How Much Do Cleaners Charge Per Hour In The UK?
- What Is A Cleaning Schedule And How To Make One
- My House Is Messy, Where Do I Start?
- How To Tidy Your Room Quickly & Efficiently
- What To Do When You Can’t Keep On Top Of Housework